Black at Sundance: 9 Survival Tips For First-Timers

For cinephiles, industry folks and aspiring industry folks, film festivals provide opportunities to network, rub shoulders with some of Hollywood's A-listers, and screen indie films before studios snap them up and distribute them in theaters.

The Sundance Film Festival is one of the biggest film festivals in North America, so if you’re going to visit just one fest each year, we suggest you make the trek to Park City, Utah to "dance in the Sun." Founded in 1985 by Robert Redford, the winter film fest gets bigger each year with screenings, panel discussions, events, and parties.

Navigating through Sundance can be an overwhelming experience —especially for first-timers. And considering that there are only 50,000 Black people in the whole state of Utah, it can be difficult to meet and connect with other Black creatives on the Mountain. Here are some Sundance tips to make your experience as productive and enjoyable as possible.

1) Join Sundance’s mailing list

If you’re not sure where to begin, we suggest joining Sundance’s mailing list. This way you can get alerts about dates, when to schedule your travel, book lodging and when tickets go on sale.

2) Get your lodging situated first

Sundance is EXPENSIVE. But the festival dates for the following year are announced almost as soon as the festival ends. If you plan on going, it’s wise to lock in your lodging as soon as possible. Though it’s possible (and more affordable) to stay in Salt Lake City, which is a 40-minute drive to Park City, getting as close to the festival and Park City’s Main Street is ideal.

If you stay in Salt Lake City, you're going to either have to rent a car or pay for transportation to get up to the mountain every day, so be sure to budget for transportation.

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What’s The 411?: A Black Cinephile’s Guide To Sundance

Film Festivals can be quite bougie. Each year, a ton of them are held across the globe including niche fests with films that tackle a certain genre, and massive ones like those held in Toronto, Cannes, Tribeca and of course, Park City's Sundance. If you’re the friend in your group who is constantly pressed to get to the theater before the previews roll, or if you’re always reading entertainment news on sites ours, then chances are — you’re a cinephile. Festivals like Sundance give movie lovers the opportunity to get up close and personal with new flicks before studios acquire them and are distributed to the public. It can be an incredibly lit experience, but with a fest like Sundance which shows thousands of films, and hosts hundreds of panels and events, it can be incredibly overwhelming.  However, if you plan ahead and get organized, Sundance can be a once in a lifetime experience.

Plan Ahead

We know you live to be spontaneous and what not, and we do too, but Sundance is not the time to try and wing it.  The fest which was started by Robert Redford back in 1978 is held in Park City, Utah in mid-January each year. This means you have a full 365 days to get things all lined up. We recommend requesting the time off work and snagging an Airbnb or hotel as early as possible. (By early we mean late summer.) This will also help you decide how long you want to spend at the fest. It runs for a total of ten days but a solid four days should be perfect.

Plane tickets or plans to drive in can wait. However, if you don’t get your lodging nailed down, you’ll find yourself taking a 40-minute trek into Park City from neighboring Salt Lake City every day. After a full day of festival fun and giving $40 to a Lyft driver (pools and lines don’t exist in Utah) you’ll be pleased that you didn't procrastinate.

What Do You Want to See?

If you like Excel, go ahead and pull that joint up. Figure out which films/panels you want to see and make a list of the dates and times. Shadow and Act always publishes a list of diverse films/panels and such for you to peruse as soon as Sundance announces them. You can also head over to Indiewireor Variety to get a comprehensive list of the most anticipated flicks headed to Sundance.  You can’t see everything, so don’t worry, whatever you missed will probably be in theaters within the next year or so.

Make sure you double check your list. Times and locations tend to shift in the weeks leading up to the fest, and you don’t want to be salty when you’ve missed something or showed up the wrong place.

Tickets v. Passes

Just like going to the movies around the corner from your house, attending film festivals cost money. Luckily, Sundance has a ton of options. You can get individual tickets to each screening and event, or a fancy pass that gets you into a ton of stuff. Just know that passes can cost quite a bit of coin. Be realistic about your budget and figure out what works best for you, just be sure you do it as soon as the tickets go sale in October or else you’ll just be chillin' in your plush Airbnb with nowhere to go.

Note: If you can't get the tickets that you want, there is a waitlist, so you can always try and cop a ticket at the very last minute.

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Aruba Film Fest: A Morning Spent With Dutch-Aruban Filmmaker Shamira Raphaëla - Her Debut Film, Cycles and Unconditional Love

Shamira Raphaëla is a half-Aruban, half-Dutch television director living in Amsterdam. From the outside, her world seems structured and ordered. She spends her days traveling the world and telling stories from behind her camera lens. However Raphaëla’s 60-year old father, Pempy, and older brother, Andy, live almost parallel lives. Pempy has been addicted to heroine and crack for more than thirty years, and is constantly in and out of jail. Andy has seemingly followed in his footsteps. One would assume that Raphaëla’s story would be one of destruction and pain. And yet, her debut film “Deal With It” about her father and brother, shows something radically different. It is a film about strength, acceptance, and unconditional love. Raphaëla screened “Deal With It” at this year's Aruba International Film Festival. She even took time out of her hectic schedule to show me around the island. We stopped at a snack hut for a traditional Aruban breakfast of pastechis; a pastry similar to a empanada or a turnover that’s filled with meat and cheese. From there, saw a group of donkeys, stopped to see the Balashi Gold Mill Ruins, and we ended our morning by hitting up the sunning Baby Beach in San Nicolas for a swim.

