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On
my return to England from Savannah, I was delighted to learn
that the DIRECTOR’S VIEW FILM FESTIVAL www.dvff.com
had selected Summer Rain as an official presentation. They
offered to pay for the hotel if I made my own way there
in February 2003. The festival took place in Connecticut
and screened films in Stamford, Norwalk, Greenwich, New
Canaan and Westport. I was able to attend the festival with
the leading actor of Summer Rain, Paul Vaughan Evans who
played Gary. Together we attended the multiple festivities
such as the US premiere of DARE DEVIL and a gala dinner
in honour of legendary director Arthur Penn. |
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I
was thrilled to see BONNIE & CLYDE on the big screen
once more and attend a special theatrical event where many
famous actors and actresses who have been directed by Mr.
Penn performed excerpts from his many screenplays live in
front of him. The photograph shows Melanie Griffith with
David Patrick Kelly and Arthur Penn.. Giancarlo Esposito,
Judith Light, Barbara Feldon, Denise Lute, Daniel Sarnelli
& Sandy Duncan also performed. |
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I
was able to attend a special screening of LAUREL CANYON
where I met the president of Sony Classics Michael Barker.
The director Lisa Cholodenko was also there to receive the
Woman’s Film-Making Award. She was presented with
a $1000 cheque. I won the entire festival and I got a nice
silver trophy. I wrote to Michael Barker after the festival
telling him I won the festival... I never recieved a reply.
Amongst the other film-makers I met was this years student
Academy Award Winner who premiered her new short film. |
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I
was unhappy at the programming of my film, late on a Saturday
night clashing with one of the festival parties, yet we
managed to pull in a reasonable audience who stayed for
the Q&A at the end with Paul and myself. The reaction
to the film was extremely positive and I was very happy
with the digital video projection.
That night the snow came, the worst blizzard in tri-state
history. A state of emergency was declared and all public
events were cancelled and travel prohibited. All the film-makers
attending the festival were trapped in the hotel in Stamford.
Showing a little ingenuity though, we accessed a VCR and
TV in a board room and had our own mini-film festival and
screened each other’s movies. |
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That
night the phone call came from Diane Longo, the festival associate
director. She told me that Summer Rain had won the GRAND JURY PRIZE
for BEST FILM. I immediately rang Eimear who was even more thrilled
than me! |
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Sadly,
due to the extreme weather conditions a state of emergency was declared
and the award ceremony for the following day was cancelled. Thus,
I received my award at Breakfast, the day after the festival and
the day of my departure.
I
had seen two stunning documentaries at the festival MISSING PEACE
– www.missingpeace.info
about a kidnapped presidential candidate in South America; and a
documentary about living with aids. I mentioned over the awards
breakfast how I felt that my film, being a whimsical romantic-comedy,
was unworthy to win when compared to such ‘important’
films. A couple at a table alongside interrupted me and said that
following September 11th – comedy films were more important
than ever. Connecticut is very much a commuter belt for people working
in New York, and the shock of September 11th was still very much
apparent a year on.
Less than two weeks after returning from Connecticut I was off to
the ROME
INDEPENDENT FILM FESTIVAL www.RIFF.it |
Jonathan
Glendening |
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