The 2011 Sundance Film Festival begins today, and once again Back Stage is here to trudge through the snow and navigate Utah's archaic liquor laws so you don't have to. We kicked off our coverage today with a preview of buzzworthy films and critique of the festival's marketing campain. This year's slogan: "Be there." It's not exactly Sterling Cooper material, but it's better than the runner-up idea, "Be there—or don't. It's not like it matters to us."
Press screenings don't begin until 10 p.m. tonight. That's standard Sundance procedure. The first day at the festival is always about getting here. This year, getting here involved flying coach at 9:30 a.m. from JFK to Salt Lake City—just like America Ferrera! The "Ugly Betty" actor is a juror for this year's U.S. dramatic competition and presumably had to book her travel last minute (or was paying tribute to the new SAG TV-film deal
guidelines), because she was rode to Utah in the back with the rest of us normies. As she stepped onto the plane this morning and turned toward coach, we had to restrain ourselves from leaning over and whispering, "Miss, you're facing the wrong direction." But then Ferrera made her way down the aisle and toward her seat, doling out hellos and even a couple high-fives to her fellow passengers. You could feel the morale of everyone on the proletariat side of the curtain shoot up. Sure, you rich people in first class may have your free breakfast and your extra leg room and your complementary foot massages (or whatever it is that you're paying for), but we've got the girl from "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" back here. Suck it.
You, reader, do not have to suck it. Instead, you have to check in with us all festival long, as we'll be keeping you up to date on new movies and the happenings in Park City, as well as posting profiles of up and coming actors poised to become break out stars. Sundance '11: Be there. Or don't. We don't want you to feel pressured.
--Daniel Holloway
Comments