Write
Between the Lines is an exploration
and articulation of the obvious and the obscure. A cavalcade of
creation and commentary designed to amuse and bemuse.
“Why do all
short films have to have weird undertones of death and sorrow?”
— overheard at the Avatar
screening at Slamdance
Fortunately I’m an Angeleno. This precludes the anxiety
that attacks all convinced they must attend Sundance films
during the festival — for the decent to fair will show
up quite soon thereafter at a local L.A. theater.
The Joy of
Slamdance
That would be Joy Saez
(above left), who kicked ass and took names + $$ at the
Box Office and Kate Walker (below) who took care of Otter’s
festival badge, and more importantly, the Lucky 13 opening
night party tix at Star
Bar.
American
Zombie held its world premiere in Park City,
Utah, "Where zombies come to preserve their limbs."
Grace Lee films evil dead undoings with great gravitas.
What's fun is the director's faux behind-the-scenes working
relationship with John Solomon, whom she advises, "We
don't use storyboards in documentaries."
"His name is IVAN
and he's the ZOMBIE
SNOWBOARDING down your street
STOP, LOOK, and LISTEN —
He's like NO ONE you'll EVER meet!!!"
X-Dance
Another great Kate (Wheadon) hooks us up with Jolt Cola
and popcorn to watch City,
Park City. Just as Daniel Craig is mondo Bond
in the spectacular Casino
Royale opening sequence, Shaun White is suave
and mauve as he evades assassins and intrigue navigating
the Park City Mountain Resort. The James Bond parody opens
Jim Mangan's snowboard showcase starring the Park City All
Stars and Friends sick tricks.
Shimmer
The Roxy Team riders shear gold waves. They do
not have to conquer; surfing is portrayed as an organic process.
After the screening, I asked Lisa Anderson (above right),
what it’s like to mentor the young girls, “I’m
like the mom, I see their path,” then gives an inscrutable
shrug. "You're Crashing, but You're No Wave" or
"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun?"
Eats
and Greats
Swilling
beer at The Owl
Bar (above with Dennis Wong) at the Sundance Institute.
This 1890s watering hole was frequented by Butch Cassidy and
The Hole in the Wall Gang — moved to Utah from Wyoming.
Gorgeous Victorian rosewood bar.
Great to
say "hey" to Leigh’s squeeze filmmaker Michael
Toubassi across from the National Garage.
Dwight: Do you want
to form an alliance with me?
Jim: Absolutely I do.
Dwight: Good. Good. Excellent. Okay. Now we have to figure
out who's vulnerable and who's protected . . . Pam: An alliance?
Jim: Oh yeah.
Pam: What does that even mean?
Jim: I think it
has something to do with Survivor,
but I'm not sure. I know that it involves spying on people
and we may build a fort. — The
Office: The Alliance
Otter is stoked to meet
Survivor
winner Yul Kwon at the Main
Street Pizza & Noodle.
Zoom.
Yum.
Big
Celeb Sighting
It’s Astro’s orbit,
all the time,as this handsome Harlequin Great Dane trots up
Main Street, accepting pets and pats and big love from sweet
winter white coat clad Sienna Miller.
Astro shops in the eerie Park City Main Street Mall, former
home of NoDance.
As
much as we love the festivals in Park City, the Sutton, Vermont
M.U.F.F. is every film buff's dream destination!
Cookie (IFC documentarian):
So, ah, did you enjoy the festival?
Vladimar Petrovich (Distributors
for Petrovich Kino): Film festivals are more complicated than
KGB politics. I’ll have to go back to assassinations
to relax. — The
Festival
