Ready for heady at Sundance?

Bevy of heavy pics on tap at fest

By TODD MCCARTHY

Gilmore

'Die Mommy Die' takes a knowing look at Hollywood melodramas.

This article was corrected on Dec. 10, 2002.

The 120 feature films set to unspool during the 2003 Sundance Film Festival include an unusually large number of thoughtful, provocative and even cerebral titles, said fest director Geoffrey Gilmore in announcing the slate of the event that will run in Park City, Utah, Jan. 16-26.

"Most of the films that we're showing are projects that got made due to that old independent force of driving passion, and not because somebody thought they were marketable.

"In many cases, these films came from scripts that went through the development community and were thought interesting but were passed on, and finally fought their way through to getting made," observed Gilmore on the lineup for his 13th year at the fest. "There's a large number of films that have a cerebral side to them, that are brimming with ideas that provoke you and make you think. Is this a post-9/11 syndrome? Who knows? But it does make it a hard festival to categorize in terms of trends."

Digital up

Unsurprisingly, the most pronounced trend is the number of submissions of films shot in digital formats. Gilmore and programming director John Cooper reckon that such pics have risen from about 25% of all entries last year to at least one third. After considering 1,740 features for last year's fest, programmers were faced with an all-time record of 2,012 submissions this year.

But far more dramatic was the increase in short films sent in: After receiving 2,100 shorts a year ago, the fest had to select from among 3,345 for 2003, a 62% increase that is obviously attributable to the easy and cheap availability of digital cameras and home computer editing. "It's the further democratization of film," said Gilmore, "moving from where filmmaking was a rarified thing that was difficult to learn and access to something that everyone thinks they can do."

Number of dramatic features selected for Sundance in all categories has remained steady at 85, but the docu side has expanded to 35 features, due to the creation of the new World Documentary section. Section enhances the fest's international dimension, which Gilmore said "is the area of the festival we're most adamant about upgrading and changing."

Foreign participants

"We know so many international filmmakers have come to Sundance on their own and weren't even prepared for the fact that there's going to be snow, much less knowing how to get around and do business," acknowledged Cooper.

To address this problem, the fest established a sales and industry office last year, but in a modest way. Modeling itself on that of the Toronto Film Festival, the office is being significantly expanded this year to provide many more services to foreign filmmakers hoping to maximize their visits.

Physically and logistically, the festival continues to morph in different ways. After several years at the Shadow Ridge, fest headquarters are moving this year to the Marriott. The new hospitality suite, dubbed "Sundance House," will be at the Kimball Arts Center at the bottom of Main Street, while the Filmmakers' Lodge, where individuals with entries in the fest will be able to connect, will take over the old Elks' Lodge on Main Street. The Music Cafe has moved to the top of Main Street.

"There's lots more local support from Park City than we've had at times in the past," said Cooper. "Everyone there geared up for the Olympics last winter and, having managed that successfully, they have a new confidence about what they can do."

Revamped cinemas

From a presentation p.o.v., Gilmore promises that the completely renovated Holiday Cinemas, formerly all filmmakers' last venue of choice, will move to near the top of everyone's pecking order.

Unavailable last year during the makeover, the Holidays now consist of four 170-seat capacity theaters with stadium seating and "great sightlines and sound." As before, these screens will be devoted to docus and World Cinema titles, although with the increase from three auditoriums to four, multiplex will also be able to take over some of the load of press screenings, which will otherwise remain in the same principal venues as before.

New theaters have been added to the mix in Salt Lake City for the public there, and showings at the Sundance screening room will increase to four per day.

As to the nature of the films in this year's lineup, Gilmore said, "There are so few genre films, and so many eclectic, unique works, that it's very hard to categorize the festival. They're all so differentiated from one another. But as to continuing trends, there is the growth of digital, finance coming from lots of diverse places, and name actors getting involved in smaller independent projects."

