Gondoliers in Venus: Cannes 2010 – DAY 3

Posted in Diary of a Directrix, On the Fest Circuit
May 14th, 2010 by Devi Snively (The Directrix)

juan of the dead 2 smQuite the education we’re getting already.  I’m so glad to be here on a no-stakes basis.  It’s been interesting chatting up some of the sales agents and other filmmakers. What a luxury to be here with a film that cost so very little to make.  So many folks are seriously losing money.  It’s almost sad seeing the endless posters of movies (surprisingly many with big name stars and clearly sizable budgets) that will be lucky to be noticed at all amid the endless titles.  It’s heartbreaking really. 

empty screening roomWe’ve yet to make it to any of the market screenings, though they do not look well attended at all.  Tiny films in small basement rooms being played to nobody.  According to friends’ accounts, occasionally buyers will walk in, watch for 5 minutes, make their decision as to whether or not they think it will make money and leave.  I pity the filmmaker who attends to witness that.  Yecccch.  Still, I plan to catch a couple that have caught my eye (see last blog entry for titles.)

url-2Of course one fellow who seemed to be doing alright is a producer we met at the JFK airport when our plane was delayed.  We ran into him again at the grocery shop and exchanged our respective first-day-in-Cannes tales.  It turns out he’s like a MAJOR producer – like academy award-winning films level- in other words, yes, you’ve seen his work.  url-6It was a nice surprise – he’s a super cool guy and also a fellow former New Yorker who now resides in L.A. out of necessity.  He actually wrote down my suggestion of the most decent pizza in L.A. (Lucifer’s in Los Feliz, incidentally.  I still haven’t found a decent bagel.) Ah, the important things in life.

url-3Producer Guy had us in stitches as he shared some funny pitch stories including this Italian guy who wanted to make a film about gondoliers who get taken over by an alien invasion, only his English wasn’t so hot and they couldn’t determine if he was saying Venice or Venus or what – was it gondoliers in Venice and aliens from Venus or vice versa?  Personally, I’d love to see Gondoliers in Venus.

Agustin was a fine producer today and pitched our movie to a number of sales reps, several who seemed surprisingly interested in trippin‘.  People seem excited to tap into the college audience and have invited us back for meetings over the next week.  Still, my favorite had to be the guy who looked at our press kit and sighed, “Man, this is EXACTLY the kind of film we USED to market.”   Let me guess?  3 years ago when we made it perhaps?  D’oh!  Oh well, life (or Death in this case) sort of got in the way – it happens.  Incidentally, Death got into its 87th festival as of today – sweet!  Still, this has been far more encouraging for trippin’ so far than i would have expected.  Micro-budgets definitely seem to be at an advantage in the current market.

sangria smAfter working the Palais, we found the best sangria in town at an authentic Spanish tapas bar.  Man, the food here is AMAZING – though funny how everything seems to come with fries.  I never even eat those back home (except for sweet potato fries because they’re the new crack.) The cheese here is positively orgasmic.  Thank goodness for the pool and all the walking or we’d balloon out big time!

url-7After an indulgent lunch, we headed back to the Villa to catch some films, network and prep for our own screening.  We saw a moving documentary, BREAKING NEWS BREAKING DOWN, by new fest buddy Mike Walter and cracked open some bottles of champagne before our Cannes premiere.  I was beside myself to see dear Aussie friends Natalie Eleftheriadis & J Harkness (of one of my fave films of last year Birthday) after 5 months apart, and we instantly launched into fun conversation as if nary a second had passed since we last said goodbye. They are here with Nat’s charming co-star Ra Chapman.

Our screening was most rewarding and I couldn’t have asked for a warmer reception from our audience.  Cannes Indie reminds me of our first time at Slamdance in 2001 before they got quite so big.  Everybody’s been so supportive and encouraging and just a delight to talk to.  It feels like this quirky international family in paradise.

urlProgram Director Erich Schultz kicked off the thoughtful post-movie discussion / q&a which was my most fun to date.  It was a treat remembering details of production I’d nearly forgotten.  He and new fest buddy Richard Dailey (director of the much anticipated and apparently naughty feature The Visit – “Full frontal teenage nudity with socks!” and featuring fellow villa-mate and former French Disney child star Come Levin) said the nicest things a no-budget filmmaker hopes to hear from somebody who’s just watched her film.  They had truly seen the movie I tried to make.

A filmmaker buddy once said to me, “You’re a filmmaker’s filmmaker” which he went on to explain is somebody whose work reminds us why we make films, how to have fun doing it and make it fun for the audience to watch it no matter what the budget or limitations.  It was one of the nicest things anybody has ever said to me and last night similar sentiments were echoed about trippin’. I was truly moved and gratified by people whose opinions I value so very much.  Thanks, Guys!

badge smWe stayed up drinking wine, nibbling dark chocolate and talking film well into the wee hours.  I didn’t want the night to end despite my increasingly heavy eyelids.  My only regret is that I was having so much fun, I forgot to take any photos – d’oh!  This place is truly magic as are the wonderful people around us.  This is indeed why we make films – to live this life with these kindred spirits, sharing stories, philosophies and dreams together. Cannes Independent Film Fest, je t’aime!  Now more screenings and a night at the Majestic ahead.  More updates soon…

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