Day 4
Just saw 2 films. Owl and the Sparrow and Tie a Yellow Ribbon. That’s it! Owl and the Sparrow was made in Vietnam by an Asian American. Tie a Yellow Ribbon was about Korean Adoptees and filmed in Brooklyn.
Here’s some things about being a judge
1) I have to judge the films against each other, not against the history of cinema as I know it. Of course it can enter in, but it’s a contest between 12 films. I’d think having that badge that says “winner” means something to the filmmaker. Conversely, Sunsets won the grand prize at the “giant robot film festival”
2) When people ask if I liked it, I say, “It’s good.” Good means a lot of things, right? “Good” condition in comics, means it’s beat to shit. I’ve been saying this consistently.
3) The Q and A is not part of the film. Just because it got explained to me when I didn’t understand something doesn’t count.
4) Technical difficulties don’t count. One film had bad problems and it wasn’t the filmmakers fault, it was the projection.
5) Even though there’s pretty females in it, that doesn’t mean shit.
6) Funny one liners don’t make a movie good. “Finga en asshholll”
7) Budget doesn’t matter.
8) I don’t talk about films with anyone which stinks. I do want to say, “this rocked, that didn’t,” but I can’t. I just have my head down and think about what I just saw.
9) Leave personal opinions on the subjects of the film in the hotel room. Biases have to stay there too.
10) When people ask you what film to watch, you have to watch yourself there too and not say the wrong thing.