I've been back in Canada for almost a week now, and I thought I should end off with a recap of things that I miss about Venice.
I miss the humidity and the clear air. I miss "I need a Coca Light" and 8:30 screenings. I miss the good food and taking a boat to work in the morning.
There are things I don't miss, but for the most part everything is turning up roses in my memories.
When I got back to Toronto and was immediately whisked off to dinner with a tour group.* They were entertained by my stories and wanted my opinions of films that were showing in both Venice and Toronto.
The next day (after being awake for 23 hours and sleeping for only 6) I went to see 3 films at TIFF. I saw Who Do You Love, Slumdog Millionaire, and Les Plages D'Agnes. While I wouldn't recommend seeing Who Do You Love, the other two are worthwhile, and I particularly enjoyed Slumdog Millionaire.
I'm back in Kingston now, so this blog has become obsolete. The next time I go abroad, I'll start up a new blog and post the link here. Thanks for reading!
*My dad plays tour guide to some people who go to TIFF every year through Smithsonian Journeys. They are for the most part not cinematically trained, but they do enjoy watching films (obviously).
Friday, September 12, 2008
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Day thirteen - The Final Countdown
By the time Courtney and I got up this morning (we went to bed at midnight and got up at 6:30, best sleep I've had so far), Alex had already left. After a slow breakfast and last minute packing of toiletries, we were ready to go. Wakterwas staying over till Monday, as was Armand, who came round the house just in time to say goodbye. Ariela, Hannah, and Courtney were all on the same flight, and mine left 15 minutes before theirs, so we all left together.
I will reiterate that the vaporetto is a wonderfully majestic way to travel. Aside from the smell of the canals and the occasionally rocking from a cruise ship, it is one of the coolest ways to travel. Getting up and going to work via boat made me feel good every morning, and I'll miss that. I went in a water taxi just once this trip (when picking up Lika Minamoto from the airport), but I have a great love for public transit all the same.
We were lucky: just as we bought our bus tickets to the airport (Marco Polo Airport is on mainland Italy, and a 20 minute drive from Piazza le Roma) the bus wooshed us away. Upon checking in at separate stations, we met up with Mary inside. Mary was on the same flight as the others, but lived in the Dude Ranch, so we just met there. My flight was called first (obviously) so I left them at around 12:45.
The flight has been uneventful so far, other than a child who started screaming just before take off and would not be comforted until she was able to see her mother 20 minutes later (she was seated with her father). I a currently amusing myself by righting my penultimate blog entry and composing emails to people I met at Venice.
I avoided the two films that played on this trip. After the Venice Film Festival, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and Kung Fu Panda just don't cut it. Happy to be coming home, but sad that I won't see the people I met here for a while.
I will reiterate that the vaporetto is a wonderfully majestic way to travel. Aside from the smell of the canals and the occasionally rocking from a cruise ship, it is one of the coolest ways to travel. Getting up and going to work via boat made me feel good every morning, and I'll miss that. I went in a water taxi just once this trip (when picking up Lika Minamoto from the airport), but I have a great love for public transit all the same.
We were lucky: just as we bought our bus tickets to the airport (Marco Polo Airport is on mainland Italy, and a 20 minute drive from Piazza le Roma) the bus wooshed us away. Upon checking in at separate stations, we met up with Mary inside. Mary was on the same flight as the others, but lived in the Dude Ranch, so we just met there. My flight was called first (obviously) so I left them at around 12:45.
The flight has been uneventful so far, other than a child who started screaming just before take off and would not be comforted until she was able to see her mother 20 minutes later (she was seated with her father). I a currently amusing myself by righting my penultimate blog entry and composing emails to people I met at Venice.
I avoided the two films that played on this trip. After the Venice Film Festival, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian and Kung Fu Panda just don't cut it. Happy to be coming home, but sad that I won't see the people I met here for a while.
Day twelve - Last day
The church bells woke me up at 7:30, I'm usually up by that point, but I slept in today. Courtney rolled over and said, "It's 7:30 and our screening is at 8:30." I said, "that means making the 7:55 am vaporetto and I'm not ok with that." She rolled over, and the who should walk in but A-Diz who shook us both awake and said that he had just walked 30 minutes and we had to come with him. Courtney complied, I did not.
Apparently, The Wrestler was a good film, but another one that probably is not best seen at 8:30 am. Alex and I managed to make the next film though, Il Seme de Discordia or The Seed of Discord. Somehow, this film made it into competition, but it is terrible. Not only does it not follow a decent plot, but in the end, it essentially says that rape is ok if one party is in love with the other (no matter what the secondary party says).
