Hope for Making Scenes

Making Scenes may not be dead yet, but it’s not out of the hospital either.

Although its future role and home in the community is still to be determined, it’s looking more likely that a scaled-back version of the city’s annual queer film and video festival will take place later this year.

According to Ted Buglas, president of the festival’s board, over the past month organizers have had “ongoing discussions with some key contacts from organizations in the community” in pursuit of “cooperative and partnership solutions” to keep the festival alive.

“The discussions we’ve had so far have been, to my mind, very promising,” he says. “The notion in particular of piggy-backing, perhaps with the Pride organization, shows some promise. And so, I’m more optimistic than I have been in a while that some sort of fall screenings will be organized [this year].”

Buglas added, however, that these discussions are only in “preliminary stages.”

“I think that there are some great ideas on the table and we’ll be making announcements as things develop towards the fall,” says Buglas.

It has been a difficult year. Since last fall, the board has not held a formal meeting, funding sources have dried up, programming director Jose Sanchez has stepped down and executive director Dan Grummisch moved to Montreal.

“Things are very much in transition in terms of the organization,” says Buglas. “Questions in terms of the best way to sustain the festival, and organize the structure and governance, are all active questions as far as we’re concerned.”

But, Buglas added, although Grummisch has moved to Quebec, he is still active in his role as executive director.

“He’s still very much a part of determining the future of the festival. And the last time I talked with him he had a number of good ideas,” says Buglas of Grummisch. “I know he’s got the best interest of the festival in mind.”

But, while Making Scenes organizers have begun to feel more optimistic about the festival’s future, they have yet to screen one film.

“If you’re looking for a sense of am I panicked because I haven’t seen any films at this point, no,” says Buglas. “But, having said that, I know we’ve got a challenge ahead of us.”