Frank the Rat - Days 7 & 8

Wednesday February 17th

We spend a leisurely morning in our lovely room at the Hilton Garden Inn, and then head over to Minnie's for buffet-style lunch. The place has a reputation for excellent old school country dining, and we are not disappointed. Best fried chicken in memory.

In fact, we opt for a walk along the Chattahoochee afterwards due to acute chicken overload, and stumble upon a park that tells the story of Columbus' past as a 19th century cotton-trading center. We also discover that Dr John S. Pemberton, the pharmacist who concocted the original formula for Coca Cola, hailed from Columbus.

In the evening. we screen in a black box theater at the RiverCenter for the Arts to another enthusiastic audience. I take note of (and appreciate) one gentleman in particular who gets so wrapped up in the story that he talks out loud now and then. Usually not my favorite thing as a moviegoer, but as a filmmaker, I'm loving it.

Always great to see people losing themselves in the film and connecting emotionally with the material. The discussion and reception afterwards is gratifying - folks are warm and generous with their feedback - and even ask a few great questions I've never heard before.

Thursday February 18th

We catch our flight back to NYC through Atlanta in the morning. After a uncharacteristically chilly week in the South, back home we are greeted by... MORE SNOW!

Thanks to everyone at the venues who hosted us, and everybody at the Southern Arts Federation, especially Allen Bell.