We Go Way Back a BIG HIT in Poland!

As most of you know, I'm a big fan of Lynn Shelton's film WE GO WAY BACK, shot here in the beautiful Pacific North West. We Go Way Back swept the awards at SLAMDANCE film festival when it premiered there. And it just happened AGAIN in Poland at the Torun Film Festival! Best film, best director and best cinematography! ( http://www.toffi.filmforum.pl/ )
This is heartening to me. It's great to see a good film get the recognition it deserves. This is a story that came straight out of a woman's heart, and is still getting noticed in a pretty big way. So I must not despair.
Recently I watched the French film FAT GIRL. That film also got a lot of press when it came out. It is definitely a film that would never have been made by a man. And what about ME AND YOU AND EVERYONE WE KNOW? LOTS AND LOTS of great (and deserved!) press and awards! (Except the New Yorker review made me so angry I boycotted the magazine for a year after that!)

Keri and I worked VERY hard on the CHERRY CHERRY LEMON script earlier this month. It was very exciting to see the screenplay take shape. When this film gets made (not if) I hope people will embrace it for the work of beauty it is. It doesn't hold back. I know it won't be universally accepted (what work of art worth it's salt is, really) because it doesn't sugar coat at all. It can be quite up front. But I love it. I'm thrilled to have this project in the works!!

3rd day's child

Yes, I'm still working on 3rd Day's Child through all of this. It is coming together very well. It's amazing how many KEY people it takes to make a film... even a short one! I'm VERY pleased with my camera team and post team. I'm not too worried about casting anymore. The main issue is the SET. The set is so important to the film. It needs someone with strong talent both conceptually and physically. I'm hoping something that is in the works will pull through, but I don't want to say too much... don't want to jinx anything!
The other part of the puzzle that needs to be addressed is FUND RAISING. If you know of anyone or anything who could help in this arena, let me know!!

I'm excited for SCI-FI! Who knew?

Catch Up!

Okay - how could I have missed the LOCAL SIGHTINGS report?

It was a fun time. There were several wonderful films included in the section LRRH was placed in ("Leaps and Bounds" - out there films, I guess). Brita's wonderful film "But Soft" - a great kind of animated film called "How to Draw Clouds" (you can't really - they're always moving). Sarah Jane Lapp's film was cool and interesting. It was fun to meet her. The drinks were delicious and E. Ray and Seanjohn and I laughed until the place closed down. The opening night party turned out to be fun too. Beth was there and Lynn and Ben and Michelle and Charles and Jonathan and Curtis (I'm so happy I got to see his opera film ((or is it film opera)) "A Hand of Bridge"!!). Tyson was there! So many people turned up that it turned out to be a fun party after all... I was feeling like a bit of a wall flower to begin with... thinking I might just slink home. But, as it turned out, I'm glad I stayed. Beth, once again, encouraged me to drink another beer and graciously took responsibility for everything I said or did after that beer. She's sweet. For photos of the party you'd better check out Lynn Shelton's My Space page - she is DEEP into My Space now and takes her camera EVERYWHERE!

The inside scoop: Little Red Riding Hood is going to be invited to be in the Cinema K festival (coming in January)! I'm VERY excited about this one! Plus, I was invited to teach a class there - that is- make a film in 3 hours with 10 kids! Ready, set, go!!

PISS.

a.k.a. Portland International Short Shorts. Here's the report:

It was great fun to be in Portland. The people who ran the festival were great. Nice people who I'd like to spend more time with. Especially Tara and ... rats. Can't remember her name! That's bad. Shouldn't even be admitting that right here in front of the whole world! I'll look it up.
The hotel I stayed in was the Booty Call Motel. Well, that's what fellow filmmaker from BC, Karen, and I decided it should be called. The free condoms in the room, the discount for post-midnight check in, no closet, the slogan "get a room", well, it all spoke to the mission of the place. Fortunately they also had free wi/fi so those of us not there to... you know... wouldn't be lonely. The party took place at the hotel too. Great if you like free beer. I had a vodka tonic which was not free, but was quite tasty. I guess I wasn't in much of a party mood, but even if I had been, the kids at the party were way more into the performance artists than any sort of discussion about film. Fortunately I had a very interesting talk with one of the people who put the fest on (yes, the lady who's name is escaping me now). She is also a film maker and is in the process of making a documentary with her partner. I said it was almost shocking how easy it was to distinguish films that were made by men and those made by women. She concurred and added that there were 4 people on her selection committee - 2 men, 2 women and it was amazing how right down gender lines the selection process often went. This is a depressing wake up call. It's not that I didn't know it already, but most films are chosen by men. This gives not only LRRH a tougher row to hoe, but all films I will ever make in the future! What frightens and annoys me is that my films are not super main stream to begin with... then add the fact that I'm a woman and see things from a woman's perspective... It's an up hill battle for sure. But I'm not one to give up! I'll keep up the good fight. I just wish it could be easy! Yes, I wish every thing could be served to me on a silver platter. I don't mind admitting it! I know that it won't be, however, which just makes me fight all the harder. It's good to have you people on my side! Thanks for your support.

PORTLAND INTERNATIONAL SHORT SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

I'm about to get in my car and drive down to PORTLAND! Yes! Tonight
is the night. Here's the info:

All films will be screened at the historic Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE
Sandy Blvd) in Portland, OR. Admission to any event is $6, or an
All-Pass can be purchased for $20. Tickets or All-Passes may be
purchased ahead of time through the Hollywood Theatre. Because some
screenings may sell out, we recommend you get to the theater 15
minutes before each screening.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 19TH

7pm: Film Program One – The Hollywood Theatre

Fumi and the Bad Luck Foot, 7:07 min
Rose City Rumble, 7:00 min
Little Red Riding Hood, 10:35 min
Infinite Moments, 5:00 min
81-Year-Old Sweethearts, 5:50 min
Moon in the Bucket, 10:00 min
CHI Enforcement Unit: Rat Traps, 4:00 min
Emerging, 4:40 min
Clown Shorts: Dingo the Stuff Fixer, 2:41 min
The Touch, 2:58 min
Alone Too Often, 8:08 min
Pretty Girls, 9:17 min
The Goldfish, 3:27 min
Chocolate, 5:30 min
First Date Meltdown, 6:00 min

website: zonkerfims.com


MAKE SURE TO REMIND YOUR FRIENDS IN PORTLAND! And tell them to come say HI!


I've been very lame in my blogging efforts. I promise I shall make amends soon! There's so much to tell about the NYC version of BRAND UPON THE BRAIN!

xo
SJ