We chatted about “Deal With It”, destructive cycles, and telling our stories.

Aramide Tinubu: To start off, I just wanted to commend you on your film. I’ve never seen a film dealing with theses same themes that has had the amount of warmth and love throughout the story. It was wonderful.

Shamira Raphaela: Oh thank you. It was so important to me for people to see the love. I wanted people to see the good, and not just be focused on the bad.

AT: Oh, yes that’s incredibly important. So, what inspired you to become a filmmaker? Was there a particular moment in your childhood that sparked your interest in storytelling?

SR: I guess I was always drawn to injustice, so I always wanted to like change the world. So I was like, I can either become a doctor, or I can become a storyteller and the storyteller is what I ended up going with. I’ve always been interested in people and in their perspectives. I think it’s important to tell stories to each other, because it is the only way we can better ourselves.

AT: Yes, I think that so often what ails many disenfranchised and minorities communities across the globe is the fact we don’t talk about things, and we don’t tell our stories. It becomes a cycle, and we continue these same patterns over and over again.

SR: Right, and we all have the same story, that’s the strange thing about it. Now that I’ve screened “Deal With it” all over the world, it’s like oh my God, this is the same situation that someone in Havana, Cuba is dealing with.

AT: That’s why film and mediums like it are so important, because you can touch so many people.

SR: Yes. (Laughing) But sometimes I think that if I was a doctor, I could have saved so many more people.

AT: (Laughing) Yes, but you would probably still be in school.

SR: And in debt.

AT: (Laughing) Well to move on to you father Pempy, one of the main things that stood out to me in the film, was the Tupac poster your father has hanging on his wall. What did his admiration of Tupac symbolize for you?

SR: Tupac, is his hero. He’s got Che Guevara, Scarface, and Bob Marley of course, these are all men who were rebels and anarchist against the system, and my dad identities with them because he is also against the system. He just wants to live his life unbothered and never surrender. So for him, these are really like his role models. I chose to put them in the film because it gives the audience context to see where he’s coming from. But at the same, time Tupac is critical of my dad sometimes. I got that shot of Tupac looking over at my dad like, “What are you doing?” (Laughing)

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Aruba Film Festival Review: ‘Deal With It’ Is a Compelling Documentary About Cycles, Addiction & the Power of Love

Living in New York City, I've learned to avoid the drug users as they bellow loudly down the streets of Harlem. I avoid making eye contact with them, seemingly more absorbed in whatever's on my phone screen or streaming through my ear buds than the human beings right in front of me. They're forgotten to me by the time I make it to the next block. If criminals and addicts aren’t directly involved in your life, you rarely actually see them. Instead, we use them for our entertainment (and maybe education) on shows like HBO's “The Wire” and Starz's “Power”. Or, we might turn on the television some dreary afternoon to a show like “Intervention”.

We sit and observe, maybe even sympathetically, from the comfort of our own lives, watching their lives quickly spiral out of control. But, what if we didn’t have that luxury? There are many people who deal with addiction and criminalization on a daily basis that they can't escape because love and family is wholly inescapable. What if you have no choice but to deal?

Aruban-Dutch filmmaker, Shamiera Raphaëla, explores this topic in her mesmerizing and compelling freshman documentary "Deal With It”. The film follows her 60-year old drug dealing and heroin addicted father Pempy, as well as her brother Andy, who are both constantly in and out of prison. The film opens with Pempy's release from jail. As soon as he steps beyond the prison gates, he starts talking smack. His lifestyle has obviously taken a toll on him, but his spirit is still vibrant. He's hilarious and upbeat; one of his most prized possessions is a massive Tupac poster hanging on his apartment wall. If you thought 60-year-old drug dealers didn't exist, then you've never met Pempy.

Raphaëla‘s brother Andy’s story is much harder to swallow. As a Caribbean man (who is much darker skinned than his sister or father) living in Holland, the cycle and repercussions of Pempy’s choices on Andy’s life are staggering. Though, Andy isn't an addict in the way that Pempy is, he sells drugs and makes a living by robbing others. In one particular scene, he rolls crack rocks as his infant son looks on from his stroller.

Shamira Raphaëla is nearly 33 years old, so these are images she has been seeing all of her life. Still, it's truly shocking to watch what we can only assume are typical interactions with her father. Pempy cooks heroin on a spoon, while Raphaëla tries to discuss his use of crack, heroin, and meth on the same day. Yet, Pempy isn’t fazed. He flips the script on Raphaëla suggesting that she be more concerned with her biological clock and lack of boyfriend. This moment, like many others in the film, is hilariously heartbreaking.

