October 12, 1996

The 1996 New Orleans Film and Video Festival has organized five main activities from October 11-20 - 4-5 regional premieres of feature-length films and classic films each day October 11-17; daily screenings of independent and low-budget shorts and documentaries on film and video (most from regional filmmakers but others from around the world); the Latino Film Program at Tulane University's McAlister Auditorium October 18-20; industry panel discussions on film finance and distribution; and networking events for filmmakers, celebrity guests, locals and others.

The festival sponsors are the The Arts Council of New Orleans, Cox Communications, the City of New Orleans, the Independent Film Channel, Shot in LA Film and Video magazine (LA here means Louisiana, not Los Angeles!), the Sundance Channel, WZRH 106.1 FM radio, and the Westin Canal Place Hotel.

12 noon. MICROCOSMOS screening. French biologists filmmakers Claude Nuridsany and Marie Perennou have compiled their observation diaries of insects. Lovingly photographed and accompanied by operatic music. Miramax Films release.

1:30 p.m. THE QUIET ROOM. Rolf de Heer's journey into young girl's mind, a unique film in the genre of MY LIFE AS A DOG. Fine Line Features release.

3:15 p.m. PURPLE NOON (Plein Soleil). Miramax Zoe re-release of Rene Clement's psychological thriller based on a Patricia Higsmith novel.

5:30 p.m. THE MAN BY THE SHORE. KJM3 Entertainment Group release of a highly intelligent and beautifully photographed political allegory of survival in 1960's Haiti. Directed by Raoul Peck, Haiti's Minister of Culture, who studied in France, Germany and the U.S. This film, which debuted in North America at the Toronto Film Festival two years ago is not to be missed. Gifted filmmaking.

7:30 p.m. UNHOOK THE STARS. Nick Cassavetes (son of John) directing his mother, the extraordinary Gena Rowlands, in a film about family, extended family, heart, soul, and self-discovery. It plays on many levels and is neither contrived nor predictable. Remarkably refreshing and realistic. A Miramax Films release.

9:30 p.m. ALBINO ALLIGATOR. Dark and unsettling tale set in an Irish Channel bar in the Big Easy (New Orleans) with Matt Dillon, Gary Sinese, and William Fitchner on the lam from a robbery. The fellows take refuge in a bar run by Faye Dunaway and are dogged by federal agent Joe Mantegna. Directoral debut of Academy Award-winning actor (UNUSUAL SUSPECTS) Kevin Spacey. A Miramax release.

ll:30 p.m. PERFORMANCE. Kinky, shocking film which marked Mick Jagger's film debut. Warner Bros shelved the film for over two years after first viewing. A Kit Parker Films release.

1:30 -3 p.m. Funding the Independent Film. Wendy Jane Carrel, MP/TV Development/Packaging Consultant and Coach for Filmmakers is moderator.

Welcome to audience and panelists and special thanks to Managing Director of the fest Carol Gnaidy. Poll of audience indicates most are Louisiana based filmmakers of shorts, documentaries and some features. The panelists, all avowed lovers of film, are receptive to exchanges with the filmmakers in attendance.

For the purposes of discussion, independent was defined as any film produced with an "independent spirit" which would have distribution in the art/independent market. Film finance remarks focused on sources the panelists speak to - grants and state/local funding; accessing European funds from broadcasters, distributor/exhibitors, jv partners and regional European funds; and the combo of equity financing/ jv partners and foreign pre-sales.

Panelists and their comments:

Jason Blum, VP Acquisitions and Co-Productions, Miramax, NY. Blum is a Vassar graduate, was Artistic Director at Ethan Hawke's Malaparte Theater in New York for three years, and was VP Acquisitions for Arrow Releasing before joining Miramax.

