At the Sundance Film Festival

The recently-concluded Sundance Film Festival, which was founded by Robert Redford in Park City, Utah, is the premiere festival for independent film in the United States and perhaps the world. The trinidad + tobago film festival's creative director, Emilie Upczak, had the privilege of covering the Sundance festival for the Sundance Channel. I spoke with Emilie via Skype and she told me what the experience was like.


How did you get involved with Sundance?

I got a job with the Sundance Channel, working as a coordinator for one of two film crews sent to the Sundance Film Festival to cover everything—all of the filmmaker interviews, the red carpet, parties, luncheons, panels, the whole gamut. I was also there working as a representative of TTFF. As the creative director I spoke on behalf of the Festival to a lot of people, and then also as an independent and emerging feature film director, looking for opportunities for myself as well.


What is it about the Sundance Festival that you think makes it different, and important for film and filmmakers?

It’s definitely a marketplace for ideas. It’s so exciting to be there and there are so many people who are either premiering their films or introducing new initiatives. For example, one of the things that I found really exciting was this new initiative by Joseph Gordon-Levitt called Hit Record, which is basically a virtual collaboration of short and feature filmmaking through the Web. Someone can upload a project, and then as an independent filmmaker you can go online, download that project, work on it and then upload it back. At the end ultimately Joseph Gordon-Levitt will choose different projects and try to get distribution for them.

So it’s things like that; people with new ideas. I found it to be absolutely cutting-edge. A lot of people are critical now of Sundance, saying it’s sold out, or it’s really part of the capitalist Hollywood marketplace, but I actually didn’t find that. There’s definitely a lot of stars there, but there’s also student filmmakers, emerging filmmakers, distributors, press people—everyone, really, who’s engaging in the conversation of film, which is so exciting.

The other thing that’s so exciting about the Festival is that it really is a festival. One night you’re at a wild party dancing with Parker Posey, the next day you’re at a panel where all these new media artists are talking about their video installation projects, then you’re at Michael Winterbottom’s new film The Shock Doctrine, then you’re listening to a panel with Naomi Klein, Robert Redford and Michael Winterbottom discussing international economic policy, and then you’re at another party somewhere. The range of experiences is fabulous, from being an observer to also being a participant.


Coming out of the Festival, what are some of the big issues or themes people are talking about or concerned with in terms of film production and film marketing right now?

There’s definitely a concern for the independent film market and distribution and the shrinking economy around that, and the lack of opportunities for filmmakers to get their work distributed. The theme for Sundance this year was “rebel”, and about getting back to their roots. Again, they’ve had a lot of criticism about not really holding true to their mission, which is representing the independent voice. Also, how to nurture the culture of original storytelling, and to be careful of the moneymaking machine and the formulaic stories that really don’t give insight to political and social themes.


Can you name some of the films you saw that really stood out?

One of my favourites was Women Without Men, directed by Shirin Neshat, about the Iranian resistance in the 1950s and four particular women and their pursuit for freedom outside the establishment. Also The Shock Doctrine, based on Naomi Klein’s book about Milton Friedman’s economic theories developed in the 1960s at the University of the Chicago, and the implementation of those theories from them until now.

The festival opened with Howl, about Allen Ginsberg, starring James Franco. I thought that was excellent. I didn’t get to see it, but everyone was talking about Winter’s Bone, which won the Grand Jury Prize. It’s a film noir about a family in the Ozark Mountains.


What were some of the more interesting panels that you covered?

One of my favourite experiences was going to the directors’ luncheon, which was up at the Sundance Resort. We got to be present with all of the directors who were showing films at Sundance, and then Robert Redford gave a personal address. That was very inspiring. Also, the journalist Amy Goodman, who has this radio show called Democracy Now, gave a great discussion on film and politics.

Also, one of the things that Sundance is doing that the TTFF is doing, is they’re having what they call “30 Days of Festival” after the Film Festival on Sundance Channel, on video on demand. It’s just like our relationship with Flow.


As TTFF creative director, what are some of the things from Sundance that you think we could adopt, in terms of taking our film festival forward?

One would be our ability to mentor participating filmmakers, to use our festival as an opportunity for more creative conversation between filmmakers. I definitely think the model of participating filmmaker integration is the way to go. People call Sundance a filmmakers’ film festival because if you’re one of the filmmakers who gets invited to Sundance you really get treated very well. You’re immediately a part of a community. Also, I think we could integrate the local filmmakers more with the visiting filmmakers.

Music and film is a direction we need to explore more, because the Caribbean is such a music-centred culture. There are a lot of opportunities in terms of composing scores for films or making music videos. I think that could be a hot spot for us.


Finally, what stars did you meet?

Well I didn’t sit and have coffee with any of them, but we interviewed James Franco, Elijah Wood, Ryan Gosling, Kevin Kline, Katie Holmes, Samuel Jackson, John Hamm, Dakota Fanning, Michelle Williams, Kristin Stewart, Mark Ruffalo, Bill Gates—he launched Bing at the festival—Jason Ritter, Philip Seymour Hoffman.... But by about day five I was like, whatever. After a while you realise stars are just regular people too.

Call for short dramatic films

Are you an experienced filmmaker interested in making a short film about the youth of Trinidad and Tobago? Then the Trinidad and Tobago Film Company is looking for you. The Company is looking to fund short dramatic productions (25-30 minutes) about the youth (16-25 years old) of T&T. To download the requirements and application form, go here.

