Excellent post by Filmmaker Magazine’s Eric Kohn questioning the authenticity of Banksy’s documentary film, Exit Through the Gift Shop. Although the movie is receiving positive feedback many are skeptical about the infamous street artist Banksy’s involvement in the film or his ability to even make a movie. In this post writer Kohn shares his theories, even naming Spike Jonze as a likely suspect, since many of the themes and settings in Gift Shop — Los Angeles, elaborate wealth, pranks — suggest the whims often associated with his work.

What capacity does Banksy have to make a movie? What story could he tell? And most tantalizing of all: Would the masked man finally reveal his face?

While Exit Through the Gift Shop has now screened at Sundance three times, none of those questions remain fully answered. The movie, ostensibly a portrait of street artists around the world and the lucrative industry that has embraced their work, shows Banksy in silhouette and masks the sound of his voice. Beyond that basic disguise, however, lies evidence of an even greater ruse: The lingering doubt that Bansky — whoever that is — actually made this movie at all, and whether or not its supposed documentary content has any foundation in reality.

Check out the link for the full post.

If you’re interested at all in independent film producing, you should watch this round-table discussion led by indie producers Ted Hope and Christine Vachon. It’s nice to see some more experimentation with distribution at Sundance this year. I really do agree with Ted Hope’s statement that the gamechangers in the industry will be the producers and filmmakers who engage their audiences with social media and position themselves as artist entrepreneurs. As far as distribution goes, it’s going to take diversification. Only one film was sold in the first few days of Sundance this year - Buried - and that one had a very large budget and a Hollywood star attached. Filmmakers have to be willing to give up the idea of theatrical and look to other outlets to reach their audience. No one wants to see an investment lost.

Its title is curious, but its subject is one I predict will be of interest to anyone who’s dabbled or lives within the realms of social media, so yeah, everyone. Catfish, is a feature documentary film that premiered at Sundance this week and caught my eye based solely on its premise.

Yaniv Schulman, a 24-year-old New York–based photographer, had no idea what he was in for when eight-year-old Abby Pierce in rural Michigan contacted him on MySpace to ask permission to paint one of his photographs. She sent him her work (clearly advanced for her age), and Yaniv began a friendship and correspondence with Abby’s family. But things really got interesting when he developed a cyber-romance with Abby’s attractive older sister, Megan, a musician and model. When Yaniv and his buddies uncovered some startling revelations about Megan, they set off on a road trip to figure out who this family really were.

Being in NY, thousands of miles away from Sundance, I’ve yet to see the film, but I’ve read that the narrative moves along, more or less, day-by-day as events happen, linking scenes together with Google Maps animation and YouTube clips, GPS instructions and IM exchanges, reminding the audience of our ever present “connected” world.

What a perfect premise for a documentary - social media presenting a connection where the virtual doesn’t translate into the reality.  Now, I’ve found there are so many good things that come with being connected to a community like Tumblr or Twitter. Yet, there are many people out there who have experienced the downside of finding a relationship that wasn’t what it appeared to be online.  I love this concept of capturing the Zeitgeist and engaging an audience on the deceptive side of social media. It’s fascinating. I hope the film is released soon.

The fine folks at MakingOf interviewed the filmmakers about their first feature documentary and the whole Sundance experience. You can check out that video interview here.

MakingOf features a great interview with Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams on the filming of Blue Valentine. I’m really interested in learning more about director Derek Cianfrance. He took such an unconventional approach to exploring this relationship. The actors literally played house, slept, eat, had birthday parties, etc. and the film crew would, for example, sneak into their room in the morning and begin shooting.

In reading up on Sundance there have been more than a few films that have caught my eye, including Blue Valentine starring Ryan Gosling (swoon) and Michelle Williams. The film follows a young married couple in a rough patch and revisits their relationship in flashbacks as they attempt to work things out. Most of the film was improvised including this scene (WATCH) on the Manhattan Bridge.

According to Roger Friedman at The Hollywood Reporter, director Derek Cianfrance told Gosling they weren’t leaving the bridge until he convinced Williams’ character to reveal her secret. But Williams wouldn’t budge. Four hours later, Gosling started to climb up the side of the barrier.

“Jamie Patricof, our producer, was like, ‘Oh my god,’” said Gosling. It was only when he had one leg over the side that Williams blurted out the secret.
“It was one take!” Gosling said.
Williams laughed. “I almost sent him over.”

Great directing move and impressive commitment from Gosling, but I’m sure the insurance company was not so pleased. In the end, no harm no foul. I’m excited to see Gosling in another movie - it’s hard to believe it’s been two years since his last one (Lars and the Real Girl).

The New York Jewish Film Festival kicks off today and continues through Jan. 28th.

