Interview With Roger Durling (Film Festival Class, 2013) US

Reviewed by Lauren Jackson. Reviewed at the Santa Barbara Film Festival, 2013.

I Woke up early with my film log in one hand and a pen in the other to meet behind the Lobero Theatre for an interview with Roger Durling at 9am on a weekday during the film festival.

As he sat on a provided couch with my teacher beside him ready to ask questions too, the class itself sat in chairs or whatever else seemed available to them, encircling Durling in his couch with a table knee high and fresh grapes, etc  at his feet.

The questions were as simple as asking how someone’s day has been. Roger would be asked a question such as, “what were you doing ten years ago?” And his answer would begin with his childhood obsessions with watching countless movies, to opening his first coffee shop. He would speak for a good 10-15 minutes with countless umms inbetween to give off the impression that he was doing a great deal of thinking.

One student who decided to sit at the very back nearest to the coffee put out for us on two tables, asked more questions than the rest of the class. To a point where Durling decided to ask his name, and comment on how he asks so many questions. The guy didn’t think too much of it, just wanted answers as the assignment was that we each as students in the class, prepare ourselves with 4 questions to ask Durling. My assumption for those including myself who never did ask a question was that, from all the talking Durling did, he might have at some point just happened to answer any one of the student’s questions without needing to be asked.

So the interview with Durling was only able to last for about an hr until he himself brought up truthfully that he had some important business to attend to and had to cut our interview short.

What were my questions you might wonder? I only had about 2. One was, “How long does it take to ready the festival.” He had answered that it takes up to a year of planning. The other was, “How did he become the director of the film festival?” He had stated that he had always liked watching films, and went to school to do playwright. He then opened a coffee shop in Santa Barbara before his 10 yrs in the festival. All he ever did in the coffee shop besides managing it was have long discussion about movies. Finally, someone asked why he hasn’t volunteered in the festival. At the time, I guess according to Durling, it was not very good or popular. Finally, he was invited to try and direct it. Since then, he has been directing the festival, doing interviews, and getting about 600 people to volunteer. What a life! An interview with him was quite the experience. Plus, he also teaches a film studies class at the Santa Barbara City College. I have taken it once during the summer. It was well worth it.