The Director‘s Cut

Aug. 1, 2007

“The Traverse City Film Festival has quickly become one of the top film festivals in North America,” Moore told the Express editorial team at a recent lunch interview. This recognition from industry insiders coupled with Moore’s stature in the industry, has attracted many great films (evidenced by the number that have sold out) and top filmmakers to make appearances at the festival.
While the films are the focus, Moore and his festival team have put great effort into attracting directors, producers and actors to accompany the festival. Their presence offers a unique perspective, one that can’t be obtained in a traditional movie viewing setting. Last year, for example, Malcolm McDowell and Jan Harlan were in for the whole week, sharing insights on the great filmmaker Stanley Kubrick.
These visiting filmmakers often share their perspectives before or after their films are shown. They make themselves available for questions, and find their way to the various film fest parties for casual conversation and photo ops. Often, these filmmakers are not household names; Moore has said he is interested in a film festival that offers “just great movies,” not “just celebritie.” (If you are looking for celebrities this year, actresses Gretchen Mol and Christine Lahti will be here).
Another way to get the filmmakers, actors and industry insiders’ insights is at the panel discussions that take place Wednesday – Sunday at 11 a.m. at the TC Opera House. The panel sessions are free, and with Moore holding court as in past years, they should be both humorous and informative.
Following are some insights from a few of the filmmakers who will be visiting this week:
Director DA Pennebaker:

Donn Alan (DA) Pennebaker is recognized as one of the early pioneers of the “cinema verite” style of documentary filmmaking. This technique departs from the traditional narration, reenactments, and staged performances and captures direct, uninterrupted observation of its subject matter.
Pennebaker’s most famous film in his 50-plus years of filmmaking is “Don’t Look Back,” a look at Bob Dylan on tour in 1965. The film was released in 1967 and was met with critical acclaim (although not at first). To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the film and Pennebakers collective work, Moore is showing “Don’t Look Back,” along with “Al Franken: God Spoke” (Pennebaker’s most recent film). Moore has invited Pennebaker to speak after the films, as well as on the panel discussion about the craft of making good documentaries, which will take place on Friday, August 3 at 11 a.m.. His wife, Chris Hegedus, who has been making films with him since the mid-’70s will join Pennebaker.

NE: You must tire of talking about “Don’t Look Back.” But what was Dylan’s reaction to all of it? There were some media reports that he wasn’t happy with it and others that he loved it. What did he say to you about it?
Pennebaker: With Dylan you never know, because what he says at breakfast he will deny by lunch. I remember after the first showing of the film, which was dreadful, I asked him what he thought and he responded that he would make a list of changes and give them to me. The next night he had a yellow pad out as we watched the film and after it was over with he held it up and said something like “that’s it,” and there was nothing on the pad.

NE: Upon completion of the film some labeled it a “disaster” and “amateurish.” Movie theaters were unwilling to show the film at first. What changed?
Pennebaker: Distributors felt it was too ratty for the theaters. Guys in suits from the industry would come out to our showings and they were gone before the first reel was completed. So we were discouraged, until this guy called who managed a string of porn theaters on the West Coast. He viewed the film and said, “It looks like a porn film but it’s not, and this is just what I am looking for.” The film ran in his San Francisco theater for a year, and it was getting good reviews and large crowds. Eventually theaters all over started showing it.

NE: Didn’t your film on the Monterrey Pop Festival a year later have the same sort of fate?
Pennebaker: Sort of. I was making the film for ABC TV, but with Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin’s stage antics, ABC viewed the film as not the family-friendly youth of America sort of thing they were looking for. So the film ended up in a porn theater in New York to packed houses and the guy made a lot of money off it.

NE: Did you start your career as a filmmaker?
Pennebaker: I went to Yale and received an engineering degree. After about a year I knew I didn’t want to be an engineer. A writer friend of mine convinced me to quit and live with him in New York. I was worried about how I was going to pay the rent and he told me “not to worry about it — you need to learn how to live in New York without a job.” He was right — I have not had a job since.
At first I tried to become a novelist and halfway through writing a novel I realized I was not going to be the next F. Scott Fitzgerald. Another friend was making a film, and when I watched it I knew within 15 minutes that filmmaking was what I was going to do for the rest of my life. I didn’t know a thing about filmmaking and I essentially weaseled my way into the business.

NE: Until you and a few others came along, documentaries were basically “routine and “boring” in their technique and style. You took the approach of not interviewing or making inquiries or suggestions for scenes. Why do you feel this approach is so effective?
Pennebaker: I think people like that sense of the moment. There are things happening to people all the time — you don’t have to create or write it for them. I took the approach of making the camera the least important thing in the room. When you have all these assistants running around and you are setting up lights and trying to determine the best angle of the shot, you are going to get a different result.

Writer-Director Tod “Kip” Williams:

When reviewing the panel discussions, Tod Williams will be listed twice. That’s because there are actually two Tod Williams coming in to participate at the festival. They are cousins and they have collaborated together on projects. We caught up with both of them.
Tod “Kip” Williams is the writer and director of the films “The Adventures of Sebastian Cole” and “The Door In The Floor,” starring Kim Basinger and Jeff Bridges (based on the novel “A Widow For One Year” by John Irving). Williams is the son of the world-renowned architect Tod Williams and is married to actress Gretchen Mol (who will also appear as a panelist and is in the film “The Ten” which is showing at the festival). The couple has been married since 2004, and they are expecting their first child this September.
Williams will be serving on the final panel about the future of films to be shown at the State Theater.

