AFF09 Daily Dispatch: Days Six and Seven

You miss me yesterday? Wondering why I didn't write a dispatch? Well, I was home, watching DVD screeners, so I could get a couple reviews in. So now you know about two films you should catch on Thursday. And I mean that seriously; just because I wasn't overwhelmingly in love with a film does not negate its merit.

This afternoon, I headed over to Guero's for a Baghdad Texas party.  I couldn't stay long, but I did have a chance to talk about movies with co-writer Shaneye Ferrell (pictured above), who also plays Kathy, the FBI agent, in the film.  We talked about the disappointment in the "Hollywood happy ending" and the draw to complex, humanized villains. I wish I could have stayed longer, but only had time to meet actor Booka Michel before I dashed off to The Donner Party.

The Donner Party is about, you'd guessed it, that Donner Party. And being at the Texas Spirit Theater, which can double as a meat locker, the atmosphere was perfect for empathizing with people struggling with winter. It would make a great companion film to Van Dieman's Land, which screened just a month ago at Fantastic Fest. Where Van Dieman's Land's lush forests embody the heart of darkness, The Donner Party has stark brightness of the snow contrasting the dark trees.  The gravitas of the situation is underscored by the formality of the characters, most of whom remain very polite, even when the unthinkable becomes an imperative.

It was an informative Q&A, with Christian Kane, Clayne Crawford, Michele Santopietro, Cary Wayne Moore, and Catherine Black all in attendance (sorry, no Crispin Glover).  So here's what you missed: The Donner Party was a 12-day shoot, done with two cameras, and on the actual Donner Pass, where the real-life events occurred. Some liberties were taken for dramatic arcs, but not the circumstances and the overall situation.  Jerky, tofu, and seitan all were used for the flesh. The film was submitted to AFF at the last minute, but made it in. And producer John Moore is now an Austin resident. That makes three Texas connections, as Christian Kane is from Dallas, and Cary Wayne Moore, who plays Jay Fosdick is from Alvin, Texas. 

I opted not to pester the cast, most of which were there, because I knew I had a photo-op set up at the after party at Antone's. What can I say, I'm a softy, especially when I overhear a couple of those people talking about how they needed to get dinner. Apparently not everyone who had to sign off on the photo op approved, however, so I have no pictures. I'm only a little bitter, because once Kane hit the stage, easily two dozen personal camera phones were snapping away.  His music is rock, in case you were wondering.  Didn't sound bad, but I wasn't there for the music, so I wandered home, in a downpour.  I could've seen another film, but by that point, it was too late.  Dammit.

Tomorrow is the last day for Austin Film Festival, so make the most of it.