Since Kristen Stewart had a movie at Sundance this year, and in all likelihood other Twilight stars will have films there next year we decided to do a Sundance report from a fan. Our very own Nena Cullen had the chance to attend Sundance this year. Here is her perspective on what it is like.
The Sundance Film Festival takes place in Park City Utah, sometime in January (coldest month in Utah) every year since 1985 under the Sundance Institute management, but somewhat unofficially since 1978. The festival is premier showcase for many independent films, some for festival competition along with non-competitive feature-length and short films.
So it sounds like if you live in Salt Lake City you should be able to go to the Sundance Festival as you please, but what most people (including locals) don’t know, is that in order to get screening tickets you have to register a few months in advance and hope that you win a slot to purchase tickets. Slots are randomly selected by a computer. This year I was a lucky winner and was able to buy up to 20 tickets early enough to choose from the most anticipated films.
My Sundance experience started on Friday January 16th, when I attended the world premiere of a Mexican film called "Rudo y Cursi". A story that depicts the relationship of two brothers that are trying to fulfill their dreams of fame and fortune while struggling with the challenges of everyday life. At the end of the film I was surprised to find out that the audience would be able to participate in a Q&A with none other than one of the lead actors, Gael Garcia Bernal (I have to add here, that I am a big fan of his and I’ve never expected to meet him at this event) along with the Director, Carlos Cuaron (Y tu mama tambien) and Producers, Alfoso Cuaron (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) and Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy). This was one of a kind experiences, the theatre was sold out (about 1,300 seats) and the actors and producers were kind to answer every single question, as you can image there were many.
Spotting a celebrity is not as hard as it may seem but if you are looking for someone specifically, then there is a little more of a challenge. While out and about in Park City I saw a few people that I recognized, including: Emil Hirsh (Into the Wild), Nick Cannon (actor/rapper), Ewan McGregor (Mouline Rouge!) and a few others.
Park City’s main street is the busiest area of the festival because of the Egyptian theatre (one of the oldest theatres in Utah) and for all the pubs and restaurants located along the strip. General traffic is not allowed and everybody (with a few exceptions of course) rides the free shuttle service provided by the Sundance Institute. The environment is very festive(even while riding the bus) and it’s a great place for other kind of entertainment, there are several ski resorts with the best powder on earth ( I don’t claim this, but it’s state’s motto) and also a variety of shops along with a big Outlet mall just a few miles away from Downtown.
The Festival is very accessible, with screenings in Salt Lake City, Ogden and Sundance Utah. On Thursday night I attended a screening in Downtown Salt Lake for Adventureland, a highly anticipated film here at Sundance. Adventureland is the story of a College grad named James (Jesse Eisenberg) who spends his summer working at a theme park unexpectedly after his parents announce that they can’t help him out to continue his education at an Ivy League school. At Adventureland James meets Em (Kristen Stewart), a rebel daughter of a lawyer, who could be in her way to an ivy league school as well, but instead has chosen to do the opposite to her father’s expectations. This comedy takes place back in 1987 and while I compare the situation to this modern day and age, it seems like life was just as complicated then as it is for the youth today. I am expecting this film to receive an R rating for language and some nudity. However if you have the opportunity to see this film, I highly recommended. Stewart’s performance was superb. Very natural and at ease while interpreting the role of a troubled young woman.
Last night was the last night of my Sundance adventures. We had the chance to see the screening of a horror film called "Grace". When I first heard about it, I thought it was in the drama genre but after I heard that two people had fainted at the first screening last Saturday, I had to investigate a little more. The film is about a mother that decided to carry her baby to term after finding out the baby no longer has a heartbeat. When the baby is born, it seems like a miracle has brought the baby back to life, unfortunately not everything is quite right with baby Grace. The actors performance was beyond description, I cried, I laughed and jumped a few times, the sound engineers did a great job on this film.
At the end of the movie we had the chance to have a Q&A with Paul Solet, the writer/director of Grace. He told us that it all started as a short film and that for 3 years he had gone to every single film festival that he could afford to promote on his own and hope to find the support necessary to make his wish come true. His passion and drive was really what impacted me the most, he represented the soul of the festival. The entertainment is great fun but the hard work of all the different film makers is what makes the film festival so special.
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