The next day was Friday, January 16.
The opening day of the third Sundance Film Festival.
Simon had lunch with Los Angeles Times reporter Peter Butler at noon. At about 12:30, everyone rushed to the park city Egyptian cinema where the Sundance opening ceremony was held.
Many years later, the Sundance Film Festival, the small park city is often crowded, very lively. If fans want to watch a movie, they need to scramble for tickets.
But now, Simon has been to park city for a day, and he has been everywhere. Although there are more people in the small city due to the skiing season, he basically doesn't feel much of the atmosphere of the film festival.
Moreover, from the release schedule of the films, Simon found that there were only three theaters showing the films at the festival.
After all, it's the opening ceremony. It's quite lively outside the Egyptian cinema.
Of course, there is no red carpet.
Simon had just entered the cinema when he was stopped by Robert Redford, who welcomed him in person.
After a brief introduction of Peter Butler, Simon feels that Robert Redford has something to say to himself, so he signals Janet and Peter to go in first, and he is pulled aside by Roberta.
"Simon, I saw your movie with you yesterday afternoon. It's amazing. It's better than I thought," Robert said, and then said, "so, I just want to ask, have you found the distributor? If not, maybe I can help. "
"Thank you, Bob," Simon naturally understood Radford's kindness and said, "before I came to park city, I had contact with fox. They are very interested in this film, but they haven't settled the terms yet."
"That's good. Fox is a very good choice. Simon, this is your first movie. Don't worry too much about the gains and losses. Fame is the most important thing," Robert said. He looked around and lowered his voice. He said, "and if there's nothing important, stay in park city these days. Stay until the end."
The implication is very obvious.
After several busy months, Simon planned to take a rest in park city. He nodded and said, "Bob, I will."
Robert patted Simon on the shoulder with a smile and said, "well, go ahead. The opening ceremony is about to begin."
Egyptian cinema is an old-fashioned large single Hall cinema with more than 400 seats.
Simon entered the screening hall and glanced around. Although there were many people sitting in the whole theater, it was still a long way from being filled.
Find Janet. Simon sits down on the edge of the aisle in the fifth row.
At 1 p.m., the opening ceremony started on time.
Robert Redford walked onto the stage with a smile on his face, held the microphone, looked at the audience, and said with a sigh: "I remember two years ago, it was the same theater, and there were only less than 100 people sitting under the stage. For the next ten days, I stood in front of the only screening venue of this film festival and invited you to the cinema like a bar soliciting business. The next year, Sundance successfully sold its first film, freedom. At that time, I personally made a lot of phone calls to David prenant, CEO of Columbia Pictures, invited him to park city, and personally pulled him into the screening hall. Now, in the third year, it is still this screening hall, but I have more than 300 audiences in front of me. I am very pleased with this progress, and I hope that this momentum can be maintained. One day, Sundance will be full of guests. "
In the warm applause, Robert Redford looked for a moment under the stage. For a moment, he couldn't determine his goal, but said quickly: "a few months ago, I met a very interesting thing. At that time, I was working in Fox Studios for the later stage of a film I was in charge of. I happened to meet some old friends who were planning to watch a sample of a film. Out of curiosity, I stayed. Then, I saw an amazing shot, perfect photography, perfect lighting, perfect composition, perfect scenery, perfect to the extent that the sample film can be edited into a film without even using how to match colors. I was very excited at that time. I said to the producer of that film loudly that I would introduce all the photographers, lighters and scenery designers to me, and I would let them participate in my next film. And then, guess what? "
The audience was quiet, and most of them were curious.
Some of the more professional filmmakers are even suspicious. They are very clear about how difficult it is to shoot the scenes described by Robert Redford. Many people think that Robert has begun to brag.
Simon was also surprised. He didn't expect that Robert Redford would suddenly mention himself. However, Janet leaned over with pride and hugged her boyfriend's arm intimately. Her white face was a bit ruddy,
Robert Redford sold a small pass. After a short pause, she said, "as a result, the photographers and the set masters of those scenes are all one person. He not only works as a director, but also works as a director, so he can't stand his strict requirements After quitting, he took up the work of lighting engineer himself. "Robert's voice fell, and there was a slight uproar under the stage.
Who?
Robert, are you sure Hollywood has this power?
Can you still watch the movie?
Hundreds of people under the stage had countless question marks in their minds. Robert Redford finally found Simon and raised his finger directly: "Hey, Simon, stand up and say hello to everyone."
Simon was a little unprepared, but in the eyes of hundreds of pairs at the same time, he quickly got up and bowed to the crowd with some restraint.
When Simon sat down again, Robert Redford said, "this is the young man. He has a very special surname, westero. Simon westero. I think you will be very familiar with this name in the future. Of course, as for his films, it's still this theater at 9 a.m. on Sunday. I promise you, you will never be disappointed. Besides, you can also carefully observe the list of members behind the scenes of the film. You will find that Simon has done more work than you think
Simon is no longer a nobody in Hollywood. Most of the filmmakers who want to enter the mainstream production circle at the bottom of the audience are very concerned about the industry. As a result, some of Simon's stories spread quickly after a buzz of whispers.
