Sundance Dispatch #5: Signing Off

Went to a Tromadance panel, Tromadance being one of the feistier and more enduring side festivals here. The panel was called "Making Movies in the Age of $15 million Indepenent Films." Lloyd Kaufmann moderated. Apparently, he's been making very small films for 30 some years. His newest is "Poultrygeist." Also, he wrote a book called "Make Your Own Damn Movie." I think I'll check that one out, damnit.

The World Dramatic Grand Jury Prize-winner was a dramatically flat, brutal, content-void, artistically uninteresting French film called "13Tzameti." Then again, my Dogme 95, back-stretching buddy Thomas Vinterburg was on the jury, so maybe I missed something.

Terri, the old high school classmate who just happened to give me a ride the other day, got herself out of bed early on Sunday to drive across town to hear me preach. Even more noteworthy since she's Mormon. I asked the assembly to speculate with me about why Jesus' first preaching was so "spellbinding" and authoritative, how we can tell the difference between true and false prophets, and what truth each of us is called to preach.

The Dramatic Director Grand Jury Prize-winner, "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints," is spellbinding and authoritative. It's based on writer-director Dito Montiel's rough teenage years in Queens and is the most moving film I saw at the festival this year. Also the most aesthetically interesting. In fact, it was the aesthetic flourishes which are especially moving. Occasionally, the film brings in music while bringing in and out background sound or dialogue. During one emotionally charged scene, there are several brief fades to black.

The Documentary Grand Jury Prize-winner - and Documentary Audience Award-winner - is "God Grew Tired of Us," about several of the "lost boys of Sudan" who were allowed to emigrate from their 10-year-old refugee camp in Kenya to various cities in the United States. This is another very moving work. Funny, too (and sometimes embarrassing) watching these young men encounter my culture: trying to get on the elevator, trying to get off, going to the grocery store, making stew out of mashed Ritz crackers and milk, wondering what Santa Claus has to do with the birth of Jesus. Then there were the more serious challenges, such as not having time off work to get an education or to be with family and friends.

This is the one documentary Elvis Mitchell singled out when I talked with him. I hope I've redeemed myself by seeing two documentaries. I'm still trying to tease out reasons in addition to aesthetics that I'm not so inclined to watch (or make) documentaries.

The Dramatic Grand Jury and audience agreed as well: "Quinceanera." I'd already seen this nice little film, so I went back to the rectory and collapsed.

My favorite Sundance 2006 films:

• A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints
• Forgiven
• Wristcutters: A Love Story
• Princesas
• No. 2
• Quinceaneras

Sundance 2006 films I'd like to see that may not come to theaters:

• Adam's Apples
• Eve and the Fire Horse
• Forgiving the Franklins
• Stephanie Daley
• Son of Man
• In Between Days
• House of Sand
• Old Joy
• Sherrybaby

And even a few documentaries:

• Songbirds
• American Blackout
• Iraq in Fragments
• Into Great Silence

-dominic
1/30/06, noon