Annual Preview Sedona Film Fest 2011
BY ERIKA AYN FINCH
Now in its 17th year, the Sedona International Film Festival seems to have hit its stride. The festival begins Feb. 20 and lasts eight days, finishing up Feb. 27. On Feb. 19, the festival will offer a preview screening of Sedona, the locally filmed feature written and directed by Tommy Stovall, at the new, 750-seat Sedona Performing Arts Center. The festival will literally roll out the red carpet for the film’s stars that evening.
Last year, SIFF debuted its Sedona Green track that featured films about sustainability. It was such a success that the series returns this year. SIFF has also added Documentaries That Make a Difference and a comedy track in a conscious decision to include lighter fare. That decision includes adding films featuring Rita Rudner and Jonathan Winters, and a movie from John Zaritsky called Leave Them Laughing. Jonathan Winters will also receive the festival’s Lifetime Achievement Award.
In addition to the movies shown at Harkins Sedona 6, films will be screened at Sedona Rouge Hotel & Spa and the Sedona Performing Arts Center at Sedona Red Rock High School. Discussions and workshops will take place at the Zaki Gordon Institute for Independent Filmmaking and Studio Live. Tickets for gold and platinum pass holders can be reserved starting Feb. 1 while 10- and 20-film packs can be reserved Feb. 7. Individual tickets are on sale Feb. 14. Visit www.sedonafilm.org or call 928-282-1177 for details.
Sedona: Frances Fisher
For the thousands of movie lovers who attended multiple screenings of Titanic back in 1997 and 1998 (this writer included), Frances Fisher is best known as the steely-eyed Ruth Dewitt Bukater, Rose’s mother. But the James Cameron blockbuster wasn’t Frances’s first foray into Hollywood; she first appeared on television in the late-1970s in the series [this is usally described as a soap] The Edge of Night. Her movie career includes Unforgiven, Gone in 60 Seconds and Laws of Attraction. She also plays the lead role of Tammy in Tommy Stovall and Marc Sterling’s latest film, Sedona. At the time of our interview, Frances had yet to see Sedona, which was still in the editing process. (Sedona Monthly screened a rough cut of the film.)
 Sedona Monthly When you were here filming Sedona, was it your first time in Red Rock Country?
Frances Fisher I had been to Sedona a number of years back, but I just went to Enchantment [Resort] and never left the property, so I didn’t really see Sedona.
What was your experience like while filming the movie?
Well, I was very busy because I was in practically every shot during my two weeks stay, so I didn’t really get a chance to get out in the country. I was on set the whole time, and my parts all took place in town in places like garages. I didn’t take the scenic tour with my character [laughs].
There was a particular scene in the movie that made me laugh, and it involved our Merlin sculpture in the New Frontiers parking lot. What did you think of that particular piece of art?
That’s pretty strange [laughs]. Somebody went to a lot of trouble.
Why did you sign on to make this film?
Beth Grant told me about it, and I love Beth. We’re working together on another project that we’re co-creating. When she told me about this piece, I read it and imagined her in her part. I thought it would be great to work with her again. I loved the idea of a woman who thinks the world is a certain way and then wakes up to another point of view.
Are you anxious to see the final product?
I wouldn’t say anxious. I’m excited to see it. I’m looking forward to seeing the rough cut. We deviated from the script a little bit here and there and made it better and different.
Do you have plans to attend the film festival for the screening of the movie?
I’m hoping to. Beth and I want to come out. It was very much a family affair in that so many of the investors are from Sedona.
You’ve had a very interesting career. You’ve done everything from TV shows to indie films like Sedona to the second highest grossing film of all time, Titanic. Tell us about that.
I make my choices based on where I’m at in my life and what’s coming toward me. If it feels like it’s a character I want to explore, I do it. It doesn’t matter whether it’s theater or film or television. It’s the character who I feel an infinity toward, and I want to explore her journey, or perhaps I want to work for a director I admire. The difference between indie movies and big budget movies is just that: the budget. It all comes down to the people for me and whether or not I want to play with them. That’s how I make my decisions.
Tell us about what it was like to play Ruth Dewitt Bukater in Titanic.
