NIFF-ty Idea Spawns Naperville Film Fest

BY Rob Baker

Myriad independent filmmakers have submitted their labors of celluloid love to film festivals only to have them rejected—politely, yes, but usually succinctly and without explanation.

Naperville filmmakers Edmond and Glessna Coisson have certainly experienced this. But rather than just sit back and take it, they’ve decided to do something: they’ve started their own festival.

Scheduled to run for four days in September, 2008, the first annual Naperville Independent Film Festival (NIFF) promises in some ways to be like other festivals—the screenings, the panel discussions, the awards ceremonies—but it will also have a couple of novel aspects that they hope will make it a kinder, gentler, “do.”

First, they propose to have a panel of judges offer feedback on all submitted films. Second, they plan to dedicate one day of the festival to family-oriented events revolving around young filmgoers/filmmakers.

NIFF’s origins can be traced to an off-the-cuff comment made over 12 months ago. The Coissons own Our Path Productions, through which they create screenplays and films which they submit to festivals—so far without much success. As Glessna relates, one day she and Edmond were working at the computer on one of their movies.

“One thing we noted when we have entered other festivals is that we know how to lose really well. It’s like, ‘OK, fine, you did a really great job, but you didn’t win.’ So that day I said, ‘Why don’t we have our own film festival?’ And we kind of chuckled and didn’t say anything more. Then, we had some friends over and I said, ‘You know, we should have our own film festival.’”

This time, they didn’t just laugh.

Soon afterward, Glessna was at a Naperville Chamber of Commerce meeting and she approached longtime mayor, George Pradel.

“I had met him before, he’s a sweetheart, and I said, ‘You know what? We need a film festival in Naperville.’ And his eyes got real big and he said, ‘You’ve got to come and talk with my son because he wants to do this.’”

Thus were the Coissons hooked up with lifelong Naperville resident and film buff, Gary Pradel.

Forty-something Pradel said he started making films when he was 10.

“In junior high, they had a career day and film producing was my chosen career,” Pradel explained. “When I got older I was a producer for several video production firms. Then I got into computers and kind of went that way. But I still had a passion for film.”

Currently vice president of technology at First National Bank of Naperville, Pradel said that shortly after he met the Coissons, they got together to discuss the festival and, after that, they “knew it was going to happen.”

Edmond put together a 10-page prospectus of “what the film festival should be about.” Having been injured on the job in March, he has been able to work full-time on NIFF.

“I have been dedicating myself, basically 90 percent of my time, to the development of the festival,” he said.

A native of Italy, Edmond has been interested in the dramatic arts “since I was a kid.” In Italy he did stage and film work, then came to the United States in 1981. He learned English, worked for a cruise line for some years, got married and divorced and then, 10 years ago, married Glessna.

“I’ve been an actor in bit parts,” he recounted, “but my main passion has always been writing and directing.”

Now, it seems, a third passion can be added to the list: NIFF.

The Coissons’ and Pradel’s enthusiasm for the festival has spread. They have been joined by dozens of volunteers—experts in PR, law, event planning, and other necessary skills; one has even written a festival theme song. And, they said, sponsors have been eagerly signing up, too (though, Glessna added, “There’s always room for more sponsors”).

The festival will begin on Sept. 24 and end with an awards ceremony Sept. 27. In between will be screenings, panel discussions, and educational seminars.

They expect submissions of 200 films from around Chicagoland and the world. Selected films will be screened in various Naperville venues—including a new, $30 million arts center—and will be eligible to win awards in categories including feature films, documentaries, and shorts.

Those not selected for screening will not, however, be totally dismissed. Part of the Coissons’ vision from the start has been to help educate filmmakers.

“We’re going to be different,” Glessna said. “We want to help people get on with the business of writing and producing and directing, whatever their passion is. So when screenplays and films come in, they’re going to be critiqued. It’s going to be positive feedback instead of just, ‘Thanks, try again next year.’”

Panelists and judges, they hope, will include celebrity actors, screenwriters, and other industry personalities. Though unable to confirm anyone yet, the Coissons certainly have their connections. A glance at their Web site (www.ourpathproductions.com) shows them posing with the likes of Ted Danson, Karen Black, Faye Dunaway, and George Clooney.

“We’re shooting, as they say, for the stars,” Glessna said while explaining how they’ve met many film bigwigs on their trips to screenwriters’ awards in L.A. “Whoever we get, they will be honored. Naperville will welcome them.”

The final day of the festival, a Saturday, will be “family day,” and will include screenings of films by and for young filmmakers, and activity booths about how films are made.

“In Naperville,” Pradel explained, “people said you have to make it family friendly. We said, ‘OK, sometimes that’s difficult to do with a film festival.’ So we set one day aside to get kids interested and to give them some incentive to make movies.”

Young or old, director or screenwriter, attendee or panelist—all NIFF participants will be guaranteed one thing: the assistance of festival organizers who “live, eat, and breath” filmmaking, in Glessna’s words.

“We want to help people get on with the business of writing and directing, whatever their passion is.”

Information about NIFF, including how to submit films for consideration, can be found at www.naperfilm.org.