For me, Sundance has been a once in a lifetime experience. Being in Park City surrounded by thousands of people who are all here to watch films and to support independent cinema is very exciting, because everyone is here for the same cause, to support art. Everyone is willing to talk about movies and trade stories about their experiences here. it’s easy to find out which films are good and and bad just by catching the bus and striking up a conversation or even just listening to other people talk about films. I certainly didn’t expect to make friends with two middle aged men, Jim and Rene, who told me they had been coming to the festival for the past twelve years. But that’s just the kind of thing that happens, you’ll be standing in a line for something and soon you’re discussing all of the films you’ve seen and haven’t seen. I ended up talking to both Jim and Rene a handful of times during the festival, as I always seemed to find them at my screenings. Both of them wished me good luck in making films, and they promised they would keep an eye out for a film by me at Sundance after five years or so.

While I’ve been here, I’ve really gotten a sense that I’m part of the festival. For each of the films showing here, the filmmakers have put in lots of time and effort to get their film here, and so being at the each of the screenings is very unique. By simply being there, you’re helping to promote the film and independent films in general. For many of the directors here, these screenings are the only way to get their career off the ground, and since I want to direct films myself, you can really understand why the filmmakers here are so excited to be able to show their work to you.

While being here I’ve seen and met a lot of cool actors and directors. I got to see Paul Giamatti, The Doors, Justin Kirk, Peter Gallagher, Steven Soderbergh,Tom Dicillo, Greg Araki, Kevin Spacey, and Don Herztfeldt. I got to meet all of the guys from Broken Lizard, Matthew Molke (from Big River Man), and to my extreme delight, Michelle Trachtenberg. It was really great getting to see a lot of my favorite filmmakers out here still supporting independent film, even though they have made it big. It was definitely one of the coolest things to be able to talk directly to each of the people who made the films you’re watching, and it’s something I’ll never forget.

The films I saw included:

Shorts Program IV which included a great selection of strange and personal stories told through short stories, of which I found Next Floor and Short Term 12 to be the best.

Cold Souls was a really good and interesting story about Paul Giamatti who can’t deal with his acting, so he has his soul removed from his body, only to have it sold on the Russian black market.

When You’re Strange chronicled the rise and fall of The Doors in only several years as Jim Morrison spiraled down into alcoholism. The footage was great though the narration was a bit simple.

The Carter brought the viewer directly into the life of famous rapper Lil’ Wayne, but the film became repetitive and seeing just how arrogant Wayne is was really a turn off.

Against the Current was a deep personal film about a man determined to swim down th length of the Hudson, which was both funny and sad and quite possibly my favorite film I saw here.

Sex, Lies, and Videotape returned to Sundance this year, and was a great experience getting to have Soderbergh present and speak about his debut film.

Why We Laugh was the worst and most boring film I saw, presenting the history of black comedy through the voice of famous black comedians.

The Killing Room was a decent psychological thriller about a group of four who come into a room expecting to take a test, but find out they’re in for a game of life or death.

Bronson told the true story of Britain’s most violent prisoner of the same name, which was steeped in some great and artful storytelling, but veered off toward a disappointing ending.

Shrink starred Kevin Spacey as a shrink who begins to question if he can help people at all after the suicide of his wife. It was really well shot and acted, and very funny too.

The Animation Spotlight had a really good selection of short animated features, with only a couple mediocre ones. Don Herztfeldt’s and Mike Judge’s really stood out as the best.

In the Loop let you into the lives of British and American bureaucrats as they prepare to go to war in an unnamed Middle Eastern country. The film took a satirical tone, and was very similar in humor and style to The Office, packed so full of great dialogue that one is sure to miss half the jokes on the first viewing.

Dare was a good little film about young high school students and their sexuality as they begin to reach adulthood and discover themselves.

Slammin Salmon was a hilarious restraunt comedy starring the guys from Broken Lizard, as they try to sell as much as they can in a night to receive a prize of ten grand.

Dead Snow invoved a funny and gory tale of Nazi zombies that attack a group of medical students vacationing in the snows of Norway.

Tags: Jerad Ford

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