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AAFF UPDATE
You may recall a few months ago a blog post by Benjamin Crossley-Marra on the 46-year-old Ann Arbor Film Festival‘s loss of state funding due to their non-compliance with state regulations. To continue the festival, AAFF must raise $75,000 in less than 3 months.
Since that time they’ve asked for small donations and have conducted a Endangered fundraising campaign, where staff and volunteers perform creative bits (they’ve pegged them Acts of Audacity) on the streets of Ann Arbor, voted online by campaign donors. Their first, called “glam rock karaoke,” put them past their goal of $10,000 for that event. Now they’ve received a $5,000 matching challenge from the Mosaic Foundation. Read more in their most recent release below, which includes options for their next Act of Audacity.
We would like to share some good news about our Endangered campaign. We received a $5,000 matching challenge, thanks to the generous support of the Mosaic Foundation. This means if we raise $5,000 in the next 3 weeks, it will get matched dollar for dollar. Make a contribution today and you will have twice the impact on our campaign, helping us preserve an icon of independent cinema: the Ann Arbor Film Festival.
For just $25 you will increase our Endangered campaign total by $50, get your name added to our international list of supporters and vote for our next Act of Audacity. Help us restore health and vitality to the AAFF – visit our website to make a donation today: www.aafilmfest.org/endangered
POSITIVE ACTION
Our campaign’s Acts of Audacity, serve as a testament to our serious commitment to the success of this fundraising campaign and the recovery of the Ann Arbor Film Festival. We hope that you found our first act – glam rock karaoke – entertaining, imaginative and perhaps even a little inspiring. Here are just a few of the colorful comments we received from our community:
“It’s the coolest campaign off Broadway.”
– Lynn Yates, Zingerman’s Community of Businesses“I almost snorted coffee up my nose this morning while laughing at all of y’all!”
– Leslie Dreyer, former programmer for Cinematexas“That movie was so awesome. My socks are now officially rocked.”
– Steve Warrington, Spring Street MediaOUR NEXT ACT
In case you haven’t yet decide which is your favorite option for Act of Audacity #2, here are some more nuanced descriptions:
Option 1
Badminton is a sport requiring grace, agility, and tiny shorts. It would be difficult enough for Donald and Chris to hold their own against two professional roller derby divas, but our intrepid employees will be adding an additional degree of difficulty by wearing giant animal costumes. Game on!Option 2
In the spirit of Henri Langlois, Donald and Chris will lead a public street rally to protest uninspired cinema. There will be signs, chants, and cocoa (because protesting is thirsty work). We will also be encouraging people to bring DVDs of their least favorite films to be taken for recycling in the hopes that the next time around, they’ll be pressed as a better film.Option 3
Gene Kelly’s performance of the title song in “Singin’ in the Rain” is one of the most memorable musical numbers in the history of cinema. Chris and Donald will be recreating this iconic scene, shot for shot, but with the gentle rain replaced by blasts from super soakers and well-timed water balloons.To make a contribution and place your vote, visit our Endangered campaign website here: www.aafilmfest.org/endangered
With the pedal to the metal,
The AAFF Team
