Host your own Film Festival!

With the Venice Film Festival just ending, and the Toronto Film Festival coming to a close, it’s a great time to host your own film festival.

All you need is a little imagination and some spirited girlfriends. Pick a weekend when all of your friends can get together for a few consecutive nights. Try a Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun night pattern. Or you can go two weekends in a row of Friday and Saturday night.

Try to create a theme. A film from each decade (1970, 1980, 1990, 2000) or films around a common plot (say, marriage, motherhood, murder or travel). You can also do films centered around a particular actress (Farrah Fawcett, Bette Davis, Julia Roberts, Kate Hudson).

Once you've selected a theme, you'll need to chose your films. Each friend (or group of friends) will host a 'screening or festival night.' Everyone can agree on the movies ahead of time (say vote) or let each individual host (or hostesses) select her own movie, either way, the films should center around your chosen theme.

The food should reflect the film of the night. Say, one woman selects "Gone With the Wind" for her film selection. Then all of girlfriends would arrive at her house for mint juleps and delicious southern food. Finger food is always especially delicious. Maybe try fried chicken and a few other easy appetizers.

The next night the host may select, The God Father II, for example. This calls for lots of red wine, spaghetti, and garlic bread. Yum. Come dressed as a gangster or as the character of "Kay" in a school teacher's dress. The more you're involved in the festival's spirit the better.

Maybe you can even serve a seafood buffet at the screening of Jaws! You get the picture. Whatever you do, make your menu correspond to your chosen movie.

Create a list of awards. Rate each film based on a standard list of criteria. Have everyone fill out a score sheet during the film. You can rate the films in such categories, as, 'Most Dramatic Performance' 'Best Wardrobe' 'Most sympathetic character' or 'Most handsome leading man.'

Tally the scores on the final evening and give out funny award presentations. Don't take it seriously. It's meant to be fun. And just another exciting adventure...