#abbamellon

[jcmatsundance2020-blog]

Panels: On BRAND

In my humble one-time festival goer opinion, the Sundance brand is all about three things (1) diversity and social responsibility in filmmaking (2) alternative ways of filmmaking-- low/no budget, experimental forms, anything not in a studio (3) pushing "their people" into the spotlight. The panels presented at the festival exemplify these core tenets of the Sundance Institute perfectly. Panels presented by Planned Parenthood addressed the relationship between film and sexual justice movements while filmmakers Kathreen Khavari and Linas Phillips share their stories of acting in, directing, and producing their own episodic content. Most panelists were products of Sundance in one way or another, whether alumni of the Institute's various story labs or artists who are known for premiering works at the festival.

[jcmatsundance2020-blog]

This must be the Oregon Trail because we’re heading to a New Frontier.

During the Speed Dating with Festival Filmmakers event, I got the chance to speak with the producer of Summertime, a film described as a "free-verse" poem. The innovative form and unique concept for the film placed it in the Next program, and the producer, Kimberly Stuckwisch, spoke at length about how Sundance was the perfect place for the film to premiere because it championed experimental forms of expression.

Next isn't the only programming block which features innovative ways of storytelling. Another great example is the New Frontier program. The works presented as part of New Frontier aren't just innovative in genre, form, and content matter-- these works test the very definition of film. From VR experiences and interactive exhibitions and pieces that can only be described as video art, the New Frontier program doesn't just carry on the Sundance tradition of pushing creative boundaries and rewriting the standard narrative of film, it pushes this tradition to its absolute limits.

[jcmatsundance2020-blog]

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid is not a Sundance Film, so what is?

If someone asked me how to make a Sundance movie, here's what I would tell them: (1) Your plot must be socially conscious (eg, Run Sweetheart Run, La Llorona) or relevant to the issues of the day (eg, Never Rarely Sometimes Always, His House) (2) You must employ closeup handheld shots to illustrate your character's state of mind (eg, Never Rarely, The Reason I Jump) (3) Your main character should be a sad girl/woman who is so overwhelmed with some trouble that she becomes lost and wanders, either literally or emotionally (Never Rarely, Run Sweetheart Run, Relic, Wander Darkly)

I say the above jokingly and with love, and also while recognizing that these generalizations are based solely upon my limited experience of ~12 films-- films which fit into the very specific niche of "movies I think I would like." Looking past my limited scope, I also saw a trend toward "woke" comedies, harrowing documentaries dissecting complex socio-cultural issues, and vaguely experimental dramas. I would honestly say that there is not one specific type of Sundance film, rather there is a specific way that Sundance films interact with each of their respective genres. A Sundance horror film doesn't have much in common with a Sundance comedy except in the fact that they each feel more cerebral and perhaps a little more raw than a "normal" film in their respective genres.

[jcmatsundance2020-blog]

This is Sundance Culture (We ain’t in Alabama anymore!)

At first glance, the demographics of Sundance were exactly as one might imagine: hordes of older rich white people, quietly discussing films with each other, apparently both amused and bewildered by some of the racier topics, spending outrageous amounts of money on avocado toast. There were some important staples of the Sundance community that surprised me, though-- indie musicians and their followers, practitioners of street fashion, and more Native Americans than I'd ever seen in Alabama. This definitely speaks to the values championed by the Sundance Institute, which prides itself on pushing the artistic envelope and celebrating innovative forms of expression regardless of medium, and has a robust program for Native American outreach. (Although the latter is also an effect of not being in an area of which natives were forced out; I didn't fully realize the modern day effects of the Trail of Tears in Alabama until this experience.) It's worth noting that, despite demographics growing in racial and gender diversity, Sundance is still an event for the upper-middle to upper class. This is surely due to the sheer price of tickets and passes, although it also points to the high-brow cultural connotation of indie cinema. I met very few people from Alabama or rural areas, no other students from a state school, and almost no one who dressed and operated in the world like my family at Sundance.

[jcmatsundance2020-blog]

Beyond Belief: The Streaming Effect: Fact or Fiction

When I sat in the theater waiting for His House to begin, I saw something unexpected: the Netflix logo. Neither myself nor the friend I was watching the film with had known that the film already had a deal with Netflix, and in response, my friend jokingly said, "Why am I seeing this? I could have just waited to watch it at home." When he said that, I wondered whether others at the festival would have that same attitude, but from the screening of His House alone, I feel pretty comfortable saying that is not the case. The film was packed, and had generated significant buzz. Further, there's something very special about the "theater experience," especially when it comes to horror. Even as someone who loves watching scary movies alone at home, I knew that jumping at each scare with a room full of people who love film just as much as I do was irreplaceable. Honestly, I don't think His House's distribution deal with Netflix affected the excitement surrounding the film at all. 

Perhaps this is a unique example because it's a genre film; one could definitely argue that Miss Americana's distribution deal generated more buzz despite the fact that left the realm of "festival exclusive" during the festival itself. Netflix and other streaming services are still such a mystery in the indie world-- in terms of understanding what role they play in this changing industry-- that I think folks are going to be interested in what they've picked up.

[jcmatsundance2020-blog]

banksy and i had to do it em

[jcmatsundance2020-blog]

run sweetheart run is my new religion and shana feste is my messiah

[jcmatsundance2020-blog]

i call this the micah