However many good reviews you might get for your work, sometimes it takes just one line of critical praise to cut to the essence of what you were trying to achieve. One pithy observation can sum up your work better than any words you could find yourself. Take this summary of my recent account of visiting Brussels:
" ... an endearing and curious mix of restaurant column and cultural criticism."
That's not a description I would ever dream of applying to my writing, but it was a beautifully concise and humorous review that I was more than happy to accept. As a kind of mission statement, it will see me through those darker days that all creative types experience, where we wonder about the purpose of what we do!
The observation belongs to Sam Meech, who runs the website Screening Film. I'm delighted to say that Sam has agreed to feature my tale of taking the indie cinema tour to Europe on Screening Film's blog.
Once upon a time, I dreamed of creating an online resource for the UK's independent cinemas. I envisaged travelling every week, seeking out cinemas I had yet to discover and revisiting ones I had fallen in love with. I wanted to celebrate their diversity and highlight all the unique events that talented programmers were creating.
And, for a reason I still can't comprehend, I thought I could conquer both time and geography and do the whole thing by myself.
What Sam has created in Screening Film is the website I once imagined ... but ten times better. Cinemas, film festivals and community screening organisations register on the site and enter their events, which then show up on a map like the one above. The whole thing is searchable by area, and blog contributors pick out upcoming highlights or review recent events.
It's a great resource for anyone wanting a fresh or alternative cinema experience. That observation may not be the cleverest, wittiest statement ever devised, but it's the perfect review for a site that is perfectly clear in its purpose - and which deserves to keep growing.
'Indie Cinema Euro Stars' is now featured on the Screening Film blog. You can follow the site on Twitter: @ScreeningFilm
If you enjoyed this blog post ...
... then you might like the tale of my journey around some of the UK's finest indie cinemas (and a few further afield). A Tour of the Indies: A Creative Quest for the UK's Best Cinema's ... and Cake has this dedicated page where you can read more.