I saw her as someone who has grown up in a certain society. Her husband has left her, and she’s had to live with the pretense of being wealthy and pulled together when really she has no money. She’s desperate. Women didn’t have the vote at that time, and most women didn’t work. They were wives or prostitutes or maybe nurses or teachers. There wasn’t as many choices for women, especially if you came from society, and it was a step down to have to go to work if you were a society woman. She was caught in a bind. She was trying to the best of her ability to survive. Her way of seeing the world was to be able to marry her daughter off so her daughter would be taken care of and thus she would be taken care of. When people are arrogant, it’s a lack of self-worth. She could be a mean girl because she didn’t really feel whole in and of herself. When her daughter chose to be with a man for love, she saw her daughter go down – no pun intended. In her vision, the only way to survive in life was to have money.
Surely you get asked about Titanic all the time. Are there any other performances you’re particularly proud of?
I made a movie called Jolene, which is another independent. It’s a role I’ve never played before – a guard in a women’s prison who falls in love with the leading character. It’s the non-cliché of a prison guard. I went against all the possible ways you could do it as a cliché. Unfortunately, not that many people have seen it [laughs].
Are you a fan of film festivals?
They bring people together and showcase a lot of filmmaker’s work that otherwise might not get any attention at all. It’s a place for gathering and networking where the public can be educated on what it’s like to make a film. There’s something really great about going into a theater and sharing the experience with strangers. It’s different than watching a film alone in your house or on your iPad. It’s a very healing experience.
It’s going to be exciting for our town to watch Sedona together in a theater.
It’s going to be neat because it’s named after your town. Hopefully it does it justice.
What was it like to work with Tommy Stovall?
Tommy is very easy going and open to any suggestions. We would make changes right there on the spot. It was lovely to work with him.
Sedona: Director Tommy Stovall
 Back in March 2009, Sedona Monthly began chronicling the making of Sedona, the latest film from Sedona residents Tommy Stovall and Marc Sterling. Tommy wrote and directed his first film, Hate Crime, back in 2005 (Marc was the movie’s producer). Sedona Monthly was given a sneak peek at a rough version of Sedona, which stars Frances Fisher, Seth Peterson and Beth Grant, this past fall. We spoke to Tommy after the screening, and he reflected on the filmmaking process. He also talked about his excitement over Sedona’s Red Rock Country debut.
Sedona Monthly We saw a rough cut of Sedona last week. Where are you right now in the editing process?
Tommy Stovall I’ve put together the next edit, which will be the final before the sound and music are added. We’re going to work on that over the next few weeks.
Will the story line be the same as what we saw?
It’ll be the same. We’ll be tweaking a few things and rearranging some stuff.
You’ve screened the movie for select audiences. What has been the response?
We’ve had a great response. We’ve had people fill out questionnaires to give us feedback, and I was pleasantly surprised. Even without the music and sound, it still played well.
Looking back, how did the filmmaking process compare to Hate Crime?
We had a lot of obstacles and challenges to deal with. It was pretty stressful, but it was still fun. Making an independent film is all about solving problems, and we were doing that the whole time. Everything happened fast, so it was kind of a whirlwind.
The filming did take place quickly. Do you feel like the movie is true to your original vision?
Yes. It’s always hard to envision how things will turn out exactly because you don’t know where you’ll be shooting or who the actors will be. We followed the script and everything worked out pretty well.
When we spoke to Frances Fisher, she said you were open to suggestions on the script. How much did the script evolve during filming?
Nothing major changed. Sometimes dialogue will change. I’ll sit down with an actor, and we talk about it and come up with something that works that we’re both comfortable with.
This was the first time you’ve worked with big-name actors. What was that like?
It really wasn’t that different from working with the actors in Hate Crime. You always have expectations about certain actors, and it’s usually wrong when you meet them in person. They are just people. Luckily we’ve had great actors to work with on both movies. They’ve been down to earth, and they are great at what they do.
What was it like working with so many extras who were close friends of yours?
We had a lot of extras to help us out. Being an extra isn’t as fun as it may sound. It’s a lot of waiting around and a lot of hours on the set. I’m conscious of that. I’m worried about people waiting there and hoping they aren’t mad or bored. People were really great. So many liked it so much, they came back again. A lot hadn’t been on a movie set, so they were fascinated by what was going on. Most people didn’t realize how much work it is or how big the crew is.
What was it like directing your nine-year-old son, Trevor, who has a major role in the film?
