Sundance 2006

Haskell Wexler premiered his documentary film, "Who Needs Sleep?"

Who Needs Sleep?

Renown cinematographer and director Haskell Wexler premiered his documentary film, "Who Needs Sleep?" at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival to packed audiences that had to be firmly 'persuaded' to leave cinema venues after intensive Q + A's with the director, co-director Lisa Leeman, and producer Tamara Maloney.

The Politics of Sundancing

Al Gore and Ralph Nader Join Parties and Premieres in Park City
Where else but Sundance and Park City would politics and politicians want to gather during the middle of a winter? You have independent thinkers, high powered Hollywood types and glitz, glamour and big media galore. Along with new movies all trying to make a point, bring light to an issue and unveiling the unjust travesties of the world. That’s the politics of Sundancing!

More snow than exciting films?

Well....I meant to keep a blog going about my 9th Sundance (see first day's blogs)...but I got busier than I thought.   Even though I had more time off this year as one of the Sundance press/industry venue managers at the Holiday Village #1 (a lucky recipient of scheduling beyond my control), my socializing and networking had me filling many of my hours with connecting with people more than watching films.

Picking up hot numbers in Park City

Fox Searchlight Has $10 Million Dollar Deal with Little Miss Sunshine at Sundance Film Festival The desire of independent films is growing in high. The distributors and acquisitions departments are in full force in Park City with check books in hand and set for finding the next big March of The Penguins.

If You film it, they will download

SUNDANCE PANEL PONDERS VIDEO PODCASTING & THE ROLE OF INDEPENDENT FILMMAKERS By creating a new tool in the lifestyle of cool, Apple Computer’s video iPod has also created demand for content tailored to the device that has left filmmakers, advertisers, television executives and “preditor” podcasters scrambling to take advantage of this new medium. On January 22, 2006, a panel of pod-experts gathered at the Sundance Film Festival’s Film Center in Park City, to discuss the new technology and its affect on the entertainment industry. By Keiko Beatie & Andy Verostek

Best of Slamdance on the road

The American Cinematheque’s THE ALTERNATIVE SCREEN: INDEPENDENT FILM SHOWCASE presents two evenings of Award Winners from the 2006 Slamdance Film Festival on Thursday, February 9th & 16th.

Watch video from Imogen Heap and Lili Taylor reading

Lili Taylor-Sundance Starbucks Salon - Reading from Bukowski's novel Factotum Download
lilitaylor.WMV

and Video from Imogen Heap concert.imogenheap.WMV

Quinceanera and God Grew Tired of Us Hit Highs in Park City for Both Jury and Audience Awards

The winners of the 2006 Sundance Film Festival Awards were announced at the closing award ceremony in Park City, Utah.  An over all popular vote for the jury and audience was in sync as both the Grand Jury Prizes and Audience Awards for Documentary and Dramatic Competitions were presented to the same two films.  By Keiko Beatie

Sundance 2006 Wraps

25th Sundance Film Festival wrapped here Sunday with screening of the award winning films. For the first time in the festivals history two films took both the audience and jury prizes in the narrative and documentary categories. “Quincenara”, which offers insight into Hispanic family culture through the eyes of teenagers living in Los Angeles, earned the best dramatic film honor from the Sundance jury of five film industry veterans as well as the top drama prize from audience members. Male lead
Jesse Garcia (pictured right with red scarf) completely inhabits the role of a close knit families ‘black sheep’ at the center of this engaging drama. Jesse and his fellow cast were chosen before the script was written and helped shape the final story.
Dane Alan Smith