sundance 2006 - Zoael

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BY CHRISTINA KOTLAR IWANTED TO WRITE “BIG SKY International Documentary Film Festival” but was corrected by Doug Hawes-Davis, Festival founder and programming director. It’s officially called Big Sky Documentary Film Festival, although it is fast becoming known as an international film festival with over 800 entries coming in from all over the world. Doug was on his way on to a buffalo shoot when we talked about the upcoming week-long Festival slated for February 16th through the 22nd, a new <strong>2006</strong> Festival season in Missoula, Montana, where some of the last buffalo roam. Bison, to be exact, about to be shot because they strayed across the protected park boundary. Doug was driving out that way for the doc shoot and before the phone signal faded in the lastremaining, remote landscapes of the American West, Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid and the Hole in the Wall Gang country, we talked about another frontier-the resurgence of documentaries and their increasing theatrical profile. This resurgence, or perhaps a reinventing, of the documentary genre as seen in the Academy Award-winning 38 BIG SKY INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL Big Night in Missoula Where the buffalo and documentarians roam Fog of War and box-office recordsetting March of the Penguins, has lured audiences in droves to see these types of films in theatrical settings rather than the typical PBS infront-of-the-TV domain. “Where else can you come to the theatre and go away after seeing a 35mm film of Maysles’ documentary on the Rolling Stones, Gimme Shelter, the way it was made to be seen,” remarked Hawes-Davis, passionately advocating a venue that is a mix of friendly local filmgoers combined with a large industry event in an amazing setting. While contemporary film successes draw an audience, the programming director balances the Festival with not-in-competition documentaries that have become classics in the filmmaking realm. Hawes-Davis also credits Withoutabox with getting the word out and therefore getting in more entries for Big Sky, effectively presenting itself as a combination of Hot Docs and Hot Springs. A hot venue for showing world premieres, North American premieres, introducing experimental filmmakers and highlighting quirky film productions, Big Sky is technology home on the range at its best. www.highplainsfilms.org
INTERVIEW BY SCOTT BAYER DAWN HUDSON HAS BEEN THE executive director of Film Independent (formerly IFP Los Angeles) since 1991. Under her leadership, Film Independent has grown seven-fold, from a nine-hundred member organization to its current membership of 6,300. Revenues have also increased an average of 25% per year. Film Independent is dedicated to cultivating the careers of independent filmmakers, increasing the audience for independent films, and increasing diversity within the film industry. During her tenure at Film Independent, the organization has created Filmmaker Labs for writers, directors, and producers; provided fulltime, on-staff advisors for filmmakers; introduced free on-on-one consultations for filmmakers in the categories of post-production, festival strategy, lineproducing, legal advice, and foreign sales; and established onsite facilities (casting rooms, editing suite, and production office) for filmmakers. In addi- PEOPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW DAWN HUDSON • MICHELLE BYRD It Was a New Dawn for “IFP West” Film Independent/LAFF adapts and grows more viable, more vital for “west indies” tion, Film Independent’s first film mentorship program, Project:Involve, was established in 1993 as a mentorship program for under-represented, emerging filmmakers which has provided jobs and industry access for over five-hundred honorees for the past twelve years. In 2001, Film Independent acquired the Los Angeles Film Festival, now the largest film festival in Southern California with attendance of more than 60,000. The Los Angeles Film Festival and the twenty-year old Independent Spirit Awards remain Film Independent’s two signature events. The organization also produces 250 educational and screening events annually. Hudson serves on the Advisory Board of the Latino Entertainment Media Institute. SCOTT BAYER/FILM FESTIVAL REPORTER: How long has your relationship been with LAFF? DAWN HUDSON: I took over five years ago. We were IFP/LA but not formally affiliated with the IFP—the two are not formally associated—we act separately. The organization was called IFP/LA, now it’s called Film Independent. SB/FFR: What’s coming up for Film Independent in <strong>2006</strong>? DH: The Indie Spirit Awards and LAFF on June 22nd through July 2nd. We program one-hundred and fifty screenings each year and about one-hundred educational events in various screening rooms, including commercial theaters throughout the city. We serve the community of indie filmmakers and build events where people can socialize as well as learn. Because L.A. is such a large city you can meet other like-minded filmmakers and reinforce that path for independents. We are a little nomadic. Our people are all over the city. One thing we started which was very successful is a new program that’s going into its second year, “How To Sell Your Film Without Getting Screwed.” The conference will be next fall in October. Byrd Comes to Roost at IFP INTERVIEW BY SCOTT BAYER MICHELLE BYRD’S FIRST position at IFP was as assistant to the executive director. She is now executive director, helping to bring together New York’s creative community and strengthening the independent film industry through education, networking, exhibition and