Mary, A-Diz and I went back to Venice and I did some shopping. I hadn't had any time before this, so I took my time. I'm not a very good consumer though, so I didn't buy that much stuff, but the stuff I did buy is really awesome and hopefully not too tourist-trappy.
Packed my bags, and now we're heading out to Harry's for Bellinis and then to the Shark Bar so I can post these. Catch ya on the morrow.
Apparently, The Wrestler was a good film, but another one that probably is not best seen at 8:30 am. Alex and I managed to make the next film though, Il Seme de Discordia or The Seed of Discord. Somehow, this film made it into competition, but it is terrible. Not only does it not follow a decent plot, but in the end, it essentially says that rape is ok if one party is in love with the other (no matter what the secondary party says).
Mary, A-Diz and I went back to Venice and I did some shopping. I hadn't had any time before this, so I took my time. I'm not a very good consumer though, so I didn't buy that much stuff, but the stuff I did buy is really awesome and hopefully not too tourist-trappy.
Packed my bags, and now we're heading out to Harry's for Bellinis and then to the Shark Bar so I can post these. Catch ya on the morrow.
Day eleven - Kathryn Bigelow
Another day, another early movie. This one was at 8:00 am because The Hurt Locker is 2 hours long, and it's heavy. Before the opening credits, a quote appears with the words "war is a drug" marked out. That is the essence of a film centred around a squad of bomb diffusers stationed in Baghdad. I'm not sure how well it will be received in the States, considering the protest yesterday.
Aaron David (A-Diz) had a meeting with Matt and Liz from Premiere to work on the above-mentioned film. I stuck along for the ride, and we both helped out for a couple hours. We got to meet Kathryn Bigelow very briefly before she went to lunch and then we went off to see our friends. Jose had informed us of the closing night party for the Short Film Festival on San Sorvolo, so we headed back early to get ready.
Before that though, was a party thrown by SAGindie to celebrate our end of internships. Alexis and Scott came by and Armand put his event planning skills to good use. There were speeches and we had a good time. Then we went to San Sorvolo and had a blast at the party.
Mary and I were the first to leave at - get this - 2:20 am. There was only one vaporetto after that one, at 3:20. We crashed into bed after 3:15 after a longish vaporetto ride to San Marco and a 15 minute walk home from there.
Aaron David (A-Diz) had a meeting with Matt and Liz from Premiere to work on the above-mentioned film. I stuck along for the ride, and we both helped out for a couple hours. We got to meet Kathryn Bigelow very briefly before she went to lunch and then we went off to see our friends. Jose had informed us of the closing night party for the Short Film Festival on San Sorvolo, so we headed back early to get ready.
Before that though, was a party thrown by SAGindie to celebrate our end of internships. Alexis and Scott came by and Armand put his event planning skills to good use. There were speeches and we had a good time. Then we went to San Sorvolo and had a blast at the party.
Mary and I were the first to leave at - get this - 2:20 am. There was only one vaporetto after that one, at 3:20. We crashed into bed after 3:15 after a longish vaporetto ride to San Marco and a 15 minute walk home from there.
Day ten - In which we meet Evan Rachel Wood
This has been a really good day. First we got up early and saw the 8:30 am screening of Rachel Getting Married at the PalaBiennale. Everyone left stunned by the performance by Anne Hathaway as Kym and by Jonathan Demme's direction. He is definitely back on track with this one. I confidently predict awards in this film's future, despite (or perhaps in spite of) it's not-so-cheerful subject matter.
After that was done, we headed over to the Excelsior for our round table with Evan Rachel Wood. We were all excited and doing a bit of last minute research on IMDb. She walked in looking glamourous, but more importantly, looked like Marilyn Manson's girlfriend, not Lucy from Across the Universe. She was our most engaging speaker of them all and she stayed with us for an hour. Tips for journalists: ask her about Julie Taymor. Apparently Ms. Taymor became something of a surrogate mother to her (we sensed some overbearing mother issues). At any rate, Evan Rachel Wood was very candid and grounded and swore a lot.
I'm trying to remember what happened after that, but not much good if I recall. So let's just leave it at that.
Oh wait, we started watching a series of short documentaries, but the first two were so awful that we left, only to discover that there was a protest over The Hurt Locker going on outside.