That was what I was most nervous about as far as working with the actors. I knew that he had the capability of doing a good job. I wrote the part for him. My concern was him being able to work those hours and do scenes over and over. I didn’t know if he’d be bored and tired, but he was great. He had a lot of fun. Sagan Lewis was our on-site acting coach, and she worked with him as well as Rand [Schwenke], who played his brother. She had them totally prepared. They knew their lines inside and out, and they were the most prepared actors on the set. It made for an easy time. I expected to take more time on the kids’ scenes, but it actually took less time in a lot of cases because they were so prepared.
Was any part of the movie inspired by your own experiences?
The ideas came from people we’ve met. I always base characters on people I know to a certain extent because you write what you know. With the exception of Deb Lovejoy, the characters were made up.
There’s an adoption story line. Was that fabricated?
Marc and I adopted Trevor, so I’m interested in adoption on that level. I actually read about women who’ve given up babies for adoption and what they go through. That’s where the character of Tammy came from.
What will it be like to screen the movie in front of the cast in the town where the film was made?
It’s going to be fun. We’re expecting to have a full audience at the new performing arts center, which has 750 seats. Everyone is excited to see it. Even before we started shooting, people were asking when they’d be able to see it. A lot of people will be there who were involved in the film. Hopefully the whole cast will be able to make it, too.
What should people know about the film?
People always ask if it’s a documentary. It’s not a documentary. My goal is for people to have a good time and enjoy it. I call it a dramedy – it’s part comedy and part drama. I hope people leave the theater feeling good.
What’s next for the film?
Our ultimate goal is to get distribution. We’ll try by taking the movie to film festivals and to distributors directly. However we can get distribution, that’s what we’ll do. Now the real work starts – making the movie is the easy part.
Lt. Dan Band: Gary Sinise
The name Gary Sinise might be synonymous with Det. Mac Taylor of CSI: NY or Lt. Dan of Forrest Gump, but these days, to thousands of men and women serving in the military, Gary Sinise is the bass player in the Lt. Dan Band. The musicians travel the world, playing concerts for soldiers and their families. A new documentary, Lt. Dan Band directed by Jonathan Flora, chronicles Gary’s activism, which dates back to the late 1970s but really picked up steam after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11. (He’s actually been playing guitar since he was a child and well before he became interested in acting.) Gary spent time talking to Sedona Monthly about the film and his support for our military.
 Sedona Monthly Your family has a background in the military. Did you ever consider enlisting?
Gary Sinise When I graduated from high school, it was at the end of the Vietnam War. I was part of the last group that had to register for the draft. I graduated in 1973 – that was the last year they had registration for the draft. No, I didn’t want to go into the service. I never considered it. As time went on, I met various Vietnam veterans, and I met my future wife whose brothers served in the Army. I discovered that a lot was going on that I wasn’t aware of in regards to our service members and how they were treated. It was a very difficult time for our country and our military. I devoted whatever time I could to help our Vietnam veterans back in the early 1980s. I can honestly say after I got to know a bunch of our Vietnam veterans, I felt rather guilty that at the time they were serving, I was not paying attention and assumed, the way the rest of the country did, that our Vietnam veterans were on the wrong side of history. That was not the case. I wanted to make up for that by helping various groups.
Jonathan Flora said 9-11 was the impetus for your activism, but it goes back much further.?
Part of having been connected to so many Vietnam veterans and empathizing with what they’d gone through coupled with the fact that our country was attacked and our service members were going off to war to fight this enemy – those two things drove me to get more involved. We’d been attacked, 3,000 people were killed on our soil by a bunch of guys with box cutters and we have an all-volunteer service that knows they are being shipped off to war. We don’t want them to come home to a nation that’s not grateful they way our Vietnam veterans did. After 9-11, I felt there was something else I could do as an American to help support our soldiers. I dove in, and as a result, I encountered so many people along the way who needed help that I’ve become very, very active.
Looking back on Forrest Gump, did you have any idea that your character, Lt. Dan, would take on mythical proportions?
It was my relationship with various Vietnam veterans going back to the early ’80s that was partially a motivator of me wanting to play that part so badly. I just felt like it was a part I connected to and understood. I wanted to portray that particular veteran because, unlike so many other movies about the Vietnam War where veterans were always portrayed as severely mentally disabled in some way, Lt. Dan goes through all those things, but the conclusion of his story is that he makes it through and moves on in a very positive way. I very much felt that was needed. After I played a disabled Vietnam veteran in the movie and got involved in disabled veterans organizations and started going on USO tours, it became very clear that people have a special feeling toward Lt. Dan, and I happen to be the guy who played him.
