Cinequest

(Peter Belsito is Sydney Levine's partner and he recently attended the Festival and moderated a panel at Cinequest)

'The Panel on new and traditional forms of the film business was certainly a highlight of this wonderful Fest this year for me. It was very well attended in a big hall and the panel experts from the industry offered hundreds of filmmakers a glimpse into the future of distribution--both traditional theatrical and the latest cutting-edge Internet options.

We have heard so much lately of digital this and DIY that and I think that what is forgotten is that although these developments of technology have offered us new (and welcome!) options, the fact is that the film business such as it is still exits and, if the recent Berlin Fest and EFM Market is any evidence, is quite vigorously alive and kicking and must and should be taken into account by filmmakers, whether they go DIY or not.

Cinequest's strength and position as one of the foremost US Festivals is its focus on filmmakers always and its cutting edge programming tastes. My friend and fest knowledgeable guy Christian Gaines (formerly Hawaii FF Head, AFI Fest Head, now Festival Head of IMDb) once said, "The way you judge a festival is not by any one year but by the way it steadily delivers quality events and experiences year after year ..." I could not agree more and Cinequest this year by its lineup and programs has gone on once again to prove its first ranking place among US Festivals.'