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Rating: 
Summary: MORE DETAILED THAN THE ONE PUBLISHED BY VARIETY
Review: "BE PREPARED--Those considering a visit to next year's Sundance Film Festival, or any other festival for that matter, should probably pick up a copy of Chris Gore's new book, The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide. We agree with Gore's claim that "it's the most complete guide" of its kind ever published. It's more detailed--certainly funnier and more intimate--than a similar guide published by VARIETY. Filmmakers should definitely pick up a copy, since it offers all sort of tips and inside info on getting your films seen and selected. Gore also includes listings of his favorite restaurants, bars and dive breakfast spots in each city where film festivals are held."
Rating: 
Summary: Great book for beginning aspiring indie filmmakers.
Review: A realistic, entertaining and practical guide to the life of afeature in the festival world. It includes interviews with GeoffGilmore (Director of Sundance), Dan Mirvish (co-founder and organizers of Slamdance), Peter Broderick (President of Next Wave Films, Acquisitions Exec), and stories from many independent filmmakers and how they've succeeded and failed. Quite illuminating is the commentary on the politics of festivals, info on the importance and role of publicists, and considerations about the festival application process itself. Most importantly Gore lists the contact information, deadlines, and descriptions of most to all of the festivals in the world that you could possibly be interested in entering. Providing incisive tips on where to submit your film, how to promote your film, agents and how they work, film fest mistakes and lessons, how to create an engaging movie poster, how to crash parties, and how to schmooze, Gore maps out the festival world with a refreshing and healthy "go get 'em" attitude.
Rating:
Summary: Don't leave for the festival without it!
Review: I was in the market for a festival, and Chris Gore's book was recommended by a fellow filmmaker. It turned out to be the perfect resource for a festival "virgin" because he gives real information about the festival experience, combined with real experiences from other filmmakers.Most novice filmmakers I know expect the world to beat a path to their film, but Chris Gore gives you a more practical marketing plan to help the festivals, distributors, and audiences discover the work of art you have created. For me, the best part of the book was the filmmaker "war stories," where experienced festival-ers give us the inside story of what the festivals were like and how they affected the success of their pictures. Other chapters include hiring a publicist, developing a website, a complete listing of festivals and the Gore-rated top ten fests. If you are considering entering or attending a film festival, or if your'e just wondering what they are all about, you must read The Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide.
Rating: 
Summary: Needs an update
Review: The first half of this book contains generic film-festival information (on applying to and attending festivals, a diary from the "Blair Witch" makers, etc.) which contains some good material. The meat of the Guide, though, is the series of entries about hundreds of specific festivals making up the second half. And here, the age of the book (published in 2001) becomes a problem. Putting it bluntly, if you bought this book as research material for submitting your own film to festivals, you'll find a lot of festivals listed here that simply don't exist anymore, as well as much out-of-date information about those festivals still in existence. Needless to say, it also lacks any mention of the many festivals that started after this book went to the printer. After three years, Gore really needs to update this or, better yet, make it an annual.
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