no grace under the lights

i've been volunteering for the tribeca film festival for almost two weeks now, and i have to say, i've been amused by the degree to which new-to-even-mild-fame directors handle themselves in public. many of them seem to have a you-know-what stuck up their you-know-where, all because their precious little movie is screening at tribeca. i understand the pride they must feel, and yet, i feel somewhat disgusted by them. most, not all, acted as if they were the end all and be all of the festival, that without them, how did this festival ever get anywhere. as a lowly volunteer, it actually made me sad to see the way they treated everybody on my level. okay, end of virtual venting.

now, on to the show. i saw some really good movies, not nearly as many as i wanted. my favorite of those i saw was eden. it's a small german movie about an overweight chef whose professional life is in order, but not his personal one. when he meets a married woman with a somewhat-mentally challenged daughter, his life turns upside down. it sounds sort of weird, but it was very charming actually. sounds of silence is a documentary about the underground hip-hop scene in iran. the regime doesn't allow any music that isn't religious or traditional to be played or distributed publicly, so all these modern groups have taken to the internet to dispense their music... it's was pretty good, but as usual, needed editing! then yesterday, i snuck into see "the tv set".. about a writer whose tv pilot is getting shot, and then follows through the process by which a show gets picked up for the season. it was very funny, but only if you enjoy poking fun at showbiz. overall, it was a great experience, hopefully i'll be around to do it next year!