Last Weekend

Saturday (1/25) was a lot of fun. I worked for 4.5 hours in the morning and then had the rest of the day off. I managed to snag an internal ticket for Web Junkie, so I then had a delicious greek lunch and headed back to my condo to shower and get ready for the awards party. Then off to see Web Junkie. Afterwards, I met up with Kate, ate a small meal and then drove down to the awards ceremony. I had volunteered to help with clean up, so that means you get to be there early and actually see the awards ceremony! It was a lot of fun. Glad I got to experience it at least once. Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally were the hosts, which was entertaining, and it was neat seeing the speeches the winners gave. Cleaning up once the ceremony was over happened in a whirlwind. It is amazing how quickly we turned it from a place with chairs everywhere, to an open dance floor, clear of chairs and trash, etc. Then it was time for the party itself, which was a ton of fun. It is crazy how lucky I am. I had my best friend there, one of my great friends from a field job who I hadn't seen in 2 years (Melanie) who had come out to work Sundance for the first time, and my friend from OOTL(Cindy) and her brother, who came out again this year for the last few days of the festival. Most of my time was spent with Melanie and Cindy and her brother, just chatting and dancing. Also Cindy and her brother had seen three films that were award winners (that I hadn't seen - Fishing Without Nets, Imperial Dreams, and Return to Homs). The director and cast of Fishing Without Nets was at the party and they were a ton a fun. We met them, I took a picture of one of the cast with Cindy and her brother, and yeah, it was just a general fun time. Also met the director of A Girl Walks Home Alone, another film I didn't see but Cindy and her brother did. That woman was super entertaining. Glad I met her. Stayed at the party til they shut it down, a little after 12:30. Then headed home and got some sleep. Was able to snag tickets for a few of the award winners on Sunday, and between seeing them, drove Cindy and her brother to the airport. So as you can see, a very busy last weekend, but also a ton of fun. :)

Web Junkie
About the film
Part of the world documentary competition. One of two documentaries specifically focused on the negative impacts of internet addiction. I wanted to see both, but was only able to see this one. Definitely an interesting watch. Mostly focused on one specific treatment facility in China for internet addiction. In some regards I wanted to feel as though the Chinese government was overreacting, but I'm not entirely certain that they are. Some of these kids were spending days on end gaming online - staying out all night at internet cafes, going days, and sometimes weeks, without sleeping or eating. It is crazy. And, of course, this isn't a problem found only in China. It happens everywhere. The man running this particular treatment facility likened internet addiction to being addicted to heroin. Which is a really steep claim to make. But it is hard to deny that internet addiction is a thing when you hear the stories of some of these kids. All the symptoms of any other addiction - drugs, or alcohol, or what have you, are present and accounted for. Definitely food for thought.

Fishing Without Nets
About the film
This was part of the US dramatic competition. It had been a short film at Sundance a few years ago. It had not even really been on my radar at all this year. That is what I love about Sundance. You may see a film that you had no desire to see, and it turns out to be one of your favorites. Thankfully, my friends saw this one and loved it. So I had that to go on. And then it won the US dramatic directing award, and I met some of the cast and crew at the awards night party, and I knew that I would like to try to see it if possible. So incredibly glad I was able to get a ticket. As I said, it turned out to be one of my favorite films of the festival. I thought it was a great script, I thought the acting was great, directing was great, and that it was just overall a really good film. Highly recommend it.

The Green Prince
About the film
In the world cinema documentary competition. One of the documentaries that I most wanted to see, but the only time I could see it, was also when another film I wanted to see (God Help the Girl) was playing. I ended up getting a ticket for God Help the Girl, and was honestly just hoping and praying that this would win an award and I would be able to see it on Sunday. And that is what happened! Yay! It wont the audience award for world cinema documentary, and so it played on Sunday afternoon, and thanks to the joys of internal ticketing, I was able to snag a ticket. So glad I got to see it. Just a really interesting, compelling story. Highly recommend this, if you find yourself able to watch it.

Low Down
About the film
This is part of the US dramatic competition. It won the cinematography award for US dramatic section. Again, not even remotely on my radar. When I went to get tickets on Sunday, I got Green Prince and Fishing Without Nets, and then they asked me if I wanted anything else. So I asked if anything was playing after Green Prince and they said Low Down. Did not even recognize the title. But I said sure! Why not! :P Turned out it had a great cast, including Glenn Close, Elle Fanning, and Peter Dinklage. It was good, but definitely not my favorite. Very sad story. Some really great jazz music. But it was pretty much two hours of the same, depressing things. Still, glad I saw it.