In Lt. Dan Band, it touches on the fact that so many people know you as Lt. Dan rather than Gary Sinise. Has that ever bothered you?
No. Now that I’ve been on television for seven years, there are as many people who recognize me from that as the movie.
How many times have you been to Iraq and Afghanistan?
I’ve been to Iraq four times and Afghanistan twice. I’ve been to many other places with the band – Asia, Singapore, Diego Garcia, Okinawa, Korea, Germany and Italy.
Have those experiences changed your perception of your career as an actor?
I’ve spent so much time with wounded service members and Iraqi kids and little Afghanistan kids. You see how people live – these little kids have nothing. All those experiences with people who are going through difficult things really effects me. Not that I’ve ever had the perspective that what I do is all that important. When you go out there and see folks struggling to get by, or you meet a guy who’s lost both arms and legs in a bombing, it can’t help but put everything in perspective.
Do you feel like your viewpoints are at odds with some of your colleagues in Hollywood?
I wouldn’t know. All the movie does is follow me around and introduce you to people who are serving our country. You meet first responders who lost a lot of friends on September 11. I help them build a memorial to honor their friends. What should be at odds with that? I’m just doing what I think is right, and what makes me feel like I can contribute and use my celebrity to help some folks. That shouldn’t make anybody feel strange.
The scene where you walk through one of Saddam Hussein’s residences is chilling. What was going through your mind that day?
When you go in and see what he was building at a time when there were UN sanctions against him, you really wonder about it. We were supposed to be cutting off his money, and there was an oil for food program where he was supposed to be taking care of his people, and yet he’s building palaces everywhere. This particular palace he called the Victory Over America Palace. He wanted it done very quickly. We were told that the first crew was moving too slow, so he lined them all up and shot them all. The second crew wasn’t working fast enough, so he shot all of them. Then he brought in another crew and before they could be shot, the war started and he had to run. The palace was unfinished.
Clearly you’ve had many poignant encounters with troops and their families. Is there one that stands out?
There are so many amazing things – they happen to me every week. I’m on the road on the weekends at least twice a month. Last weekend, I was at a Wounded Warrior concert I was playing in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, we have some very severely wounded veterans. Three or fours guys have had all four limbs blown off. One of them was at this event. He had his prosthetic legs and arms on, and he was with his wife. We played Mariah Carey’s Hero. I see half the audience starts to stand up and look to the right, and they are all applauding. I look over, and there he is standing on his prosthetic legs with his two prosthetic arms wrapped around his wife, and they are dancing in the aisle. It was the first time they had danced together since he had been severely injured. That’s one of a million stories about how courageous our service members are. They give me a lot of inspiration. It’s a re-energizer and a motivator for me to keep doing what I do.
Lt. Dan Band: Director Jonathan Flora
Jonathan Flora directs and produces Lt. Dan Band, a documentary that chronicles the military support and activism of actor Gary Sinise, who played Lt. Dan in 1994’s Forrest Gump. Jonathan was in the Army from 1975 until 1984, and he sits on the advisory board for the GI Film Festival. He plans to be in Sedona for the Lt. Dan Band screenings, and he spoke to us about making a pro-military film in liberal Hollywood.
 Sedona Monthly How did you hear about Gary Sinise’s involvement with the troops, and why did you decide to make a film about it?
Jonathan Flora I met Gary briefly at a film festival where I had another film. Less than a year later, I met him at the GI Film Festival in Washington, D.C. We gave Gary the Spirit Award. When he found out I was a veteran, we hit it off and started a friendship. I started hearing about the different things he does, and I was blown away. I wasn’t aware of it because Gary doesn’t do it for the publicity; he does it to support the troops. The first responders in the military are a savvy group of guys and gals. They can see through people right away – they know who’s there for a photo op and who really has their back. When I pitched him on the idea of a movie, I pitched him on a movie that wasn’t singing his praises or glorifying what he’s doing but uses him and his band as a vehicle to go on a journey and meet other people who also support the military.
When did you pitch the idea to Gary?
The end of 2008. Then I followed him around for nearly two years to show that it’s not something he does once in a while but all year long, year after year.
How many times has the film been screened?
