Friday, January 22, 2010

Some thoughts about Sundance

All kinds of media are spouting off about Sundance and I am getting excited to get out there past the hype. Basically, what CFF does best is find really smart films that have been orphaned by the commercial juggernaut. We bring films to light that will NOT be playing at a theater near you. Often times that means not having mega wattage star power like Kristen Stewart, but I love CFF's programming niche because we don't have to make money. We just have to compel, challenge and delight our audience. It is cinema for the pure sake of its delight. We don't offer a market to sell in or a deal to get rich in. We just show great films to an eager audience. The purity of this thrills me.

There is so much bull in the film business. It is an awful Darwinian business. Everyone says, "Yes, of course, love to do it." The translation of that is "No way, not interested." When we make connections after screenings at Sundance, we aren't offering any fiscal payoff. We are offering a smart community that loves film and will fill the seats. Our community will roll out into the streets and talk about the films, not the hair styles or box office takes.

So I go with a renewed sense of purpose to find great stories.

Tom McCall

1 comment:

hayseednip said...

What a really nice piece of writing! You set off to hunter/gather for us some special, mind nourishing(and we hope tasty)gleanings of art from the great fields of film! God speed to you, our hearty culture warriors. Have fun! :-) Break-a-leg(s)!!!