A few films caught my eye, including Mary and Max, a claymation animated feature about a pen-pal friendship between an eight-year-old Aussie girl and a lonely, obese middle-aged Jewish man living in New York with Asberger’s syndrome. A sweet, enduring relationship between two loners exists yet the film deals does not shy away from the dark with very heavy issues including suicide, alcoholism, death, sex and mental health. The film was a festival favorite at Sundance last year, and features the performances from the very talented Toni Collett (Mary) and Philip Seymour Hoffman (Max), so definitely worth checking out. Watch the trailer HERE.

And of course I must mention a few interesting featured documentaries, which include The Jazz Baroness, the story of a Rothschild heiress and her relationship with jazz great Thelonius Monk. And, Ahead of Time, which tells the story of photojournalist and foreign correspondent Ruth Gruber who traveled to the Soviet arctic in 1935, escorted survivors out of Germany after the war, covered the Nuremburg trial and much more.

For a full schedule of the festival click here.

zachlinder:

OMG.  Could I ask for a better film festival at the Film Forum?  What a lineup!  Who wants to come??  I’ve seen a bunch, but I’m going to aim to see as many of these at the cinema as I can during the series:

Dec 13/14 - You Can’t Take it With You
Dec 16 - Little Murders
Dec 18/19 - Ball of Fire
Dec 20/21 - Woman of the Year
Dec 22 - The King of Comedy
Dec 27/28 - The Producers & Broadway Danny Rose (whoa, what a double feature!)
Dec 28 - Speedy
Dec 29 - Sweet Charity
Dec 31/Jan 1 - The Apartment & Breakfast at Tiffany’s (another amazing double feature!)
Jan 2 - The Seven Year Itch & It’s Always Fair Weather
Jan 4 - Little Miss Marker
Jan 5 - A Thousand Clowns

Save me a seat Mr. Linder!

Interesting line up for the U.S. Documentary competition this year. Only 16 films out of 862 submissions were selected to premier in Park City, UT.  Looking forward to learning more about these!

• Bhutto (Directors: Jessica Hernandez and Johnny O’Hara; Screenwriter: Johnny O’Hara)—A riveting journey through the life and work of  recently assassinated Benazir Bhutto, former Pakistani prime minister and a polarizing figure in the Muslim world. World Premiere
• CASINO JACK & The United States of Money (Director: Alex Gibney)—A probing investigation into the lies, greed and corruption surrounding D.C. super-lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his cronies.  World Premiere
• Family Affair (Director: Chico Colvard)—An uncompromising documentary that examines resilience, survival and the capacity to accommodate a parent’s past crimes in order to satisfy the longing for family. World Premiere
• Freedom Riders (Director: Stanley Nelson)—The story behind a courageous band of civil rights activists called the Freedom Riders who in 1961 creatively challenged segregation in the American South. World Premiere
• Gas Land (Director: Josh Fox)—A cross-country odyssey uncovers toxic streams, dying livestock, flammable sinks and weakening health among rural citizens on the front lines of the natural gas drilling craze. World Premiere
• I’m Pat _______ Tillman (Director: Amir Bar-Lev)—The story of professional football star and decorated U.S. soldier Pat Tillman, whose family takes on the U.S. government when their beloved son dies in a “friendly fire” incident in Afghanistan in 2004. World Premiere
• Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child (Director: Tamra Davis)—The story of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat, whose work defined, electrified and challenged an era, and whose untimely death at age 27 has made him a cultural icon. World Premiere
• Joan Rivers: A Piece of Work (Directors: Ricki Stern and Annie Sundberg)—A rare, brutally honest glimpse into the comedic process and private dramas of legendary comedian and pop icon Joan Rivers as she fights tooth and nail to keep her American dream alive. World Premiere
• Lucky (Director: Jeffrey Blitz)—The story of what happens when ordinary people hit the lottery jackpot. World Premiere
• My Perestroika (Director: Robin Hessman)—My Perestroika follows five ordinary Russians living in extraordinary times — from their sheltered Soviet childhood, to the collapse of the Soviet Union during their teenage years, to the constantly shifting political landscape of post-Soviet Russia. Together, these childhood classmates paint a complex picture of the dreams and disillusionments of those raised behind the Iron Curtain. World Premiere
• The Oath (Director: Laura Poitras)— Filmed in Yemen, The Oath tells the story of two men whose fateful encounter in 1996 set them on a course of events that led them to Afghanistan, Osama bin Laden, 9/11, Guantanamo, and the U.S. Supreme Court. World Premiere
• Restrepo (Directors: Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington)—Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington’s year dug in with the Second Platoon in one of Afghanistan’s most strategically crucial valleys reveals extraordinary insight into the surreal combination of back breaking labor, deadly firefights, and camaraderie as the soldiers painfully push back the Taliban. World Premiere
• A Small Act (Director: Jennifer Arnold)—A young Kenyan’s life changes dramatically when his education is sponsored by a Swedish stranger. Years later, he founds his own scholarship program to replicate the kindness he once received. World Premiere
• Smash His Camera (Director: Leon Gast)—Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis sued him, and Marlon Brando broke his jaw. The story of notorious, reviled paparazzo Ron Galella opens a Pandora’s Box of issues from right to privacy, freedom of the press and the ever-growing vortex of celebrity worship.World Premiere
• 12th & Delaware (Directors: Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing)—The abortion battle continues to rage in unexpected ways on an unassuming corner in America. World Premiere
• Waiting for Superman (Director: Davis Guggenheim)—Waiting for Superman examines the crisis of public education in the United States through multiple interlocking stories—from a handful of students and their families whose futures hang in the balance, to the educators and reformers trying to find real and lasting solutions within a dysfunctional system. World Premiere
• (via makingofmovies brrritscoldouthere)