Feature film production grants. Act now!

Are you looking for funds to make your next feature film? Yes? Well, take note of the following grant opportunity courtesy The Global Film Initiative, which is awarding production grants of up to US $10,000 each to select applicants. This is their Winter granting cycle, and the deadline for submitting your application is January 15, 2010. Below is some text from The Global Film Initiative or you can go to their website for more information and to download an application.

Best of luck!

In its continuing effort to promote original filmmaking by individuals from around the world, The Global Film Initiative is pleased to announce the Winter 2010 cycle of its feature-film Production Grants program. Applications will be accepted from September 30, 2009 to January 15, 2010, and decisions will be announced in March 2010.

Global Film Initiative production grants are awarded twice a year, in winter and summer, to filmmakers whose work exhibits artistic excellence, authentic self-representation and accomplished storytelling. The granting program furthers the Initiative's mission of contributing to the development of local film industries while offering audiences a variety of cultural perspectives on daily life around the world. Monies received through the Initiative's granting program are used to support completion of film production, and to subsidize post-production costs, such as laboratory and sound mixing fees and access to modern editing systems.

Application deadline: January 15, 2010.

The Global Film Initiative accepts grant applications from countries in the following regions: Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, Asia (excluding Hong Kong, Iran, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, and Taiwan), and Oceania (excluding Australia and New Zealand).

Children of God premieres at the BIFF

Last night, the Bahamas International Film Festival got underway. Opening the festival was the local feature Children of God, directed by Kareem Mortimer. The film follows the fate of two characters: Jonny, a young white Bahamian artist suffering from depression and who is in danger of losing his scholarship at a local university, and Lena, a middle-aged anti-gay activist. Both head to the island of Eleuthera where their paths cross, and their lives are irrevocably changed.

The early word is that the screening was a hit--at least, that's the word of Maria Govan, Kareem's fellow Bahamian filmmaker, and the director of Rain, the film that opened this year's ttff. According to Maria: "Last night was an amazing one! Another Bahamian film that will live in the world in such a powerful way! So much to be proud of Kareem!!!"

(Alright, so not exactly an in-depth review of the film, but Maria's enthusiasm at another Bahamian filmmaker getting a feature film out there is certainly understandable.)

Hopefully we'll get more critical feedback on Children of God soon. In the meanwhile, you can see a thorough video interview with Kareem Mortimer here.

And, finally, we at the ttff join with Maria in congratulating Kareem on his success.

The Havana Film Festival, and Johnny Depp at the BIFF

Apologies for being late with this: the Havana Film Festival is currently taking place. The Festival--The International Festival of New Latin American Cinema, to give it its full, proper title--began on December 3rd, and runs until the 10th in Havana, Cuba. It focuses on new feature, documentary and animated films from the Caribbean and Latin America, films "whose significance and artistic values contribute to enrich and reaffirm the Latin American and Caribbean cultural identity." The festival also includes a world cinema showcase, and various seminars and initiatives on cinema.

In other film festival news, the Bahamas International Film Festival, which gets going in five days' time, has announced that its 2009 Career Achievement Award will go to Jack Sparrow aka Edward Scissorhands aka Sweeney Todd aka Willy Wonka aka Johnny Depp. Festival patron Sean Connery will present the award. We recommend Depp place the gong in that space on his mantel he's reserved for his Oscar.

Rockstone and Bootheel: the West Indian Film Series

Contemporary Caribbean art is the focus an exhibition currently taking place in Hartford, Connecticut. Rockstone and Bootheel: Contemporary West Indian Art, which is on at the Real Art Ways gallery, opened on November 14 and runs until March 14 of next year. The show features some 39 artists of the English-speaking Caribbean, including Jamie Lee Loy, whose film Bury Your Mother gained a special mention at the ttff/09.

Film is also a component of Rockstone and Bootheel, with the Rockstone and Bootheel West Indian Film Series. Every Sunday throughout the exhibition Caribbean films will be screened, including a number of ttff/09 films, including jury prize winner for best documentary, The Solitary Alchemist, directed by Mariel Brown, Solange Plaza's Racing Definitions, and Rain, directed by Maria Govan.

BIFF! It's the Bahamas International Film Festival

Film festival fervour is currently at a low round these parts--that is, until we start prepping (soon!) for for next year's event--but up at the northern end of the Caribbean, in the Bahamas, buzz is building for the Bahamas International Film Festival (BIFF), which runs from December 10 to 17.

Like the trinidad+tobago film festival, the BIFF is celebrating its fourth year of existence this year. Last year, the BIFF had as its opening night film the indigenous feature Rain, directed by Maria Govan, which also opened this year's ttff. This year, the BIFF's opening night film will be another Bahamian feature film, Kareem Mortimer's Children of God.

In addition to Children of God, over 80 films from more than 50 countries will be screened at the BIFF, including the ttff/09 People's Choice Award winner for best documentary, Mas Man. Apart from the film screenings there will be other events, including tributes to veteran underwater filmmaker and Bahamas native, Gavin McKinney, and up-and-coming British actress, the Academy Award nominee, Sophie Okonedo.

Unfortunately, as much as we'd like to, we won't have a representative at the BIFF. If any of the readers of this blog plan to be there, however, we'd love to hear how it all went down.