Former Kalamazoo resident and Western Michigan University graduate Jake Ziegler has been a freelance entertainment writer for the Gazette for several years. He's currently living in the Traverse City area, which meant that he was able to attend last week's Traverse City Film Festival. Since I could not make it -- and I am doubly upset because in addition to missing some good movies I missed out on those delicious cherry burgers that are a Traverse delicacy -- I asked Jake to share some of his observations and he happily obliged.The fourth annual Traverse City Film Festival wrapped on Sunday night after six days with more than 80,000 admissions to screenings of 71 films at six venues, five panel discussions, and six parties to celebrate another record breaking year.The small Northern Michigan town was graced with the presence of pop royalty Madonna on Saturday night for a special screening of her new documentary "I Am Because We Are," but the fun didn't stop there. The last day of the festival offered plenty for filmgoers, and 17 awards were handed out.The big winner of the festival was the Jordanian film "Captain Abu Raed," the first independent film to ever come from Jordan, and their first feature of any kind in the last fifty years. Both screenings on Friday evening and Sunday afternoon were greeted with a standing ovation and thunderous applause. It won the Audience Award for Best Fiction Film, as well as the Best of Fest Fiction Film.
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