The venue was hard to miss, considering there was a massive technicolor art
installation that greeted guests at the front of the club’s entrance. Nestled in the downtown destination of Déjà Vu Comedy Club, volunteers and filmmakers flocked to a party to celebrate the ending of another successful fest. As the clock struck 10 p.m., the secretive and much-hyped True/False Film Fest volunteer after-party began.

Volunteers were alerted of the location and time of the celebration a mere few hours before the night of partying began, via the True/False Film Fest Volunteer Facebook group; the last-minute invite reaffirmed the party’s reputation of being uber-lowkey.

It is evident that True/False volunteers by nature give everything 100 percent, and the after-party was no exception.

The high-quality art installations at the party were evocative of those presented in Columbia throughout the weekend and also reflected the dedication and meticulous nature of the True/False volunteer crew.

Upon arrival, people of all ages and attires emerged out of Ubers and taxis, from first-time college volunteers to middle-aged local Columbians who consider themselves to be die-hard True/Falsies.

But it was immediately evident that age was but a number when it came to busting a move on the dance floor. DJ Agile One serenaded guests into the early hours of the morning with her hip-hop and throwback jams, from Snoop Dogg to Chris Brown.

In addition to the music, the atmosphere could not have been more aesthetically pleasing. In addition to the geometric wooden installations that bordered the packed dance floor, there was also a waterfall of shimmering string lights, graffiti-inspired art and moving projections that played on some of the walls. It was a hipster heaven, to say the least.

When it came to getting an artsy photo for the ‘gram, there were no issues. With the plethora of art, film and photography students and professionals in the room, one could overhear commentary regarding backlighting and composition while guests posed in front of their smartphones to document the evening.

Perhaps the highlight of the party was the accessibility of the filmmakers who presented their films during the festival. Dutch director Guido Hendrikx of _Stranger in Paradise_ made his way toward the open bar, while German director Viktor Jakovleski of _Brimstone & Glory_ talked with fans about his film near the Sparky’s ice cream table.

The after-party experience was unreal, like that of the festival itself. The party ended in a bittersweet tone as volunteers parted, realizing that although their hard work was done, they had to bid farewell to yet another fantastic film fest.

On the bright side, there are only 362 days to go until the next fest — but who’s counting?