As the chief programmer for the Revolve Film and Music Festival, Triad resident and musician Shalini Chatterjee knows her job is difficult.
She also knows it requires instinct, plus the ability to talk to people and ask for the movies that she wants.
In order to do her job well, Chatterjee thinks it's best to become like a rat.
"You have to be a little bit like Templeton (the rat from ‘Charlotte's Web')," says Chatterjee while sitting in her downtown office converted from an old greenhouse. "You have to walk into the Dumpsters and finagle things. There's a scavenger element to what I do."
After scavenging a world of cinema for the past nine months, Chatterjee has assembled a line up of 20 films that will be screened Aug. 6-10. Sure, that number is a far cry from the scores of films played at RiverRun International Film Festival, but Chatterjee believes this is a good thing. By running all of its screenings in one venue at the Salem Fine Arts Center at Salem College, Revolve is perhaps the only festival in the state where it's humanly possible to see all of the films that are playing, not to mention a special performance by ' 80s new wave band Plyon with opener Gravel Truck (9:30 p.m., Aug. 8).
Screening 20 films at this new festival also has allowed Chatterjee to program a more focused series of titles geared specifically for adults.
"There's not a lot of entertainment opportunities for adults here," Chatterjee says.
Chatterjee even went so far as to add established breaks in between so that attendees will have a chance to grab something to eat after viewing a flick.
"My favorite entertainment experiences in my life were the ones where I didn't think I was going to get trampled; and where I didn't feel like I was waiting in line for half an hour for a hot dog," Chatterjee says. "That's uncomfortable, that's annoying.
"This is going to be comfortable so that people are going to have fun."
And although it would be possible to watch all of the films playing at the festival, if that's something your schedule will not allow, Chatterjee listed three titles audiences should try to see no matter what. For the full schedule, visit www.revolvefestival.com.
"4" (directed by Tim Slade, 88 minutes) - 8:30 p.m. Aug. 7 and 2:30 p.m. Aug. 10
This musical documentary about the seasons of the world was the most difficult film to lock down for the festival, but according to Chatterjee, it was also one of the most worthwhile. Director Tim Slade travels to four countries during four different seasons in search of four excellent violinists to play Antonio Vivaldi's legendary composition, "The Four Seasons."
Chatterjee: "I was so inspired by it because it was one of the most beautiful and inspiring things I've seen lately. I didn't actually think I would like it that much, but I'm actually showing it twice because I think everyone should see this film."
"Monks: The Transatlantic Feedback" (directed by Dietmar Post and Lucia Palacios , 100 minutes) - 4:30 p.m. Aug. 9
While stationed in Cold War Germany during the 1960's, a group of five United States GI's formed a punk rock band heavy on both nihilism and electric banjo. An advertising rep had the group dress up like monks, and the rest is cult music history. This documentary chronicles their 1999 reunion show.
Chatterjee: "A German filmmaker made a documentary about the band because nobody knew anything about them. They're kinda scary, they're American, and they're just badass."
"Tell Me Do You Miss Me: A Film About Luna" (directed by Matthew Buzzell, 102 minutes) 8 p.m. Aug. 9Citing exhaustion and a lack of funds, the ' 90s alt-rock Luna decide to hang up their instruments after a series of sold-out shows in Tokyo. Along for the ride is director and N.C. School of the Arts grad Matthew Buzzell, whose cameras capture the band's final days as they start to contemplate life after rock.
Chatterjee: "What I like about this film is that it shows how hard it is to be in a band. Because even though it looks glamorous when you're playing the show, the whole rest of the time, you're lugging your stuff around and you're tired and you're still trying to have a good performance."
Joe Scott co-hosts "The Movie Show" from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday on WUAG (103.1 FM). For podcasts, trailers and additional commentaries, visit www.themovieshow.org. Contact him at movieshowjoe@gmail.com.
Triad resident and musician Shalini Chatterjee is chief programmer for the Revolve Film and Music Festival. "You have to be a little bit like Templeton (the rat from 'Charlotte's Web'). You have to walk into the Dumpsters and finagle things. There's a scavenger element to what I do."
What: Revolve Film and Music Festival, a festival of movies and live music
When: Aug. 6-10
Where: The Drama Workshop at the Salem Fine Arts Center, Salem College,
601 S. Church St., Winston-Salem
Tickets: $10, available at the door and online
Information: 722-8238; www.revolvefestival.com
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