First of I’d like to thank Mom, Dad and Sallie Mae for making it possible for me to go on this trip. As my first study (kinda) abroad trip from Eckerd this has been a great one. Living in Park City, just minutes from Main Street for 10 days was a great growing experience. Attending the film festival and participating in all of the activities that goes with it was amazing. Never have I seen so many BlackBerrys and iPhones in one place. When new President Obama was sworn the theatre I was sitting in at 10am lit up with a blueish LCD glow from all the text messages and emails from happy friends all over the country. (more…)

If you grow up in New York City or Los Angeles it is common to see famous people. It is even “proper” to act as if they aren’t important. You wouldn’t give them anymore attention then you would give anyone else. I never grew up in the city. For me, it is a weird concept knowing I am in a town that is now over populated with famous people. As much as this baffles and intrigues me, I would never approach the extremes of which some people are going.

I have seen crowds of people standing outside of restaurants waiting for actors to stop eating. I saw a mob of people run across the street to see Ashley Judd. Famous people are being bombarded while they eat; no wonder they don’t want to walk around. 

I understand that these people are “above” us, but I have a hard time understanding why we attack them. Yes my heart might have skipped a beat when I saw Dominic Cooper standing right next to me, and I thought it was cool to be sitting in the  same row as Chris Rock for The Informers, but I wasn’t freaking out. 

Yesterday, I was walking down the street and I saw the Mystery Team all standing there. Had I not been in a hurry, I would have stopped, said how I enjoyed their film, and continued walking. It makes sense to take pictures and ask questions while they are on stage, but when they are eating… personally, I think not. 

Even though I haven’t been star gazing, I have met a lot of amazing people. The first day I was in Park City, I wanted to explore the town. I ended up at coffee shop, writing (see Enslavement to 1,3,7-trimethylaxnthine to read what I thought of the place.) This place had minimal seating, so three people joined my table. Not understanding how communicative people are during Sundance, this surprised me. It ended up being a great first morning. One of them works in publicity and after finding out that I was a communication major, gave me his card and told me to contact him for an internship. 

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Park City during Sundance Film Festival

It’s cold, it’s crowded, and it’s fantastic: welcome to the Sundance Film Festival. From catching shuttles to meeting celebs, I have had a very different and wonderful experience in Park City. The independent film industry has its own share of celebrities and it really surprised me to see some of the big stars attending their premieres to packed cinema houses. I got to see Kevin Bacon from literally two feet away and shook hands with Jim Carrey and Ewan McGregor, aside from meeting some of the upcoming independent filmmakers. What I observed was that they were just normal people, like us, who were good – if not great – at their professions. During many Q and A sessions, I would see them joke around with one another just like we would with our classmates or friends. Getting over my initial hype of meeting stars, I met some people who worked behind the scenes for many hours, in order to bring this unique film festival to the world. I was able to meet volunteers at bus stations, staff members at theaters, and even strike up an occasional conversation with the person behind the snack stand at some theater. Not only were they excited about the film festival and had their experiences to share, they all really wanted to be here at Sundance. I have never seen such enthusiasm before and it definitely rubbed of on me, making me even more excited to be attending the festival.

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We all have our own little obsessions, whether it be taking a shower everyday, using Purell constantly, knowing what time is it, or continuously drinking water. Mine isn’t as healthy as water-drinking or as hygienic as taking showers.  I have an addiction to caffeine. 

I remember how it happened. I didn’t have a sip of coffee or caffeine until late in my life; I mean high school of course. One of my friends started working at the local coffee shop. Let me tell you, this coffee shop, Cool Beans, is wonderful. It’s one of those well kept secrets that only locals know about. I was spoiled. My friend would make the best raspberry mochas, and soon I would only go if she was there. 

It is hard to find a good coffee shop now a days. Large corporations are ruining the name of coffee. Who actually wants burnt tasting coffee from Starbucks? Not I, said the cat. These shops are at every corner, making them extremely accessible and quick. This has become a problem, especially for someone with an addiction. (more…)

Must have been the locals.

