We are flying into SLC tomorrow afternoon to stay in the Park City condo for Sundance. CJ’s parents are meeting us there as well as his brother, Luke & cousin Kathryn. Kathryn is volunteering at the Festival, so maybe she can give us some secret tips J. Pam was only able to purchase one set of tickets (super complicated process) for Burma VJ, so the rest will be attended via the wait list line. Wait list is what we did solely last year, and although it was quite the hassle every movie, it was part of the fun festival experience. Basically you stand in line in a cold tent outside with a bunch of other film enthusiasts for several hours before each movie you wish to see. Wait list admittance is first come, first serve, & it all depends on how many empty seats are left in the theatre (after the ticket holders arrive) as to if you are able to get in or not. It is very important that you are in the front of the line so you have a good chance of getting in, if not, you have just stood in line for hours for nothing. Sometimes only 5 or so get to go in. In the theatre EVERY seat is occupied, & people are always turned down, quite different from the normal movie going experience.
Last year we had the opportunity to see a foreign documentary premiere. This was particularly special, because after the movie, the audience was allowed to interview (through an interpreter) the director. Then we voted on a scale of 1-4 on how well we liked the movie. Voting consists of tearing off the appropriate numbered corner of a small sheet of paper you receive when you enter the theatre & depositing it at the end. It is awesome to be part of the judging process as well as the film’s likely success or failure.
Some movies I hope we get to see this weekend at the Sundance Film Fest are:
Big River Man- documentary about a man who swam the Amazon River & his encounters with wildlife & the culture there [This movie only plays in PC at midnight the night we arrive, but I am really interested.]
Art & Copy- documentary about marketing, slogans, great advertising success stories, & print art that becomes part of our American culture [This movie plays Saturday at 9:15 am which means we would have to be in the wait list line around 7:00am, Ugh.]
Thriller in Manilla- documentary on the fight between Muhammad Ali & Joe Frazier (from the Philippines) about the racial politics at this time & the depth of the rivalry [This movie plays at a perfect time Saturday at 11:30am, I am sure the boys will be interested]
Why We Laugh- documentary on African American comedy [Saturday at 5:30pm… food or movie?]
The Cove- activist documentary on the undercover discovery of evil in the largest supplier of dolphins in the world- a quaint town in Japan [Sunday 11:30am – CJ, Mike, & Luke will be backcountry snowboarding at this time, so maybe Pam & I will make it a date]
Burma VJ- documentary on the country of Burma’s fight against a cruel & controlling regimen. Internet & foreign news crews are banned, but pocket sized video cameras reveal the story & are smuggled outside for the world to see [Sunday 11:30pm – this is the one we have tickets for, so we will be there!]
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