|
Aging Sundancers bring depth to independent films
2007-01-26
If there is one question many filmmakers are running from this week at the Sundance Film Festival, it is this: What happens to your movies when you grow older? The answer is that life experience has brought maturity to many of the filmmakers and movies at Sundance 2007, festival organizers said. Age and maturity have added depth to the movies and, generally speaking, made them better. And with better films comes bigger box office and a widening audience. The coming-of-age films and 20- and 30-something directors that flourished here in the 1990s -- such as Kevin Smith with "Clerks" -- have in many cases, grown up. Tamara Jenkins, 44, directed one of the hotter titles this year in "The Savages," about adult siblings caring for their elderly father. As important, the new filmmakers that Sundance champions appear to be reaching outward for subjects with a more worldly view than in the past. In previous years, many top titles here have been inward-looking, and they took place within the filmmakers' own environments or communities. Sundance is the top U.S. festival for independent film, and over the years a mostly youth-oriented culture sprang up around it. But that is changing, organizers said. "You're never sure quite why that happens, but what is clear is that the independent film movement is maturing and evolving," said festival director Geoffrey Gilmore. One panel discussion this week called "The Coming of Age Story" featured several Sundance veterans in their 40s with movies here including Jenkins, Hal Hartley and Gregg Araki. When asked how age and maturity effected the stories and characters they chose to write about, Araki said he did not think it had any impact. The others declined to answer. WISDOM AND BOX OFFICE To be fair, they were not the only ones reluctant to talk about age at a festival where youth is considered an asset. Festival director Gilmore said his notion of maturity in films did not necessarily equate to age. Actress/director Sarah Polley, 28, for instance, is screening "Away From Her," about an older married couple dealing with the onset of Alzheimer's disease. One filmmaker who did discuss the issue was 43-year-old Andrew Wagner, whose "Starting Out in the Evening" has Frank Langella playing a 70-year-old novelist learning to take risks to become a well-rounded person. "In my 40s, whether it's just a subtle difference, I'm able to appreciate life on more nuanced levels," Wagner said. Judging by box offices, movie fans appreciate aging, too. In 1995, the top 20 films released by distributors specializing in independent-style movies grossed $289 million in the United States and Canada. Sundance sensation "The Brothers McMullen" pulled in just over $10 million, according to box office watcher Media By Numbers. In 2006, the top 20 grossed $769 million and Sundance hit, family drama "Little Miss Sunshine," racked up around $60 million in domestic theaters, the tracking service reported. One buzzed-about title here is "Save Me," starring 57-year-old actress Judith Light, formerly of TV sitcom "Who's the Boss." Her film tells of a Christian woman whose faith and morals are challenged by a gay relationship. "I sense that, and I hope, that audiences for these films have more respect for age and the wisdom that comes with it," Light told Reuters.
| 
