The rejection from The Sarasota Film Festival came in yesterday. I wasn't going to mention it, because frankly, I don't want this blog to degenerate into a depressing list of festival rejections (then again, at least that keeps this blog updated every once in a while ; ) ).
What changed my mind was that because of some intern mistake, all the names and email addresses of the rejected filmmakers were included in the body of the rejection email. All 550 of 'em. Immediately following the rejection email was an apology from the intern who made the goof. I realize this isn't all that exciting so far, but what makes it more than just an interesting little hicup is that people started to reply.
To the festival, to each other, they started replying to the mass email. Some a bit snarky, some wishing to rally together an alternate festival, others simply voicing their pain at being rejected.
There are plenty of bulletin boards where festival rejects can commiserate and mourn another $40 flushed down the drain, but this is a little more special, a little more anarchic. Kind of like when the teacher leaves the room and the students go crazy with the chalk board. Nothing crazy, nothing diabolical, just a small expression of deviance. I think the crowning moment of this exchange is the graphic I'm using for this post, thanks to a mister Josh Lowman.
Because most of the replies also CCed the festival, the people in Sarasota have been able to follow along and have issued at least two apologies. For what it's worth, I don't need one. This is beyond the festival, this tiny error in email etiquette was a highlight in an otherwise unremarkable and drudging day and I look forward to following it as it runs its course.
On a totally unrelated note, I promise to follow this post with at least two non-rejection related posts. Or at least I'll do my best... : )
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