NE: What is your connection to the Traverse City Film Festival and Michael Moore; did you meet him in Hollywood?
Williams: Actually, I met his wife Kathleen at Afternoon Delight in Alden a couple of years ago. We struck up a conversation and she put me in touch with him.

NE: Rumor has it you live on Torch Lake?
Williams: Well, I visit often during the summer. My great- grandfather bought a place on Torch in 1913 and my family has been gathering there every summer since. I live in New York.

NE: Do you participate in film festivals often, with your wife being an actress and you a writer and director?
Williams: Not really. I did when I was trying to sell “Sebastian Cole,” and I did sell that by showing it at the Toronto Film Festival. I am excited about participating in this festival and coming back to Michigan, though.

NE: Do you know what you are going to talk about?
Williams: No, but it is my understanding that Michael is a master at this. So I am sure I will figure it out. I think Michael is trying to garner support for the State Theatre and use his industry connections to make it a theater that shows great films. I think he has started that process with this film festival. It was smart that he put the festival in the middle of summer when the weather is nice. I think that the beauty of the area will pleasantly surprise people coming to visit. Who knows — it might lead to a movie being made there.

NE: Okay, how about some sort of scoop? Any projects that you or Gretchen will be working on in the future?
Williams: Here is one that no one knows about yet. I am directing the new Harrison Ford film, “Confessions of an Economic Hit Man,” based on the book of the same name written by John Perkins. We will begin filming in January of 2008 in Panama.

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Director Tod H. Williams:

The other Tod Williams describes himself as the shorter one in the family, his cousin is 6’5” and he’s only 6’3”. Both are writers and filmmakers and have even collaborated on projects in the past.
Tod grew up in Detroit and attended Detroit Country Day before heading off to Dartmouth. Simon Schuster will be releasing his first novel, “Knifeboy,” at the end of August.
Williams is coming to the Traverse City Film Festival to promote his current film, “Trainwreck: My Life As An Idiot.” The film stars Seann William Scott of “American Pie” fame, along with Jeff Garlin (who attended last year’s film festival) and Williams cousin-in-law Gretchen Mol.
Williams will speak to the audience after each of the two showings of the film. He chuckles over the fact that most people attending will have no idea who he is.

NE: Probably 99% of the people attending the Traverse City Film Festival will not know who you are?
Williams: How about 100%? I am hoping to change that before I leave.

NE: Have you shown your film “Trainwreck” elsewhere?
Williams: Yes, at the Seattle Film Festival, and it did well there, so I’m hoping for the same result in Traverse City.

NE: Why show it at a film festival?
Williams: I am trying to sell the distribution rights, and film festivals play a role in that process. I am not sure that this is your typical film festival-type film, though. While I see the art in it, I wouldn’t say that it fits the stereotypical “artsy” film that most festivals focus on. I do feel that the film, while it was shot in New York and is about a person from New York, it has a very midwestern sense of humor to it. I think it will resonate well with people in Michigan.

NE: So you have to be glad to be on the panel that will focus on humor?
Williams: Absolutely. I can’t wait. I have heard that previous panels have been hilarious.

NE: You have your first novel being released later this month, “Knifeboy.” Do you hope to turn that into a screenplay?
Williams: I am currently working on selling the screenplay rights. I hope to make this my next film project.

NE: Did you write a lot of it while you summered in Northern Michigan? And are you working on another novel?
Williams: Yes, I did write a lot of it while at Torch Lake, and some of it is set here and in Detroit. I am currently in the middle of my next novel.

To learn more about the panel discussions or the films being shown at the Traverse City Film Festival this week, check out traversecityfilmfestival.org.


Michigan Filmmaker Award
The Traverse City Film Festival will kick off with opening ceremonies on Tuesday, July 31 at 3 p.m. in front of the State Theater. What
now appears to be a tradition is presenting the Michigan Filmmaker Award during the ceremonies.
Last year actor Jeff Daniels received the honor. This year the honor will go to actress Christine Lahti.
Lahti grew up in Birmingham, Michigan and received a bachelor’s degree in drama from the University of Michigan. She summers on Torch Lake. Her husband is director Thomas Schlamme, they have been married since 1983 and have three children.
Her acting career has included several successful roles on the big screen breaking through opposite of Al Pacino in the 1979 “…And Justice For All.”
In 1984 she received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “Swing Shift.” She won an Oscar for the 1995 film “Lieberman in Love” in which she both directed and starred.
Lahti might be best known for her role in the hit sitcom “Chicago Hope,” where she won an Emmy and two Golden Globe Awards. She has several on and off Broadway credits to her name. Lahti is also among just a few actresses with her credentials to have never poised nude for any of her roles. She is known for selecting roles to her liking versus seeking out blockbusters and her focus in recent years has been on television sitcom and film roles.