sundance 2006 - Zoael

It’s the SilverAgeof theInstitute
BY SANDY MANDELBERGER
LONG BEFORE IT EVOLVED INTO
the instantly recognizable name
brand that it has become, most
people were aware of Sundance as the
nickname of one of Hollywood’s most
famous duos in one of filmdom’s most
enduring male bonding films. In this
year of Brokeback Mountain, when
the relationships between cowboys
have come a long way since Paul
Newman’s Butch Cassidy and Robert
Redford’s the Sundance Kid stepped
into immortality in a rain of bullets,
Sundance has become a potent symbol
of the continued vitality of the
American independent film movement.
Sundance has also come to represent
the persistent vision of an
American original, actor/director
Robert Redford. It was in 1980 that the
Sundance Kid gathered a group of colleagues
and friends at his ranch in the
Wasatch Mountains of Utah to discuss
new ways to enhance the artistic vitality
of American film. What emerged
was the Sundance Institute, an artistic
AN INTERVIEW WITH
GEOFFREY GILMORE,
SUNDANCE FESTIVAL DIRECTOR
BY SANDY MANDELBERGER
SM/FFR: What remains the
biggest challenge for you in keeping
the Sundance Festival fresh
and a place for new discoveries?
GG: It’s a challenge every year as
we continue to rethink the Festival
and keep up with trends in filmmaking
and the industry. We are
always questioning the nature of
independent filmmaking, always
charting the changes that are coming
our way. We always are trying to
improve things so that the Festival
can be an arena for creativity.
Personally, my challenge is to
remain open to what is coming
your way as new generations of
filmmakers reinvent the film form.
SM/FFR: How do you deal with
the staggering number of films to
be reviewed?
SUNDANCE 2006
Robert Redford at an early Filmmakers Lab with participating filmmakers.
enterprise with the goal of creating
networks of support between the
mainstream and independent film
communities, and to encourage the
creation of vital new works from
emerging filmmakers with a singular
vision of their own.
GG: Well, obviously, the numbers
have grown so much that I can’t
personally be in the first rounds of
screenings of the films. Luckily, we
have a great programming staff
that is secure in its artistic choices
and the best films are recommended
on. However, with the advent of
digital cinema, we have seen the
submission numbers jump significantly
but that also is an indicator
that a lot of new talents are
attempting to find their voices.
SM/FFR: How do you deal with
the pressure from established
distributors who want to showcase
their films at the Festival for
purely marketing reasons?
GG: This always has been and will
continue to be part of what I
must deal with in my job. Of
course, we are interested in working
with distributors since we’ve
become such an important platform
for the release of films. But
I hope that we never lose sight of
the fact that for every “big” film
6
This year, the Sundance Institute
celebrates its 25th anniversary.
Through its widely regarded film festival,
film and theater workshops, cable
television channel, home video label
and planned movie theater chain, the
Institute has not only made an impact
SUNDANCE PROGRAMMING: LOOKING FORWARD WITH A VISION
with recognizable names, we are
showing twenty films that are
basically coming out of nowhere. I
try to maintain a balance.
SM/FFR: Now that you have instituted
competition sections for
international features and documentaries,
what are your goals in
making Sundance a truly international
film event?
GG: This can function in two
ways. In a practical way, the creation
of the competition sections
is able to channel the publicity
generated at the Festival
for international filmmakers and
sales agents to find distribution
in the American marketplace.
The greater goal is fostering a
world of global independent filmmaking
that goes beyond strictly
national barriers. You see this in
the complex way that films are
now financed, with multiple international
partners involved. We
also want to feed a growing
hunger of curiosity about the
within the confines of the film industry
but has enriched the national culture
by encouraging the creation of a wider
palettte of film choices for film buffs
and novices alike.
This impact seemed like a distant
goal back in the seminal year of 1980,
when Redford invited a local
Playwrights Conference to hold its
event at his Sundance ranch. This was
the first of many seasons of give-andtake
between aspiring film and theater
writers and established professionals
anxious to give back to the community
and stimulate a more daring film and
theatrical environment.
The following year, the renowned
Filmmakers Lab was born, inviting
ten independent filmmakers to
develop their projects in creative
conjunction with established
Hollywood luminaries. That first
group of mentors included directors
Sydney Pollack and Caleb Deschanel,
cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs,
screenwriter Waldo Salt, actor Karl
CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
world in terms of political and
ideological dimensions.
Americans, who have generally
been rather insular, now want to
understand the world they live
in, and film is a wonderful vehicle
for exploring new cultures
and examining attitudes and
beliefs that we generally can’t
find in other media.
SM/FFR: What is the biggest misconception
about the Festival?
GG: That we are an event driven
by movie stars. Sometimes if I
catch a short news segment on
television, it appears that we exist
simply as an excuse for celebrities
to be photographed in snow boots
and wool caps. While we certainly
do court film talents and it is a
wonderful part of our event, it is
frustrating that sometimes that is
all that gets written or reported
on. We are so much more, and
the loyal audiences who attend
know that this is a Festival of discovery,
first and foremost.