Sundance Rants (blog #3)

It is time to explore my love/hate for Sundance.

It's been happening my entire life. Once a year the whole town/mountain range put on their best for the Sundance Film Festival. One of the biggest, most-attended, best-known film festivals in the world. Right here in my hometown slash Park City. It's great for tourism, it's great for the local economy, great for local talent to get their big breaks, the list goes on. And each year it happens, I've observed as my opinions of the festival wane and wax. I literally have no inspiration for my writing this week so I thought I would explore my opinions here.

I'll start with what really sparked this need to form an opinion: my need to form an opinion on the Women's March that happened in Park City last year. Something so historic that so many women and men in the world got to be a part of, and how I feel no personal connection to it. The Women's March that happened in Park City is talked about mostly by celebrities, not as much by locals. There's a few reasons that I wasn't there and I'm sure those reasons are similar to a lot of other locals. 1) I had to work. I served tables at the time and something like Sundance happening means more workers on deck and no asking for time off. 2) There was no way I was going near Main Street, Park City during Sundance because that's just kind of my deal. I don't think I'm unique for feeling that way. 3) Driving up a canyon during a snow storm to be a part of a march that was going to be mostly over-run by celebrities in fur coats just didn't feel like the march for me. This year, same thing. Respect March, got the press release a few days before it. I had to work a different event, it was snowing and still being held in Park City during Sundance. Again.

I guess the point I should be getting at is... I need to organize a Women's March in Salt Lake City next winter. For all the rest of the people that live here in Utah and can't be in Park City - because really, it's a pretty small town and there literally isn't room for every one up there. There was a small march last year later in the evening and this year? so far I have no proof that a Women's March happened in Salt Lake City. So I guess I've got to do something about it.  Having my "local Women's March" happening in Park City that was mostly organized and attended by Hollywood... didn't make is feel like a very inclusive march for Utahns.. female Utahns.. who happened to live in one of the worst states for treatment of women. The march in Utah needs to be about us, for us.

And if you don't live in Salt Lake and you are wondering why I keep saying "my town" and explaining how Park City is up the canyon, that is another important point to this concept. SUNDANCE is a small resort in Provo Canyon which is about 45 minutes south of Salt Lake City. Robert Redford indeed owns the land there and takes great pride in it. So, Sundance is not actually IN Sundance it is just a festival called Sundance and named after the place the movie star bought in 1969. The Film Festival is actually held in PARK CITY which is a small ski town in the Wasatch Range about 30 minutes outside of Salt Lake. It is common to commute between canyons. I did it every day in high school, my sister does it every day. These two cities keep very close encounters. And because of that, a ton of the films and traffic are also here in SALT LAKE CITY. The Olympic Winter Games had a similar story which also always frustrated me. Since I was a little kid watching the games I really wanted every one to know the differences!!!

So, the film festival itself isn't actually in Sundance and that is also something that I really just wish people would get. When Chelsea Handler mentions the Women's March as many times as she does (because I love her and watch her show) and she always says "at Sundance" it really bums me out because I would like Park City, Utah to get that recognition, not the film festival. But that's the thing, that march was for the people at Sundance and not Utah citizens that live here year round.

Yeah, so I've got some opinions about Sundance. Let me get on with some positive ones.

Mid-January is a fuckin hard time of year. The distractive "joy" of the Holidays has passed by and the chill of a dark winter has settled comfortably. Not to mention that this year, there wasn't snow on the ground until a few days ago. That makes me feel extra down. Now I will turn that thought around because it is also the time that Sundance is happening! What better ways to cure the winter blues with a few weeks of independent films to see and stars to watch wandering around your home town? And for some reason, my favorite thing about Sundance is getting that random ticket to a random ass movie and having this incredible film-watching experience! It's different than a typical movie theater setting. They take your attendance very seriously. You can feel it in the audience. Every one is there to very consciously watch this film and even take notes. You are probably in the room with the directors and cast members. It's likely the premier of the film. You see berets and fur coats and feel this essence of Hollywood in your local public theater. The tickets you score to a film are always a wildcard, but you know they've been hand picked by the best in the world, so you really can't go wrong. If you have an opinion on it, you get to vote. There is heavy post-film Q&A. It's fun okay. I've never been one for the movies but I've always been one for FILM.

My weekend was exhausting and come Sunday, I just wanted to lay in bed all day. I slept in, took a shower, bundled up and walked into town. The only responsibility I had that day was to show up to a film called, Robin Williams: Come Inside my Mind. I waltzed into the theater that was a few blocks from my house, happening to realize that I was in line in front of the directors, one of which was wearing a big fur cap (WHY??). I remember not feeling very happy and just wanting to escape into the film. My mind needed an easy break from the world. And when it started, I felt my conscious mind sink back into a meditative state, soaking in the film in front of me. Nothing else was going on in the world outside that theater. It was fantastic. Just completely a joy and a sorrow. And also, an escape on a cold grey winter day. I love films for doing that. I walked home, reflecting on the experience of the documentary and remember thinking, "I love it when Sundance comes to town."

Because Sundance is about film. It's not about the celebrities, it's not about the parties, it's not about going skiing or wearing fur or making money or getting famous. It is a festival that showcases the best films made every year and I think that's fuckin dope we get to have it here in Utah. It's been totally influential on me as an artist to have this world of independent film show up once a year. It's led to me to attend more film screenings through out the year thanks to one of my favorite local non-profits, The Utah Film Center/ Salt Lake Film Society who do free independent-film screenings all year long.

And those are my god damn opinions! They are always subject to change! Nothing is factual! This is a blog! I am ranting about my opinions! In an attempt to later form more concrete opinions! Because that is how you should carry yourself! If you want to be a good person slash activist slash journalist!

Thank you for reading!