Back in the Woods

Leaving Utah Thursday morning was a bit frantic, as I could not find my drivers license and had to go through intense security check at the airport, but finally I got through.  After that it was all pretty great.  Waiting to board the plain I hung out with Peter Saraf (producer of LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE and SUNSHINE CLEANING, the latter just screened at Sundance) and Studio exec Mark Urman, head of THINKFilm, who has two documentaries in the run for the Oscar - A TAXI TO THE DARK SIDE and WAR/DANCE, which screened at Woodstock.  We had a lovely conversation about films, Sundance, and the state of cinema today.

On the plain I sat next to two young men, one is a song writer/ musician, friends with Levon Helm and many other Woodstock musicians, and the other an entertainment lawyer and brother of Annabella Sciora, who attended WFF a couple of times in the past.  We talked off and on throughout the whole flight, which made the time enjoyable and go by fast. 

Coming back to Woodstock was a welcome change.  I did not realize how incredibly tired I was until I hit my pillow the first night.  Sundance takes so much out of you.  Talking to my friend Danielle DiGiacomo from Indiepix the following day, we both compared notes on how tired we were - she almost falling asleep in a meeting, I almost falling asleep on the phone...Yes, its been exhausting, a whirlwind of work, but basically it was all great.  We also compared notes on how "warm" NY is for us now - no need for long johns, or even gloves... not after 8 degree weather...

As I await to hear the results of the Awards tonight (I'm rooting for Melissa Leo for best actress and for Frozen River for best dramatic narrative), I continue to get a flood of e-mails from Sundance friends, all of whom are making their lists of their favorite films.

One close industry member suggested these to me as potential Woodstock films (all great films, I've seen them):

THE BETRAYED by Ellen Kuras (who is a WFF alumn)

ORDER OF MYTHS by Margaret Brown

FROZEN RIVER (of course...)

BALLAST (everyone loved it, film critics and industry alike)

MOMMA'S MAN (a surprise hit in Sundance)

SUGAR (by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck, who did HALF NELSON)

I have to meet with various sale reps in the coming weeks and see how to pursue some of these, and other Sundance films.  Will go to the city later next week, and so, the programming process will start.  Not to mention that film submission are started to come in, which is always very exciting!