Boise, ID

Talent is a blessing and perhaps talent on film is particularly rare. This is why film festivals like Boise’s True West are so important. The Flick’s True West Festival is an opportunity for budding artists of the cinema to test the waters and introduce their work to a new audience. August 7th thru the 10th Boisean’s returned again and again to the Flicks off the corner of Capitol and Front Streets to enjoy the variety of films this festival offers.
While many of the main features seemed to focus around the late journalist Hunter S. Thompson, the festival offered a wide range of movies. I was fortunate enough to catch the tail end of the festival, jumping at the chance to view a series of short films. Film shorts are fantastic because they offer a wide range of talent, acting, and story telling all in a neat, not too tedious, package. Films are short enough that if one absolutely hates the story they can rest easy knowing it will be over very shortly and there’s more to come.
A group of about six of us arrived at four o’clock at the theater to purchase tickets ($8.50 per person). The drawback to the festival was the lack of student discounts. We then shuffled into the building, grabbing a table in their lounge area to relax before we stood in line. Some of us grabbed drinks at the concession stand to hydrate while we killed time. The Flicks concessions are not one’s typical movie theater experience. While they do have old fall backs like popcorn and soda, the Flicks steps it up a notch offering delicious sandwiches and wine, making this a great place to take a date. One can have dinner and a movie all in one satisfying package. I recommend trying their tamari drizzled popcorn rather than the regular buttered treat.

Back at the table we observed the crowds filing into line in front of the True West Short Film Collection theater. We gathered in behind them and waited for about ten minutes until doors opened. In the theater a volunteer in charge of organizing the Festival greeted viewers. He introduced the films and in particular pointed out one of the short film directors from Idaho, Matthew Wade, creator of ‘It Shines and Shakes and Laughs.’
The afternoon consisted of eight film shorts, each with its own unique and original storyline. My favorite was ‘I F***ing Hate You,’ a goofy take on awkward encounters with exes that included a rather entertaining song. The shorts closed with a film directed by Matt Petock titled ‘Jackson Ward’. It follows the daily life of a cop who struggles with his own moral dilemma. Exiting the theater we discussed our favorite movies and considered what was next on our agenda, deciding we would make a pizza.

For those interested in switching things up or just looking for a great place to take a date keep the Flicks and perhaps True West Film Festival in mind. It’s a great place to sit back and enjoy a movie and a great dinner. The Flicks Theater also has a video rental store that has lots of great titles on hand. Fans of Alfred Hitchcock and Woody Allen would find themselves much at home between the shelves of this video store. For more information about the Flicks or True West check out www.truewestcinema.org or www.theflicksboise.com.