SAGIndie

Well, we’ve come to the end of our fourth year at the Cannes Film Festival (and my fifth year attending), and I wanted to report on our final events and thank everyone who participated… especially the American Pavilion/Adobe Student Filmmakers.

The students are always the highlight of this Festival and I was more impressed than ever to work with them.

For the first time ever, Adobe sponsored a contest for the students to make films during the two weeks of the Festival for cash and software prizes. Adobe also asked me to be one of the judges and to recruit the others. I figured I had better find judges who are actually qualified (unlike me), so I asked Emmy Award winning filmmaker Jay Miracle and AFI Fest Programmer Shaz Bennett to join me on the panel.

The winners will be announced here in about an hour, so I won’t reveal them on this blog, but I have to say I was blown away by all of the films. The fact that these students even made fully edited short films (with Adobe special effects, no less!) is impressive enough. The fact that they were all good was incredible. I’m glad I was here to see the beginnings of some amazing careers.

As usual, the highlight of Cannes was the Third Annual SAGIndie Karaoke Night. I did not sing because they still don’t make enough alcohol, but I did enable the students by buying them drink tickets.

John Cameron Mitchell, actor and the director of “Short Bus” (which I saw last night… and LOVED. It is a funny, moving, well-made film… and it definitely isn’t porn) was our special guest and performed a rousing homage to his home town “New York, New York.”

Some of the cast members also performed. Then they sang.

As the evening progressed, the audience got drunker and the singing got worse, but all-in-all I think everyone had a great time.

I’m looking forward to a week of vacation now (it may not seem like it, but it’s really hard to stay drunk for two weeks straight…), but before I sign off I just wanted to announce that SAGIndie has a new staff member. Scott Garner is being promoted (more on this later), so we have hired a new assistant to replace him. I’d like to welcome Eliza Hajek to the SAGIndie family. Eliza is a filmmaker and is much cooler than any of us (even you Scott), and, incidentally, she was an American Pavilion Student last year.

How’s that for tying it all together?

Ciao!

Yesterday we hosted a “case-study” panel with the cast and filmmakers behind “Lying.”

The film, by first-time writer/director M Blash is part of the Directors Fortnight at Cannes and is eligible for the Camera d’Or.

Blash and producers Molly Hassell and Lilly Bright joined actors Chloe Sevigny and Jena Malone in a conversation about the film and how it was made under one of the SAG low budget agreements.

It’s a particularly interesting story because the director and producers met each other for the first time in Cannes in 2005, and less than a year later they are here together with a film in the Festival.

We talked about the fifteen day shooting schedule, the actors process, the director’s inspirations and influences, and the difficulty of delivering a film to Cannes.

In this picture Chloe Sevigny compares me unfavorably to Vincent Gallo (it may look like laughing, but I’m really crying)…

It’s true. I have been coming to Cannes for five years and until yesterday had never seen a film here. At first it was because I was always too busy, but then I sort of started wearing it as a badge of honor. Of course, I still packed the damn tuxedo every year…

Anyway, I’ve been thinking that I might take a break from Cannes next year (not SAGIndie, just me…), and figured that if I don’t know when I’ll be back I might as well see a film (By the way, Darrien, thanks for busting my friend. His wife won’t care that he went out on a “man date” with me, but she’s going to be super pissed that he went to see X-Men 3 without her. Fortunately, no one reads this blog…). Actually, I saw two…

As DMG reported, I went to see X-Men in the morning. Scott will be happy to know that Brett Ratner did not ruin the franchise. Although by reading the reviews you’d think he did. Look, I’m no Ratner fan, but the media clearly has it out for him. I thought X-Men 3 was the best of the series. I don’t know what the comic book geeks will think (I’m a geek, just not that kind of geek… Antiques Roadshow is my favorite TV show….), but from my point-of-view the films were identical in style and tone.

Since I was already blowing my record for not seeing films I decided to go all the way and attend an evening screening of Nanni Moretti’s “Il Caimano (The Caiman).” I enjoyed the film. It was funny and gave me a good chance to practice my comprehension, but the Italian political satire was mostly lost on me. I did get to wear my tux. Walking down the red carpet alone was just weird. I may have appeared on the jumbotron (although I doubt it… I don’t have breasts), but I was afraid to look.

Our student roundtables continued today, including a “pitch session” with Dana O’Keefe from Cinetic Media. The students practiced their pitches and Dana brutally critiqued them until they cried. I’m just kidding. He was actually very kind and very constructive.

Tomorrow I’m moderating a panel with Chloe Sevigny and Jena Malone and everyone in Cannes is talking about SAGIndie Karaoke Night (okay… everyone I know…) on Thursday. There’s even a rumor going around that I will sing.

