and here they are.

The beautiful and the ugly seemed to be the recurring motif running throughout my favorite films at Sundance. Having just returned, and still dizzy with the conflicting images of beautiful innocent-looking youths living out a prison sentence in a desolate Russian prison (ALONE IN FOUR WALLS), of ladykillers vying for the crown in the yearly beauty contest held in a women’s jail in Colombia (LA CORONA), of the beastly spending habits of a group of spoiled, manicured Los Angeles brats (KIDS + MONEY), and of lovely blue-eyed blue-blooded boy murderers (FUNNY GAMES), I suddenly found one image to encapsulate it all: Julie Heffernan’s “Self Portrait as Post Script”, from her 2007 show last year at PPOW gallery. A picture is worth how many words? So this ethereal nymph, all icy poise and regal ceremony, delicate and wretched, and seemingly giving birth to an avalanche of dead squid, says a deluge. Indeed, out of the artist’s own mouth: “It’s that idea of the gorgeous and the hideous mixed together, gamboling in a space that’s both paradisiacal and also terrifying, that I’m interested in.” Perfect.

The last couple of days at Sundance was a whirlwind of tuna tartare, Iranian transsexuals, Dr.Bronner’s soaps, and lots and lots of movies and cocktail hours. Just as last year, the New York Office party ended my fest with a classy bang! Hosted by Pat Kaufman and lovely lawyer friend Steven Beer (who was repping 6 films in the Dances festivals, 3 of which I got to see. Steven, you an be expecting my phone call in New York.) I arrived at the party location, a beautifully appointed lodge/mansion on the top of a hill with my Sundance entourage – Jordan, Matthew Lessner and Brian Davila of BY MODERN MEASURE, Daniel Robin of MY OLYMPIC SUMMER Meira Blaustein of WOODSTOCK FILM FESTIVAL and her lovely assistant, also oddly named Meira Blaustein, according to her pass. (Actually her name is Rachel). We spent much time chatting with each other, as well as filmmake Nate Kensinger, whose short film, COVERED TRACKS, is at Slamdance and whose documentary BOLERIUM is distributed by Indiepix. Before that we had stopped by the Delta Lounge’s party where we hung out with David Wilson of True/False, who i FINALLY got to have a one-on-one chat with earlier in the day, WHOLPHIN’s Brent Hoff, who I had the pleasure of befriending at IDFA who astounds me with his knowledge of everything from alcoholic bees to the issues surrounding male circumcision. Also, ran into a couple of friends from our first year at Sundance – the always cheery Mike Cerda of THE FILM LOT ,and Jonathan Sheldon, a producer who works with the Polish Brothers. And of course, our best friend Meira was in attendance, intensely hiscussing something with Michael Lerman, who of course secretly hates me. See his blog. Jen Blum also stopped by to talk for a bit before her red eye back to New York. Our previous stop had been up at Slamdance,where our friends Scott Beiben and Liz Coles of Lost Film Festival and Evil Twin Booking were throwing a shindig, complete with the raw power bars I have never seen them without. It was there that Brett showed me a trailer of his short doc on alcoholic bees, and I introduced him and his lovely colleague Emily to Nate Kensinger where they talked about his new short, COVERED TRACKS, and underground graffiti museums. I also hung with Christian Bruno, my old San Francisco friend, who is making a film about independent cinemas and their history. He is here shooting on a corporate job for Adobe. I got to videotape him for a webcast too. Moving backward, we had been to the filmmaker lodge for one of their “Wine Escapes” (Daniel Robin was there as well obviously) and before that a Filmmaker and Press reception, where David Wilson and I celebrated with Tim Sternberg and Francisco Bello, who are still pinching themselves over being nominated for “Best Documentary Short” Awards at the Oscars. Tim invited Meira Blaustein and myself over to dinner at his Brooklyn home at some point when we stabilize after Park City. Also there were Matthew Lessner’s lovely parents, who have been so supportive of their son and his film, hooking him up with interview after interview. And the filmmakers who did BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER were in the house. I have heard major buzz from festival programming friends on this one, and a couple of days before got to introduce the team to IFF Boston’s Adam Roffman, who loved the film. Moving yet earlier into the day, I had a lovely chat with David Wilson at the Filmmaker Lodge, just after stopping to congratulate FROZEN RIVER, is making major waves. Melissa also just finished a film with Ellen Burstyn and Hillary Duff, as well as one co-starring Academy-nominated actor David Straitharn. The movie I had seen earlier in the day, BE LIKE OTHERS, was powerful look at Iranian transexuals, and the enforcement of sex changes on individuals to meet with Islamic law. It brought up not only issues of gender and identity, but also the role of men and females in Iranian society, the bureaucracy of a nation that denies homosexuality yet advocates transexuality and reassigning gender, and the lives of suffering lived by these trans or homosexuals, both before and after the operation, when many of them become prostitutes. One’s heart really aches for these men and women (though the main subjects of the film were all men who either dressed as or became women) and this “disease” (as a major Iranian psychogist calls it) that makes them feel as if they live in the wrong body. Lives of confusion, alienation, mockery, and loneliness lead up to a devastatingly painful surgery, and then most are disowned by their families. As one subject says, “This has killed all the love in my heart.” The film was produced by ITVS and repped by Steven Beer.
No, I only blog about bleak documentaries, but I did see a few that were not so bleak, but rather . . . . hopeful or just . . . were. Lauren Greenfield’s KIDS AND MONEY had been on my list since I looked at the program – Greenfield’s THIN, a documentary about an eating disorder clinics – was one of my favorite docs of 2006. Greenfield, a professional photographer, has a wonderful eye, and her way of framing is almost a signature. At times hilarious, at times repulsive, the attitude these Los Angeles teenagers had about money was fasinating, as well as important. With more multimillionaires than ever before in this country, we have to look at what this hyperconsumerism and mega-bucks are doing to the values of people growing up in this generation. I know I just sounded like a teacher or a politician, talking about what we have to do with “the kids” but honestly, when I was growing up. . . . .
(insert stories of having a $1 allowance and a homemade Cabbage Patch doll). Finally, I agree with Jordan that Isabel Vega’s LA CORONA was a delight, beautifully shot, edited, and crafted to tell a riveting story, all in the span of only 40 minutes.) Definitely deserving of its accolades and Oscar nomination. (And, if the Cinema Eye Honors had a Shorts category this year, then that too.)

2pm in Park City, at the FIlmmaker Lodge after a screening of FUNNY GAMES. I’ve gotten so much better at collecting myself after a Haneke experience; I remember the first time I saw the final scene of THE PIANO TEACHER, I rambled around my bedroom in a confused and desperate stupor. The little details changed for the American version - Silk soy milk in the fridge, close-ups of a familiar cell phone facade - make this version all the more shocking. If the original film’s German coolness allowed for a natural detachment, then this American update brings it all so much closer to home. More to come, as I’ve got to now move on to the Kimball Center for the film and press brunch.

9AM in snowy Park City. Our last full day at Sundance. It will be good to be back in the familiar urban friction tomorrow night. But first up for today: pick up a lost badge at the Yarrow, then head downstairs for an 11:30AM screening of FUNNY GAMES, Michael Haneke’s American remake of his own German language film from 1997. Since the film was originally conceived as an attack on the American movie industry’s obsession with violence, it’s most appropriate that Haneke is shooting his latest film as a shot-for-shot remake (I think this new version may have end credits that last a few seconds longer), except with a Hollywood-courting cast: Naomi Watts, Michael Pitt, and Brady Corbett. I’ll be back later after the film.

are posted here
does this constitute a blog entry????