"I’ve been doing this for 20 years, and every year I still have the fear that somehow something’s happened in the world that’s stifled creativity, and that there aren’t going to be any filmmakers out there with any stories, or any original way to tell them…that it’s all just come to an end. But, then you start watching. And then you see your first really great film that kind of blows you away. And then the films start to pop one by one. They make themselves known to you, and you know that there is a talent behind this film, that there is a person, there is a voice, there is a group of people who believe in it.

[And then at the Festival], I think there are actually real magical moments in theaters. And it never happens in the theater that’s most comfortable. It’s always when it’s dumping snowing outside, every seat is taken, something’s gone wrong at the door. Everybody’s a little bit cranky. And the filmmaker gets pushed up on stage to sort of liven everybody up.

And then the movie starts and it’s a movie that everybody responds to, an especially emotional film. And it’s sort of like everybody knows that they’re in an audience watching something very special happen. And it’s not just on screen and it’s not just because they’re there. It’s the mixture of everything. In that moment, somebody is being discovered. It’s a moment of true discovery of a talent and everybody in the room knows it. The filmmaker sometimes knows it and it’s a very special moment. I think everybody has that at Sundance. That’s what keeps people coming back."

EXPLORE ALL
POST YOUR STORY
SHARE YOUR VIDEO
SEND YOUR PHOTO