Film Festival starts today

The 50th Ann Arbor Film Festival starts today. Writing for Real Detroit Patrick Dunn, former editor of the former A.V. Club Ann Arbor, has this to say:

The term "experimental film" can conjure up ideas of boring art-school exercises, but Donald Harrison says the genre is much broader, and more enjoyable, than it gets credit for. "'Experimental film' doesn't mean people are experimenting," Harrison says. "We tend to use that term for people that are working outside of traditional three-act structure. It really encompasses a huge spectrum of what's happening in films." Harrison's a guy who would know a thing or two on the subject; he's the executive director of the Ann Arbor Film Festival, which is about to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Harrison and his festival co-conspirators are preparing for the big birthday with a record 233 films, incorporating both new work and films that have screened at festivals past.

You can read Patrick's entire article, including his top picks for the festival here.