It screened at the Heartland Film Festival and the GI Film Festival, but what was really humbling was the rough-cut screening I did on the USS Intrepid aircraft carrier the weekend of Sept. 11 [2010]. We had over 1,100 people there – firefighters, cops, a lot of 9-11 families. It was incredibly moving and humbling because they were the impetus that raised Gary to a new level.
What was the filming process like?
The very first concert that I shot was in Orange County, California, and it was with Snowball Express. Here are 1,500 people, primarily fatherless children and widows, and it was a real sudden gush of what this is all about and what it means to people. I remember standing off to the side and there was a woman holding her child. She looks at me and mouths, ‘thank you.’ Here I am, just trying to film a concert, and this widow is thanking me. You meet America’s finest people who are volunteering to serve in a time of war. To support them is incredible.
Your other films, do they also focus on the military, or is this the first?
This is the first one that focuses on the military. I’m a producer with Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. Being a veteran and the son of a career sailor, this film has been very rewarding.
What sort of reception has the film received from Hollywood? Have you been reticent to show it?
What’s been disappointing is some of the film festivals we haven’t been able to get into. We know the agendas of those film festivals, and that’s been disappointing because the one thing that I really felt was incredibly important was to stay apolitical. A real crime, I feel, is when people politicize supporting the troops and our military.
Do you think the troops were surprised that people from Hollywood were making a pro-military documentary?
Yeah, a lot of them feel like Hollywood doesn’t support them, especially when you look at the movies coming out that show the military in a poor light. They have a saying over there, ‘no bleed, no lead.’ They think the media only writes about them when they get hurt – the media doesn’t talk about all the good things the military is doing.
The movie also demonstrates the concept of music as a healing medium.
We know how music will immediately transport us to a time or a place or a high school moment, be it awkward or a great memory. That’s why Lt. Dan Band is a cover band. They only play one original song – as you see in the film. You hear Baba O’Reilly, and you know the words to it. It gives the troops a time out, a break, and maybe transports them home for a moment.
What should people take away from this film?
I did a private screening with Coach Pat Riley, who has been the coach of the [Los Angeles] Lakers and the Miami Heat. Here’s a guy with all these achievements throughout life, and he said to me, ‘I feel so inadequate.’ It’s not to put a guilt trip on people, but what we hear so much is that after watching the movie, people want to find a way to serve the military. One guy told us he saw a serviceman in the airport, and he walked over with his young son to thank him. We hope people will be motivated to not forget and to do something.
THANKS: Rita Rudner
Standup comedienne Rita Rudner visited Sedona for the first time last April when she performed at the Casino Royale fundraiser. When we spoke to Rita at the end of 2009, she told us about a movie she was making with her husband, producer Martin Bergman. That film, Thanks, will be shown at this year’s film festival. The movie chronicles one family’s experiences with the changing economy over a period of two years beginning in 2007. Rita plays Bunny, the family patriarch’s new wife. Currently, Rita has a standing gig at Harrah’s Las Vegas where she’s been performing since 2006. She spoke to us from Las Vegas about making Thanks.
 Sedona Monthly Thanks centers around Thanksgiving. Any resemblance between Thanksgiving in your home and Thanksgiving in the film?
Rita Rudner No resemblance. We fabricated those Thanksgivings. It’s a fictional story centered around a non-fictional time in the history of America. It’s the story of a family’s financial problems starting in 2007 and ending in 2009. My husband, Martin Bergman, wrote the screenplay. We thought Thanksgiving was a great time for families to get together. He wanted to write something that spanned years. Three consecutive Thanksgivings was a wonderful way to present the story.
Why did you choose to start the film in 2007?
Because everything was so fantastic! Who would have known by 2008 the whole world would be down the plughole? And everybody was lying about the money they were making. We thought it was a fascinating time in financial history.
The film is all about change. It’s a great explanation of our financial meltdown, but it’s also about the idea of salvation through creativity.
I love that. One of my favorite explanations in the movie is the idea that if you pay $1 million for a rock and someone pays you $1 million for a rock, you still only have two rocks [laughs]. When you create something that really gives people enjoyment, you have something that’s there that you pay nothing for that helps people. That’s what we wanted to say. Martin calls it the triumph of art over commerce.
The whole feel of Thanks is very original.
