This is the 11th year of the Mosaic World Film Festival (MWFF) and it is this weekend hosted in Rockford, Illinois. MWFF is what Rockfordians are able to call their own. The President of MWFF is a local as well, Jerry LaBuy, who is a professor here at RVC and the Chair of the Mass Comm Department. Right as classes start back up, the festival rolls in
and gives students a great chance to hangout, take a break, and enjoy high-quality films that most people in the area have never seen before.
The beauty of having an event like MWFF is over the course of one weekend, upwards of 60 films that have been critically acclaimed or low budget masterpieces are showcased over the weekend. It’s supposed to give an appreciation for their craft, and the way directors and teams come together to tell a story. It’s a different experience than going to a, “summer blockbuster,” and knowing the general outcome of a big name film.
One film that was showcased last year that struck home was the German foreign film, “Evening of Eternity.” It featured a gentleman who found the love of his life in a magical timeless tavern. As the night ended they both parted way back in their respective time periods. The story and cinematography was a treat to see unfold. These films go past big name distributors and streaming services, to give the attendee a unique perspective on other films outside of a catalogue.
This year is special year for MWFF, because Bing Liu’s highly popular documentary, “Minding The Gap,” is being featured over the weekend. Mr. Liu is alumni of RVC and his documentary has won numerous significant awards and receiving a lot of national coverage. There will be a few Q & A sessions with him over the weekend.
The festival starts August 24th, Friday at 10:00 A.M. and runs through Sunday evening on the 26th. Here is their website with more information and ticket pricing http://mosaicfilmfest.com/index.php/2018-screening-information/.
