Birmingham’s Sidewalk Film Festival announced the lineup for its 21st year today, and seeing that story reminded me powerfully of 14 years ago when my short film — “We’re the Government — and You’re Not” — was selected for the festival. Sidewalk was the first festival to which I submitted and it was a really big deal to me to have the film accepted here, partly because I knew it would get a big audience and partly because all the local people who worked on it could see it with an audience. The film ended up making it into 20 festivals over the following 18 months or so and it even won a few awards. But nothing was more exciting than that first acceptance and then being able to see it with a huge audience for its first screening. (Even better, they roared with laughter at the right parts.) I really need to make another film. My first film seems amateurish to me now — and I’m confident enough (or arrogant enough) to think I could do something great this time.