Editor

Finally, the snow flurries blew into Park City giving the town the kind of
white powder that pleased skiers as well as filmgoers who might feel a greater
sense of coziness during a matinee. Jill Sprecher’s Thirteen Conversations
About One Thing, being one well received option, but a fair number of people
checked out the House of Docs, a sprawling but comfy clubhouse for documentary
makers who are making quite a presence with their films this year.

Since the subjects of the films usually are concerned with social issues, the
conversations here usually have to do with more than schmoozing. A panel discussion
this morning featured nearly all the documentary filmmakers in the festival
chatting about the thorny relationship between director and subject. Moderated
by critic B. Ruby Rich, the lively chat touched on the complicity between both
those behind and in front of the camera.

The documentary genre seems particularly vital this year, with the doc competition
titles such as Blue Vinyl, Daddy & Papa, Sister Helen,
Senorita Extraviada gathering as much word of mouth as the bigger dramatic
features. The excitement was compounded by Robert Redford’s announcement
that the Sundance Channel will launch an all-doc channel, as well as the Sundance
International Documentary Fund to support new films. A number of people developing
documentary projects were also invited guests who received professional advice
and invitations to participate in the discussions.

Of course there were lures in the lunching venues—both Gena Rowlands and
Kyra Sedgwick dined at Zoom, at separate tables – as well as in other film
formats. In the World Cinema section, Laurent Cantet's haunting Time Out,
offered a disturbing look at a salary man who’s gone unhinged. Human
Nature from director Michel Gondry had a premiere screening at the Eccles,
which had the added appeal of star Patricia Arquette serving as a juror in the
dramatic competition. Arquette makes a daring performance in the quirky, entertaining
film, scripted by Being John Malkovich scribe Charlie Kaufman, portraying
a woman covered with body hair. Once again, the film’s unique vision, and
completely unpredictable plot twists, is a definite heir to Sundance’s
reason for being.

Glen Helfand