The Katra Film Series in New York City is the Place to Be
The festival has long since come to the surface and grown well above the initial congeniality of its subterranean beginnings.
In 2011, The Katra Film Series began in the basement of Katra Lounge in Manhattan. A very informal affair, about ten filmmakers, their friends and fellow travelers from the NYC indie film industry would gather once a month. They’d have a few drinks, screen the movies and take part in Q&As. “It fostered community,” said founder Geoffrey Guerrero. But the festival has long since come to the surface and grown well above the initial congeniality of its subterranean beginnings.
Dedicated to championing the next generation of diverse, inclusive and multicultural filmmakers from around the world, Katra now runs seasonally at Manhattan’s Regal Cinemas. Altogether, the festival screens 200-plus films a year and provides the typical accolades and services. The festival also offers a backdrop that no other festival can. “Why go to all these other places, when you can watch the best films in the best city in the world - New York City,” Guerrero asserted with pride.
On the other hand, the impetus arose well below the lounge and the lofty heights of New York City. While living in LA, Guerrero won best short film in a festival nearby, and the achievement involved the promise of a development deal. Meeting the organizers in “a swanky mansion” on Mulholland Drive, the young filmmaker had stars in his eyes. “It’s what everyone hopes for,” the Brooklyn native remembered.
Of course, he was strung around, made promises, and eventually, the bottom fell out in the form of a pyramid scheme. “That was a real kick in the ass how this industry has a lot of shady people,” he lamented, and the FBI actually took up the case.
Unfortunately, he wasn’t done being dragged down. Guerrero was hired to oversee the NYC branch of a festival that was going to run simultaneously in Paris and Barcelona. The triangulation looked pretty good, promises were made and hands were shaken. But in the end, he did all the work and received none of the money. “Listen,” Guerrero told them, “if you guys were in New York, I would hunt you down.”
Of course, at this point, he’s let bygones be bygones, and not be overlooked, the experience didn’t have him come away empty handed. Now, the young man knew how to run a festival, and the light bulb went on. “If I’m doing this for people who are running scams, why not do it so filmmakers can have real genuine opportunities,” Guerrero posed.
He knows from past experience what an actual chance means. In 2008, he was among the directorial team that won the best short in the New York HBO Latino Film Festival, and the accolade for Rewind didn’t go unnoticed. “People see you are the real deal,” Guerrero said.
No doubt, he still started small like everyone else, and graduating in 2003 from Brooklyn College gave him the foundational essentials in filmmaking. Tassels turned for the real world, commencement was still about learning, and a decade working in Reality TV went a long way to funding his on the job training. “Whatever money I made, I was investing in films, and it taught me how to direct, how to work with actors, where to put the money, and how to use it wisely,” he assured.
So for the generation coming out now and looking to make their first film, the latter shouldn’t be a concern. “Write a five-page script, spend $10 - that’s your budget,” Guerrero said. “Get two friends in a room and you make a short.”
The filmmaker also recommends that they shouldn’t go overboard with film festivals. Spend a few dollars on entry fees, he said, “You got to take one film at a time. You’re not going to blow up from your first film.”
Not just words, his small, inexpensive start with Katra wasn’t rushed and elevated at the exact moment that destiny had in store. He had previously met a Texas entrepreneur, and the time passing didn’t have Guerrero forgetting that the acquaintance knew someone from the Alamo DraftHouse in Boston. “So when I heard they were opening up in Brooklyn, I gave him a call,” remembered the Katra Founder.
The connection was made, the festival went on the move to Brooklyn, and now became a competitive venue with real growth potential. Providing a platform for filmmakers, Katra offers cash prizes, equipment rental packages, studio spaces, screenwriting software, camera loaners, and Canon USA gives away a free camera every year.
The festival also gets the word out for its selections. “We have our own media team that covers the filmmakers and does a whole package,” he said. “We don’t charge to do that, and we promote them all over social media.”
However, any extras that accompany a fee beyond the application should make participants wary. The entrepreneur cites “a booth” as a prime example. Guerrero says they’ll set you up with a stand, make a poster and provide fliers and postcards, among other supposed niceties. Then you’ll get hit with a price tag of $500. “That’s a no-no,” he asserted.
Excessive submission fees, online festivals, and an award process that gives everyone a trophy are also red flags. But filmmakers still must invest their time in order to maximize the money they have. The first order is finding whether your film fits a niche, and he’s excited about the Mental Health Festival that Katra is soon to kick off with the guidance of Dr. Grant H. Brenner.
Already in place at the Alamo DraftHouse, Katra’s New Faces, New Voices does a similar number for African Americans, Asians, LGBTQ members, military veterans, and disabled citizens. “It's all about supporting underrepresented communities,” said the Executive Director
Even so, a pigeonhole doesn’t necessarily deliver the goods, so he recommends taking full advantage of social media. “Filmmakers should talk to each other,” he said, "because if they have a terrible experience at a festival, they will let you know.”
Official channels work too. Film Freeway provides a tier system to guide the filmmaker, and Katra definitely sets a standard. “We are a gold listed member,” Guerrero boasted.
So obviously on the up and up, Katra has the chops to pave the way for what a filmmaker really wants - a distribution deal. “We partner with streaming companies to facilitate monetary distribution deals for all of our official selections,” Guerrero revealed.
In accordance, the clout that Katra has in the industry has led to a steady stream of distribution with both startup services and larger ones like Amazon, AppleTV, and Hulu.
There’s also plenty of opportunity for filmmakers to work the room. “Executives, producers, and owners of distribution companies attend the festivals now, because the companies we work with trust our programming skills,” said Guerrero.
It doesn’t end with Katra either. He also runs the Bowery Film Festival, New York Pause, The Katra LatinX Festival, and World Webfest Mania. A lot on his plate, his creative side has long been forced on hiatus, but that has changed. “I just wrote a short - in the rewriting phase,” he said. “It’s the first one I’ve done in five years.”
When done, he’ll certainly take his own advice. A film festival shouldn’t be draining you financially, he cautions. It has to be there to promote your work and get seen by people who can take your film to the next level.
Not surprisingly, Guerrero knows just the place.
Learn more about the Katra Film Series here: https://katrafilmseries.com
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Rich Monetti was born in the Bronx and grew up in Somers, New York. He went onto study Computer Science and Math at Plattsburgh State. But after about a decade in the field, he discovered that writing was his real passion. He's been a freelancer since 2003 and is always looking for the next story. Rich also dabbles with screenwriting and stays active by playing softball and volleyball.
