Europeonscreen is coming again!

It's gonna be May soon, I'm so excited cause there will be an European Movie Festival or Europeonscreen.

It became my yearly agenda since 2 years ago, when I moved to Jakarta.  At that time, I haven't adapted to the cost of living in Jakarta, everything is so expensive. But then I heard about Europeonscreen, the screening of European Movies, and we can watch it for free.

I didn't think twice, I went to the festival because it's free. At that time, I wasn't a fan of festival movie, cause I thought festival movies are always some kind of hypnotizing movies that will take me to the dreamland. But the movie I watched on Europeonscreen changed my mind.  Although some of movies are hard to understand, (honestly, I slept during the screening of Police:Adjective), but the movies were never failed to amaze me, whether the European culture, scenery, the people and of course the story. So different, but the differences are charming.

Last year my favorite movie was Parade, so I'm looking forward to this year's Screening.  As a veteran audience of Euroscreen, let me share some tips to enjoy this event.

1. check the schedule and venue location.

it's almost impossible to watch every movie. so you have to prioritize the movie that you want to watch the most and later watch the other movie on the same venue at the same day.  It's Jakarta, you can't predict the traffic, so instead watching 2 movies on different venue, you can save your time by watching 2 or more movies on the same.  the other reason is because the tickets are limited and you have to wait in line an hour before the screening.

2. Check the genre and read the synopsis.

if you are a newbie who think "festival movie" are "boring movie", I suggest to watch comedy, romantic comedy, or family movie. I fell in love with European movie after watching the comedy.  Choose the genre wisely and read the synopsis before watching the movie, cause there are always some twisted or inexplicit movies, it's really help to understand the movie so you can enjoy watching it.  Don't forget to check the rating! 

3. Don't be on time

Be on time is not enough, the better you come to the venue, the better experience you have.  By coming earlier, you can reserve your own ticket, and you can take a look around at the venue.  You can reserve for your friend too, but to be fair, it's better if your friend come earlier too right?

4. Pick the best seat

different venue, different "best" seat. the screening room door will be open few minutes before the screening begin, don't be late so you can get the best seat.

if you are watching with your friend please don't book seats for your not yet arrived friend. you will be the one seen as the devil not your friend.

5.  Eat.

very important: this is not a commercial theater, you can not eat the snack/ food during the screening. some venue also forbid eating inside the building, so please pay attention to the rule.  I'm suggesting to bring snack so that you may eat while waiting for the screening, or after the screening.  Because if you were planning to watch 2-3 movies on the same day, you will have to wait in line after the movie is over, and you might won't have enough time to buy food at the food stall.   Or you can ask your friend to buy the food while you take the ticket.  During Euroscreen there are usually some food stall too, so you won't get hungry unless you forgot to bring money.

6.  Be Patient.

if you are watching Euroscreen with your friend then waiting is not a problem (unless you have to take care of your friend's bag while he/she in the rest room. don't be evil, don't let your friend wait for you).  There are usually about an hour break before the next screening, you can go to rest room, buy food at the food stall, have a chat, staring desperately at your mobile phone screen or.. you can read. Personally, I prefer knitting while waiting.

7.  Stretching.

to be honest, most venue don't have that comfy seats, so sitting about 2 hours for the screening could result back pain. So while waiting, you might need to do some stretching, and try not to sit too long.

8.  Bring some shawl/ jacket

sitting still in a room with air con for 2 hours?  well, better prepare a jacket than go to rest room during the screening especially when you planning to watch all day long or watching the open air screening at night. Oh and do bring tissue, just in case your nose can't stand the AC or the wind.  And of course to dry your tears for your manly tears :)

9.  Mind the rules!

This could be the most important thing.  Basically the rules are the same as the rule in commercial theater.  Please turn off the mobile phone, do not talk during the screening.  What's different is do not eat or drink inside the theater.  I think we could easily break the rule at the commercial theater, but this time, please do obey the rules, seriously.

10. Keep open minded

The movies on Euroscreen show different culture, or different thought, different theme or different way of storytelling, sometime it's amazing, but sometime just too hard to accept.  keep open minded, so you can enjoy the movie.

Extra tips: don't bother inviting or even forcing your friend to accompany you to watch, cause you wouldn't want to hear your friend complaining afterward. There are a lot of advantage you can get by going independently, like choosing your own movie list based on your schedule.

See you on Europenonscreen 2014!