Flew back to Los Angeles yesterday, where I immediately came down with a cold I'd been suppressing for the past few days. I guess all that Airborne and Emergen-C that we stockpiled in our condo didn't do much good.

All in all, my first trip to Slamdance was a positive one. Our second screening looked and sounded much better than the first, thanks to a new projector which the Murder Party team helped secure. Thanks Murder Party! The house was packed and people laughed in the right places. But it was hot as hell in that room. Very very toasty. Here's a glimpse of what it looked like in there before the lights went down.

Other highlights from the week...

There was a big Asian/American presence in Park City this year -- apparently the biggest ever. And on Sunday the 21st, every Asian person in Utah gathered at the China Panda restaurant for a huge party.

At the buffet, while pouring myself some Hot and Sour Soup, I met Greg Chew, who is the Film Commissioner of San Francisco. He wants everyone to know that there are some new incentives to shoot in SF. Apparently the city is trying to lure you to shoot there instead of Canada. Btw, doesn't he look like the Asian Andy Warhol?

Continuing the Asian American presence in Park City...
Suzy Nakamura and I were on a panel along with Finishing the Game's Justin Lin and Sung Kang and some others titled "If we build it, will they come?" or something like that. We were supposed to be discussing trends and directions for Asian American cinema. I said it was exciting that I could make a film that wasn't explicitly Asian American (e.g. an ethnic coming of age story that is so common among first-time indie filmmakers) and still be on a panel like this. It's nice to know that Asian Americans would want to claim a zombie movie as one of their own. Now that's inclusion! Suzy and Sung kept the audience entertained with their stories from the acting trenches.

Visited the New Frontier on Main a few times, which was a good place to chill as it wasn't far from Slamdance HQ. I was intrigued by Shu Lea Cheang's mobiopera casting sessions. Another day, a couple of writers, Lance and Eric from SLUG MAGAZINE and I did an impromptu interview in one of the art installation rooms.

The rest of the week was a blur of screenings, parties, reconnections with old friends and meeting up with new acquaintances. Thanks to everyone at Slamdance for being great hosts -- especially Sarah, Drea, Dan, Peter and all the volunteers. To everybody who came out in support of AMERICAN ZOMBIE, thank you and we raise a glass of blue liquid to celebrate the end of the festival! See you at the next one!

(that's Co-writer Rebecca Sonnenshine and associate producer Jude Jung at the SXSW party).