I used to live a block away from El Cid Restaurant and Bar, but for some reason I never went. I had seen advertisements for a Short Film Night there, and thought that might be a fun event to go to. Every evening is different at El Cid: there are open mic nights, band performances, sketch comedy/stand up, and short film night.
I arrived at 7:30 PM and staked out a table. I thought this night might prove fruitful for networking, but most people kept to themselves and their group of friends. So I wouldn't recommend the evening for that.
The show started at around 9 PM. 7 short films were projected on a screen at the front, over the stage. The venue is organized with long tables, high wooden chairs, and booths. The decour almost looks like England from the Elizabethan era, but the food is Spanish (Tapas). I ordered the calamari, and it wasn't too die for. It was a bit too chewy and not crisp enough.
The film program was okay. Each filmmaker spoke before their short played, and their gaggle of friends screamed with support. I enjoyed about three of the seven films, the other four were entertaining, but for lack of better words, just not that good. The ones that I didn't like were dramatic shorts. This venue is great for comedy, because most of the "audience" is drunk and chatty. When the dramas hit, it was a big buzz kill and kind of awkward.
Overall, I had a good time. I saw some short movies, hung with some people, had some laughs, and did something different with my night. I'd recommend the evening for the sake of doing something out of the ordinary and possibly seeing some funny shorts. If you're a filmmaker, this might be a good way to see how your comedy short is received (where people laugh or don't laugh, etc.), but it's not suitable for networking or meeting people. It's mostly just a place where people can show their friends what they've been working on in a cool venue, which is still pretty fun.
You can learn about El Cid Short Film Night here: https://www.facebook.com/elcidshortfilmnight
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