And now a letter from our Founder:

Friends,

I am thrilled to announce that Susan Sarandon has accepted our invitation to come to this year’s Traverse City Film Festival! She will receive our TCFF Lifetime Achievement Award and she’ll screen her brand new film for us.

We just found out yesterday that she can take a break in her busy filming schedule to join us for our eighth annual celebration of cinema. In fact, she will join us as our honorary chair of this year’s fest and accept her award from the stage of our Opening Night Movie on Tuesday, July 31. She will also be at our Opening Night Party in the middle of Front Street.

On Wednesday, August 1, she has a full day of appearances:

Susan Sarandon: One on One with Michael Moore (me)
City Opera House, Wednesday 8/1 at 9:30 am
Susan interviewed me on the stage of this year’s Tribeca Film Festival. Now it’s my chance to turn the tables on her! Don’t miss this provocative discussion — we hold nothing back. Come hear the true tales of how Hollywood works. We might also discuss some politics during our first free morning panel of the festival.

“Thelma & Louise”
City Opera House, Wednesday 8/1 at 12 noon
Susan Sarandon will introduce and take questions after the screening of this modern-day classic.

“Robot & Frank” — Midwestern Premiere
State Theatre, Wednesday 8/1 at 3 pm
Susan Sarandon will present her latest work, a charming crowd pleaser that also stars Frank Langella, Liv Tyler and Peter Sarsgaard.

Private Dinner to Honor Susan Sarandon
Wednesday 8/1 at 6 pm
Limited seating – email us for details.

And no Susan Sarandon Tribute would be complete without:

The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Old Town Playhouse, Friday 8/3 at Midnight
THE cult film of all cult films — and an early starring role for Susan Sarandon. Four Cornered Productions players will “participate.” TC will never be the same!

As you can see, we are announcing these new additions after already having printed the program guide. So please take a look at these scheduling moves:

• Short Fiction 1 is moving to the City Opera House on Saturday, 8/4 at 12 noon.

• This shorts program will take the spot of Jeff Garlin’s Gem: “Soldier in the Rain,” which has been rescheduled for the next TCFF. Jeff sends his regrets that he can’t come to TC this summer as planned, but we’ll have an announcement soon about his next visit to Traverse City — in February!

• “The Kid with a Bike“ at the State Theatre on Wednesday, 8/1 at 3 pm has been cancelled so that we can see Susan Sarandon’s new film, “Robot & Frank.” But we still have lots of tickets to “The Kid with a Bike” — it’s playing Sunday at 9 am at Lars Hockstad Auditorium.

• My film school session on Wednesday, 8/1 at 12 noon, Secrets of Making a Blockbuster Documentary, will instead be taught by Jeff Gibbs, who has worked with me on many of my films. I look forward to teaching a session next year – couldn’t find another open slot this year!

If you can, don’t miss the outstanding movies in the Susan Sarandon Tribute — and don’t miss the chance to meet one our greatest American actresses. Your first chance to get tickets is tomorrow, the big day, when tickets for all of the festival’s movies go on sale to the Friends of the festival at 11 am. And don’t worry – I can highly recommend event single film on the schedule, so you absolutely can’t go wrong.

If the film you want is sold out, try something else in the same slot, you won’t be disappointed. Throw ten darts at the schedule and, no matter where they land, you will have just programmed yourself one of the best weeks you’ve ever had in northern Michigan!

Tickets for Friends of the Traverse City Film Festival go on sale Sunday, July 15. The box office opens at 11 am and online ticketing opens at 6 pm. (We also have a small number of phone lines that open at 11 am for sales — call 231-929-FILM (3456), and prepare to be patient.)

There is still time to sign up to be a Friend and get early access to tickets! You can join online at www.traversecityfilmfest.org.

Tickets for the general public go on sale on Saturday, July 21 — the box office will open at 11 am and online ticketing begins at 6 pm. We’ve got a great box office this year — at 125 Park Street, across from the Park Place Hotel and Century 21 Northland, location of the Filmmaker Party.

Thanks again, everybody, for your support of this festival. There’s something for everyone at this year’s fest, so invite your friends and relatives up to TC for the greatest week of movies anywhere this side of Hollywood.

Yours,
Michael Moore