I got into Park City at about 12:30 in the morning today (Saturday) and was immediately informed that Nacho Vigalondo (Time Crimes) and Magnolia were having a Karaoke party and that I should head over there ASAP. It certainly did not disappoint, as Nacho is as entertaining with a Karaoke mic in his hand as he is in front of and behind the camera, and by 1:05 I was chatting with Trevor Groth, The Zellner Bros., Joanna Arong, the Magnolia guys, Tim League from the Amazing Alamo Drafthouse theaters in Austin, and many others. Everyone complains about Sundance for one reason or another, but there aren’t too many other places that you can pull into after midnight and be chatting with such an a good bunch of indie-film folks within 40 minutes of being drpped off at your condo.
On a somewhat non-Park City note, Filmmaker Magazine’s annual 25 New Faces of Independent Film article is out and it is packed with Rooftop Films alums, including Moon Molson (Pop Foul), Jennifer Venditti (Billy the Kid), Andy Blubaugh (Scaredycat), Calvin Reeder (Little Farm), Felipe Barbosa (Salt Kiss), and, pictured above, Brian M. Cassidy and Melanie Shatzky (God Provides, Fish Kill Flea). Congratulations to all who made the list–even if 18 of you haven’t screened a film with us yet. Maybe some day…