After that was done, we headed over to the Excelsior for our round table with Evan Rachel Wood. We were all excited and doing a bit of last minute research on IMDb. She walked in looking glamourous, but more importantly, looked like Marilyn Manson's girlfriend, not Lucy from Across the Universe. She was our most engaging speaker of them all and she stayed with us for an hour. Tips for journalists: ask her about Julie Taymor. Apparently Ms. Taymor became something of a surrogate mother to her (we sensed some overbearing mother issues). At any rate, Evan Rachel Wood was very candid and grounded and swore a lot.
I'm trying to remember what happened after that, but not much good if I recall. So let's just leave it at that.
Oh wait, we started watching a series of short documentaries, but the first two were so awful that we left, only to discover that there was a protest over The Hurt Locker going on outside.
Day nine - Nothing Dirty Going On
So every morning, Walter walks into our villa (nicknamed The Chicken Ranch) and sings, "And there's nothing dirty going on." He is referencing The Best Little Whore House in Texas, for which my villa is named. THe other house is the Dude Ranch, even though it's co-ed.
Today we met John Landis of Blues Brothers, Animal House and Trading Places fame. He is a member of the jury this year and very candid. He was free with his advice and his cynicism, which was nice to here. He also had a cane from some unknown but recent injury and kept dropping his cane on the ground. He also has a prodigious memory: after we introduced ourselves to him he repeated everyone's school and interest, just to show he could.
After John Landis, we all went to seeHooked, which is screening at TIFF too, but is, in most people's opinions, a badly filmed film. It is shot entirely in hand-held POV shots and the editing needs to be done again. We met with the director afterward, and we had nothing to say to him. A-Diz liked it though.
Not much happened today, so I'm peace-ing out early. Ciao.
Today we met John Landis of Blues Brothers, Animal House and Trading Places fame. He is a member of the jury this year and very candid. He was free with his advice and his cynicism, which was nice to here. He also had a cane from some unknown but recent injury and kept dropping his cane on the ground. He also has a prodigious memory: after we introduced ourselves to him he repeated everyone's school and interest, just to show he could.
After John Landis, we all went to seeHooked, which is screening at TIFF too, but is, in most people's opinions, a badly filmed film. It is shot entirely in hand-held POV shots and the editing needs to be done again. We met with the director afterward, and we had nothing to say to him. A-Diz liked it though.
Not much happened today, so I'm peace-ing out early. Ciao.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Day eight - Federicco
Today I got up early and saw Birdwatchers with a bunch of others. Birdwatchers is a fantastic film and doesn't overplay anyone's role in the victimization of the Guarani people in Brazil. All today I worked with Federicco, letting in the reporters who wanted to talk to the director, the Italian actor, and the Guarani actors in the film. It was complete chaos at some points and very educating. I had a great time. Federicco and Luis (Richard's assistants) are two great people and they are good to work for and to work with. I had a great day because I got to see a flim (yes I wanted to spell it that way) and got to meet some journalists. I am realizing that speaking only English and limited French is not going to cut it in Europe so I'm going to have to brush up on my French. Everyone here speaks at least one, usually two or three languages.
I went out to dinner with Courtney and Alex, and Walter and Armand happened to go to the same restaurant. It was very nice and good food (even though they charged us all sorts of ancillary fees). Walter took a video of us on a Flip thing that is the size of a cell phone and includes a USB plug-in and takes a good picture. I'm now at the Shark bar using the internets nad looking forward to another day working for Federicco.
I went out to dinner with Courtney and Alex, and Walter and Armand happened to go to the same restaurant. It was very nice and good food (even though they charged us all sorts of ancillary fees). Walter took a video of us on a Flip thing that is the size of a cell phone and includes a USB plug-in and takes a good picture. I'm now at the Shark bar using the internets nad looking forward to another day working for Federicco.
Day seven - Terrible films and the Jewish Ghetto
Ok, so today I had meant to go see Il Giorno Perfetto but did not wake up in time. I spent the day trying to go to the beach and missing out. I saw a terrible film that somehow got into both Venice and Toronto. Basically, not a fun day.
Ariela and I had hoped to go to the Jewish ghetto (the first one in the world) tonight but that didn't work out. We got the wrong directions, went completely the wrong way and were so tired that all we wanted to do was go home. We tried to get internet and the bar was closed. This is a short post, but I'm keeping this all positive so it' got to be.