Blum focused his remarks on the importance of carefully packaging your project - casting is key for Miramax. Miramax is more in the business of film distribution than in the financing of production. Most Miramax production funding goes to producers, directors and actors who have deals with the company. One way to access financing at Miramax is through the talent Miramax has deals with. Financing can also come through pre-selling domestic distribution rights with Miramax. This scenario would require some combination of equity from another source, co-production funds, and foreign pre-sales. Blum suggests attending markets such as the IFFM in New York for meeting the players and scouting the availability of funds and the players who make sense for your project.

Ann Russo, Visual Arts Director, Louisiana Division of the Arts, Media and Visual Arts, Baton Rouge.

Ann Russo, a Louisiana native with an M.A. in Fine Arts from LSU and one of the spearheads of the Louisiana Division of the Arts, spoke about opportunities for filmmakers to access state and local funds for filmmaking. These funds are sometimes available to non-Louisiana residents as long as they are partnered with a Louisiana producer or director, and the projects are filmed in Louisiana. Funds are provided for pre-production, production, and distribution and are accessed once during the fiscal year. Info and application forms can be obtained from Russo's office at the Louisiana Division of the Arts, Box 44247, Baton Rouge, LA 70804. Telephone (504)342-8180.

Sandra Schulberg, Independent Producer, New York & Germany. Schulberg, until June of 1996, was SVP of American Playhouse and Managing Director of American Playhouse Abroad. A bi-continent commuter for years, Schulberg served in various producer and supervisory capacities on the films ANGELS AND INSECTS, I SHOT ANDY WARHOL, PALOOKAVILLE, RECKLESS, SAFE, WAITING FOR THE MOON, and BELIZAIRE THE CAJUN, among others. Schulberg was the inspiration behind the Independent Feature Project which she founded in 1979, and its annual market the IFFM. She is presently developing three feature films.

Schulberg was asked to direct most of her comments on how to find funding for projects in Europe. Schulberg thinks the availability of funds which can be accessed from Europe by Americans has recently dwindled and become more complicated. She spoke about how art house distributors in Italy could perhaps come up with a $100,000-$200,000 advance based on an acceptable script and cast, but that it would be difficult to expect the same from distributors in England. In England, she advised looking to the traditional British sources for funding - the BBC and Channel 4 for an advance of approximately $100,000 in pre-sales, for example. Schulberg urged filmmakers to start with material which has integrity. "With Europeans, the style of the director is also paramount, investors are looking for a new vision." She said having a short film to show could improve your chances of accessing funding.

Audience/Panel Exchange...

In order for the panelists to get to know some of the filmmakers and projects in development, filmmakers filled out a sheet with the genre, projected budget, and their specific role on the project. WJC called on a few to discuss their goals and to hear the recommendations of the panelists.

Among those who spoke were New Orleans-based Spanish filmmaker Xavier Sales who is developing a feature to be shot in Louisiana; Tom Hodges, a Los Angeles-based filmmaker with two feature projects in development and a short showing at the fest; and Bess Carrick, a New Orleans-based filmmaker who is working on a documentary about the ecology of the tropical forests of Brazil and Central America. These projects plus others are in various stages of development.

Aaron Reed, producer-writer of the feature THE NEXT STEP, which screened Friday night, talked about his funding experience. Reed said he made his film on a budget of $150,000 almost entirely on credit cards and donations because everyone he approached said no and he really wanted to make the movie. Prior to the fest, Reed made a deal with Filmopolis in Los Angeles for distribution. Reed got a good part of the cast and crew to work deferred, he got deals on equipment and locations, and got METROPOLITAN and BARCELONA star Taylor Nichols to do a cameo role. Reed stressed that when everyone is giving, you must remember important things like feeding your crew well, it can really make a difference in productivity and attitude.

