Tribeca Film Festival has kicked off
Happily, Even After a film by UNSU LEE
STARRING: Jason Behr Marina Black Fay Masterson Michael Goorjian
Set against a subtle San Francisco backdrop, Happily is an urban fairy tale about an outwardly successful woman and her self-absorbed brother. Since their parents' death eight years ago, Elizabeth and Jake have become trapped in their respective roles - she's the responsible older sister, he's the directionless younger brother. Enter Katie, a waitress with a mysterious past who becomes their surprising savior.
(2004,USA, 88 minutes, Color, 35 mm, World Premiere)

In its third year, the Tribeca Film Festival is not only expanding in its selection and popularity, but continues to win the hearts of filmmakers and talent as an emerging independent festival that has character unique to its origins and mission. While helping new filmmakers attract attention and hopefully distribution deals, the festival also resonates with filmmakers and attendees as a tribute to the resilience of New Yorkers in the aftermath of September 11-. Apart from the loss of lives and emotional destruction, Ground Zero’s immediate proximity to the Tribeca neighborhood also devastated many local businesses and spirits, and the festival has endeavored to help the community and show that from the ashes, creativity and dreams can rise. At the party following the world premiere of Happily, Even After at the Tribeca Film Festival, I sat down with San Francisco Bay area filmmakers producer/director Unsu Lee (Confessions of A Burning Man), producer Paul Barnett (Confessions of A Burning Man, Dancing at Lughnasa) and lead actress Marina Black (Six Feet Under, Swordfish) who plays Katie, to talk about their experiences and impression of the festival.

Set against a subtle San Francisco backdrop, Happily is an urban fairy tale about an outwardly successful woman and her self-absorbed brother. Since their parents' death eight years ago, Elizabeth and Jake have become trapped in their respective roles - she's the responsible older sister, he's the directionless younger brother. Enter Katie, a waitress with a mysterious past who becomes their surprising savior.

Producer/director Unsu Lee praised Tribcea for its treatment of filmmakers and focus on independent films. Lee, who also produced/ directed Confessions of A Burning Man which premiered in New York at the Angelika Film Center in February 2004, is thrilled to return to New York for the premiere of his first narrative film. Originally from Singapore, he has spent the last eight years living in San Francisco, and is drawn to film as a vehicle to explore other cultures Like Happily, he is drawn to projects which enable him to explore universal themes through more intimate, particular experiences. Lee concedes that the Tribeca Film Festival can be somewhat bittersweet, as during his first bit of downtime he was able to reflect on his immediate surroundings here- Ground Zero.. However, he esteems the Tribeca Film Festival for forging multicultural understanding with its diverse, international selection of films. He believes the festival has great potential in the next year or two to attract more distributors and become a significant venue for independent filmmakers to gain attention and gauge the reactions of viewers to their film.

Producer Paul Barnett, born in Scotland, finds New York City wonderfully exciting, He finds it unique in the sense of feeling caught in the middle of everything, believes the “baby” Tribeca festival has the potential to become one of the top three festivals in the US. He applauds the Tribeca Film Festival for its focus on independent films and feels the independent nature here is far stronger than at festivals such as Sundance. Barnett hopes the Festival can maintain that dedication as it grows, for the double-edged sword of success is that large festivals tend to attract larger films, often at the expense of independent, smaller- budget projects.

Actress Marina Black, a native New Yorker, lauded Robert Deniro for giving back so much to his neighborhood. To Black, being a part of the festival has meant more to her and her family than previous commercial successes. Although she’s spent the last ten years in Los Angeles, she misses the pedestrian traffic and sense of community in New York City. After September 11 she knows how hard a time it’s been for the city, and is proud to be a part of a film festival that’s a tribute to what she perceives as the resurgence of creativity in New York City. She sees the festival and the rebuilding taking place amidst the festival venues as indicative of the tremendous enthusiasm that has also been resurrected since September 11.

All three have been reveling in their experiences at Tribeca, and the rare opportunity to network with other filmmakers and learn from each other without being bombarded by paparazzi. The consensus among festival participants and attendees is that Tribeca is a special, personal festival in one of the world’s largest financial centers. Given the prominence of New York-based production companies coupled with the potential financing around, the Tribeca Film Festival seems poised to become a formidable force among film festivals the world over.

Rachel Markus
Party for Happily, Even After