Staff Selects

They’ve been working all year to bring you the very best films out there, and now, with the festival only days away, the TCFF staff share what they’re personally most excited for you to check out at this year’s fest.

	Haemoo I love action/adventure that keeps me on the edge of my seat, so this beautifully made, sometimes funny, and always intense movie about people on a boat who get into a lot of trouble is one of my favorites of the fest. It’s an exhilarating viewing experience — not for the faint of heart. (It’s “hey-moo.”) – Deb Lake, Executive Director
	Breaking a Monster Even if you’re someone who could care less about heavy metal music (aka someone like me), there’s no way you can watch this fascinating documentary and not be amazed and enthralled by Unlocking the Truth — the unbelievably badass tween metal sensations poised to make an indelible mark on the music industry. Plus, I just really enjoy seeing talented people being awesome and awesome is what you’ll get when Unlocking the Truth hits the stage live from the State Theatre. – Meg Weichman, Creative Director
	A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story Nothing speaks to my soul more than inspirational personal stories. That’s why I’m so thrilled to have such an amazingly wonderful and powerful woman at this year’s festival! Lizzie Velasquez shared her story with the world and wowed us all with her Tedx talk last year, covering her rare congenital disease, how she’s overcome bullying, and her life today as a motivational speaker (and in my eyes, a role model to all ages). If you haven’t watched it, take 13 minutes of your day and you’ll be convinced you want to see the entire film. – Susan Fisher, Business Director
	Shorts: WTF To me, watching a shorts program is like a condensed version of the overall festival experience – instead of watching 10 films over the course of a week, you can watch just as many creative and thought-provoking shorts in just 90 minutes. And this program truly has some of the best films of the year in it, including two top award winners from Sundance; the latest from indie animation legend Don Hertzfeld; and of course “Kung Fury,” a totally off-the-wall send up of 80s action movies. Do yourself a favor check ’em out! –  Ian Hollander, Film Department Director