But that would be the Seventh Sign…

O.K., here I am again.  Of course, Paul threatened to fire me (again) if I didn’t blog.  You see what genius Rene came up with under duress.  I figure I have nothing to compare to (no geek meltdowns for me, I’m above it all).

So Paul officially ruined his highly regarded record of never seeing a film.  He saw X-Men as a "man date" with his best friend.  They liked it fine from what I can tell.  Then, Brett Ratner came through to do a "Conversations" .  Now Brett and I are old friends.  O.K., I used to work for Russell Simmons, who IS Brett’s friend, but I’m "that chick who used to work for Russell".  It was good to see him.  If I had known what a big director he would become, I would have been nicer to him.  (nah, I’m just mean by nature).  You’ve seen pictures of him, so I don’t feel the need to show him (he’s getting a decent amount of press here - go figure).

After Brett, Nick Nolte came through to discuss his long career.  I didn’t listen, I haven’t seen the new movie but it sounds interesting (i.e. I haven’t heard anything about it, but I’m sure it is).  Anyhow, here’s a picture of Nick (I call him Nick) and our good friend Roger Ebert.  The picture isn’t likely to last in history like the infamous mugshot, but I guess I like it anyhow.  Roger’s great because he LOVES our SAGIndie hats.  I need to get him the new one.  We’ve left the distressed orange baseball hats, and we’ve moved up to the pristine looking, sleek black and grey hats.  Very chic.  He’ll probably hate it. 

Life in Cannes has been cool.  I mean, practically cold.  The mornings tend to be overcast, so you don’t know if it’s a storm coming, or if it’ll burn off (and burn you as well).  The main problem has been the wind (no, not Ebert).  It’s been so windy that patio furniture has blown about, hats have been lost, and yacht parties have been cancelled!!!  Tragedy! (Especially since it included the one party that we were actually invited to).  Now, the premiere of X-Men is happening today.  I want to know where the hell Halle Berry is and why can’t she control the weather?!  I mean, COME ON!  That blond wig and scary contact lenses must have given her some residual power.  Freaky.  Besides, Storm is cool (I like any superhero that’s Black, since we are seldomly endowed with public powers).

Anyhow, I’m out.  It’s nearly 5pm and I haven’t really started drinking yet.  My daughter is 3 sheets already, so I have to catch up.  Ciao! oops, I mean, Au Revoir!

Every year there seems to be a shocking, controversial film at Cannes. A few years ago it was Gaspar Noe’s “Irreversible” (a really disturbing, powerful film… and incidentally, one of my favorites). This year, the main contender seems to be “Short Bus,” directed by John Cameron Mitchell.

I haven’t seen it yet (there’s a special screening for the students on Thursday that I plan to attend), and the reviews have been mixed, but every “real person” that I’ve spoken to has really loved it.

Unfortunately, it’s not a SAG film.

Normally, I don’t spend a lot of time talking about non-union films, but in this case I’ll make an exception because the only reason it isn’t a SAG signatory film is because SAG wouldn’t sign it.

After Mitchell’s hugely successful “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” he decided to follow-up with “Short Bus,” a look at modern relationships… that just happens to include scenes of explicit, actual, unsimulated sex. Mitchell’s company approached SAG about signing the film to one of the low budget agreements, but SAG wouldn’t sign it. You see, SAG doesn’t sign pornographic films.

But the film was never meant to be pornographic, in the sense of being titillating without artistic merit. There’s no funky guitar soundtrack, pizza delivery boys, or silicone breasts in “Short Bus.” The film has an actual story, and sex is an integral part of it.

Before the film was shot, SAG asked me if I thought they should sign it. I told them they should. They didn’t listen to me.

It’s too early to say the film will be a smash hit (it still has to find market in the repressed, theocracy… I mean, the United States…), but I think it’s safe to say that any misconceptions about whether or not the film has artistic merit have been put to rest. It’s my understanding that WGA and DGA signed the film, but sadly, SAG came up… (sorry) short.

I’m really not trying to say “told you so.”

But unfortunately the success of the film is already doing that…

Surprisingly, Paul has only threatened to fire me one time so far this trip. Why? Because I haven’t blogged yet. So here I am, blogging, so that Paul can start looking for other reasons to fire me. We like to keep him busy.

Unlike years passed, I’ve actually seen a movie this year! Last night was the official screening of John Cameron Mitchell’s SHORTBUS, and I really loved it. And let’s just say I’ll never be able to sing the National Anthem the same way again.

