Filmgate: Interactive Film Festival Brings Rock Gods, Digital Media Gurus, and Co-Creation to Miami

Courtesy of Filmgate

British filmmaker Philip Bloom

If there's one word that sums up this century so far, it's interactive. These days, audiences don't want to sit and silently watch a film screening or listen to a monotonous lecture. In our modern times of Twitter, Instagram, and digital engagement, they want in on the action.

Now, in tribute to these changing moors, Indie Film Club Miami (IFCM) is introducing the city's first interactive film festival, Filmgate.

Showcasing the best in independent content creation and co-creation, the festival will span February 1st through 3rd and feature names like groundbreaking DSLR filmmaker Philip Bloom, indie director Alejandro Jodorowsky, and Miami's own Rakontur king, Billy Corben. Not to mention audience members, who'll become stars of the show themselves.

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Throughout the three days of the festival, screenings and workshops will cover filmmaking how-tos, indie retrospectives, rock stars, mobile technology and all kinds of other stuff. Basically, if you can dream it, Filmgate's got it. And you can be a part of it.

"Because cross platform can come in so many forms, each project is very different. In one of the projects, the audience will download a free application to their phone and while they are watching the screen, they will get prompted to do certain things or enter or text or call or be called. It's very immersive. Another project will ask you to choose your own adventure or ending. Then, there is a Super Mario skit, where everyone from the audience will be a part of the level. Transmedia is fun," says Diliana Alexander of Indie Film Club Miami.

The first day is made for music lovers. The festival will kick off at O Cinema on Friday, February 1, with "Spinners of Sound," a series featuring local acts Hola Hi, Deaf Poets, Sirens and Sealions and one surprise band who'll sing songs and tell stories. In addition, they'll be screening the Sundance documentary, Sound City, directed by Dave Grohl and featuring music legends Trent Reznor and Tom Petty.