This from Peg:

Following the festival, Sig and I took a long delayed weekend trip to New York, motivated by Lizzie's (Sig's daughter) birthday and other reasons--all for fun. Met a couple of Lizzie's other "aunties"--gal pals from out of town that we had not seen for a long spell. Much hilarity ensued.

While there, we saw some fantastic theatre: first, The Pillowman--a dark, demented, and surprisingly funny play about terrible things happening to children. Also we saw Shockheaded Peter--a dark, demented, and surprisingly funny play about terrible things happening to children--this time with music playing.

Also we visited the Tribeca Film Festival HQ, examined their operations, and collected a catalogue. Very friendly and well organized.

With another pal who met us in the city, I ventured out to see Ashes and Snow, a photography/film exhibition that has received some notoriety due to what is perceived as an overly sentimentalized images of folks and animals--interacting in an idealized Edenic fashion. I can wrap my head around that point of view but still found the work captivating and hopeful as well as a bit mesmeric. A major element of the exhibition was the facility--the Nomadic Museum--which is a temporary and portable (hence the name) building made entirely of temporary and portable materials--cardbord, cloth, and carriers. It was located on Pier 54. Moving around within it was a lot like visiting a temple--somewhat hushed and suspended in thoughtful contemplation.

Less hushed but still suspending was the riotous food & beverage consumption we all did in that magnificent city. We stayed at the Washington Square Hotel, which featured a wonderful restaurant and breakfast room (I ate breakfast three times one day!). Of course, one could spend her life visiting fantastic restaurants in NYC and still only make a small dent. We truly tried to do so.

--Peg

Since opening INSIDE DEEP THROAT last week, we have had some hilarious reactions from the movie-going public. From an elderly wife explaining for her husband, "He thinks it's about Watergate," to "What kind of place are you running?" from a patron in hushed tones, just before reserving a table...

From the whispering of the title as if it were, say it with me...cancer, to a really aged patron tapping his cane along to the soundtrack, to a couple playfully simulating oral sex in the back of the theater with beer bottles (ok, ewwww), our staff has seen it all...

But the reaction to the film is amazing. Not one person has walked out, a better batting average than TARNATION, playing down at the dMAC, which sources tell us has had a mass exodus at some screenings. Don't get me wrong. I was riveted by TARNATION, but apparently folks here in the Bible belt are finding it too disturbing or they are just experiencing a Blair Witch-like queasiness and are forced to evacuate (take that any way you like).

To avoid all the hoopla, we actually put INSIDE DEEP THROAT A Documentary on our marquees...and still we have managed to uncover the fact that maybe we haven't come such a long way in 30 years...

We did it! We survived, and not just the Festival. In the past year, the staffers here at Enzian have survived three hurricanes, the deaths of family members (in two cases two in one family within two weeks), car accidents, illnesses, and the dissolution of relationships...maybe God is punishing Florida. But we are still here and we produced a great festival (if I do say so myself).

This was my fifth festival and I don't think I have ever seen a staff (paid or volunteer) work so hard! And please, before we start to get letters, let me clear up the fact that the folks at Gatorland who provided us with "Jeb" really do care about those animals and use them to educate schoolchildren on wildlife preservation. Anyone who sees those men with those animals can tell they love them. Enough said.

Each year there is one moment where I think this is why we do this...this is why I do this. This year is was on closing night when I saw the tears of a packed house in reaction to AFTER INNOCENCE. When I saw it at Sundance, I knew we had to screen it in Florida, especially since there is current legislation pending in the Florida legislature regarding the use of DNA evidence. After director Jessica Sanders impassioned plea to the audience to take action, I think the real Jeb probably received a few calls yesterday...