by Liz Daube
Staff Writer
As the fall season eases in, the Jacksonville Film Festival is rolling out a fresh face and an expanding calendar of events.
Marlo Zarka became executive director for the festival in early September. Former director Jean Tait stepped down from the position to focus on film selection, a role that keeps her traveling to film festivals throughout the country.
“She (Tait) worked year-round,” said Zarka. “But to raise money and manage money and develop staff...She did it very successfully, but as the organization grew and grew, it was no longer possible for her.”
Attendance for the four-day festival has increased 10 to 20 percent each year, and 11,000 tickets were sold at last year’s festival alone, according to Zarka. One of her main tasks as executive director will be promoting the recent switch to a year-round nonprofit corporation – Jacksonville Film Events – and the new programs and events that go along with it.
Zarka said most people associate the festival group only with the May event, so she’s trying to draw more attention to the Reel People and Books Alive! programs.
Reel People is an independent film fan club that hosts screenings and special events throughout the year. Their next screening, for example, will be the 1920s silent film “Pandora’s Box” Oct. 23 at the Florida Theatre – accompanied by live music from Jacksonville University players.
Books Alive! is a screening series at the Main Library that features films based on children’s books. On the third Saturday of each month, a free screening is held in the auditorium along with refreshments and activities. This month, for example, children were encouraged to read “Island of the Blue Dolphins” and watch the movie version on the 16th.
A longtime JFF volunteer, Zarka previously worked as a division manager for the City and as an independent consultant for the past year or so. She earned her master’s degree in public administration from the University of North Florida
“My experience is not in film.” said Zarka, who rewrote Jacksonville’s customer service policy as she worked on her thesis. “It’s in strategic planning and organization management.”
The festival has reached its fifth year. Zarka said that landmark garners more credibility when applying for grants and trying to secure the best independent films. Planning for the 2007 festival will begin in January.
“That’s when Jean has an idea of what’s out there, what’s coming, what the trends are. We often don’t know what the film lineup will be until the last minute,” said Zarka, adding that the film selection process can be a kind of dance – one that may halt if the film is picked up by a major film studio. “(Some) independent films are losing their independence ... (Meanwhile,) our film festival has always embraced the idea of a filmmaker and the creative process behind the film,” she said.
Zarka is already organizing some ideas for the 2007 festival. She said the Hyatt will likely be the choice for next year’s Festival Central. Guidelines for an expanded student film competition will be released by the end of October, she added.
“We’re going to vamp that up a little,” said Zarka, who is still arranging sponsors for the local high school competition. Winners may get a chance to interact with accomplished independent filmmakers in addition to a stipend.
The executive director and programmer titles are the only paid positions with the festival, but Zarka said they have 250 volunteers on call and six involved with festival operations year-round.
“I’ve never come across an organization whose volunteers do so many unpaid staff positions,” she said. “Some of them take their vacations from their real jobs for two weeks to work for us.”
Zarka said the festival is always trying to increase its audience, so she’s trying to develop partnerships with the Convention & Visitors Bureau and Cultural Council. Most importantly, she said, the festival aims to “invest in the cultural richness in Jacksonville.” A variety of voices and perspectives keep people active and interested in the local community, she added.
While Zarka doesn’t have any experience in the film industry, she said movies have always been a regular part of her life.
“I grew up watching films. I have best friends whom I use lines from movies with,” she said. “I don’t know if that’s part of my generation or what. Somehow they said it better in ‘Swingers’ than I could have.”
Zarka said the biggest challenges of her new job will be balancing time and securing funds. She has a 5 month-old daughter, Amelia. Zarka said she doesn’t expect her role to remain particularly “nine-to-five” after January.
“And in Jacksonville, as large as we are, there’s only a handful of sponsors. We’re all trying to draw from the same people,” said Zarka, who has worked with other local nonprofits. Luckily, she added, “They’re very generous.”