By Christine Champagne

PARK CITY, Utah --

The commercialmaking community is traditionally well represented at the Sundance Film Festival, and this year is no different. Several filmmakers who either make a living in or are involved to some extent in spot production will have their work showcased at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival, which got underway in Park City on January 20 and will run through January 30.

This year, the competition for inclusion in the festival was intense as always, with 2,613 feature films submitted for consideration, including 1,385 U.S. features and 1,228 international films. These numbers mark an increase from the number of submissions received last year when a total of 2,485 feature films were submitted–1,285 coming from the U.S. and 1,200 from abroad.

Among those from the commercial production industry who have worked on films featured in the American Spectrum category is Eric Pomert, an editor with mad.house, New York, who makes his feature film editing debut with director Adrienne Weiss’ first feature Love, Ludlow. Produced by the in-house indie film division of Washington Square Films, New York, the film centers on a tough temp from Queens named Myra whose life is dedicated to taking care of her unstable brother Ludlow. Potential romance enters Myra’s life in the form of Reggie, a “suit” from work.

Rize, directed by David LaChapelle of bicoastal HSI Productions, will also be screened in the American Spectrum category. LaChapelle’s film examines a form of dance known as “krumping” that has emerged from the streets of South Central Los Angeles.

In the Premieres category, we have Heights. Chris Terrio’s feature film directing debut was edited by Sloane Klevin, a cutter with The Blue Rock Editing Company, New York. A Merchant-Ivory production starring Glenn Close, Heights centers on Diane, a New York theater diva, and Isabel, the diva’s photographer daughter: After both women run into problems with the men in their lives, they happen to meet other men who open new doors.

Steve Hamilton, an editor/sound designer with New York-based Mad Mad Judy who works on commercials and music videos, co-produced and edited director Hal Hartley’s The Girl from Monday, also debuting in the Premieres category. The film finds a creature dropping to Earth from space and taking over the body of a stunningly beautiful girl so she can find a friend in trouble.

Director Jeff Feuerzeig, who is represented for spotwork by Washington Square Films, has a film competing in the Documentary category. Titled The Devil and Daniel Johnston, Feuerzeig’s film combines current footage, home movies and old audiotapes to tell the life story of underground music legend and artist Daniel Johnston, a brilliant manic-depressive.

The Dramatic competition includes a movie called Junebug, directed by Phil Morrison, who is with bicoastal Epoch Films. At the film’s core is Madeleine, a sophisticated Chicago gallery owner who heads south to visit her new husband’s dysfunctional family.

Also in the Dramatic competition is Pretty Persuasion, directed by Marcos Siega, who directs spots through bicoastal/international Hungry Man, and edited by Nicholas Erasmus, who cuts spots and music videos through Terminal, Santa Monica. A satire, Pretty Persuasion introduces us to Kimberly, a 15-year-old who along with two classmates sues a teacher at their private school in Beverly Hills for sexual harassment.

Actor/director Steve Buscemi, who is represented for spots by A Band Apart.35mm, Los Angeles, has directed Lonesome Jim. Another entry in the Dramatic competition, Lonesome Jim focuses on a man who fails to make it in the Big Apple and has to move back to his hometown in rural Indiana where he has to deal with his screwed up family.

Director Mike Mills, who is represented by bicoastal The Directors Bureau, will also compete in the Dramatic competition with Thumbsucker. Adapted for the screen by Mills from Walter Kirn’s novel of the same name, the film’s hero Justin is plagued with a nagging problem–he can’t stop sucking his thumb.

The Midnight screenings will include Hard Candy, directed by David Slade, who is represented for spots by bicoastal RSA USA. Billed as an exploration of sexual politics, vengeance and justice, the movie depicts what happens when a teenager, Hayley, hooks up with a thirtysomething man, Geoff, who she has met on the Internet.

Director Barbara Kopple’s classic 1973 documentary Harlan County, U.S.A. will be screened as part of the Sundance Collection. Set in Brookside, Kentucky, the film chronicles a lengthy coal miners’ strike that turned violent when negotiations became deadlocked. Kopple is represented for spots by bicoastal nonfiction spots and longform.

Another nonfiction spots and longform director, Steve James, will have his film Reel Paradise shown in the Special Screening category. Reel Paradise takes us to Fiji to spend time with independent filmmaker John Pierson, who with his family has traveled to the exotic locale to program free movies at what might be the world’s most remote movie house.

Ondi Timoner, who like Kopple and James, is also with nonfiction spots and longform, has a short she directed called Recycle, which she co-directed with Vasco Nunes. Recycle is in Sundance’s Shorts With Features program. The film provides a look at a day in the live of a man who creates a community garden while recovering from substance abuse.

Director Thor Freudenthal’s short Motel will also be included in the Shorts With Features program. Motel finds a traveler checking into a roadside motel that might very well be an oasis. Reactor Films, Santa Monica, handles Freudenthal for commercials.

 

Editor’s note: SHOOT will provide extensive wrap-up coverage next month on notable projects at Sundance.

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