KD^3C^3 - 20250907 Ground floor, screen door, yelling inside
It's September! And it has been for a week!
I know a lot of people celebrate September as the moment when Fall finally begins falling. Things start cooling off, the leaves change (if you're in the norther hemisphere at least), Spooky season is that much closer, The Pumpkin Spice lattes begin to bloom. It's a great toime for all.
But I love September because it's the month of the Modular Film Festival. IF you've been reading for a while you might remember me talking about this before, but I'm going to do it again. In September of 2022the administrator of Laserdisc.party, a movies themed mastodon instance, launched a month long project he called the Modular Film Festival. The original idea was to give a series of prompts and people could pick movies that fit those prompts and watch them. Giving anyone who wanted to participate the power of setting their own film festival program.
I joined in, despite not being a member of Laserdisk.party (I was on a diference Mastodon instance, and have now moved onto my own self-hosted GoToSocial server, but they all can talk to each other) and I had an absolute blast. I didn't watch everything, btu that was never really the point. The point was it was fun to discover new movies with other peopel and talk about them online. I also felt like I was part of something cool.
Derek later said he only expected the even to be a one-and done, but lots of people clamored for another one the next September. So i reached out and asked if he would mind if I took the project over and he was fine with it. ANd thus I became the official administrator of the Modular Film Festival for the last three years. I have a lot of fun thinking of new prompts, writing potential ideas down all year. I Released the list a little earlier than planned this year (back in July) because I didn't want to futz with it anymore and locking it down gave me a real sense of satisfaction.
So it's been out there for a while, but we're a week into September now, so people are actually watching the movies which is the real fun.
Below is the original description and the list of prompts. All you have to do to participate is pick a prompt and watch a movie that fits. Or do what some people do and just make a list!
Modular Film Festival 2025
I know a lot of people celebrate September as the moment when Fall finally begins falling. Things start cooling off, the leaves change (if you're in the norther hemisphere at least), Spooky season is that much closer, The Pumpkin Spice lattes begin to bloom. It's a great toime for all.
But I love September because it's the month of the Modular Film Festival. IF you've been reading for a while you might remember me talking about this before, but I'm going to do it again. In September of 2022the administrator of Laserdisc.party, a movies themed mastodon instance, launched a month long project he called the Modular Film Festival. The original idea was to give a series of prompts and people could pick movies that fit those prompts and watch them. Giving anyone who wanted to participate the power of setting their own film festival program.
I joined in, despite not being a member of Laserdisk.party (I was on a diference Mastodon instance, and have now moved onto my own self-hosted GoToSocial server, but they all can talk to each other) and I had an absolute blast. I didn't watch everything, btu that was never really the point. The point was it was fun to discover new movies with other peopel and talk about them online. I also felt like I was part of something cool.
Derek later said he only expected the even to be a one-and done, but lots of people clamored for another one the next September. So i reached out and asked if he would mind if I took the project over and he was fine with it. ANd thus I became the official administrator of the Modular Film Festival for the last three years. I have a lot of fun thinking of new prompts, writing potential ideas down all year. I Released the list a little earlier than planned this year (back in July) because I didn't want to futz with it anymore and locking it down gave me a real sense of satisfaction.
So it's been out there for a while, but we're a week into September now, so people are actually watching the movies which is the real fun.
Below is the original description and the list of prompts. All you have to do to participate is pick a prompt and watch a movie that fits. Or do what some people do and just make a list!
Modular Film Festival 2025
Originally started by Derek G. Continued (with new prompts) by me.
September 1-30, 2025
Festival season. I’ve never been to a film festival, but I like the idea of stumbling across movies you might not otherwise see, accidentally juxtaposed with one another by virtue of screening in the same place at roughly the same time. This list of prompts is meant to help you replicate that experience. While there are 30 prompts and 30 days in September, do not feel obligated to see everything, or do one a day, or even watch them in this order. Treat it like a festival programming schedule where you sample new things or see what strikes your fancy. the joy is in the discovery.
Or watch one movie, in order, every day of the month. There are no rules and I’m not a cop.
1. A movie that nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Television Movie (You can pick a miniseries if you want to make me sad)
2. A French New Wave Movie
3. A movie that seems fake on Tubi
4. God forbid women have hobbies
5. A movie at least 100 years old
6. A Wallace Shawn movie
7. A movie Roger Ebert gave one star or less
8. A movie shot in Luxembourg
9. A movie in the Kentucky Laserdisc Preservation Society archive
10. A movie that’s been in your watchlist too long
11. Shot on 16mm (not a complete list)
12. A movie never released on Blu Ray
13. A movie directed by an LGBTQ+ filmmaker
14. A movie directed by an Indigenous filmmaker
15. A movie directed by a non-white non-male-identifying person
16. A movie from South America
17. A director’s least popular feature-length movie
18. Watched by JFK at the White House
19. A movie you haven’t seen with over 1 million views on letterboxd
20. Musical not in English
21. A movie directed by an Iranian director
22. A Hamlet
23. A movie screened at the 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival
24. A documentary about a niche interest or subculture
25. A movie 85 minutes long or less
26. Silent film (no audible dialogue) from after 1927
27. A Western
28. A movie with practical monsters or creatures
29. A movie based on a comic but not a superhero movie
30. The last (or latest) film in a franchise
2. A French New Wave Movie
3. A movie that seems fake on Tubi
4. God forbid women have hobbies
5. A movie at least 100 years old
6. A Wallace Shawn movie
7. A movie Roger Ebert gave one star or less
8. A movie shot in Luxembourg
9. A movie in the Kentucky Laserdisc Preservation Society archive
10. A movie that’s been in your watchlist too long
11. Shot on 16mm (not a complete list)
12. A movie never released on Blu Ray
13. A movie directed by an LGBTQ+ filmmaker
14. A movie directed by an Indigenous filmmaker
15. A movie directed by a non-white non-male-identifying person
16. A movie from South America
17. A director’s least popular feature-length movie
18. Watched by JFK at the White House
19. A movie you haven’t seen with over 1 million views on letterboxd
20. Musical not in English
21. A movie directed by an Iranian director
22. A Hamlet
23. A movie screened at the 2022 Milwaukee Film Festival
24. A documentary about a niche interest or subculture
25. A movie 85 minutes long or less
26. Silent film (no audible dialogue) from after 1927
27. A Western
28. A movie with practical monsters or creatures
29. A movie based on a comic but not a superhero movie
30. The last (or latest) film in a franchise
Bonus/Swap: A movie from a previous year's Modular Film Festival you didn't watch yet