Those of you from Massachusetts (or the lower reaches of New Hampshire and Maine) who share my love of non-fiction film should definitely try and make it to the 8th annual Newburyport Documentary Film Festival being held in downtown Newburyport, Mass. from Sept. 20-22. See below for the link to their official website and schedule:

http://newburyportfilmfestival.org/

I haven’t been in a couple of years, so really looking forward to it this time around. Due to unaligned stars, I won’t be able to see the opening-night film, “Good Ol’ Freda.” Being a big rock doc aficionado, I’m eager to see this bio of the Liverpool woman who was one of the first people to work behind the scenes for the Beatles. Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to see it soon and will post a review.

This is a modest (two-venue) happening but intimacy is a big part of the festival’s appeal. There are free panel discussions and coffee times with many of the filmmakers and it’s a great place for those producing documentary shorts: this year there are three different one-hour blocks of short subjects.

Moreover, Newburyport, if you’ve never been, is a great place to spend a day, a city that blends hipness and old New England charm. Check it out if you get a chance.