Cynematik on IndieWIRE

Finally! I found the PDF (with all 92 pages) of the Sundance Film Festival Guide for 2003 (that's last year's catalog). If you are a film lover or a potential Sundance festivalgoer, I strongly recommend that you download the 2003 Film Guide PDF here and study it! Even if you don't attend the festival, I recommend that you BUY one every year. "Why?," you ask.

First, many of the films that screened at Sundance last year are just now being released. Studying the Film Guide helps you keep an eye out for great independent films that will be coming to a theater near you in the following year. The guide has detailed summaries, photos, contact information and a brief cast and crew list.

Speaking of summaries, I use the film summaries two ways. Since I try to attend the festival every year, one of the primary uses of the summaries is choosing the films I want to attend. By studying the cast and crew lists, I can find out who felt the project was valuable enough to commit creative energy and time. I can see if someone is trying out a new creative role (actors often make directorial debuts at Sundance). And, studying the shorts is an excellent way to find upcoming talent.

The secondary use of summaries is as a review tool. I have learned to watch WHO reviews the film in the guide. I have found that some of the reviewers and I simply do NOT have the same taste in film. If certain reviewers rave about a film, I can be pretty sure it's not for me. (Even if you don't attend the festival, this is useful when selecting films in your own area.) I've also learned there are certain phrases that signal caution; phrases like "lyrical tale", "told in an atypical or non-traditional fashion", "assaultive images", and "barrage of sound and images". It only took one year for me to realize that you have to watch the reviewer, too.

Tomorrow, I'll have more suggestions for choosing films at the festival.

" The reverse side also has a reverse side."

    Japanese Proverb