Portrait of a film festival under COVID

by Richard Nelson

You’d think 30 years of experience running a film festival would prepare you for most eventualities. But then a global pandemic comes along to remind you that, as the screenwriter William Goldman famously wrote, “nobody knows anything.”

Like everyone else, the FilmBath team has quickly adapted to the strange new world in which we find ourselves.  That primarily means working from home. Gone, the office camaraderie! Gone, quickly making decisions just by calling across the room! Gone, last year’s obsession with sugary snacks (mmm, doughnuts)! Well, I can’t speak for the rest of the team, but I’ve at least managed to replicate that last one at home.

We may have lost in-person interaction, but we have gained being able to roll out of bed and straight into work just before 10am. That’s when we have our daily team meeting on the ubiquitous lockdown favourite, Zoom. It’s great to see everyone’s faces; to be reminded that we are still part of a team, working together while apart. And we get to have a little nose at everyone else’s homes, too.

It’s also a chance for each of us to try to cram a whole day’s worth of questions into half-an-hour. But, as many people have discovered over the past six months, a global pandemic couldn’t have come at a better time in terms of technology. We may not be able to easily shout across the room, but we can ping tasks and questions via email, or text message, or webchat, or online team management tools…

Truly, there is no escape.

The business of putting the festival together is also “the same, but different”. Hollywood studios continue to fret about when and how to release their blockbusters, but film festivals around the world have been going ahead, one way or another. Consequently, our programming team are spoilt for choice of quality movies to bring to Bath. The announcement of their typically eclectic selection of powerful films is something to anticipate with excitement.

Meanwhile, the team are putting plans in motion to ensure we can enjoy those films in a COVID-free environment. The fantastic Green Park Station will be our venue this year, with social distancing and advanced cleaning procedures in place to keep us all protected. Our number is small right now, but before long the FilmBath team will expand with our dependable volunteers, who enable the festival to run smoothly and safely.

Most of all, we’re excited to be back. Working from home has its advantages, but there’s no replacement for enjoying a great film with a festival crowd.