Snow flurries hit
late in the afternoon as the first full day of Sundance took off with a shot.
The big premieres got their hoped for attendance records as scores of industry
jammed the screenings of The Business of Strangers and Trembling Before
G-D (where rumor has it three deals hit the table by the time the lights went
up at the end of the screening), but the smaller profile, foreign films resonated
as well with audiences who had arrived at the festival unsure what to expect.




Pre-festival buzz has been at a minimum this year, allowing for more surprises,
but word gets out early as it did today at the press screening of Henry Bean's
The Believer. The difficult yet compelling true story of Danny Balint,
a Jewish Nazi, the press screening for The Believer drew all the high level
press and a number of major distributors (who generally are excluded from the
press screenings). Not just first string critics, but the editors and elite sat
through the powerful story whose buzz at the conclusion seemed to live up to expectations.
Elivs Mitchell (New York Times, NPR), Todd McCarthy (Variety), Miramax, Fine Line,
USA, and Lion's Gate were among the packed crowd, most of whom gave credos to
young Ryan Gosling's (Remember the Titans) amazing turn as Balint. Bean,
whose previous credits include (as writer) Deep Cover, Internal Affairs,
Running Brave, Venus Rising) also cast Summer Phoenix, Billy Zane
and Theresa Russell.



Only at Sundance would coverage reporting include a 'what happened while waiting
in line' section, but indeed today the crowds waiting for Angels
of the Universe were treated to a show and tell when two volunteers brought
by a fully grown golden eagle to display. The waiting audience was treated to
a natural history lesson just prior to entering the theater for the latest film
from esteemed Icelandic director, Fridrik Thor Fridriksson.



Angels of the Universe marks Thor Fridriksson's return to a darker, internal
struggle as it follows one man's mental descent into Hell. Sundance Associate
Director John Cooper apologized for the director's absence, reminding everyone
that Thor Fridriksson is a "big man who likes to talk about his film. Look for
him on Main Street when he arrives this weekend and chat him up!". The film is
a remarkable tour de force and judging from the deeply moved audience, Thor Fridriksson
will be accosted for numerous conversations.



Denis Villeneuve was on hand for the US premier of his new film, Maelstrom.
A mythic tale to follow up his feature film directorial debut, 32nd
of August on Earth, Villeneuve's lyrical narrative and culture-crashing
structure once again take off as his story of love and misstep unfolds. Villeneuve
also took on some interesting technical challenges as he played with color to
develop his filmic intentions, and the resulting film (while occasionally flawed)
reverberates with honesty, chance and love.



As has become tradition over the past few years, the 'official' festival Opening
Night film in Salt Lake City served more as a fluff piece for the sponsors invited
and less as a prime example of fresh, new American Cinema. Director Christine
Lahti was on hand to introduce her feature film directorial debut, My First
Mister to a nearly sold out crowd of 2300 people, yet the film's lukewarm
response seemed fitting as the true cinephiles considered the premier screening
of Series 7: The Contender in Park City tonight as the true opening night film.




Series 7: The Contender, from Director Dan Minahan does strike a strong
chord as one of the newly emerging American Cinema films. Shot on digital video,
the story is a satirical and violent look at reality TV as it follows one contestant
on the game show Series 7. The catch? The contestant is a nine-month pregnant
woman who has five more people to kill before being named champion. The film has
been picked up by USA and will be released wide on 35mm, but the digital projection
of the original print showcases why filmmakers are so encouraged to think content
when choosing format.



At the opposite end of the spectrum, Director Mark Lewis premiered his brilliant
new film, The Natural History of Chickens, a docu-style, comic valentine
to chickens and the people who love them. Shot on super 16 with highly saturated
color correction, the film looks as stylized as its subject matter deserves. A
huge hit with the audience, The Natural History of Chickens deserves wide,
wide release if only for the segment on the Miami spinster and her Japanese Royal
Bantam chicken.



No first day would be complete without gossip and star sightings...Seen around
town were Stockard Channing (The Business of Strangers), Christine Lahti,
Jacquelline Bisset, Liz Hurley, Albert Brooks and Director Chris Eyre (Smoke
Signals) who has returned to the festival as producer of The Doe Boy,
starring James Duval and Kevin Anderson...



...Donnie Darko, which had generated some high hopes, was called by one
studio executive a 'beautiful failure', while programmers from other festivals
were hailing Our
Lady of the Assassins from Barbet Schroeder as the best film of the festival...




Highly anticipated for Day Two is The Sleepy Time Gal from Director Chris
Munch (Color of a Brisk and Leaping Day) and producers Jim McKay (Girls'
Town, Our Song) and Michael Stipe (REM)...and the poster war continues
as the kiosks are up to four layers and festival volunteers are beginning to tear
them down.

Kathleen
McInnis

More On The
Digital Film Front



Following yesterday's announcement of a US pick up of a slate of digital films
by US distributor Lions Gate Entertainment, comes word that another major US
distributor, Fox Searchlight Pictures is moving aggressively into the digital
film world.



Fox Searchlight has unveiled Fox Searchlab, a digital production division that
will provide financing, equipment and mentoring to 40 first time filmmakers
each year. Films will be shown on Fox Searchlight's web site and will also be
seen on the pay cable network, Fox Movie Channel.



In a less optimistic story, it was announced in Daily Variety that netcaster
Entertaindom.com could be the next victim on the chopping block as the newly
merged Time Warner and America Online continue to trim costs. The studio is
discussing whether to close the site or to simply merge it with the inhouse
Warner Brothers Online. With the pressure on for AOL Time Warner to trim $1
billion in operating expenses, the site could be one of several casualties in
the coming weeks. Entertaindom staffers are in Sundance where they are hosting
several concerns featuring high profile music acts, including Radiohead, Everclear,
Semisonic and the Dandy Warhols.



Florida Sunshine Comes To Snowy Sundance



A delegation led by Florida state commissioner Rebecca Mattingly will be coming
to Sundance this week to promote film production in the sunshine state. Film
In Florida, which is sponsored by the Florida Film Commission, Universal Studios
Florida and Haxens (producers of The Blair Witch Project, which had its
launch at Sundance two years ago), will host a reception for two films in the
Festival that were shot in the state this past year: Alison Anders' Things
Behind The Sun and Miami-based filmmakers Billy Corben and Alfred Spellman's
documentary Raw Deal: A Question of Consent.

Sandy
Mandelberger

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