Photo Diary: A First-Timer at the Sundance Film Festival 2024
Eventually, every filmmaker makes their way to Park City. A few snapshots from my first visit.
Friday, January 19, 2024.
Woke up at 3:30am to pack, aaaaaaaand plane is 45 min delayed. But we’re off!! (Sort of!)
Woman next to me on the plane orders an orange juice and double Tito’s at 7:30am. Is this how one Sundances?
Splitting an Uber with 3 strangers, I suddenly realize everything I know about Utah comes from either SLC Punk or the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
It’s gorgeous here.
Managed to get to Eccles in time to see Love Me. First Sundance film watched!
Check into non-murdery condo with my co-conspirators Maia Henkin (brilliant writer/director/actress) and Sydney Flint (brilliant production designer — here with her film Tendaberry!).
There’s a skating rink!
At Flanagan’s Syd and I order the most expensive Irish pub food I’ve ever eaten with an entertainment lawyer we just met. Sundance feels like the place you hang with entertainment lawyers you just met.
Later, to the surprise of no one, the DJ at Latinx House is killing it. I ask way too many people, “Sooooo, what do you DO in the InDuStRy?” I need a hot shower.
Saturday, January 20, 2024.
WIF brunch mixer at Acura Lounge. It’s starting to snow. Someone asked me if I’m going to “the activation” later. But what is an activation?
At the Macro Lounge, there’s free Ketel One and it’s not even 1pm. Commence day-drinking. 🫣
Short film block at the Egyptian. It’s snowing really hard now.
Met up with Tyrrell Shaffner at Macro Lounge, then head to Shutterstock Lounge. Is Sundance just being at one lounge and then going to another lounge and talking about what lounge you’ll go to next? (Spoiler: it is.)
Later at the IndieWire/Portrait Creative Lounge with Martina Silcock, we wait in line for 20 min for free green curry and this photo:
Time for beers with Syd, a filmmaker I just met named Christian, and two locals at No Name. The locals are a doctor and a mechanical engineer and I never want to stop talking to them.
Heading to a house party for the Tendaberry team, we meet Miss Ava on the street! 😍 🐶
Climbed five flights of dodgy steel staircases high above Main St, then forced the Tendaberry DP to talk to me for an hour about shooting on film. I wanna shoot on fiiiiiilm!
Grab a Lyft out front of the Egyptian and a spookily empty Main Street at 2am.
Sunday, January 21, 2024.
Had to stop myself from buying a book of old-timey Park City photos at Dolly’s Bookstore.
Met Pumpkin the owl. This is by far the best networking I have done at Sundance.🦉
Lunch is pizza and a pint at Red Banjo. I have not eaten a vegetable in 3 days (unless mint garnish counts…please say it counts).
Film Fatales panel is awesome! Meanwhile Maggie Contreras negotiates a deal on the carpet because that’s how she rolls. 🤘
Congratulations to the Tendaberry team (but most of all Sydney Flint) for their incredible World Premiere!
Stop off at my friend Desiree Staples’s party. I’m losing my voice from shouting, “What’s your naaaaaame?” over incredibly loud bassline.
Finally, a peaceful late night walk back to the condo past the Miner’s Hospital, built in 1904:
Monday, January 22, 2024.
People have started to clear out. Still gorgeous here.
At the Canon Creative Studio, the DPs are talking wide-open versus f/2.8, primes versus zooms, and I am leaning forward in my chair. Jay Holben moderated with cinematographers David Klein, Bryan Gentry, and Eloi Molí. By far the best panel I’ve been to.
Swag was swagged:
Quick coffee with brilliant film critic Brian Tallerico, and I’m out! Goodbye Filmmaker Disneyland! 🥲
Wow! What a great adventure! Love all the photos.