Latecomers uptick

Gilmore admitted that "a month ago, I had no idea what our festival would be like. Honestly, I was a bit worried. But we had more films come in after November this year than we ever have, plus new cuts of films we'd previously seen." Result was that, "by the end, we had more films that we liked than we ever had before."

On the documentary side, Gilmore noted an abundance of "different" kinds of biographical films, as well as "lots of histories of '60s and '70s material."

And just as there have been years when actresses such as Christina Ricci and Parker Posey have seemed to figure in every other film in the Sundance lineup, this one is indisputably the year of Patricia Clarkson, who appears in at least four features set for the fest.

Following are the titles for the Dramatic Competition, Documentary Competition, American Showcase and American Spectrum. Lineups for all other categories, including Premieres and World Cinema, will be released today.

2003 Sundance slate:

DRAMATIC COMPETITION

"All the Real Girls," follow-up feature by director David Gordon Green ("George Washington"), stars Paul Schneider, Zooey Deschanel, Patricia Clarkson and Benjamin Moulon in a Southern-set story of a young man who falls in love with his best friend's little sister, a virgin, after a career of sexual conquest. A Sony Classics release.

"American Splendor," from first-time helmers Shari Springer and Robert Pulcini, takes a look at the celebrated working class comicbook creator Harvey Pekar. HBO production from producer Ted Hope toplines Paul Giamatti, Hope Davis and Judah Friedlander.

"Camp," a "Fame"-like musical comedy in which screenwriter Todd Graff makes his directorial debut, concerns a summer camp attended by young thesps, singers and dancers with Broadway dreams. Feature from Jersey Films and producer Christine Vachon features an unknown cast.

"The Cooler," from debuting director Wayne Kramer, stars William H. Macy, Alec Baldwin, Maria Bello, Shawn Hatosy, Paul Sorvino and Joey Fatone in a love story set against the transition from the old to new Vegas, as the mob goes about updating its approach to casino management.

"Die Mommy Die," a screen version of Charles Busch's popular play directed by Mark Rucker, is a knowing take on Hollywood women's melodramas. Busch, Frances Conroy, Natasha Lyonne, Jason Priestley, Philip Baker Hall and Nora Dunn star.

"Dopamine," first feature by director Mark Decena, toplines Jonathan Livingston as a repressed computer animator in San Francisco's fading dot-com world who confronts the prospect of love via a creature he creates on his computer.

"The Mudge Boy," a dark, strange story from tyro helmer Michael Burke, concerns the changes in the relationship between a rural father and son after the death of the latter's mother. This Sundance Lab product will be presented on Showtime and stars Emile Hirsch and Richard Jenkins.

"Party Monster," a feature version of the documentary of the same title from directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, is the tale of notorious New York clubber Michael Alig, who killed his drug-dealing roommate. Macaulay Culkin, Seth Green, Wilson Cruz, Natasha Lyonne, Marilyn Manson, Dylan McDermott, Chloe Sevigny and John Stamos star.

"Pieces of April," directed by Peter Hedges, is an InDiGent production about the outcast daughter of a suburban family who invites her family to Thanksgiving dinner at the New York tenement she shares with her black boyfriend. Katie Holmes, Oliver Platt, Patricia Clarkson, Derek Luke, Alison Pill and Sean Hayes star.

"Quattro Noza," a sort of indie "The Fast and the Furious" directed by Joey Curtis, is the highly visual tale of kids in the hip-hop/illegal street car racing scene in Southern California.

"Rhythm of the Saints," a very low-budget first feature by Sarah Rogacki, concerns a tough New York Latina battling dangers at home and in her violent neighborhood. Sarita Choudhury, Daniella Alonso and Ryan Donowho star.

"The Station Agent," directed by Tom McCarthy, concerns a dwarf living in an abandoned rural New Jersey train depot who becomes involved in the lives of a local artist and hot dog stand owner. Patricia Clarkson, Peter Dinklage and Bobby Canavale star.

