Producer and Department Head Screening

Last night I had a private screening of the film for the producers and department heads that were available.  We were extremely fortunate to have the use of Sony's Backstage Theater, courtesy of my dear and long time angel, Jimmy Honore.  The theater seats a little over a hundred and boasts an awesome Dolby sound system.  We were only nine in that big theater:  myself and Joel Marshall (associate producer), Sven Shelgren (Exec. Prod.), Jeanmarie Simpson (Exec. Prod. and Star), Justin Shumaker (Post Production Supervisor), Frank Dorrel (co-producer), Johnny Wilson (composer), Gabriel Diniz (Cinematographer) and Jefferey Macintyre (production designer).  I was very pleased with how the team responded; I think the story is much clearer now and moves along at a good clip. The cuts and additions I made since the Montana screening seem to have really improved the overall effect of the film.  Of course I heard and saw a couple of things that put my teeth on edge but these will be straightened out in time for our Cast and Crew screening, which I am hoping to arrange for the last weekend in May.

Yesterday I also filled out the on-line submission form for the Toronto International Film Festival, which Chris Gore in his book ("the Ultimate Film Festival Survival Guide") labels the second most important film festival on the planet (second only to Sundance, whose deadline we unfortunately missed this year).  On Monday I will send off the first complete package with our beautiful press kit (courtesy of the amazing and patient Jennifer Hoffman at FedExKinkos/Miracle Mile) and one of our brand new screeners (care of Video Lady and Shirley Harlan who said of the film:  "I watched A Single Woman. Your film is very inspiring. I liked the innovative ways you developed the story, so many levels. Good job. I am very proud to be in the credits.").  I am also going to rewrite the cover letter we wrote for the LA Film Festival and include that as well...  I must find a way to impress on these festivals that this film, as Danette Christine so eloquently put it, is critical to the democratic process in the sense that it helps start a dialogue which is so desperately needed in this era of unilateral "decider-ism."  And that this dialogue should occur before the November elections.  I realize that most filmmakers feel that their picture is time-sensitive and must get out there "now!", but I honestly feel that in the case of "A Single Woman" it is indisputably so. Let's hope that the screening committees at these festivals agree...

One thing that is a bit confusing to me about the Toronto application is that they state that they must be the North American Premiere of a film (they prefer to be the world premiere) but then they ask what other film festivals you have applied to... I wrote that we had applied to LAFF, but as we don't know the outcome of that submission, how would I know whether or not we would be a North American premiere, should we be accepted by Toronto?   Also, the paperwork was quite formidable and the shipping instructions were labyrinthian and redundant - 3 copies of the carrier bills in the application envelope, etc etc...  It also perturbed me that the film goes off into the ethos without being addressed to an actual human being... just to the Toronto Film Festival...  I suppose one must just let go of these things but I really am hoping that Jon Fitzgerald will make some phone calls on our behalf and put a human face on our submission, as previously discussed.  He is presently out of town but returns before leaving for Cannes on May 14th.  He is also going to present us with our Marketing and Distribution Blueprint which I am very anxious to see...