Time flies, right? Well, sometimes it drags – especially when you’ve been subjected to the teeth-grinding boredom of 24 months of lockdowns and stay at home advice… But I hope Indy Film Library has given you something to take your mind off things in the middle of the pandemic.
I’m saying all this, because IFL had its third ‘birthday’ last month – and I want to thank everyone who has helped build this project from a hobby-blog into a (moderately) respectable platform for the independent film industry. Earlier in the week, this moderate respectability manifested itself in an article by FeedSpot.
The piece named IFL the 43rd Best Movie Review Blog or Website in the world, out of thousands of blogs on the web ranked by traffic, social media followers, domain authority and freshness. It’s not quite 41st Best Stand Up Ever, but it’s still extremely gratifying to see us punching above our weight on such a ranking.
Every year, our readership has grown, along with the number and quality of films sent to us for review. Our team has also grown, and in turn we have been able to offer different points-of-view, and more varied content. I am eternally grateful to all of you – Indy Film Library is a totally different animal compared to what it was this time last year.
Our podcast Tube Rats has just passed its own one-year milestone, while our Hollywood Hegemony comment series has developed a proud reputation for infuriating neo-Nazis (who have taken particular offence at our assertion The Talented Mr Ripley is an example of queer-baiting), and we have provided world-first analysis on the amorphous blob that is the independent film industry. At the same time, our annual festival is set to push ahead in April – hopefully with a physical event this year, alongside a set of digital showcases.
Even after all that, I still want more for Indy Film Library, though. More diversity of views, talents and mediums. And ultimately that will require collaborating with more talented, dedicated film-lovers in the future. With that, it’s time to announce we are once again looking for people to join the team!
We are currently recruiting for four voluntary positions on the IFL team: Film Critic, Hollywood Hegemony Section Editor, Social Media Lead and Events Lead. Applications are open until June 30th. Full details on all roles and how to apply can be found on the Join the Team page of the IFL website.
Beyond that, stay tuned for another 12 months of exciting developments. Here’s to Year Four!