My first trip to the Sundance Film Festival was in 2001 to support the premiere of good friend’s film. I couldn’t find a room I could afford in Park City, so I slept in the window seat of the director’s room, while other friends claimed his sofa and armchair. It was a typical first Sundance experience – a debut film, supporters crammed together in one room, partying hard in snowy sub-zero weather. My friend’s film was picked up by a cable channel, but he never had much success after that Sundance selection. For all the success stories that have made Sundance a mythic cinematic event, there are so many filmmakers for whom that debut in Utah their peak achievement
After that introduction to the festival, I’d come back often in the 2000s. In 2004 I executive produced an HBO film, Everyday People, that was prophetic about gentrification’s impact on American cities. That trip I had a big room, a girlfriend and made a lot of new friends. In 2007 I returned as a director with Life Support, another HBO project, that starred Queen Latifah, Wendell Pierce, Evan Ross and had a cameo from Tracy Ellis Ross. This time I had a suite, had my screening at the big Eccles Theater and had a lovely dinner at with the cast and crew at a bistro on Park City’s Main Street, which is the heartbeat of the festival. Two years later I was back as producer of Good Hair, a documentary about black hair starring Chris Rock, that won a jury prize from the documentary judges. In large room several friends slept in my guest room and of the sofa. So, I’d gone full circle at the festival.
(With Misty Copeland and Leyla Fayyaz)
This trip, which I just got back from, was designed to tell folks about an experimental social activism short film, ‘Flower,’ that I co-created with ballerina Misty Copeland. (About a decade ago I directed a doc about Misty, ‘A Ballerina’s Tale,’ and we’ve stayed in touch.) She recently started her own production company, Life In Motion, with former dancer turned TV producer Leyla Fayyaz and the two of them produced and raised the money for Flower. This was their first Sundance and it was fun to watch them negotiate the many social/business events and Park City’s snowy streets. For me it was chance to meet one on one with faces from emails and Zoom meetings.
Moreover, it was impressive to see how the presence of people of color at the most important American film festival has increased. Throughout its long history Sundance had become synonymous with angst ridden films about white Americans. During my previous trips the number of films and filmmakers of color on Main Street was painfully low. No longer. There were lodges dedicated to black, Asian and Latin filmmakers, while the roster of films in the festival had a very strong African-America presence. A young black company, Confluence, had financed all or part of four films at the festival.
This is the first in person Sundance in two years and folks seem happy to be there despite the way below zero weather. There were fewer gift bags given out and fewer lifestyle brands hosting parties. Most of the industry chat was about the streaming marketplace, the viability of theatrical releases, and people (as always) looking for distribution and money. Despite a few lightheaded moments, I’m glad returned. It’s given me new ideas, new connections and optimism about the future.