This weekend there are too many options-- Indie Fest is upon us (full schedule here)! This year is the 10th year of the San Francisco Independent Film Festival—no mean feat for an independent festival. Jeff Ross is the founder of Indie Fest (and a couple of other film festivals). Despite the fact that he will be seeing 35 feature length films, and almost twice that many shorts in the next couple of days (and who knows how many parties), he took time for SFist’s interview questions. Read on for his tips for this making the most of Indie Fest and life in the Bay Area.

What is the best thing about Indie Fest?
Having filmgoers get to meet filmmakers and talk movies.

What are some standout movies this year?
One of my personal favorites is POP SKULL, this weird experimental horror/drug movie. DRIVING TO ZIGZIGLAND is also really good, funny, touching, interesting take on what’s going on in the middle east by telling the story of a Palestinian guy in Hollywood trying to get into movies.

What are your favorite movie festivals?
Chicago Underground, SXSW, Slamdance, Fantasia

What makes a festival good?
Good films, curious, open minded audiences, good parties-the place filmmakers get to meet film goers!

Any tips for festival attenders?
Come early, parking/muni delays happy all the time, as we know, and are schedule is pretty tight. Stick around after the film for the QAs. They can be really interesting. Buy lots of popcorn, the Roxie could use the money!

Any new festivals in the works?
Welllll, I'd be lying if I said no. But nothing firm enough to say out loud.

How many movies will you see at it this year?
35 features, about 60 shorts

Name
Jeff Ross

Introduce yourself in one sentence
I run a couple film festivals in SF.

Age and Occupation
38, I run a couple film festivals in SF

Home Town
Born in VA, but have been in SF 15 years.

How long have you lived in the Bay Area?
Currently live right on the Mission/SOMA border. Have lived in Western Addition, Inner Sunset, Presidio and SOMA in the past. I love where i live now (although its a basement with hardly any light that leaks when it rains hard) because I can walk to SOMA clubs and Mission bars and restaurants. Hardly ever drive or need to take the bus. I love that.

Favorite place to spend time online
I read political stuff online mostly. Both rabid liberal and rabid conservative. Its interesting to see how each side response to the same current events with such amazingly different perspectives. I also read SFGate, NYTimes ad SFist .

Favorite local business
Why the Roxie Cinema, of course. I spend 6 weeks a year there with my three festivals. The staff are great. Bill and Rick who run the place are both interesting characters. I like Lost Weekend Video. Rainbow Grocery, although I buy most of my groceries at Smart and Final.

What I'm currently Reading
Spook Country by William Gibson

Best Deal in San Francisco
.75 oysters during happy hour at The Phoenix. The Mart Barber who cuts my hair for $12.

Favorite mode of transportation
Feet. Or my 63 Falcon. Love my Falcon.

Best Band or Musician to come out of the Bay Area
I really like Smash Up Derby. Also Tartufi, the Struts, the Chop Tops, and Midnight Bombers.

Favorite Bay Area Stereotype, and whether or not you buy into it
Mission hipster of course. I love the Hipster Olympics clip on You Tube. I had this idea to put on a Mission Ren Faire at CellSpace but the only event I can think of to have at it is fixie bike jousting.

Favorite local hangout
I tend to hang out where I know the staff: The DNA, Cat Club on Tuesdays, Rickshaw Stop. My Favorite Mission bar at the moment is probably Killowatt.

SF has the BEST
wacky arts community who never pass up a costume party.

You've never lived in SF until
you've been to Bunny Jam, played Urban Golf, or gotten drunk while roller skating at CellSpace (this sat 2/9!)

You can tell someone is a local here IF
they drop in hella whenver possible.

SF would be soooo much better if only
it weren't so hard to live here, rent wise.

Best Burrito
The one on 16th between mission and vVlencia. Forget its name. It’s nearest my house.

Best Restaurant
Manora Thai

Best movie scene filmed in or about SF
Bullitt

Favorite artist to come out of the bay area
MC Donut

Favorite author to come out of the bay area
Jt Leroy

Place you always tell visitors to check out
Baker Beach

Favorite Bridge in the area
Third Street

You have two hours and $15 bucks to kill in SF, what are you going to do?
See what’s playing at the Roxie or the Castro. Get a slice on the way at Arnells or Marcello's.

I want all the SFists out there to know
Burning Man LLC is a subsidiary of Halliburton