Allegro - another terrific film from director Christopher Boe, whose debut feature Reconstruction won the Camera D'or in 2003
The days are starting to blur a little, as is my eyesight. Got up at the crack of dawn this morning to head for town so that I could talk to KZ director Rex Bloomstein, film pictured below. He is one of those well-spoken, dapper English gentlemen who have strong opinions and aren't afraid to share them (Read the full interview here). Fortunately, his sharing extends to muffins, so we split a poppy seed and lemon one. Didn't realise how hungry I was until I started eating it and am now wondering if I can popularise the Sundance slimming plan.
All you need to do is carry a laptop computer bag up and down the hill that is Main Street three or four times a day, fail to eat due to a lack of time and space in any of the bars, or restaurants. and cut back on alcohol due to Draconian drink laws, while quaffing water like a fish because it is so dry. I may be mascara-free but my complexion should be clear after a fortnight of this.
I digress. Decided to reschedule the interview with Rex since I hadn't managed to see the entire documentary, due to dodgy disc, so spent a happy half hour talking about the madness of the festival. Grabbed a bite to eat and a new KZ screening disk before heading to the VW lounge to interview Cargo writer Paul Laverty and director Clive Gordon. Weird how many "lounges" seem to have popped up this year. The publicist had forgotten to schedule me in, but fortunately they had a free slot so I got to chat to them anyway.
Paul and Clive have an easy manner, although I suspect the daily round of interviews is getting to most people by now - I know it's getting to me. I am beginning to think that the part of my brain, which deals with formulating sensible, erudite questions, has gone on strike - but I did my best.
Apparently, the ship they used to shoot the film was so decrepit that at one point they thought they might have to fill the hold with foam just to keep it afloat. Clive says it still looks "more glamorous" than it is in the final cut. Both men are happy to talk about the casting and social message behind the movie, which I think is its strong point. Apparently, they intended for it to be "compact," or, as Paul put it, "not too bladder-straining". He seems bemused when I ask how old he is. Somehow I always think it's more polite to ask rather than just look these things up, but maybe it's rude either way. It's interesting how many documentary makers seem to be making the crossover into feature films lately. Clive is a veteran documentary director, as is Lucky Number Slevin's Paul McGuigan. I wonder if this is a modern trend.
Having grabbed a couple of films from the HQ, I headed back to the ranch to do some writing and watching. Second KZ disc stopped ten minutes after the first one, so I still haven't seen the whole thing. Am starting to get really bloody-minded about this now and will ring the PR again tomorrow.
Thankfully, the DVD I had of Allegro played fine - and what a treat it was. Celluloid Dreams (distribution company) certainly know how to pick a movie - they were also responsible for yesterday's excellent El Aura. Terms such as "defies classification" are bandied about all too easily these days, but Allegro really does. Part romance, part animation, part sci-fi thriller, it follows the story of concert pianist who loses his memory and has to embark on a journey into a mysterious zone in the heart of Copenhagen to find himself and his lost love (Helena Christensen). It won't be for everyone but I thought the blend of claustrophobic thriller and romance worked really well in what is beyond doubt a very innovative film.
Can't believe I've only managed to see one film today. Somehow a 10-minute interview seems to take up more than an hour of your life. I've resolved to see more tomorrow, when, at the very least I'll be attending the public screening of Journey From The Fall and interviewing its director Ham Tran. I'm also hoping to go to a short film do. Still haven't heard back from Supermarket Love Song director Dan Outram, by the way, although he certainly seems to be making an impact here. I've come across no end of fliers for his film and every third journalist seems to mention him.
Read more diaries and coverage of the Sundance Film Festival.
