I knew Sundance was going to be a once in a lifetime experience, but I didn’t realize I’d love it as much as I did. Going in, I was so excited to watch new films and see celebrities, but one of my favorite parts of the festival turned out to be the question-and-answer sessions following each film.

 While those sessions were most interesting when one of my favorite actors was involved, I loved them every time, even when no one I recognized from a previous film was there. It gave the audience a very unique chance to pick the filmmaker’s brain right after watching their film for the first time. Usually, when you have a big question after watching a movie, the best you can do is discuss it with your friends, or Google it and hope the director has discussed it before. There’s never a guarantee you’ll find the answer.

 But not at Sundance. At Sundance, when you had that burning question, it could be answered right away. We got to know how decisions were made in the film, and that really added to the interactive experience. I think that’s what I’ll miss most when I go back to my local theaters to watch movies.