On the stage, Robert Redford specially waited for a moment before he continued: "speaking of Simon, I just want to say that it's really not easy for independent filmmakers. Many talented young people like Simon often run into the wall for countless times because of Hollywood's conservative stereotypes and lose their dreams in the elapse of time. Therefore, I very much hope that Sundance can become a platform for filmmakers to show their talents and a starting point for some people's dreams. For that, I will do my best. "
In another round of applause in the screening hall, Robert Redford said, "finally, welcome to Sundance."
After the simple opening ceremony, there is the opening film.
The opening films of the festival usually choose the works of the heavyweights. However, Sundance is obviously unable to attract the leading Hollywood directors to send their works. This opening film is the new film "Raising Arizona" by the Cohen brothers.
The Coen brothers' blood labyrinth is the winner of the jury award of the first Sundance Film Festival, and has also gained great fame in recent years. The brothers' new work became the opening film of the third Sundance Film Festival, which was also a gimmick.
"Raising Arizona" tells the story of a stupid thief who wants to rob someone else's baby and bring it back because his wife is infertile. The two main characters in the film are also famous, Nicholas Cage and holly hunt.
However, the two protagonists did not come this time, and the Cohen brothers only showed up.
Just after the snow, the temperature in park city at night is close to minus 10 degrees. Janet is a very cold person. After attending the opening ceremony, the woman pulls Simon to rush back to the apartment of the resort, and Simon has to give up the idea of attending the evening party. Anyway, there is no star who is interested in attending.
The next day, almost as soon as it was light, Simon drove out of Park City to meet him at Salt Lake City Airport.
Simon didn't expect that George Norman's niece, Jennifer Leibold, would actually come to Utah. The girl didn't know where she got the phone call from him and Janet's resort apartment last night, hoping Simon could pick her up today. She had never been to Utah before.
Salt Lake City Airport.
Simon has just arrived, and Jennifer Leibold and another girl appear in the airport hall at about the same time. When they see Simon with a sign in his hand, they both trot over. Moreover, although the two women were wearing winter clothes, they obviously underestimated the degree of cold in Utah. They didn't even wear hats. At this time, they looked like two little quails.
No time to introduce, Simon pointed to the outside of the airport and said, "let's get on the bus first."
The two women nodded in agreement. It was so cold that they didn't even have the courage to speak.
It wasn't until she got into the car with the heating that her girlfriend said, "it's so cold. I didn't come if I knew it. Jennie, you liar, you said you'd come skiing. Why do I feel wrong?" So, the girl suddenly reached out a small hand from the back and said with a smile, "Hi, handsome, I'm Lisa Collins."
"Simon westero," Simon and his partner shook hands and introduced himself. He looked at the two girls in the back row who were only wearing women's short windbreaker and said, "I'll take you to buy clothes first."
"Well, that's a considerate guy. No wonder Jennie comes to see you in such a terrible weather."
Seeing Simon's shyness, Jennifer said, "Lisa, what are you talking about?"
"Hee hee, you have recently refused Edward's confession. Isn't it because of him?"
"I'm not."
Simon starts the car, listens to what Lisa Collins says, and looks up in the rearview mirror. Jennifer's white face has turned into a red cloth. She turns to her side to stop her friend from talking nonsense. Her golden horsetail is shaking.Looking at the two girls laughing, Simon thought he had to explain first, so he said, "Lisa, I'm just friends with Jennie, and I have a girlfriend."
Lisa Collins stopped laughing and opened her mouth in surprise
So did Jennifer.
Simon looked at Jennifer in the rearview mirror and said, "it's Janet, Jenny. Do you remember?"
Remembering that Janet was sleeping with Simon in the hospital, she nodded her head gently and said with a smile, "of course, she's my uncle's client."
"One more thing," Simon said, looking in his rearview mirror again, "Jennie and I rented an apartment in a resort in park city. It happens to have two bedrooms. If you don't mind, you two can stay there these two days. It's too cold and the hotel conditions are certainly not as good as those in the apartment."
"Is it going to be a lot of trouble?" she hesitated
Simon shook his head and said with a smile, "of course not. Speaking of it, your uncle is also my personal lawyer now. If he can't take care of you, he may lose the lawsuit in the future."
When she heard Simon say that, her face chuckled and said, "well, OK. But my uncle won't do that. "
Lisa Collins listened to the two men's decision, but she didn't object. She laughed, hugged Jennifer and said, "now we're going to ski. But, Jennie, you don't seem to know how to ski, do you
Jennifer moved, trying to squeeze her best friend away, and said, "don't you? Teach me. Why else would I bring you here? "
"But I can't teach people," Lisa Collins said, turning to the front row. "Simon, can you teach people skiing?"
Simon thought about it and said, "I think so."
"Hehe, I'll leave Jennie to you."