Park City was eerily peaceful early this morning with nobody around and last night?s dusting of snow on the ground. Soon enough ? by this afternoon, or this evening, or certainly tonight ? that will all change as filmmakers, press and industry folks roll in and the dreaded promoters (?leveragers,? Sundance founder Robert Redford called them in his inaugural address today) pimp out this snowy mountain town like a toddler in a tiara. Appropriately, Redford pointed to the current hardships for filmmakers, and the world at large. ?Times are hard and grim,? he acknowledged, later offering optimism. ?Independent film is healthy. That doesn?t mean it?s easy.?
As the Sundance Film Festival grew beyond its humble origins, so too did the hype in and around town. Navigating the festival is an exercise in navigating hype. Pick up a hot tip on a buzz film while shuttling around town; pick up free crap you know you?ll never need from swag marketers hungry for exposure. Either way it?s a circus, and the energy is palpable: No one wants to miss anything, but there?s always something (or many somethings) that you necessarily must.
Redford addressing Sundance?s hype problem is nothing new ? he?s been battling Sundance?s other rep for years, and with mixed feelings about the exposure swag houses and celebrity sightings and exclusive parties bring.
?Success has two sides to it,? he admitted during the opening day press conference. ?For example, hype? I?m not going to condone that, and I?m not going to criticize it, because some of that is good for the filmmakers as long as they can keep their head about it.? But really, can you blame those struggling first-time indie filmmakers for stopping off for free snow boots and sunglasses…
Ana Hickmann Ana Ivanovi Ana Paula Lemes Ananda Lewis Angela Marcello Angelina Jolie Anna Faris Anna Friel
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