Because so many of our films today are turning out to be a lot more popular than we expected, I thought I'd make a few suggestions of how to sidestep the Stand-By line.

First: remember that every film in the round is a gem. If the one you're interested in most of all is already on Stand-By, take another look at the others in the round. For instance, in the 7:00 round, Ben X is actually our Artistic Director's favorite film this year, and we've put it into two theaters for the round, to accommodate as large a crowd as we can.

Second: remember that some of these films will be back soon. If you were hoping to catch the 7:15 showing of Priceless, we've received word that it will be returning to the Cedar Lee later this spring. So bear in mind that, in most cases, this isn't your last chance to see a film. Especially since, the more popular a film is at our festival (and the more tickets it sells), the more likely it is that it'll end up in even wider distribution.

Third: as always, come early. If you're a passholder, we really need you to be in your seat fifteen minutes before the screening starts, so that we can get the most accurate count possible of how many seats we have left, and so that neither you nor anyone else has to be disappointed. This is also true for ticket-holders, and especially true for the holders of Stand-By tickets. The sooner you arrive, the faster we'll be able to get you into your seat.

If you keep these things firmly in mind, you'll be able to have the best possible time at the Festival... and that's what we definitely want you to have.