>b> 3:00-4:30 pm Louisiana Filmmakers Forum. Steven Hanks, Chairman of the University of New Orleans Film Studies Dept, Moderator

Panelists: Francis James, Pat Mire, Paul Streicher, Isaac Webb Note: Louisiana has a plethora of talented writers and directors. Among them, the panelists at this forum. Francis James is the creator/director of THE KEY, a film in American sign language based on a Eudora Welty short story. James' film has won numerous national and international festival honors and awards. Pat Mire is the director/producer of DIRTY RICE, "serving up the best in Cajun moviemaking" to give the world a glimpse of Cajun culture and sensibilities without the sterotypes. Mires' feature length film was shot in 21 days with a budget of under $1 million. Paul Streicher and partner Bill Gullo directed and produced PICKLED OKRA (also Paul's college senior thesis), a 27 minute "lush romp of an average Joe's senses during his first Mardi Gras." Isaac Webb is an award-winning indie filmmaker whose 28 minute THE WEDDING uses magic realism to provide a view into the relationships between three generations of an African-American family in New Orleans.

10:00 p.m. Film Fest Abita Beer Bash at The Howlin'Wolf with Snooks Eaglin, sponsored by Offbeat magazine. Missed this "networking" event.

October 13, 1996

12:00 noon. THE TYPEWRITER, THE RIFLE, AND THE MOVIE CAMERA. An Independent Film Channel original production exploring the work of American filmmaker Sam Fuller. Directed by Adam Simon and narrated by Tim Robbins.

1:15 p.m. THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG. Re-assembled, re-mixed and re-released Jacques Demy 1964 classic where every word of dialogue is sung. Stars Catherine Deneuve. Zeitgeist Films release.

3:00 p.m. ED'S NEXT MOVE. Orion Classics release of a charming comedy about a town boy meeting a city and a city girl. Directoral debut of John Walsh.

5:00 p.m. THE TIT AND THE MOON. Strand Releasing's over-the-top erotic farce in Spanish by director Bigas Luna (JAMON, JAMON).

7:00 p.m. LOOKING FOR RICHARD. Al Pacino bravely, and with a sense of humor, directs, stars and produces a film which melds interviews with Shakespearian scholars and actors, behind-the-scenes discussions with actors about the meaning and performance of their roles, and fully-costumed performed pieces from the play Richard III. All in an effort to make Shakespeare accessible. A Fox Searchlight release.

9:00 p.m. STONEWALL. Nigel Finch's semi-fictional account of the drag queen-led riots outside the Stonewall Inn in New York's Greenwich Village in 1969, a pivital moment in the history of the Gay Rights Movement. An arresting and memorable movie. Strand Releasing.

1:30-3 p.m. DISTRIBUTING THE INDEPENDENT FILM

John Desplas, Artistic Director of the New Orleans Film and Video Fest, moderator

Panelists and their comments:

Eamon Bowles, SVP Acquisitions and Marketing, Miramax Films Independent films are made so that audiences can experience a point of view. Over 10 years ago there was a breakthrough with the film ROOM WITH A VIEW, but these things are cyclical, audiences don't always embrace fresh and original. Advice: Experience the IFFM in New York in September for a reality check, it's a good crash course about what you will and won't be able to do with your film. Get acquainted with the festivals. Get acquainted with the exhibitors. Get a producer's rep, or an attorney or an agent to help your credibility and to facilitate finding distribution.

Sarah Eaton, Exec Dir Publicity and Promotion, The Sundance Channel The Sundance Channel is a distribution outlet for films with a personal vision. Personally, Eaton loves to buy and air documentaries such as the upcoming PAUL BOWLES documentary and the HBO funded PARADISE LOST. The Sundance Channel does buy shorts, airs about 10 shorts a month. She suggested that shorts can be good calling cards for financing your feature projects. Eaton recommends the festival circuit for exposure to acquisitions agents. She suggests Austin, San Francisco, and the Seattle festivals as good places to gage audience reaction. She also recommends attendance at the IFFM in New York. For information on how to submit your completed film for distribution on The Sundance Channel call Larry Greenberg at (818)505-7728.

