Science fiction is a way for people to solve problems that society doesn’t have the means of solving. It is human nature to want to fix flaws and vulnerabilities which can actually be accomplished using the fantastic. The success of films like ”The Guardians of the Galaxy” provide insight to the success of the science-fiction genre as a whole; it is the appeal that an unknown source of power, infinity stones, could be used to take down the imposing forces of Ronan. Ronan’s attempts to purify the galaxy of religion and attack the weak are certainly actions that parallel today’s world, making it all too relevant. Thanks to this trend of success the platform for science-fiction films has increased which makes events like the Boston Science Fiction Film Festival possible.
Certainly the science-fiction world is interested in looking forward, but their appreciation of the classics within the genre are also given their due appreciation. One of the features for the festival this week was to show the remastered original Doctor Who in color. The show itself has recently celebrated 50 years, and it has history.
The adoring crowds in attendance are the ones with the power to make something a classic. In the theater itself there was a community between the people who grew up on Doctor Who as it came out as well as the next generation interested in the origins of the show that has become vastly popular with its return to television after a hiatus. The etiquette for most movie-going experiences is that the audience should be completely quiet, but the festival is completely different in nature.
The Doctor Who doubleheader featured Doctor Who and the Daleks as well as Daleks’ Invasion of Earth 2150 A.D. which both include the infamous alien race of the Daleks. The Daleks are a fan favorite, as shown by the reaction in the audience when they first appear on screen. In the digital age where most of Doctor Who is on Netflix, what can this festival offer? More than just a sense of community there is an understanding that everyone in attendance has a love of sci-fi in common. During the intermission there’s chances to talk about the show or the characters with people that love it as much as you do, with people more than willing to do so. That’s something that can’t be had from the seat of your couch.
The festival is more than the celebration of classics, it also embraces the new films and shorts of the genre as well. They are a platform for the kinds of films that are not just about far off worlds or perhaps our own world, but in a different context. It’s also a platform from the perspective across our own world. There are plenty of films at the Boston Science Film Festival from all over the world, many from independent filmmakers getting their chance to share their work. On Wednesday alone they showed films from Greece, Switzerland, Austria, and Sweden. Yes they had subtitles, but they were all filled with the language of sci-fi. This festival is a chance to try something new with like-minded people and to be a little more worldly in a genre about exploring the future of those worlds.