Well, we try to be original all of the time. Martin manufactured this whole project in a totally original way. We didn’t audition anyone; we just hired people who we knew were talented, and he wrote the characters based on what he thought their strengths were. We also allowed a lot of people to have suggestions about what their characters would do or shouldn’t do. It was a joyous experience. We used our own house in California. The only part of the house we didn’t use was the master bathroom because I called it “the bathroom of tranquility.” When we weren’t filming, I had everyone come in the bathroom. I had scented candles and everyone would sit down on comfortable chairs and relax. At one point, there were 60 people in our house. All the toilets got plugged up, and we had to get a plumber in a hurry before everything exploded.
You also used the actor’s first names as the character’s names
We did because we all know each other. I was playing a person that wasn’t part of the family. I gave myself the name “Bunny” because my daughter loves bunnies. The movie was scripted, but we wanted to achieve a natural tone. People are talking around the table, talking over each other. It feels like eavesdropping, and that’s what we wanted to do. Martin wanted to make a movie with a European feel. It has a kind of quiet ambiance.
How long did it take to make the movie?
You’re not going to believe this. Two weeks. We worked night and day. We used a different type of camera. It’s digital that looks like film. We were able to get everything edited in a computer. Things have changed drastically in the moviemaking world. You no longer have to have people cutting the film and screening it on a projector. It’s a different world, and Martin wanted to take advantage of that different world.
The references to Facebook and Twitter are great. Are you on Facebook or Twitter?
It’s so part of our universe. My husband does Facebook and Twitter, and if I think of anything funny, he puts it on my Facebook page. I don’t want to bother with it. I have gotten in touch with people from high school, and it’s fun seeing pictures of their kids, but I’m not obsessed with it like some people.
What do you and Martin want people to take away from this film?
Financial reward isn’t the most important thing in life. Creating and being proud of what you do is more important than making a bet on oil.
Will Thanks premiere in Sedona?
It’s premiering at a festival the month before Sedona, so Sedona will be the second festival.
Last time you spoke to us, you hadn’t been to Sedona. You’ve been here since. What do you think of it?
It’s such an inspiring place. Martin thinks it could be a good place to make a film, so watch out. Martin could be coming there next.
Do you get a chance to attend many film festivals?
Our last one was in Toronto, 15 years ago. It’s time for another one, don’t you think?
What role do film festivals play in moviemaking?
I have to be honest. I read about film festivals, and I think Hollywood is kind of hijacking the festivals at this point. They are making films with major stars and calling them indies. They want pictures on the red carpet, and festivals look at who’s in the movie rather than the movie.
I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by our festival.
Don’t let Hollywood hijack it. It should be about creative people who are doing something different rather than interlopers.
BLUE EYES: David Rasche
Actor David Rasche is a big fan of the Sedona International Film Festival. Last year, he attended the festival for the first time, representing the film Crimes of the Past, and he can’t say enough good things about the event. This year, David stars in a Brazilian film called Olhos Azuis, or Blue Eyes. David’s repertoire includes appearances on television series such as Miami Vice, Suddenly Susan, All My Children and Law and Order. He’s also had roles in Burn After Reading, In the Loop and Just Married. Blue Eyes takes a look at the United State’s post 9-11 immigration policies from the perspective of Latin American citizens, and it’s sure to spark lively audience debate.
 Sedona Monthly Tell us about the first time you read the script for Blue Eyes and why you chose the film.
David Rasche It was an actor’s dream come true. First of all, it was shot in exotic locales. One was Rio de Janeiro, which is arguably the most beautiful capitol city of the world. Sedona is beautiful – don’t get me wrong – but this place actually has water. It’s like Sedona with an ocean. The other half of the film was shot in the interior of Brazil – I’d never been there and knew nothing about it. If it wasn’t for this film, I would have never gone. But the main thing I thought was interesting was that it’s a Brazilian’s view of American immigration. I was curious about how they saw us – not that they are right or wrong, it was just interesting. To crystallize it, they do not understand why an educated, intelligent Brazilian with money should have any trouble getting into the United States. There’s a love-hate relationship with the United States: They envy us, they love us, they admire us. I met kids down there who knew more about American jazz then I’ll ever know.
Your character, Marshall, uses some very harsh language. Was it a hard role to play?
It’s never very pleasant to be around that kind of negativity. But everything I said wasn’t something I’ve never heard. It’s not like these are dark, unspoken feelings on the part of Americans. You hear it on the street, you hear it on the subway, your neighbor says it. Now, people aren’t even ashamed to say it. You’ve got people in politics who have no problem generalizing about everything unknown to them, including South America.
