I have made it to Park City another year! I am so giddy that I just keep walking around exclaiming "I'm so excited!" After unpacking my bags, registering for my credentials and getting hit by a few snowballs, it feels good to be back. This is my third year at Sundance and I have to say that it just keeps getting more "exciting."
This will be my first year with Industry Credentials at Sundance. I believe that I have explained this before with Toronto, but basically industry is given completely different screening schedule from the public, in a different set of theaters. It is nice being that you do not have to deal with lines or the public and you are with only press and industry folks. Thinking about it, I am a little sad that I will be removed from the hub-bub of Main St. and the packed buses of people running from theater to theater, but really I am excited to be among those that are serious about screening films.
Looking at my schedule today I let out a sigh, knowing that I will have to find a way to sustain my energy throughout the day, with 6 to 7 films to screen. All of which I am so excited to see for different reasons, but it is definitely a learned skill to sit through more than 3 films. In fact, I think the average viewer has a hard time with a double-feature. But I have learned some tricks and ways to keep concentrated, focused and still be just as entertained and engaged in my first film of the day as my last.
Another exciting change this year- a team of programmers from the Newport Beach Film Festival got to come out to Park City. There are seven of us here, a street-team of awesomeness, really. Three of us are tackling Sundance, two at Slamdance and two on events. Our cabin sleeps all of us comfortably, complete with a pool table, board games and an outdoor jacuzzi. I even get to stay on the bottom bed of bunk-beds...something that I have not experienced since I was eight.
Tonight we are going to catch one of the first Industry screenings and my day starts at 9am in the morning. Be on the lookout for some quick picks, favorites and mini-reviews of what I see!
Sundance 2011, here I come.
Showing posts with label The Newport Beach Film Festival. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Newport Beach Film Festival. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Toronto International Film Festival (Oh, the places I'll Go)
Two years ago it was to Sundance. It was a major dream of mine to go, now an item removed from my personal bucket list. Up next—Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). I fly away tomorrow for a ten-day trip in Canada visually soaking in all the films that I can. It is almost so unreal, that I have to keep telling myself that I am really going, trying to capture all of this excitement into something that I can process.
Personal enthusiasm aside, the line-up this year has some of the most anticipated films in the festival circuit. Celebrating its 35th anniversary, Toronto has never failed to reveal the best in American and International cinema. I will go as far to say that this is the best festival in North America.
This is my first time with Industry Credentials. In non-festival speak, that means that I have a pass that will get me into the industry screenings of TIFF. To back up, TIFF is a market festival. This means that industry professionals, buyers, festival organizers and studio folks come to purchase the films that screen here that do not already have studio distribution. But these people do not screen the films with the general public; there is an entirely different screening schedule and set of theaters for us.
I have no idea what to expect, but I am as prepared as I can be. I have done my research on what is playing and what I really want to see. There are 300 films screening and my tentative schedule has me viewing between 35 and 40 films in 9 days, averaging about 5 films a day. There are so many good ones to choose from!
I know that I will not be able to see them all and for the sake of the Newport Beach Film Festival, I have to choose my films carefully, being that films with release dates already set are really no use to me. I am also heading into the screening room with our CEO and former Director of Submissions, so there are three of us with eyes on the screen; divide and conquer.
After splitting up the schedule, I am a giddy child with my wish-list. Even if I am unable to catch all the films that I want, I am just excited to be a part of the discussion, among film lovers like me. Here are just a handful of the titles, in no particular order, that I am excited about at this years TIFF (whether or not I get to see all of them):
Personal enthusiasm aside, the line-up this year has some of the most anticipated films in the festival circuit. Celebrating its 35th anniversary, Toronto has never failed to reveal the best in American and International cinema. I will go as far to say that this is the best festival in North America.
This is my first time with Industry Credentials. In non-festival speak, that means that I have a pass that will get me into the industry screenings of TIFF. To back up, TIFF is a market festival. This means that industry professionals, buyers, festival organizers and studio folks come to purchase the films that screen here that do not already have studio distribution. But these people do not screen the films with the general public; there is an entirely different screening schedule and set of theaters for us.
I have no idea what to expect, but I am as prepared as I can be. I have done my research on what is playing and what I really want to see. There are 300 films screening and my tentative schedule has me viewing between 35 and 40 films in 9 days, averaging about 5 films a day. There are so many good ones to choose from!
I know that I will not be able to see them all and for the sake of the Newport Beach Film Festival, I have to choose my films carefully, being that films with release dates already set are really no use to me. I am also heading into the screening room with our CEO and former Director of Submissions, so there are three of us with eyes on the screen; divide and conquer.
After splitting up the schedule, I am a giddy child with my wish-list. Even if I am unable to catch all the films that I want, I am just excited to be a part of the discussion, among film lovers like me. Here are just a handful of the titles, in no particular order, that I am excited about at this years TIFF (whether or not I get to see all of them):
BIUTIFUL (Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu)
YOU WILL MEET A TALL DARK STRANGER (Woody Allen)
THE ILLUSIONIST (Sylvain Chomet)
THE CONSPIRATOR (Robert Redford)
WHAT”S WRONG WITH VIRGINIA (Dustin Lance Black)
THE DEBT (John Madden)
THE PROMISE: THE MAKING OF DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN (Thom Zimny)
ROUTE IRISH (Ken Loach)
ANOTHER YEAR (Mike Leigh)
CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS (Werner Herzog)
JOHN CARPENTER’S THE WARD (John Carpenter)
BLACK SWAN (Darren Aronofsky)
THE KING’S SPEECH (Tom Hopper)
127 HOURS (Danny Boyle)
BEGINNERS (Mike Mills)
EVERYTHING MUST GO (Dan Rush)
…the list goes on.
