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Yesterday I saw the American independent feature, The Station Agent, which is showing tonight as the Anniversary Gala as part of the Atlantic Film Festival. Thomas McCarthy directs a great cast in the story of Finbar McBride, who wants to be left alone in the train station that he has inherited. Born with dwarfism, he is short and always the centre of attention. With two quirky friends he becomes involved in their lives and they all learn something about each other. The independent scene in the US now is hot and it’s the place where you get to see great actors and stories that would work in a completely different way if you had celebrities in the roles. It’s an appropriate film for the Anniversary Gala as it shows how independent films now have become closer to the mainstream without becoming bland or boring. The film won the Audience Choice Award at Sundance and is definitely worth seeing.