Is this film going to spark controversy, especially in light of it being a Brazilian film?
It should. I hope it does. That’s the whole point. The film doesn’t present any answers, it just says that we have a problem. A lot of people are being hurt. Is it inevitable that everyone will get hurt? Is there a better way to do this?
Who should see this film?
I hope everybody sees it. The definition of a good film is a film that rises above the topical aspects, and this film is both topical and dramatic. It takes a little while to figure out what’s going on in the beginning of the movie, but it does grab you. People are shaken up by this movie; it’s not necessarily the politics. It’s very dramatic and emotional.
Was this your first foreign film?
No. My first was United 93 by Paul Greengrass. I did a British film called In the Loop that was so damn funny. Just this last year, I did a German film.
Compare and contrast the difference between a Hollywood production and a foreign film.
In the end, things aren’t that different. But with the Brazilian film, I didn’t speak Portuguese. I would spend entire days with people talking, and I had no idea what they were talking about. For a lot of the film, I was the only American. Sometimes it got a little difficult, but the terminology is basically the same.
You attended the Sedona International Film Festival last year for Crimes of the Past. What did you think of our festival?
It was fantastic. After it, I went to the Berlin Film Festival, where they show 3,000 films. You have to have a secretary to figure out what to see! It’s insane. They have 15 or 20 venues on any given day. Sedona is much more manageable, and you really get to meet the people. When in my life will I have access to Michael Moore? And I saw films I would have never seen. And it’s a beautiful place. I hope I’ll be back this year.
THE CLASSICS: Robert Osborne
Robert Osborne, the host of Turner Classic Movies, has presented classic films at the Sedona International Film Festival for three years. Though he’s unable to attend this year’s event, he has recorded introductions to three films that will be shown at the fest: North By Northwest (1959), The Third Man (1949) and The Heiress (1949). Robert checked in with Sedona Monthly while filming a Turner Classic Movies segment in Atlanta. He explained to us why he chose these three films for the festival.
 Sedona Monthly You’ve attended the Sedona Film Festival for several years. Why won’t you be able to attend this year?
Robert Osborne I work for Tuner Classic Movies, and we have a date with Cher – that was the only time she was available. I had planned to be in Sedona to introduce movies, but this came up.
You feel so strongly about our festival that you’re recording introductions to three films: North By Northwest, The Third Man and The Heiress. Why take the time to do that?
The audience likes the classic films – it’s been very successful. We didn’t want to break that rhythm. I’ll tape a small introduction that will play before the movie.
Tell us why we’re starting with North By Northwest.
It’s a great Hitchcock film. No matter how many times you see it, you like it. I pick things occasionally like that that will pull people into the theater until they get the idea that no matter what we show, they should see it because it’s going to be a good movie. It’s not just about bringing the films to the festival but how different the films are when you see them on the big screen with an audience. Until you’ve seen North By Northwest on the big screen in the theater with an audience, you haven’t seen it. You see elements you haven’t seen before, and you enjoy it in a totally different way.
And The Third Man?
The Third Man is just one of the great movies of all time – a very powerful film. It has people like Orson Welles in it. It has great cinematography and a terrific mood. It was filmed in black-and-white in Vienna. It’s just kind of an awesome film. In selecting these, I wanted three different films. North By Northwest is a thriller, and it’s in Technicolor with glamorous stars like Cary Grant and James Mason. The Third Man is a black-and-white thriller filmed on location. It has a whole different mood. Then the third film, The Heiress, was done on a Hollywood soundstage by a master director, William Wyler. It basically all takes place indoors, and it’s a more intimate, romantic drama. The Heiress I particularly like because it’s one of those movies not a lot of people know that well. Once they see it, they never forget it. Olivia de Havilland is in it, and her performance earned her an Academy Award. So here you have three films with three notable directors – Alfred Hitchcock, Sir Carol Reed and William Wyler – and you have movies with great stars. The mix is a great mix. No matter how many times I’ve seen them, I’d like to see them again, and I wish I was going to see them in Sedona.
Any current movies on your radar?
Definitely The Social Network and Clint Eastwood’s film, Hereafter. I also liked Woody Allen’s film – it’s not a great movie but it’s a good one – called You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger.
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