Kevin Sullivan
Belmont Porchfest founder Mary Bradley wanted to share the “lightning in a bottle” she experiences at Porchfest. In 2019, she found a way, when the Belmont Cultural Council provided her with a grant to make a short documentary, “A Porchfest Journey,” premiering at the Lonely Seal Film Festival in Arlington on Wednesday night.
“It was kind of a crazy move, given I had absolutely no experience making documentaries,” Bradley said. “How hard could it be?”
She would soon find out.
The Belmont Media Center helped Bradley with filming and equipment during Porchfest 2019, but with the pandemic, things came to a screeching halt. So she used the hiatus to build on her production skills.
“Trapped at home, I took a video editing course at Harvard Extension during which I interviewed a number of Porchfest organizers around the country on Zoom,” Bradley said.
She also reached out to friends from around the country to add their footage to her own.
While editing in 2022, she debated whether she would continue organizing Porchfest in the future. But the project galvanized her resolve.
“While I was editing, the sheer joy and revolutionary act of reminding people they like each other pulled me back in,” she exclaimed.
The finished product is a 13-minute documentary, featuring nearby Porchfests plus far-flung locales like Ithaca, N.Y. and Tacoma, Wash.
“I adore all the other organizers — they are delightful and hilarious. We share common pain points, yet are strangely compelled to organize this event — lightning in a bottle!” Bradley said.
For tickets, visit the Lonely Seal Film Festival Eventbrite site.
