Q & A
Patron of the Arts
Warren Ross helped shepherd the Montclair Film Festival from idea to institution.
WRITTEN BY BY ANTOINETTE MARTIN
TUX: ANNE-MARIE CARUSO; AT HOME: CHRIS PEDOTA
Warren Ross, a60-year resident of Montclair, is so involved in his town that friends nicknamed him“ Mayor.” He says the Montclair Film Festival – newly rebranded as Montclair Film – is the coolest thing he’ s helped bring to life here since Olympia Dukakis, then afellow Montclairian, started the Whole Theatre Company in 1972.
An insurance man by trade and arts lover by nature, Ross was thrilled toget acall from the actress( Dukakis went ontowin an Oscar, in1988, for Moonstruck). He arranged insurance for the theater, served on the board and remained apillar of its success throughout its 17-year run. Seven years ago, he got another call about abold artistic notion, this time from TV talk show host Stephen Colbert and his wife Evie. Ross showed upinthe Colberts’ kitchen for the first talk of an MFF, has served on its board from the start, and now leads fundraising to support MFF’ s recently opened permanent home onBloomfield Avenue.
The festival had nearly 150 screenings and events last year, attracting 32,000 folks. Is the baby all grown up? We started with 47 films showing in various theaters around town, which I thought was a lot! The first year succeeded every which way, and seemed to strike the right chord with everybody. We sold more ads than I thought we would. We had volunteers coming out of the woodwork, doing everything – passionate, hardworking, all ages. Stores put up window displays. Every year it grows, and we think: How can we top that? And then we do.
Has the mission grown, too? We now put on events all year. We had 60 submissions for our Kidz Shortz film festival the first year, 100 the next. Our Emerging Filmmakers competition is thriving. People asked for classes in film, editing, screenwriting, media arts, so we provide them. Adult improv classes – always packed. Black History Month screenings. Fundraiser parties, like our‘ 80s-themed Loser’ s Lounge at the Wellmont this year. We were a little nervous about that, but 900 people came.
Hence, the need for a permanent home? It’ s become a necessity, really. I admit it has always been a personal dream, ever since Iwas akid and used to go to
ITSGOOD TO BE THE MAYOR Ross relaxes in his home study.
the Bellevue Theater to see foreign and art films. They would have people come and talk about the movies, starting great conversations that continued at the shops and restaurants afterward. It was like a town film club. Now we’ re going to have a much bigger version of that with our building at 505 Bloomfield Ave., across from the Clairidge and Restaurant Row.
Doesn’ t that building have quite a history? It has had afew lives. Itwas aBanco Popular that was bought by Investors Bank, and they donated the building to us. It required a lot of construction to create two classrooms and sound and recording studios, to install AC and create administrative offices. We’ ve raised a little more than half of a $ 2.6 million capital funding campaign. We found some foundation support and had some nice gifts from a few individuals. We need to continue raising money to pay off the construction costs.
Do you see the Montclair Film Festival helping to revitalize the downtown area? I love Montclair because of its diversity. It has warmed my heart to see MFF bringing so much life to the entire town, and now the downtown will really benefit. I get calls and emails all year about what’ s coming, because people don’ t want to miss it. During the festival, the whole place is buzzing. It was a baby when it started, but now it’ s an adult taking center stage and lifting us all. ■
MONTCLAIR MAGAZINE MAY 2017
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