Boston’s Underground Film Festival
First, you must learn about the acronym BUFF. We are not talking about shredded abs or cut biceps, so when you hear BUFF in this town, think twice. BUFF stands for Boston’s Underground Film Festival. “BUFF is a celebration of the bizarre and insane. BUFF is uncompromising, unflinching film/video. BUFF is the only fest to award a demonic bunny.” Occurring this year from March 25-29, BUFF is definitely something you’ll need to check out.
BUFF is the brainchild of founder David Kleiler, and was born way back in 1998, before YouTube and Netflix and hey, even smart phones! The festival began its life as an all-night film marathon run by Kleiler and longtime festival pal Dima Ballin. What was started as an informal and spontaneous act of art quickly grew into the first annual Boston Underground Film Festival.
Once having screened films in places as diverse as the Milky Way Lounge and Lanes in Jamaica Plain and the now-defunct Allston Cinema Underground, the festival has now established roots in the lovely and historic Brattle Theater, and less historic, but full of town pride, Kendall Square Cinema. BUFF has traveled a rocky road, but its dedicated and ambitious founders and staff keep this unique event alive and thriving, and hope that new faces will join them for this year’s festival.
