Today, without thinking, I turned to my friend and asked a simple question: "When is the Academy Awards?"
Before she answered me, I was struck by what I had just asked. The words hung above me like a cartoon bubble. How could I, the movie freak, the self-proclaimed cinephile, the indie queen, not have on the tip of my tongue the date of what used to be one of the premier events of my year. Perhaps, I'm being a bit dramatic, but part of me is wondering, "what happened to me?"

Last week was the Superbowl. Living in Chicago, it was the talk of the town. You couldn't go anywhere without hearing about the Superbowl. Who would win? The game. The parties. Every single sign said, "Go Bears." There was no way to NOT know and be excited about the game. I could name you players and plays and stats... but a year ago I barely knew what a field goal was. But when talking to friends outside of Chicago, it was a minor event. I realized, part of the fun, was being in town and feeling the fever of the event.

So now, as I have my amnesia about the awards, it makes me wonder, was living in Los Angeles part of the fun of awards season? Working in the film industry, you see the ads in Variety and Reporter everyday. Billboards litter the town. Nominees pop up EVERYWHERE. In addition to the Academy Awards, there's a party or award show pretty much every other weekend for two months. You can't help but feel the caught up in the fervor. But, in addition to getting votes and awards, the award shows can act as free publicity for the winning films. As Elizabeth mentioned just last week in the INsider, nominations play a major role in the amount of screens an indie film plays. But, if a film has a small marketing budget to begin with, do they get additional dollars to take advantage of an extended run?

I don't have the answers but it has peaked my interest. I guess I just have to go back to my indie roots and help spread the word on these films the only way I know how--here!

Long live indie film,

Michelle