Though our attention may be momentarily devoted to discussing the recent Golden Globes or Screen Actors Guild awards, making predictions for next week’s season premiere of “Lost” or still mourning Conan O’Brien’s departure, let’s not forget what’s happening right now across the country in Park City, Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance, Utah.
The Sundance Film Festival has been warming up the snowy Utah slopes in its 32nd year of devotion to honoring and showcasing some of the newest and most promising American and foreign independent films.
The festival began Jan. 21 and will continue through Jan. 31. Sundance draws a broad attendance ranging from much more than the average movie star.
“As one of the premier film festivals in the world, the Sundance Film Festival annually attracts a diverse group of leaders from the worlds of art, entertainment, science, and technology and has become a global convergence for dialogue on art and culture — and art’s role as a catalyst for change,” according to a press release for Sundance.
Sundance prides itself on being a unique film festival, as even directors sit in the audience, but also actors, writers and fans fill the adjacent seats.
Audience members have the opportunity to do more than just sit next to directors; they can attend the many panel discussions Sundance offers. “Festival-goers can engage in dialogue with filmmakers and industry leaders, gain hands-on experience, or just share ideas,” the press release said.
The exposure to stars and directors goes even beyond these panels. Every morning the Cinema Café provides the opportunity for actors to talk with Sundance attendees in a more informal and personal setting.
As portrayed on popular TV shows like “Entourage,” Sundance is often considered a hotbed for shining light on some of the best films that are have not yet reached the mainstream.
Recent winners, all of which have received multitudes of press and praise stemming from the festival, include “Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire,” “An Education,” “Paper Heart” and “The September Issue.”
There are usually around eight categories of awards given out at Sundance: dramatic and documentary film, world cinema, shorts, premieres, spectrum, Park City at midnight, new frontier and from the Sundance collection. Some categories are solely restricted to American films or specific genres while others are more unconventional, like showcases of experimental film.
This year, Sundance announced a surprise: the world premiere of the first feature film by the famous graffiti artist Banksy, entitled “Exit Through the Gift Shop.”
“Exit Through the Gift Shop” is one of those films that comes along once in a great while, a warped hybrid of reality and self-induced fiction while at the same time a totally entertaining experience,” John Cooper, Director of the Sundance Film Festival, said in the press release. “The story is so bizarre I began to question if it could even be real ... but in the end I didn’t care. I feel bad I won’t be able to shake the filmmaker’s hand and tell him how much I love this film. I think I will shake everyone’s hand that day and hope I hit on Banksy somewhere. I love his work in all forms.”
The film, which premiered at Sundance on Jan. 24, revolves around a French shopkeeper and an amateur filmmaker trying to find and film Banksy, who to this day remains anonymous. Instead, Banksy films their attempt to find him.
“It’s the story of how one man set out to film the un-filmable,” Banksy said in a press release. “And failed.”
With films such as this, Sundance usually generates inordinate amounts of buzz even before the festival kicks off. Now that it is more than halfway through, critics and film-goers have plenty to talk about. Films you will be sure to hear more about as the year goes on include “Sympathy for Delicious,” “Hesher” and the documentary “Waiting for Superman.”
“Sympathy for Delicious” is making waves not only for starring Mark Ruffalo, but also because it is Ruffalo’s debut as a director. The film follows the downhill spiral of a disc jockey and his journey discovering himself through faith healers. Fans of Ruffalo, who know him from starring in other films shown at Sundance, are anxious to see if the actor can deliver behind the screen as well.
Also acclaimed for its lead, “Hesher,” starring Natalie Portman, looks to be a Sundance favorite. Rainn Wilson and Joseph Gordon-Levitt join Portman to portray a family’s unusual reaction (a shaman is included) to a tragedy. With such a well-known and loved cast, “Hesher” will certainly continue to be buzz-worthy beyond its run at Sundance.
The always-anticipated documentary category will certainly deliver this year as well, with “Waiting for Superman” leading the way. “Superman” sheds light on the realities of the U.S. educational system, centering on the need for significant reform. Directed by Davis Guggenheim, the film will likely rival the likes of “An Inconvenient Truth” and “Capitalism: A Love Story.”
You can reach this staff writer at ostitilis@theeagleonline.com.
