Report from Sundance, Four Movies seen so far

Been so busy at Sundance this is the first time I have had a chance to report. I have seen four movies so far.

Gasland was a documentary by a North East Penn. film maker about his journey when he received a notice from a gas company asking to drill on his family land. What he found out visiting others who have had their land drilled was shocking. Contaminated water, some water that would go on fire. We find out that Dick Chaney got thru Congress the exemption from the clean water and clean air act. Great advocacy movie.

Shock Doctrine, a documentary based on Naomi Klein which shows the link of Milton Friedman political economic views of free market, little public services to poverty and right wing dictators like in Chile and Argentina and of course in the U.S. Robert Redford was on the panel discussion afterwards and talked about his own struggles to fight the good fight. What an interesting, value driven person. Of course Jacki was in love.

Bran Nue Dae was a Australian musical that was an aborigine cast manly and lead actors. It was a joy and a could counter point to yesterdays heavy movies. It recognized the history of oppression but brought such joy. You can hear it on I-tunes. The director brought her new born to the showing and talked about filming in Broome Australia on the West Coast, a multinational town that the author was raised in and reflects his own multinational roots.

Our last movie tonite was Contracorriente (undertow) a Peruvian drama about a fisherman who was married and was having a child but had a male lover. A very beautiful movie, that explored what it meant to be a man, a human being and be gay in a hostile world. It brought tears to your eyes.

Had a lot of good conversations with film lovers and film makers. One guy I meet did a whole short drama on a small video camera and it has one awards in Anchorage and Seattle film festivals.

I will try to download pictures tomorrow. Will see two movies tomorrow, Freedom Riders a documentary on the civil rights event and The Kids are Right, a drama.

Off to Sundance tomorrow. Maybe will get inspired for another project,

Documentary on YouTube

I have not updated this blog for awhile, been very busy with the documentary. It has been show in McCall and Boise Idaho. I have given out a number of copies to supporters and one copy went to our Congressmen Walt Minnick through his aide Tom Schwarz. Now the documentary is on You Tube, go to

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgS5T-5JthA&feature=related

Let you know of other showings and feedback

Success in Eastern Idaho trip with two great interviews with families faced with lack of health insurance. Now working on completion of editing for early April cut to my two friends that are doing the soundtrack for me. 

Premier will be in McCall, Idaho on Monday, June 1 at the Shore Lodge from 7 pm to 9 pm. It will be a  cocktail party fun raiser for the Community Free Clinic in McCall. Later in June hope to have a premier at Bingham Memorial Hospital. Will offer to show the multimedia slide show to other community clinics in Idaho. Some interest from health care advocacy groups and Democratic Party groups in Idaho.  

We are off to Eastern Idaho to do three interviews. One person has lost his leg and can not get a prothesis due to lack of health care coverage.  A parent went into debt to pay for blood platelets due to parent changing jobs. Lastly a widow who lost insurance when her husband died, unable to afford to pay privately for health insurance.  

Three slide shows have been put together has first draft  and identified a couple in McCall area who will work on the music track for the project. 

Back from Sundance

 A snowy ride back from Park City, a little sliding but no accident.  Good news, Push won three awards and the last movie we saw 5 minutes of Heaven won best foreign drama.  It was a exploration of reconciliation between two waring "tribes" in this case the Protestants and Catholics in Northern Idaho.  The script was excellent and the acting was great.  Again another movie I feel I learned something about.  Won't talk about the ending but to say the least it was not very realistic.  Next year, more days, more films.   Met another film person who I hope to be supportive of each other. She is working on a film about leukemia, a friend of her's died. She says I can get my project on her public access channel, one outlet down.  Good news, today got a email from Obama's staff about talking to them by phone on our community meeting.    Maybe I can be of help, it's that cool.   Thanks for the comments on the blog. Take care

Busy day saw two documentaries and one drama.   

Yes Men Save The World  is two NY guys who go around the world as impostors exposing corrupt crimes like the chemical spill in India, housing shames in Katrina and weird inventions to say rich people during natural disasters. Check out their web site yesmen.org

William Kunstler was the second documentary, traditional style on a lawyer I knew who represented progressives and later criminals. His daughters were the film makers and they spoke after the film was shown about their dad.   With all is flaws he was a great man who fought against injustice.

The only drama was a award winning job.  "Push" is about a women who is a black overweight teenager in NYC who is abused and is able to rise above it without being unrealistic. In fact the scenes with the social worker made me think of my days in county welfare in NJ.  See this film if and when it comes out. It is life changing.  

Off tomorrow to more films. Will post pictures tomorrow.