opportunities. Michelle. Byrd’s responsibilities include shaping programs, fundraising, building industry relationships and moving long-term projects forward. During her tenure, Byrd has broadened the scope of the annual Gotham Awards and reinvented the IFP’s annual market, the only U.S. market which focuses on films in development, facilitating more than 1,500 meetings in which “Made in NY” projects such as Maria Full of Grace and Mad Hot Ballroom come to fruition. SB/FFR: Congratulations for being able to last as long as you have at IFP. You’ve lasted longer in one position in the industry than anyone else I know of. MICHELLE BYRD: (laughing) Have I won the “Survivor Award?” SB/FFR: Very likely. When did you first come to IFP? MB: 1991. Before, I’d had an editing background. I did some volunteer work and started as my predecessor—assistant—working from the ground up. SB/FFR: Did you have any idea that the indie market would get so big? MB: No. In fact, so many people have said I was the first full-time employee— no one was working at it all year long. It was a huge surprise when the orginization had a huge growth spurt then staffed up bigger programs. I had no idea. My parents had just stopped getting after me about getting a proper job. SB/FFR: People think after a job like this you would use it as a steppingstone to a high paying position at a big studio or production company or the 39 like but you seem dedicated to the indie film support system. MB: I came here wanting to get into film and really wanted to get a sense of what people were doing and what the options were. So I started working at IFP and though it would help me figure out a path for myself. What I realized was that there are people who have the appetite and are driven, and I freelanced for a while and that was not for me, clearly. I’d rather be struggling executive assistant that a struggling filmmaker. SB/FFR: It’s good to know that early. MB: Yeah, I think I like it a lot. I don’t compete with people who make movies. It’s still all a hustle. I really believe the whole idea that everyone should have an opportunity for their voice to be heard. That resonates with me on a more socio-political level. Those kinds of things are important to me on a personal level, which is why I like working for non-profit—it’s been SB/FFR: You make resources available to your members? DH: People are always here in our office, all the time. People are always here in our office, all the time. Our onsite facilities include casting rooms, resource libraries and camera equipment. SB/FFR: The Spirit Awards are a big deal, being held around the Academy Awards. DH: Yes, held on the Saturday before Academy Awards Sunday. SB/FFR: Is there crossover between the Academy and Spirit awards? DH: It depends if there’s good studio support, then there’s lots of crossover. This year there’s Brokeback Mountain, Capote and Good Night and Good Luck. We also have a Director’s Series and an annual Producer’s Lab, which you can find out more about on our website: www.filmindependent.org/. very rewarding because it’s not necessarily status or box-office driven. SB/FFR: What other initiatives and developments are in the works? MB: The Producer’s Group in NYC, which has earned a lot of respect worldwide because of several successful production companies, will be meeting to talk about focus and what’s going to happen next, and to find ways to help support the independents. Right now, the production community is very busy partly resulting from the new New York tax incentives. We are also trying to develop an academy of independents in the U.S. IFP is now the full owner of Filmmaker Magazine (we were just one of the owners previously) and we plan on building further upon its success. SB/FFR: What is it about New York that has enabled the city to become a major center and arguably the core of indie filmmaking? CONTINUED ON PAGE 40
Page 1: SUNDANCE INSTITUTE 25th • SLAMDAN
Page 4 and 5: www.filmfestivalreporter.com 212-26
Page 6 and 7: It’s the SilverAgeof theInstitute
Page 8 and 9: Sundance: Swag, Stars, Snow, Skis a
Page 10 and 11: Sundance Institute At 25 CONTINUED
Page 12 and 13: INTERVIEW BY EDDY GILBERT HERCH MAR
Page 14 and 15: La Tragedia de Macario Pablo Veliz
Page 16 and 17: Sundance Speaks All Languages BY SA
Page 18 and 19: Sundance Thinks Globally CONTINUED
Page 20 and 21: AMERICAN HARDCORE (Paul Rachman, U.
Page 22 and 23: Sundance Independent Picks CONTINUE
Page 24 and 25: Sundance Independent Picks CONTINUE
Page 26 and 27: BY LILY HATCHETT AMERICAN HARDCORE
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Page 30: BY GILL HOLLAND THE INDEPENDENT FIL
Page 33 and 34: are tightening their grip. Tamperin
Page 35 and 36: BY SANDY MANDELBERGER WHILE MIAMI M
Page 37: The European Film Market is moving
Page 41 and 42: BY JOSE MARTINEZ EVERYONE KNOWS THA
Page 43 and 44: JANUARY BELOIT INTERNATIONAL FILM F
Page 45 and 46: HUMAN RIGHTS NIGHTS FILM FESTIVAL 3
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Page 49 and 50: NANTUCKET FILM FESTIVAL 6/14 to 6/1
Page 51 and 52: ASPEN FILM FEST 9/28 to 10/2 Aspen,
Page 53 and 54: MT. SHASTA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTI
Page 55: Aging Like A FineWine A Very Good Y
Page 59 and 60: From Max’s to Moogs Plucking hist
Page 61 and 62: BY PETER BRODERICK VIDEO DEALS THE
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Page 65 and 66: And Now a Plot Point from Our Spons
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Page 70 and 71: Archivists Take Over the World AMIA
Page 72 and 73: Archiving 4:3 Small Format Images I
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31derful Flavors BY MICHAEL SILBERG
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