Some of the things in common that I noticed between the Sundance Films were emphasis on minority groups. It really seems like a space were the stories of minorities are told both in an informative sense with documentary and in a creative sense with dramas and shorts. 

My favorite part about Sundance really was meeting people. Watching the films was too of course, but meeting people was unexpectedly also so much fun. Not only did I enjoy the time with my class mates, I also talked to everyone I met everyday. From lyft drivers, to bus drivers, waiters at restaurants, people standing in line for films, people walking on the side walk, people riding the bus, people working at the box office, volunteers at the theater, everyone... so many people. It felt so good to be surrounded by individuals who felt the same passion and enthusiasm about film as I did. It was like a beautiful community hidden away in the mountain full of people who were creatively just like me. It was marvelous.  Everyone was so kind and so willing to share their opinions and ideas and their own story. I truly miss the friendliness that Park City showed me. 

I was also exposed to a level of diversity that I had never seen before. Where I’m from and even here on campus, I’m always surrounded by other black people, but at Sundance everyone was represented. White, Black, Hispanic, and Asian. There were people from all over the world who came to Sundance. Dre, Collin, Jason, and I met an Australian man at one of our screenings. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a real Australian accent in real life. It felt so good to be surrounded by so much diversity, yet having so much in common with everyone there. We were all cold, most of us were all far from home, and we were all super enthusiastic about films and film making.

It honestly felt good to be a regular festival attendee. At least for the first time. There’s something about waiting on the waitlist and not knowing if you’ll make it and waiting in line, and getting your ticket scanned and going to the box office hoping to trade something for something else that is part of the fun.

I remember while watching one of my screenings this girl beside me mentioned how she didn’t understand why we had to use paper as a voting ballot. She thought it was old fashioned and outdated. She also said that it was probably inaccurate because they have to be sorted by hand. I kind of agreed with her until someone else next to me mentioned how paper ballots were the best option because it ensures that the person who voted was actually there to view the screening and physical ballots are less likely to be tampered with, whereas digital numbers could be easily hacked. 

While attending the festival I was surrounded by quite a bit of opinionated people, and some had a little bit of knowledge on what was going on in the business world of the film festival. While attending the festival I befriended a student from Utah State named Collin. While Collin, Emma, and I were eating lunch Collin mentioned that one of the biggest deals in Sundance History took place this year. He said that Palm Springs was bought by Hulu for 17 million dollars and 69 cents. I laughed and said “why does that sound fake?” He said it was because the previous record holder, Searchlight bought Birth of a Nation for 17 million, so I guess Hulu just wanted to be petty, who knows. I looked it up later and I think the final number ended up being 22 million. Good for Palm Springs.

I also noticed a lot of people steered clear of the films that were already known to have a deal lined up. They actually did more than steer clear, they seemed quite repulsed at the idea of even watching anything of the sort. It was funny because I kind of felt the same way. I wanted to watch things that no one else would see unless they were here. I guess we all just want to feel like we’re apart of something exclusive and special. Then again I would have loved to see Palm Springs. I didn’t get to watch anything comical while I was there this time.

There seemed to be a lot of hype for some of the films there this year. Bad Hair, Minari, Run Sweetheart Run, Impetigor, Miss Americana, Zola, and Nine days staring Winston Duke and Zazie Beetz.

While attending the festival I was surrounded by quite a bit of opinionated people, and some had a little bit of knowledge on what was going on in the business world of the film festival. While attending the festival I befriended a student from Utah State named Collin. While Collin, Emma, and I were eating lunch Collin mentioned that one of the biggest deals in Sundance History took place this year. He said that Palm Springs was bought by Hulu for 17 million dollars and 69 cents. I laughed and said “why does that sound fake?” He said it was because the previous record holder, Searchlight bought Birth of a Nation for 17 million, so I guess Hulu just wanted to be petty, who knows. I looked it up later and I think the final number ended up being 22 million. Good for Palm Springs. 

I also noticed a lot of people steered clear of the films that were already known to have a deal lined up. They actually did more than steer clear, they seemed quite repulsed at the idea of even watching anything of the sort. It was funny because I kind of felt the same way. I wanted to watch things that no one else would see unless they were here. I guess we all just want to feel like we’re apart of something exclusive and special. Then again I would have loved to see Palm Springs. I didn’t get to watch anything comical while I was there this time.

There seemed to be a lot of hype for some of the films there this year. Bad Hair, Minari, Run Sweetheart Run, Impetigor, Miss Americana, Zola, and Nine days staring Winston Duke and Zazie Beetz.