I might have once again made a fool out of myself at the American Pavilion as I had a complete geek out meltdown in the green room at the IFP’s Directors Panel.
There were so many cool people there - Austin god Richard Linklater, Gus van Sant, Brett Ratner, Larry Clark, you name it.

The panel was moderated by Roger Ebert. It was a cool place to be. And I’m a film nerd.

We just finished the 4th Annual SAGIndie Student Barbecue where we sacrificed a virgin and cooked him over an open flame.

I’m just kidding.

There are no virgins in France.

Actually, this was our yearly picnic for the American Pavilion students with food meant to remind them of home: BBQ pork sandwiches, cole slaw, and banana custard tarts (okay, we can only get so much American food in France…).

The Barbecue took place at the brand new SAGIndie Student Union, a place where the students can get away from the Festival frenzy, enjoy a meal, and relax. The new Student Union is in the same building as the Cannes Acting School, which I think is highly appropriate. It’s funny, the school is exactly the same as acting schools in Los Angeles: You see dozens of beautiful people standing outside the building “emoting.” Only in French.

SAG members Ian Ziering (who was also the subject of today’s Student Trivia Contest: What was the name of his character on 90210? Anyone?) and Rachael Leigh Cook, who are both selling films at the Cannes Market, dropped by to meet the students and answer questions about their careers.

We’d like to thank them both for taking time from their busy schedules. Thanks!

Every year Darrien has to celebrate her birthday during the Cannes Film Festival (I used to have to celebrate mine during Sundance, but I am important enough that the Festival changed the date). This year was particularly important for Darrien because this was one of those “Milestone Birthdays (I won’t tell you her age, but she went to preschool with Bea Arthur…).

Last night we surprised her with a cocktail party at the American Pavilion Corporate Apartment.

This is Darrien being presented with a birthday Hashish Brownie (it only has one candle because of the French fire prevention laws).

Darrien brought her parasite… uh… I mean, daughter… to the party, where she met her future husband, Charlie, the son of the owner of the American Pavilion. This picture may not show it, but believe me, sparks were flying. You should have seen what happened right after I snapped this shot. It involved diapers… and trust me… it was scandalous.

Anyway, I think Darrien enjoyed her birthday in Cannes.

And Arrena loved it just as much as every SAGIndie party:

Really.  My child and I have schlepped ourselves all the way across the pond to France.  It was a rough trip - 10 hours of crying and shrieking.  Not my kid, she slept the whole way in a bassinet.  But I was pretty darn uncomfortable!!! 

Now, we’re here at the American Pavilion, working to give these students a proper industry experience.  I’ve asked, cajoled, threatened and bribed industryites into givinge the filmmaking students a piece of their wisdom.  Of course, I didn’t threaten Don "The Dragon" Wilson to talk about selling films oversees, etc.  I asked him real nice like.  He was very nice about it.  I told him that Paul thinks Jean-Claude Van Damme could kick his butt, and he broke Paul’s collarbone with one swift (and high) kick.  He’ll survive, but he’s whining like a little girl.  D.B. Sweeney was kind enough to come through.  He has a film here at the festival called DIRT NAP and gave a great talk . 

It’s always cool when actors branch out and start directing and producing their own work.  It’s inspiring.   O.K., it keeps Paul and I in work, and that’s really important.  So we support actors!  Screw waiting around for someone to hire you.  Make your own movie - and pay yourself SAG wages!!!  It’s the American Way.

Other than that, it’s been work, work, work.  It’s really hard for a single (in France) mother to live her life.  I mean, if you knew my struggles!

Did I mention that we have interns?!

It’s really only the first full day of the Cannes Film Festival and I’m already exhausted. It didn’t help that I couldn’t sleep on the plane… or in my apartment the night I arrived… or last night. So, in lieu of sleeping I’ve decided to exercise. I’ve been running every other morning and I figure I will either become exhausted enough to sleep… or die.

We had our first official programs for the American Pavilion/Adobe Film Students (if you don’t know about the program, read about it at www.ampav.com… for some reason this blogging program won’t let me link…). Film Composer Dennis Dreith, Screenwriter Michael January, and Warner Independent VP Paul Federbush (pictured) spoke to the students.

The students, as usual, make it all worthwhile. They are excited to be here, unjaded, and smart. And most of them are wearing SAGIndie advertising (and we’re not even forcing them). This is Jenna showing off the brand new SAGIndie backpack and Anne Jo Lee modeling the new SAGIndie hat, both of which premiered here at Cannes… along with the apparently crappy Da Vinci Code (I didn’t see it… but the students who did shared the opinion of most critics that Tom Hanks’ mullet is perhaps the best part of the film).

Stay tuned for more from the Croisette… I’m going to go and drink myself to sleep (or maybe just drink)…