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. 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.

Lisa Cholodenko, Festival Organiser Rob, and Mrs Mankowitz

I met the widow of Joseph Mankowitz and 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 received a reply. Amongst the other film-makers I met was this years student Academy Award Winner who premiered her new short film.

Jonathan & PVE at the Summer Rain screening in Connecticut

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.

Snowed in, so we has an impromptu film festival!

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.

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. 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.

Jonathan Glendening receives the BEST FILM award from Di Longo

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