I watched two documentaries back to back last week at the CMJ film festival and I got to hand it to festival programmers - the films, although each featuring very different genres of music, complemented each other very well.

Kid Creole and My Coconuts follows the 1980s multicultural tropical funk band from its roots in divey downtown bars through the fun of celebrity to the end of an era as told through the voice and vision of Mama Coconut herself Adriana Kaegi. As happenstance would have it, Kid Creole and the Coconuts played their very first gig in an old Yugoslavian dive bar back in the early 80s, which is now the Chelsea Clearview Cinema where I and others watched the film. That was cool.

Pardon Us for Living, but the Graveyard is Full reveals the often untold story of the band who never really “made” it by traditional measures of success. The Fleshtones, a garage rock band from Queens opened for the Ramones, hailed at CBGBs, and despite their longevity and brief moments in the spotlight failed to achieve the acclaim that would write them into the music history books. These guys still play bars across the U.S., and after seeing this film, I definitely want to see one of their live shows - these guys do not let age slow them down.

What links these two films so perfectly together is the fact that both of these American musicians never really felt the love from fans in their own country, in their own backyard, and it was something that has kept the fire burning as they continue to “make it” as they say in the biz.

Anyone who has taken a road trip, particularly one across America, knows how enriching an experience it can be. It’s not about the destination as much as it is about the journey. Opening the CMJ Film Festival Tuesday night, The Perfect Age of Rock N’ Roll tells the story of two estranged childhood friends - one a rock star and the other a middle school music teacher - as they rediscover their relationship on a road trip along Route 66, 2,451 miles of metaphorical bumpy road.

The film stars Kevin Zegers (Transamerica) as Spyder, the self-absorbed, excessive yet broken rocker who 20 years into the future sits in his dark living room and begins to tell music journalist Clifton Hangar (Lucas Hass) the “behind the music” story behind a mysterious album that has yet to see the light of day. Through flashbacks, the washed up rocker’s story and fate is revealed and we’re introduced to his former best friend Eric Genson (Jason Ritter of Peter and Vandy, W). Eric, despite his rock n’ roll family ties, chose a life free of the limelight and upon reuniting with Spyder greets him with bitter resentment toward the guy who took credit and fame for the hit songs he wrote.

It’s in the set up where things begin to get interesting and where the the film continues to build upon the idea of “origin” - the beginning of a place, a friendship, a song, a beat, and ultimately of rock n’ roll. The friends reconnect and decide to collaborate once again with Eric’s condition that they make their way to LA across the country on wheels. Although it wasn’t planned during the writing process, Peter Fonda was cast as August West the likable, free-loving hippie who chauffeurs the crew the opposite direction he rode in Easy Rider. The RV also included Rosy (Taryn Manning), Spyder’s manager and Eric’s love interest on the road.

The film was entertaining and enjoyable, but not perfect as the title implies. My biggest problem with the film was the love story between Eric and Rosy, which seemed more convenient than true. I just didn’t believe it and it seemed more insignificant in the grand scheme of things yet it heavily influenced the ending of the film, which was a disappointment. When it comes down to it, the real love story was a platonic one between the two friends as they examine the life choices they made and the music that makes up their world.  Oh, and the music, there were great music montages, which made this a very fitting film for CMJ, including a very memorable scene in a blues bar featuring a group jam with Pinetop Perkins, Sugar Blue and Hubert Sumlin that was completely awesome and really energized the purpose of the film and its characters.

I spoke with Jason Ritter at the after party and he said he had some trouble initially picking up the flamboyant rocker mannerisms of glam rock, but in watching the film, he managed it all just fine. Both Ritter’s and Zegers performances captured the tragedy and complexity of these characters as they fought for understanding with each other and within themselves.

The Perfect Age of Rock N’ Roll is not in theaters yet, but was recently picked up by Meida 8 Entertainment, so stay tuned!