Actually, I had three round tables today: Ramin Bahrani, John Landis and the director of Hooked (whose name I cannot pronounce). Ramin was totally into himself and completely interesting, John Landis was hilarious. We kept laughing every time his sweared. The Hooked guy was awkward because only A-D liked his film. I felt nauseous after seeing it.
Ariela and I had hoped to go to the Jewish ghetto (the first one in the world) tonight but that didn't work out. We got the wrong directions, went completely the wrong way and were so tired that all we wanted to do was go home. We tried to get internet and the bar was closed. This is a short post, but I'm keeping this all positive so it' got to be.
Actually, I had three round tables today: Ramin Bahrani, John Landis and the director of Hooked (whose name I cannot pronounce). Ramin was totally into himself and completely interesting, John Landis was hilarious. We kept laughing every time his sweared. The Hooked guy was awkward because only A-D liked his film. I felt nauseous after seeing it.
Day six - Missed boats, missed parties, found films
We decided to get up early (i.e. about 8 of us from the two houses) and go to the 8:30 am screening of THe Burning Plain. Helin and Ariela left earlier than me and then called frantically from the boat to say that Helin forgot her accreditation. I went scrounging through Helin's stuff, couldn't find it, so Katrina and I ran to make the vaporetto, missed it anyway, thought we would be late, and then found out that it was actually Ariela who forgot her accreditation, went back, got it, and caught the next vaporetto. Kat and I spent the entire trip over thinking that we wouldn't be let in because we were 10 minutes late, but luckily the theatre had seats left and we were able to see the film.
Go see The Burning Plain when it opens. It's a romance of sorts, and explores the character of the protagonist at three different points in her life. The cinematography is quite stunning (New Mexico is beautiful) and Charlize Theron gives a good performance.
After that I went to work for Richard Lormand (well, I was actually working for Federico, Richard's assistant). Micah and I spent a few hours signing in reporters for their interviews with Takeshi Kitano about his new film, Achilles and the Tortoise, after which we went to see two more films. Bo and Larry joined us for these ones: Goodbye Solo and Nowhere Man, both of which I would recommend seeing, but I think you'll have to search for them.
Goodbye Solo is in English, but really hard to follow because the protagonist has a strong Senegalese accent, his foil has a strong Southern-U.S. accent, and his step-daughter has a strong Mexican accent. The film itself has many stunning views of Winston-Salem, NC in Autumn, but which seem out of place with the deep plot. I'd see it again though.
Nowhere Man is Belgian, but in Flemish, and has some typical Scandinavian elements such as a total lack of conclusion and some graphic sex scenes. I really liked it though, and Bo said it was her favourite film so far.
By this point it was 7:30 so the four of us headed back to mainland to get ready for the Queer Lion party. We ate dinner, dressed and then I went out with Courtney and Alex, wandered around for hours trying to find the party, couldn't find it, went to the party for Plastic CIty, got free Mojitos at 2 am, wandered for a bit longer and finally got home at 4 am.
Definitely looking forward to the omelets that Armand promised to make us.
Go see The Burning Plain when it opens. It's a romance of sorts, and explores the character of the protagonist at three different points in her life. The cinematography is quite stunning (New Mexico is beautiful) and Charlize Theron gives a good performance.
After that I went to work for Richard Lormand (well, I was actually working for Federico, Richard's assistant). Micah and I spent a few hours signing in reporters for their interviews with Takeshi Kitano about his new film, Achilles and the Tortoise, after which we went to see two more films. Bo and Larry joined us for these ones: Goodbye Solo and Nowhere Man, both of which I would recommend seeing, but I think you'll have to search for them.
Goodbye Solo is in English, but really hard to follow because the protagonist has a strong Senegalese accent, his foil has a strong Southern-U.S. accent, and his step-daughter has a strong Mexican accent. The film itself has many stunning views of Winston-Salem, NC in Autumn, but which seem out of place with the deep plot. I'd see it again though.
Nowhere Man is Belgian, but in Flemish, and has some typical Scandinavian elements such as a total lack of conclusion and some graphic sex scenes. I really liked it though, and Bo said it was her favourite film so far.
By this point it was 7:30 so the four of us headed back to mainland to get ready for the Queer Lion party. We ate dinner, dressed and then I went out with Courtney and Alex, wandered around for hours trying to find the party, couldn't find it, went to the party for Plastic CIty, got free Mojitos at 2 am, wandered for a bit longer and finally got home at 4 am.
Definitely looking forward to the omelets that Armand promised to make us.
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