FLINT. FOR THOSE WHO DARE...,18min., USA
Directed by Raul Barquet
Early New York City graffiti writer and documentarian Roberto "Flint..." Gennari, has the opportunity to cement his legacy in the art world half a century later.

https://www.irtpictures.com/flint-for-those-who-dare
https://instagram.com/irtpictures

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
I've know about Flint... since I was 18 years old. I met him at an art exhibition and thought he was a very interesting character with a unique story. As years went on I had been toying with the idea of working on a film about graffiti with my long time friend and collaborator David Givens and I thought Flint... is the perfect subject. He had major contributions to the movement but there are still many folks who are unaware of his story.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
The project took about three years to complete as with documentaries you're often at the will of luck and circumstance. After some time to regroup and reformat our expectations of how the film would play out we went into post production with our Editor Alex Valderana and found the story.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
Heart Warming

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
This project was a labor of love with zero budget. We relied on handshake agreements and favors to make this project a reality and as paying jobs make life busy it can be hard to find time for the passion projects. I'd say doing Flint. For Those Who Dare on zero budget enabled it to exist, but was a huge hurdle at the same time.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
After watching a film 1000 times in various iterations as the editing process goes on it's very easy to find yourself in a bubble not knowing if things will make sense to people who haven't been involved from the start. It was really very validating to see that the film resonated with viewers and that they see in Flint... the same things that our team saw.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
I've wanted to make films since I was a child but I chose a career in visual art so for much of my adult life filmmaking was put on the back burner. I realized however that many of the skills are transferable and that my access to interesting people in the art world can make for compelling stories on film.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
As a child I wore out my copy of Hook on vhs so I'm willing to bet that's the film I've watched the most.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
I think at the end of the day filmmakers want people to see and to connect with their films. From everyday people to industry folks, I think having honest and interested eyes on the films is paramount.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
Film Freeway has been a great resource as it makes things simple by having so many festivals in one place. That being said it can be a bit overwhelming having so many options. Realistically you can't apply to every one you think your film would be a good fit for.

10. What is your favorite meal?
Oh I'm a lover of all foods so it's hard to pick a favorite meal, but at the risk of sounding boring I would say my favorite might have to have been my grandmothers meatloaf.

11. What is next for you? A new film?
I'm in the process of writing a few narrative films and I've got my eye on a few subjects that might work out for a documentary. You can check out what I'm up to on www.irtpictures.com or on social media at IRT Pictures as well.