Sundance Film Festival USA

Is it ok to say 'phew!'?

On Thursday, January 28, the Sundance Film Festival took eight films and eight filmmakers on the road for Sundance Film Festival USA, a pretty great way to bring a bit of the Sundance Film Festival to cities around the country. We were most fortunate to have two of the eight locations; Madison for THE RUNAWAYS and San Francisco for HOWL. I'm going to post a bunch of pictures from both events. In Madison, we were lucky enough to get Rob Thomas, entertainment writer for 77 Square (WSJ/CapTimes entertainment product) to host the screening. Here's a story he wrote about the festival. At the last minute, instead of the director, Cherie Currie, original lead singer of the Runaways flew in.

I flew back from Park City a couple days early so that I could oversee the screening of HOWL. I had deliberately seen the film in advance at the festival so that I could concentrate on the event. I'm so glad I did. I loved the film so much I was able to talk about it with the filmmakers (Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman) on the way back from the airport. They were pretty wiped out, but excited by the week behind them and the times ahead. They were also pretty excited to be spending the night in their own beds! The event had sold out weeks before and I was still fielding ticket requests an hour before show time. Sandip Roy, host of New America Now on KALW radio was our host, and he did a bang-up job (especially once he finished with the script he had been given) and was so funny. The audience was filled with friends and family of the filmmakers, James Franco's parents, and people who had known the major players portrayed in the film. Here are some shots from the evening:

Jeffrey, Rob, Sandip, Animator Eric Drooker

Not A Bad Way To End The Festival...

Today the films were varied, but I can't help but want to get to the best part of the day...we went to the annual Sundance Channel party on Main Street. Every year they have a really nice shindig with good and plentiful food, lots of friends and colleagues and usually a star or two sprinkled in. They took the cake tonight - they had a knight in attendance - yes, that's Sir Elton John, who walked right past me to sit at a table. Um, wow.

But wait - that's not all. Those of you who know me know I am a Mad Men freak. And who should be at this party? Jared Harris, who plays Lane Pryce in the show. We wound up talking quite a bit and I have to say I was rather thrilled...

And Sundance wouldn't be Sundance without Ms. Parker Posey.

So, a very cool party indeed.

Oh, the movies?

THE EXTRA MAN with Kevin Klein,

PROP 8, THE MORMAN PROPOSITION and the JOAN RIVERS documentary feature.

I brave the skies tomorrow headed back to oversee the Sundance Film Festival USA screenings. If I'm still breathing, more to come. 0 caramel apples, numerous celebrity sightings.

Too Many Films, Too Little Sleep

I missed a day and for that I apologize. We're up early in the morning, and out late at night and there are a whole load of films in between. To catch up on Monday: We started the day with Philip Seymour Hoffman's directorial debut, JACK GOES BOATING, also starring Hoffman. I loved this sweet tale of love, friendship and loneliness. SMASH HIS CAMERA is a fun doc about a king of paparazzi who has single-handedly helped to document celebrities and notables for the past 40 years. Then a film near and dear to me: HOWL, about the epic poem by Allen Ginsberg and the trial that put art and freedom of expression on the stand and in the public eye. This is a fabulous film that needs to be seen, and 500 lucky folks will this Thursday at the Sundance Film Festival USA screening at our Sundance Kabuki. WELCOME TO THE RILEYS is a wonderful departure for James Gandolfini, and the evening ended with a fabulous meal at Zoom, our annual feast and talk-fest. This morning started out very early with Annette Benning in MOTHER AND CHILD, a super fun CYRUS with John C. Reilley, Jonah Hill and Marissa Tomei, then we went to the SF Int'l Film Festival hoe-down, with loads of folks from the Bay Area and beyond. We had to hop on a bus and leave our friends in order to catch BLUE VALENTINE with Ryan Gosseling and Michelle Williams. What a nice film, depressing, tho. I tried to get into the screening of THE RUNAWAYS, but it was way over-subscribed. It's not snowing, the streets are clear, the sun is shining and it sure would be nice to be on the slopes. My condo-mate and friend Clare surprised me with a caramel apple today, so at least I've had that, although no celebrities today. What's up with that???

Day 3 - In Pursuit of the Festival

Our group was discussing how difficult it must be to 'Sundance' if it's your first time. We're all multi-year veterans and are constantly having to battle the elements, shuttle bus mysteries, line confusions at the theatre and 'sold-out' industry screenings. We all ride the shuttle busses (it's impossible and ridiculous to drive in a tiny mountain town that swells from 8,000 to well over 30,000 during 10 days in January) and stand in the freezing cold. One thing that seems to override the first-timers anxiety is excitement. Today on the bus I met a screenwriter from the film HOLY ROLLERS, there for the first time with his film. He was so excited and pleased to be there.
Today was busy -THE COMPANY MEN, CATFISH and PLEASE GIVE. O caramel apples and only one celeb siting - Michael Moore.

Day 2 - How Blue Am I?

Death seemed to be the over-riding theme in today's film choices. We started out the morning with Robert Duvall, Bill Murray and Sissy Spacek in GET LOW, where Duvall plays a small town feared creature who decides to throw a 'funeral party' so the town folk can tell stories about him while he's alive. The acting is wonderful, with some really nice cinematography. With SHOCK DOCTRINE, Naomi Klein takes a scary but eye-opening look at how for the last 50 years the US has been taking Milton Friedman's fiscal theories to dizzying heights of political manipulation. The snow beat down heavy this afternoon and I shot back to our cozy condo to meet with Rob Thomas, who writes for the Wisconsin State Journal and their arts section, 77 Square. We had a nice visit over Martha and Brothers coffee and compared notes. The snow is making for some extreme slush and it seems like Park City is doing a pretty awful job of clearing the walkways, so getting to and from the screenings has been a real challenge. Tonights main feature was HAPPYTHANKYOUMOREPLEASE a real 20-something film - but with a surprising amount of heart. The last film was HESHER, with a good and surprising cast. No caramel apples - and only one star siting: Michael Moore. Not bad.

Festival Day One - We Go To The Howl 'After-Party'

Ok, kinda cool and kinda about time. Since we are playing HOWL at our Sundance Kabuki in San Francisco during Sundance Film Festival USA, I got invited to the 'after-party', following the opening night premiere of HOWL. As we stood out in the snow waiting to be let in, I wondered if this would be the typical fest party: Sure, you are invited, but so are several hundred others. Worse than that, there is usually one or two inner sactum parties. I hate that! I've been in the inner sanctum, and I've been on the outside looking in. When that happens - I leave. Tonight was better.
Oh, I'm sorry - is that Jon Hamm standing two feet away from me? Would you like a Stella, John?
Morgan Spurlock was happy to old friends

James DeFranco is surrounded by adoring hangers-on and press. He is on one hot roll right now.
Tomorrow is the first full day of movies - hope they clear the snow and slush and hope we have a good movie day.

The Festival is Here - What should I count?

All the preparation, all the decisions, all the angst come to an apex tomorrow when the Sundance Film Festival opens. I can't even imagine what it would be like to have to design this kind of operation with a million whirling pieces.
We've made our best guesses as to the films we'll be seeing; here are some of the ones I'm most looking forward to: No Where Boy about John Lennon, The Company Men with Chris Cooper, Howl with my man!!! John Hamm, or yeah about Alan Ginsberg, and that's just days one and two.
Since I kept very good track of how many chicken dogs I ate in Toronto, I figure the Sundance equivalent has to be caramel apples from the store on Main Street. I guess I'll keep track of 'stars' and of course the great parties (well, the very few I'm invited to). Wish me luck in the COLD and SNOW. Until tomorrow.