"The Technical Writer," a satirical comedy from director Scott Saunders, concerns an urban hermit dragged into the outside world by his outgoing neighbors. Michael Harris, Tatum O'Neal and William Forsythe star.

"Thirteen," a first feature from art director Catherine Hardwicke, tat intimately details the 13th year of a "good girl" who gets into sex, drugs and petty crime under the influence of her wild best friend. Pic stars Holly Hunter, Evan Rachel Wood and Nikki Reed; latter co-wrote the autobiographical tale with Hardwicke and plays the best friend.

"The United States of Leland," directed by first-timer Matthew Ryan Hoge, tells the story of the aftermath of a brilliant teenager's senseless murder of a retarded boy. Ryan Gosling, Don Cheadle, Chris Klein, Kevin Spacey (who also exec produced), Jena Malone, Lena Olin and Michelle Williams star.

"What Alice Found," a first feature by A. Dean Bell, is the odd tale of a down-and-out woman who is taken in by an RV'ing couple and sucked into the seamy underworld of truckstop prostitution. Judith Ivey co-stars.

DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

"Brother Outsider: The Life of Bayard Rustin," directed by Nancy Kates and Bennett Singer, concerns the Martin Luther King Jr. adviser, March on Washington organizer and LBJ confidant who was eased out of the limelight because he was gay. To be shown shortly on PBS.

"Bukowski: Born Into This," a first effort by John Dullaghan that was many years in the works, takes a comprehensive look at the late cult author Charles Bukowski.

"Capturing the Friedmans," directed by Andrew Jarecki, uses home movie footage shot by a participant to document the true story of sex crimes against children in an infamous case on Long Island.

"A Certain Kind of Death," directed by Blue Hadaegh and Grover Babcock, uses the L.A. County Morgue as a point from which to explore the little-known process of what happens to individuals and their holdings when they die leaving no next of kin.

"A Decade Under the Influence," directed by screenwriter Richard LaGravenese and the late Ted Demme, examines the changes in Hollywood filmmaking during the 1970s.

"The Education of Gore Vidal," directed by Deborah Dickson, explores the life and work of the perennial political and literary contrarian.

"The Murder of Emmett Till," directed by Stanley Nelson, an account of the 1955 murder of a 14-year-old black boy from Chicago while visiting in Mississippi. Case is seen as a turning point in the way white-on-black murders in the South were judged. Due for PBS broadcast soon.

"My Flesh and Blood," directed by Jonathan Karsh, concerns Susan Tom, a woman living in Fairfield, Calif., and the 11 afflicted children she adopted.

"The Pill," directed by Chana Gazit and David Steward, looks at the development of the birth control pill and its many ramifications.

"Robert Capa: In Love and War," directed by Anne Makepeace, chronicles the life of the celebrated war photographer.

"The Same River Twice," directed by Robb Moss, intercuts footage of five hippies on a river-rafting trip down a Northern California river in the '60s with contempo material to illustrate the changes in the Make Love Not War generation.

"State of Denial," directed by Elaine Epstein, examines the AIDS crisis in South Africa in the face of governmental neglect.

"Stevie," directed by Steve James ("Hoop Dreams"), who was the subject's Big Brother, looks at the lower-class boy's life then and now. Previously shown at the Toronto Fest.

"Tom Dowd and the Language of Music," directed by Mark Moormann, concerns the developer of four-track recording and the innovative Atlantic Records producer of the likes of John Coltrane, Ornette Coleman, Otis Redding, Eric Clapton and the Allman Brothers.

"The Weather Underground," directed by Sam Green and Bill Siegel, is a personalized account of the '60s radical political activists.

"What I Want My Words to Do to You," "created" by Judith Katz, Madeleine Gavin and Gary Sunshine, focuses on playwright Eve Ensler's writing workshop at Bedford Hills Correction Facility for Women.

