Students see celebrities at Sundance Film Festival in Utah
By Thomas Forquer
Holding signs portraying skinned and trapped animals, members of the Utah Animal Rights Coalition shouted, "No more fur, no more traps, no more fur on human backs" as women in multi-piece fur getups sauntered by. Just a few blocks away Paris Hilton was having a photo-op with her Chihuahua, Tinkerbell, who was protected from the cold by what appeared to be a wool turtleneck. Such was the bizarre nature of my three day experience at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.
Why was I there? A friend of mine won a deluxe prize package sponsored by Stuff Magazine and Keystone Light. The companies provided airfare, sumptuous meals, and 72 cans of Keystone Light to enjoy in our 2,000 square foot luxury condo.
We were also treated to two exclusive parties per day. "Sippin' at Sunset" a Crown Royal-Stuff sponsored gala, took place in the afternoon in a tent at the base of the Park City ski resort. Being pop-culturally ignorant, I had a fun time trying to figure out who all the familiar looking people were whom I was brushing elbows with, while the mobs of proletariats outside the tent anxiously awaited just a glimpse of one of their coveted celebrities.
In the evening we were taken to the Blender Magazine concert, equipped with V.I.P passes and an open bar tab, which was good because without ample gin and tonic, I would have never been able to dance to the light rock of Liz Phair or Pete Yorn. And once again, it was fun trying to figure out who all of the bodyguards were protecting.
Oddly enough, the prize package did not include tickets to the films. So I was introduced to a Sundance tradition, spending numerous hung-over hours in sub-freezing temperatures while standing in wait-list lines for the films.
Of the four films I got into, "Neverland: The Rise and Fall of the Symbionese Liberation Army" was my favorite. Though I had heard of this 70s, anti-establishment group before, director Robert Stone brought their insanity and extremism to life through interviews, audio clips and TV news footage. Aside from robbing banks and murdering innocent people with high-powered weapons, the group kidnapped heiress Patricia Hearst and eventually converted her to the cause. In one audio clip, you actually get to hear Hearst say with conviction, "Death to the fascist insect that preys on the lives of the people."
On my third and final evening, I rejoiced to the dance-a-bility of Macy Grey's funky yet soulful songs at the Blender concert. When the show was over, we tried to lure women back to our hot tub, but were unsuccessful.
Defeated, we walked to the Marriott to pick up a cab, running into a celebrity I actually knew-Edward Norton. After a few awkward moments, my friend asked to shake his hand. All he managed to say after he shook it was "You're awesome." When I went to shake his hand, I was surprisingly star-struck, only getting out a "What's up?" We managed to muster up some small talk with the man before we were eclipsed by a group of more beautiful and important people.
What is the moral of this story? Go to the Sundance Film Festival-you'll see lots of stars, and if you plan ahead, lots of films too. For the best results, bring lots of cash, or better yet, a sugar-daddy.