Sundance Film Festival 2012

Sundance Film Festival 2012 starts today and goes through the 29th Yipidee!!! It is my absolute favorite thing to do here in Utah, it is a real treat! Last year was super slow for the fest and they're saying 2012 should be the best in years, lots of hotels and such booked up. The Outdoor Retailer Show one of the biggest outdoor shows in the world (that I also work at for prAna) is running at the same time this year which should help the fest out a ton too. Check out the film guide HERE I will keep you posted if I see any films worth checking out.

Sundance Film Festival Day 8

Kicked off my Sundance Shorts Weekend last night we went and saw Indigenous Shorts Showcase at the Broadway in Salt Lake City. I love shorts they have a more difficult time to in gage the audience and the director has such a short time to tell a story. Amazing what people come up with. I saw five shorts last night three of the five I enjoyed, the other two were a bit dark for my liking. All the Indigenous short films last night seemed to have deep sadness that I found interesting and portrayed intensely.


For those of you who have never seen a shorts Showcase at Sundance it is a collection of short films usually around 5 or so put together in the length of a average film. Shorts are pretty fast paced, I'm sure that is why I love them.

81 Short Films from 21 Countries Selected from a Record 6,467 Submissions

Go 2011!

These are the films we saw last night at the

INDIGENOUS SHORTS SHOWCASE

The Cave / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Helen Haig-Brown ) - A hunter on horseback accidentally discovers a portal to the afterlife in this fantastical version of a true Tsilhqot'in story.

Choke / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Michelle Latimer ) - Upon leaving his First Nations reserve, Jimmy encounters the lost souls of the city and is reminded that no matter how far you travel, you cannot escape who you are.

Ebony Society / Aotearoa-New Zealand (Director and Screenwriter: Tammy Davis) - One night out stealing; two boys learn a lesson.

Redemption / Aotearoa-New Zealand (Director: Katie Wolfe; Co-Screenwriters: Tim Balme, Renae Maihi and Katie Wolfe based on the short story by Phil Kawana) - A boy. A girl. A step too far.

The Rocket Boy / USA (Director and Screenwriter: Donavan Seschillie [Navajo Nation]) - A young boy's limitless imagination creates a dilemma between reality and dreams.

Stones / USA (Director and Screenwriter: Ty Sanga [Native Hawaiian]) - Set in the ancient times in the islands of Hawai'i, a forlorn woman living in isolation with her husband meets a child from a nearby village and contemplates whether she should bring her into her mystical world.

Wapawekka / Canada (Director and Screenwriter: Danis Goulet) - A final visit to their isolated cabin in northern Canada reveals the inter-generational rift between Josh and his traditional Cree father.


The Director for Stones and Rocket boy where there as well as the producers and other contributors to the films to do Q & A I always love that makes you feel a deeper connection to the films.

For the last three days of the Film Festivals Calender look HERE

Sundance film "Incendies"

Went and saw Incendies by Director Denis Villeneuve a Spotlight Film last night up at the Screening room at Sundance. It was my mom's first Sundance movie experience. Luckily it was a great movie for her first go at Sundance Film Festival, I thoroughly enjoyed it very powerful film. I don't like to say to much being you still have a couple opportunities to see the film. Indecendies was a French/Arabic with English Subtitles, if I'm enjoying the movie I don't even mind the Subtitles. I have seen several amazing foreign Films up at Sundance this one included. I spoke to a guy from Quebec in line that loves the Director and highly recommended his other films, I will have to check them out.


The Director said after the film that Sony Pictures Classics picked Incendies for distribution in Toronto. Incendies is also the entry for Canada's Oscar Award Foreign Film Category, Very exciting for the film.

Sundance Film "Sing Your Song"

Saw an amazing movie last night "Sing Your Song" (A film by Susanne Rostock) I gave it 4 stars. I Loved the Director Susan Rostock who was there and got to say a few words before and take questions after on the film. She did an amazing job portraying history an emotional, very interesting way. 

The film is a true documentary of Harry Belefonte, that examines a noteworthy life than a call to action for viewers to emulate Belafonte's example of engaging with the world's problems and searching for solutions no matter how long-range they may be. As an entertainer Belefonte had significant contribution to and his leadership in the civil rights movement in America and to social justice globally. 

These powerful men were young in this film Martin Luther King was in his 20's Wow! We may be young but look what people our age use to do and take a stand for. 

The film catches a man who has spent a lifetime practicing what he preaches and I don't know what could be more INSPIRING then that. What he did in Ethiopia made me cry, it was so amazing and so heartbreaking. After visiting Kenya a few years back it hits down deep I want to go back and I really feel led to help. This film leaves you with the question.

What to do now?

More on the film HERE

Sundance Film Festival 2011

The 2011 Sundance Film Festival started yesterday

 one of my all time favorite things to do in Utah! I am obsessed!! I have seen such amazing movies here year after year after year....some freaky weird ones too. I am so excited for what this year has in store check out the Film Guide HERE  I usually go up to the Screening room at Sundance it's the easiest place to get on the wait list for me and I usually always have the best luck up there. I love it so much fun in store! 

I'll let you know if I see any movies worth seeing