AMERICAN SHOWCASE

"Buffalo Soldiers," from director Gregor Jordan, is a caustic look at a U.S. Army soldier running criminal scams while based in Germany in the late '80s. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, Anna Paquin, Ed Harris, Scott Glenn, Dean Stockwell and Elizabeth McGovern, Miramax release was put on the shelf after its 2001 Toronto Fest preem due to perception that its themes would not play well after 9/11.

"City of Ghosts," Matt Dillon's second directorial outing, is a melodrama set and shot in Cambodia. MGM/UA item, which bowed at this year's Toronto Fest, stars Dillon, James Caan, Stellan Skarsgard, Natascha McElhone and Gerard Depardieu.

"Laurel Canyon" is director Lisa Cholodenko's look at a freewheeling L.A. record producer and her questionable influence on her son and latter's fiancee. Sony Pictures Classics release unspooled previously at the Cannes and Toronto fests and toplines Frances McDormand, Christian Bale, Kate Beckinsale and Natascha McElhone.

"The Maldonado Miracle," Salma Hayek's directorial debut, is due for Showtime airing. Ruben Blades, Christina Cabot, Peter Fonda and Frank Gerrish are featured in this tale of SoCal small towners whose faith is put to the test when a statue of Jesus appears to shed tears of real blood.

"Normal," Jane Anderson's directorial bow in an adaptation of her own play, concerns a Middle American husband who, after 25 years of marriage, announces his intention to undergo a sex change operation. HBO feature stars Jessica Lange, Tom Wilkinson, Hayden Panettiere and Clancy Brown.

"Raising Victor Vargas," the newly redubbed first feature from Peter Sollett, sparked favorable response at the Cannes Film Festival as "Long Way Home." Pic concerning the low-key first romance between teens on New York's Lower East Side amid hectic family life will be released by Samuel Goldwyn Films and Fireworks Pictures.

AMERICAN SPECTRUM

"The Beat," from first-time director Brandon Sonnier, looks at a young black man's divided pursuit of his father's dream that he become a cop and his own desire to be a rapper.

"Bookies," the return of "Happy, Texas" helmer Mark Illsley, is the darkly comic tale of three friends whose activities as college campus bookies attract the attention of the local mob. Nick Stahl, Johnny Galecki, Lukas Haas and Rachael Leigh Cook star.

"Born Rich" is first-time filmmaker Jamie Johnson's docu about the kids of intensely wealthy families.

"The Boys of 2nd Street Park," a docu by directors Dan Klores and Ron Berger, follows five lower class Jewish men from Brighton Beach as they look back at their lives from the '60s onward. Pic's set to air on Showtime.

"Civil Brand," a drama helmed by Neema Barnette, concerns young black women prisoners who fight abuse in a privately owned prison. Lions Gate release stars LisaRaye, N'Bushe Wright, Mos Def, Da Brat and MC Lite.

"Cry Funny Happy" is first-time director Sam Neave's improvised picture about the interaction of and change experienced by six characters during the 30th birthday party of one of them. Til Luckenbill, Marjan Neshat and Amy Redford star.

"Detective Fiction," director Patrick Coyle's adaptation of his own play, concerns a Minnesota man who turns to crime writing as an escape from his court-ordered sobriety. With Mo Collins, Coyle, Sarah Agnew and Brent Doyle.

"A Foreign Affair," first outing from Dutch helmer Helmut Schleppi, is a farce about two Yanks, played by David Arquette and Tim Blake Nelson, who join a "romance tour" of Russia in order to find a traditionally minded wife.

"Love and Diane," a docu from director Jennifer Dworkin, follows a recovering crack addict and her troubled daughter. Pic was a hit at the recent New York Film Festival.

"Milk and Honey" is a drama from "Virgil Bliss" director Joe Maggio.

"White of Winter," first feature from director Robert Saitzyk, is a meditative work about a woman's search for a lost child in Montana. Zoe Poledouris, Bret Roberts, Tamara Zook and Joseph Chase star.