There’s still two days left in the festival but it seems like it’s already over. Hardly anyone walks down Main Street anymore, let alone famous people. Not like the first weekend of the festival when everyone who was anyone thought it was the best time to show up. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad they came at all. It really makes the festival worthwhile for a first time attendee like me when I get to see my favorite actor or actress along with their cool indie movie premiere. It’s a little sad though, that just because I couldn’t make it to the first showing of a movie, the cast and maybe even the director have already skipped town. The Q and A session after the movie is one of the best parts of the festival and it’s disappointing when I just watched an amazing performance and none of the cast is represented to answer questions. I understand that they can’t give all of their fans a special appearance, but if I get to come to Sundance again, now I know that I should get as many premiere showings as possible.

Now that the festival has slowed down, I find myself noticing the little things that help make the times between movies just as memorable. Number one is the transit system. The free buses. They run from dawn until way past dusk so you don’t have to rely on a not-so-free taxi. Each festival stop has a friendly attendant who will tell you exactly which bus will take you to your destination in the shortest time. I have yet to meet a less than helpful attendant despite the cold and long hours of standing around with a bunch of tourists. I give my thanks to them for being able to keep a smile on their faces. (more…)

Geoff Gilmore Speaking at the Festival

I also attended the opening night ceremonies, and I did so with specific reason. I regretted going last year, but now that I think about it in retrospect I am glad I did. I tend to avoid the star-studded glamor personalities who show up for press and “indie-cred,” all in plentiful supply last year. I would even say it was somewhat so this time around. Luckily, I also avoided most of this by going to the second screening. Robert Redford went off to his party and there was little to no press at the second showing. Instead, I received a heartfelt speech given by the mayor of Park City, in which he not only applauded the festival, but also gave what he said was a rare political plug for the upcoming festivities on Tuesday morning, calling Barack Obama “the greatest president of my lifetime.” While he may have jumped the gun a bit on that one, they are having a jumbo-screen presentation of the inauguration right on main street. In addition to having a low key introduction, the movie was also not the usual opening movie.

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… or at least that you ought to try and see when you have some free time and the inclination to stretch your cinematic imagination. On the eve of a new year of discovery and hype, it’s as good a time as any to see for yourself why indie filmmakers and distributors still pin their hopes on the January festival that got its improbable start in the snowy mountains above Salt Lake City, Utah. Between Netflix and Blockbuster and your local library, you should be able to find most of these.

John Lurie and Richard Edson in Stranger than Paradise

Sundance really hit its stride in 1985. Before that it was called the Utah/US Film Festival and hadn’t yet been sponsored by Robert Redford and the Sundance Institute. In 1985 it got a new name and gave the world an introduction to two of the most prolific and exciting filmmaking teams. Jim Jarmusch brought his second feature (following the largely unheralded debut film Permanent Vacation), and introduced the world to his own peculiar take on America in Stranger than Paradise. The Coen brothers (Joel and Ethan) stunned audiences with their visceral take on pulp film noir in Blood Simple. Their ability to create intensity through memorable images - a shovel dragging on the pavement, shafts of light that stab through the darkness as bullets penetrate the walls that shelter a terrified Frances McDormand - signaled the emergence of a powerful new team of storytellers. (more…)

A few thoughts from some of the students who came to the festival in 2006 and 2008:

On why to go:

• “Sundance is not just about watching movies, traveling, or going on a vacation, but it’s about sharing an accomplishment.  It’s about sharing your love of movies with other people.  But most of all it’s about respecting the dreams that so many have worked so hard to pursue, produce, and accomplish, and that is why I am attending the festival.” (Emily Behrens, ‘08)
• “What draws me to watch an independent film is the fact that the film will touch me on some daringly real level….I watch independent films because there is a sense of truth that validates the lives we lead.” (Sharon Oegerle, ‘08)
• “Overall I am just hoping to see original and well made films that tell a great story while keeping me attracted to it without boring me.  And even if I don’t like any of the films I see I will still enjoy seeing how well these young film makers have done and to see what stories they have to tell.” (Bill Griswold, ‘08) (more…)