Sundance Film Festival '07 — A to Z
And newcomers to the festival can find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer volume of people, movies and just plain chaos that Hollywood and the rest of the world bring to Utah during its 11-day run.
But don't panic. There are helpful volunteers trained to aid the confused. And here is an A-to-Z guide featuring a few hints to help you navigate — and survive — Sundance 07.
A IS FOR ALTERNATIVE FESTIVALS. As usual, Sundance has competition from the concurrent Slamdance Film Festival, as well as the extreme-sports event X Dance, and TromaDance, an event organized by the makers of the "Toxic Avenger" and other exploitation movies.
B IS FOR BUSES. Given the limited parking in Park City, you'll need to use public transportation to get from screening venue to screening venue. Plus, you never know who you'll see on one of the festival shuttles.
C IS FOR CELLULAR PHONES, an accessory everyone has to have ... and that no one seems to know how to shut off. (The sound of cell phones going off in Sundance screenings is a continual, unfortunate occurrence.)
E IS FOR EATERIES, or diners and restaurants. According to the Zagats guide, there are several world-class spots in Park City and Salt Lake City, conveniently located near festival screening locations.
F IS FOR THE FANNING SISTERS, Dakota and Elle. Each young actress has a film at Sundance this year: Dakota is the star of the blues-music drama "Hounddog"; Elle co-stars in the existential comedy "The Nines."
G IS FOR CRISPIN HELLION GLOVER (he really is billed that way), the oddball actor who occasionally makes Utah his home. He's bringing his new movie "It is fine! EVERYTHING IS FINE." to the festival, which is also screening the film that gave Glover his breakthrough role more than two decades ago, "River's Edge," showing in the sidebar Sundance Collection, which are movies from festivals past.
H IS FOR HISTORY, 20th-century U.S. history, that is, the subject of a panel discussion Sunday. Other panels and workshops at the festival will explore film technology, international relations and film preservation, and there's even something called "Film Church."
I IS FOR ISSUES. There are Sundance films, most of them documentaries, that explore such hot-button topics as the Iraq War ("Ghosts of Abu Ghraib," "Grace is Gone" and "No End in Sight"), global warming ("Everything's Cool"), race relations ("Banished") and religion ("For the Bible Tells Me So").
J IS FOR JACKSON, Samuel L. Jackson, that is. The "Snakes on a Plane" star is featured in two Sundance selections this year: the Deep South fable "Black Snake Moan" and the sports drama "Resurrecting the Champ."
K IS FOR KIDNAPPING, the subject of a couple of Sundance films, including the aforementioned "Black Snake Moan," "Manda Bala (Send a Bullet)" and "Bajo Juarez, the city devouring its daughters."
L IS FOR LINDSAY LOHAN. The hard-partying actress is featured in the premiere thriller "Chapter 27" and should arrive midway through the festival to soak in the Park City nightlife, or perhaps just observe, along with her AA sponsor.
M IS FOR THE MUSIC OF SUNDANCE. In addition to the musical documentaries "Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten" and "X: The Unheard Music," there are parties with live music, and the annual Music Cafe — this year featuring such artists as The Album Leaf, Jill Sobule, Ron Sexsmith and Donovan.
N IS FOR NONFICTION FILMS, or documentary features. Sundance now has two competition categories for these "reality" films, including one devoted to World Cinema documentaries — for a total of 42 documentary features in this year's festival.
O IS FOR THE OFFICIAL SUNDANCE WEB SITE, www.sundance.org, which includes ticket information and just about everything else you might wonder about, as well as hosting a free Online Film Festival with many of the competing short films.
P IS FOR FESTIVAL PASSES, which allow patrons to get into screenings before ticket holders — and sometimes into the supposedly sold-out films (depending on which pass you hold). These are already gone by now, of course, but later this year you may want to check into buying one for Sundance 08.
Q IS FOR QUEUES, which you'll need to stand in before most Sundance screenings. There are also wait lists and lines for those patiently hoping to get into sold-out screenings. (The Salt Lake wait lists often yield the best results.)
R IS FOR RADIO. National Public Radio's popular "Says You!" program will be broadcasting live from the Salt Lake City Main Library Sunday and will host a cabaret performance the next night in Park City.
S IS FOR SALT LAKE CITY, still the festival's best-kept secret. There are three downtown venues — the Broadway Centre Cinemas, the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center and the (sort-of downtown) Tower Theatre. It's much easier to get into sold-out screenings here than in Park City.
T IS FOR TICKET, of course. You'll need one — or a pass — to get into the festival screenings. Most of the screenings are sold out, but you can check at the respective theater box offices the day of show to buy tickets or get on the wait list.
U IS FOR UNCONVENTIONAL. While there's a great variety of films at Sundance, not all of them will appeal to all audiences. So you may want to check out a particular film (by browsing the Sundance site or the Internet Movie Database at www.imdb.com) beforehand.
V IS FOR VANITY PROJECTS, films developed by celebrities. In addition to Glover's, Antonio Banderas directed the autobiographical "Summer Rain (El Camino de los ingleses)," Steve Buscemi starred in and directed "Interview," Anthony Hopkins pulled triple-duty (as screenwriter, director and co-star) for "Slipstream," and Sarah Polley wrote and directed "Away From Her." Also, the late actress Adrienne Shelly is represented by her feature "Waitress."
W IS FOR THE WORLD, which is well-represented by international features and shorts in the festival this year, as well as an ever-growing contingency of foreign journalists broadcasting live or filing their reports from Sundance.
X IS FOR X, the veteran, L.A.-area punk band featured in "X: The Unheard Music," a 1986 documentary that is one of the Sundance Collection's special screenings.
Y IS FOR THE YARROW HOTEL, a festival site that hosts most of Sundance's press and industry screenings (which are closed to the general public).
Z IS FOR FOR ZOMBIE MOVIES. The festival's Park City at Midnight series usually features at least one ("28 days later ... " debuted at Sundance). This year it's "Fido," a horror-comedy set in the '50s, about a family with a flesh-eating undead "pet," played by Scottish comedian Billy Connolly.
E-MAIL: jeff@desnews.com
You can be the first to comment on this story.