If you dare to follow what I will be watching, I will be updating as often as I can. And now, time for the next wild ride.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Festival Decompression
It has now been a few weeks after the week of the festival. Still tired and still adjusting to the lack of social overload I find that I am simply exhausted. It is now time to cocoon away in hopes of repairing the damage of lack of sleep, too much alcohol and the bad habit of checking my phone every 2 minutes for the next crisis. Oh wait, I even got a cold—I think my body is telling me something.
The 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival was a great success—or so I am told. Having to “work” the entire event, I know more about what films had the crankiest audiences and what screenings had problems with focus, projection or sound. I forced myself to screen one film, but that was because I wanted to sit with my boyfriend and his mom-but later realized that I was actually more worried about the copy of the film that we were playing. Sigh.
I have to say that it was in impressive event. Opening night was simply spectacular, with white archways as you walk in, glowing fountains that people danced around, a high-rise stage so everyone could see Cirque du Soleil lifting men on top of other men and everyone walking out with Stella Artois glasses in their hands and purses. That was just the beginning. The rest of the week was filled with great parties every night and sold out screenings for the line-up of great films.
Mmmm…movies.
To me, the festival is about bringing movies to any audience, an audience that loves to see great movies, movies that they could never see anywhere else. The hunger to see great cinema is within every viewer, it is just simply how you satisfy this craving. The festival provides something for everyone, you just have to sift through over 300 films to find it.
One of my favorite films of the season was THE WILD HUNT. From the moment that I screened this movie on my laptop to freaking out in the projection booth when the aspect ratio was off, it was my favorite film all festival. The audience was a mixture of family, friends, industry acquaintances and eager viewers that all stayed glued to their seats when the end credits rolled because they all had to digest what they had just seen. Awesome.
This year was a challenge. Everything just seemed a little difficult. From putting the program together to screening the program, something was always tough—easy was not a part of our vocabulary. Maybe that is why we are so exhausted. Maybe that is why this festival seemed to take a little bit more out of us. We scraped our knees for this to work and it feels like we are going to need a little bit more time to heal.
These wounds create the best scars. They are reminders of what the 11th year really did to all of us and what it will take for year twelve. I am so thankful for the support that was given through all of this. I am so happy for all of the new friendships that were created and proud of the team that I get to call my coworkers, because we all know that we are crazy to be doing this year after year. And although it has been a couple of weeks, it has taken this much time to get back on my feet. Now we start the whole thing over again—open for submissions on August 1, 2010!
The 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival was a great success—or so I am told. Having to “work” the entire event, I know more about what films had the crankiest audiences and what screenings had problems with focus, projection or sound. I forced myself to screen one film, but that was because I wanted to sit with my boyfriend and his mom-but later realized that I was actually more worried about the copy of the film that we were playing. Sigh.
I have to say that it was in impressive event. Opening night was simply spectacular, with white archways as you walk in, glowing fountains that people danced around, a high-rise stage so everyone could see Cirque du Soleil lifting men on top of other men and everyone walking out with Stella Artois glasses in their hands and purses. That was just the beginning. The rest of the week was filled with great parties every night and sold out screenings for the line-up of great films.
Mmmm…movies.
To me, the festival is about bringing movies to any audience, an audience that loves to see great movies, movies that they could never see anywhere else. The hunger to see great cinema is within every viewer, it is just simply how you satisfy this craving. The festival provides something for everyone, you just have to sift through over 300 films to find it.
One of my favorite films of the season was THE WILD HUNT. From the moment that I screened this movie on my laptop to freaking out in the projection booth when the aspect ratio was off, it was my favorite film all festival. The audience was a mixture of family, friends, industry acquaintances and eager viewers that all stayed glued to their seats when the end credits rolled because they all had to digest what they had just seen. Awesome.
This year was a challenge. Everything just seemed a little difficult. From putting the program together to screening the program, something was always tough—easy was not a part of our vocabulary. Maybe that is why we are so exhausted. Maybe that is why this festival seemed to take a little bit more out of us. We scraped our knees for this to work and it feels like we are going to need a little bit more time to heal.
These wounds create the best scars. They are reminders of what the 11th year really did to all of us and what it will take for year twelve. I am so thankful for the support that was given through all of this. I am so happy for all of the new friendships that were created and proud of the team that I get to call my coworkers, because we all know that we are crazy to be doing this year after year. And although it has been a couple of weeks, it has taken this much time to get back on my feet. Now we start the whole thing over again—open for submissions on August 1, 2010!
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Line-up/cue-up/face-up
The 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival line-up is here.
After months of grueling attention, love and a few tears the films for this year's festival are ready to play in Newport Beach.
I would like to say that I know this schedule "like the back of my hand" but I think my hands seem less familiar to me lately. In fact, having time to look in a mirror, shower or even put on a decent outfit have failed to garner any of my attention. We live and breathe this program.
This is something that I am proud of, something that many people that I love have helped to bring together and just because I can, I am giving you a sneak peak into the schedule before anything goes on sale...
So check it out HERE, tickets on sale at midnight!
After months of grueling attention, love and a few tears the films for this year's festival are ready to play in Newport Beach.
I would like to say that I know this schedule "like the back of my hand" but I think my hands seem less familiar to me lately. In fact, having time to look in a mirror, shower or even put on a decent outfit have failed to garner any of my attention. We live and breathe this program.
This is something that I am proud of, something that many people that I love have helped to bring together and just because I can, I am giving you a sneak peak into the schedule before anything goes on sale...
So check it out HERE, tickets on sale at midnight!
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