Jon Gerrans, Co-President Strand Releasing. Difficult to define what is an independent film, but for us it is a unique, cutting edge film with a particular point of view. Advice to filmmakers - try to complete your film on your own, content is always more important than whether it's shot on 16mm v. 35mm, although we're not keen on blowing up films but it's easier to always find a 35mm projector across the country than it is to find a 16mm projector. One way to begin the distribution process is in 3-4 markets with a low release cost of $4,000, or go to Film Four in New York, get into Landmark Theaters. If Landmark passes on your film, you're probably in trouble. Film critics are also a key to the success of an independent film, befriend film critics.

Doug Freed, Buyer for Landmark Theaters. Landmark Theaters distribute about 1/4 of the "art"/indie films in the U.S. Freed says the cruel reality is that most indie film distributors lose money, maybe with the exception of Strand because Strand is savvy about hitting niche markets and is cost conscious. Trailers are hugely important, they drive the art market business. Personally, likes documentaries even if they are always a hard sell. Once in a while there's a HOOP DREAMS or a CRUMB and they are review driven and they are successful. CRUMB made about $3 million domestically. Greatest asset of indie film is quality of the story, that the projects are story driven, production values follow in importance.

Films screening through October 17 - EYES WITHOUT A FACE (George Franju's 1959 classic horror film), I CAN'T SLEEP, JOHNNY 100 PESOS, MOTHER NIGHT, PALOOKAVILLE, RIDICULE, TWELFTH NIGHT, YUEBA NOL, among others.

INDIES AT THE FEST

October 11 through 17, 78 independent shorts and documentary films play as a sidebar at the New Orleans Film and Video Fest at Cinema 16, Canal Place, New Orleans. These films and videos are screened in the evenings while the "big house films" screen at the Landmark Theaters at the other end of the Canal Place mall.

Noteables:

DAMASCUS. 36 minute dramatic short starring Glenne Headly and David Thewlis.

THE KEY. Frances James' 28 minute sign language film from a Eudora Welty story.

USE YOUR HEAD. 100 minute "witty, absurd" film about effects of marijuana use.

CAJUN MAN LEBLANC. Documentary by Michele Blanc about renaissance cajun who could not speak at age 10 but became a senator and a 50 year veteran on politics opposite Huey Long.

JIROHACHI. 37 minute dramatic film by Tuskuru Imanishi set in 15th century and shot around temples and castles of Kyoto.

SHOOT THE MOON. Director-writer Tom Hodges' 27 minute comedy of manners about a cheerleader's momentary indiscretion. Executive produced by actor David Schwimmer.

BAYOU: LEGACY OF THE LOUISIANA LABRANCHE WETLAND. 28 minute documentary by Stpehn Tyler.

MAILMAN. 16 minute film produced by Sandra Bullock and directed by Mattheew Carhnahan about a mailman so involved with his work that he ends up going a little "postal."

IGUANAS IN THE HOUSE. Music documentary maestro Robert Mugge's 27 minute film about a New Orleans group, THE IGUANAS, that keeps toes tappin.

LATINO FILM PROGRAM

Films showing are THE SILENT MOVIES LOVER, SOCORRO NOBRE (a Walter Salles Jr. film from Brazil), A STARRY SKY (by young Brazilian filmmaker Tata Amaral), NAKED WITH ORANGES, RAG BALL, THE ANGEL'S HOUSE, and THE TOMBS from Argentina.

October 14, Monday

2:00 p.m. Visit with LA-LA (Louisiana-Los Angeles) producer-writer at her charming Creole cottage in the French Quarter. Wow. Aside from great impression of this bright, unique, independent-minded person, impressed by environment - books, patios, light, strong sense of history, celebration and life.

WJC wrap-up. It's hard to leave New Orleans and its festival and activities mid-way knowing full well I'll miss out on more worthwhile films to view (thanks to Artistic Director John Desplas) and productive conversations with writers, etc. The hospitality has been great, due in large part to Carol Gnaidy, Managing Director of the New Orleans Film and Video Festival, and to her dedicated staff (Victoria), and the volunteers, and the tireless members of the Board of Directors (Mike Adler, Ben Benton, Walter Wolf). Au revoir et a tres bientot, New Orleans.