Wednesday, February 27, 2008 – “I guarantee the next 12 days and nights of Cinequest will be a cabaret,” Cinequest Co-founder and Executive Director Halfdan Hussey promised upon greeting the opening night crowd. Hussey urged festival-goers to connect with each other—and to discover films and forums that matter, Maverick legends and fun. “A whole lot of fun, because we need that, too, as we’re stimulating our minds and our souls,” Hussey added. More than 1,000 people flocked to the...
Monday, March 12—The Cinequest Film Festival may not generate buzz about industry distribution deals or celebrity sightings, but a record-breaking 70,102 indie film lovers joined several hundred filmmakers and technology innovators in downtown San Jose for the 12-day salute to all things maverick. Writer-director-cinematographer Stephane Gauger, Executive Producer Timothy Linh Bui (director of GREEN DRAGON, co-producer of THREE SEASONS) and actor Cat Ly (JOURNEY FROM THE FALL) closed the festi...
Saturday, March 3---Stewart Copeland makes his entrance with a bang. Whether bounding onto the California Theatre stage before a packed house of 1,100 people or striding into a small room for a press conference, the founder of the newly reunited The Police radiates high energy. He flings his arms in the air, and his voice booms all the way to the last row of the balcony and back. Never has anyone been so enthusiastic about receiving a Cinequest Maverick Spirit Award. Just a 50-year-old suburban ...
Saturday, March 3---Minnie Driver slowly removed her sunglasses at the Cinequest press conference, and quietly said, “I don’t want to force my bloodshot eyes on you.” She had worked until 3:30 a.m. before traveling to San Jose to receive the Maverick Spirit Award at an event scheduled later in the afternoon. “I’m really happy to be here. Exhausted but happy,” stated the London-born actor.When asked if she considered herself a maverick, Driver thoughtfully replied, “I don’t lie i...
Friday, March 2---Christine Vachon can now add “Cinequest Maverick” to honors ranging from the Frameline Award for Outstanding Achievement in Lesbian and Gay Media in 1994, Producer of the Year from the National Board of Review in 2003 and New York MoMA retrospective honoree in 2005. Her films have garnered Independent Spirit Awards and Oscars in numerous categories. Following a rollicking interview with Jens Hussey, Cinequest Director of Public Relations,...
Wednesday, February 28---More than 1,000 festivalgoers joined the Cinequest 17 Revolution on opening night in downtown San Jose, California. The cinematic revolution of discovery and empowerment will not be televised, but you can bet it will be distributed over the Internet. Only connect. When Cinequest Co-founder and Executive Director Halfdan Hussey welcomed the crowd at the meticulously restored California Theatre, a 1927 movie palace, he urged everyone to “open minds and hearts” to the 5...