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Image: Deal With It

Aruba Film Fest Interview: Venezuelan Director Fina Torres Talks ‘Liz in September’, Her New Film About Life, Love & New Experiences

More often than not, films that have an illness at the center of them are far too heartbreaking to watch joyfully.  After viewing these films, the audience leaves the theatre with a dark cloud over their heads; still lost in the somber tale as they move throughout the rest of their day. Fina Torres’ “Liz in September” does the opposite. Depicting a masterful story about love, life and friendship against a stunning Caribbean backdrop, watching “Liz in September” felt like floating in a daydream. The film follows 36-year-old Liz (Patricia Velásquez), a lesbian and former supermodel who is spending a final summer on the beach with her close girlfriends. Things don’t quite go as expected when Eva (Eloisa Maturé), an unexpected visitor shakes up all of Liz’s plans.

“Liz in September” is a vibrant film about living fully, loving deeply and being open to new experiences.

Director Fina Torres and producer Laura Oramas recently presented the film at the Aruba International Film Festival. The duo sat down with Shadow and Act to chat about the film and what drove them to tell the story.

Aramide Tinubu: Thanks so much for sitting down with me Ms. Torres. I just want to jump right in and ask “Liz in September” is based on the play, “Last Summer at Blue Fish Cove”, how did you find out about the play? Why were you inspired by the story?

Fina Torres: It’s a funny story because nine years ago, or maybe even more now when I was in LA, I was contacted by the producer who had the rights to make this movie in English; it was an American producer. However, it was very difficult to get the financing together. So many years later, I was in a Master Class with this Venezuelan actress, and she was doing a scene from the play. I thought to myself, I know this play; I was going to make this movie many years ago. The actress told me, “you need to do it now.” So I called the producer and asked if she would be interested in doing the movie but in Venezuela so it would be an adaptation. And she told me, OK let’s do it.

AT: In the film, Liz has a great deal of tension with her parents. They kicked her out at 16 years old because of her sexuality, and the relationship was never repaired. Have there been any strides at all in the LBGTQ community in Venezuela?

FT: That’s a very difficult question to answer because in a way yes, like in the rest of Western world; but in some ways not. Gay men seem to be more accepted then gay women.

AT: Really?! That’s so interesting, I would have assumed the opposite.

FT: Yes, and I think that some countries in Latin America like Argentina, Nicaragua, Chile and I think Columbia now have gay marriage, but not in Venezuela. The gay community has really tried, but the Congress there is extremely homophobic.

AT: Yes, that’s how some states are back in the US. It’s horrible.

FT: Yes, and even the more progressive political parities in Venezuela don’t dare to fight for gay equality because they fear they will lose a lot of voters.

AT:  Well, Patricia Velásquez who plays Liz in the film is the first openly gay Latina supermodel. How did Patricia’s life inspire Liz’s back-story?

FT: Liz’s supermodel background wasn’t in the play, but I thought it was important to incorporate some aspects of Patricia’s life. In the play, Liz is kind of butch but I didn’t want to make her a stereotype. So, I put some elements of Patricia’s life in there. She traveled the world as a high fashion model, and she’d known the power of beauty and how to use it to her advantage. So, I thought it would be interesting to take that and put in into the screenplay.  It was such a melding between Liz and Patricia Velásquez.

AT: I found it so striking that Lola couldn’t fulfill Liz’s wishes in the end.

FT: Some doctors, they cannot do that because they take that oath not to do any harm. They want to keep people alive, so it’s a very ethical choice. On the other hand, Eva had a son who was ill and that she forced him to fight it so much that he wasted away. So she didn’t want to do that again. So, that’s one of the reasons she’s able to help Eva.

AT: What is Margot’s back-story with the woman that appears suddenly, or was that simply a figment of Margot’s imagination?

FT: Well, that’s what I wanted people to ask themselves. I wanted to leave it up to the audience.  The way I see it is that Margot dreamt about Yolanda because she has been faithful to this love all of her life, and she has always been waiting for this woman to come back. Margot has this nostalgia for this incredible love that she had so, for me it was like a dream or a desire.

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Image: Liz In September

Interview: Chatting w/ Tyrese Gibson About His New Film 'Shame' & Taking on Darker Roles

Shame is a powerful emotion, it aids in secrets, lies and deception. The constant need to cover up humiliation can be overwhelming, causing you to sabotage other aspects of your life. The problem is that secrets can only remain hidden for so long. Tyrese Gibson’s new short film “Shame”; which was produced by Academy Award winner Denzel Washington, embodies all of these emotions. Set in Detroit, Michigan in 1968, Gibson plays Lionel Jacobs, a nightclub singer whose world is rapidly unraveling due to his rampant drug and alcohol abuse. Though he’s married to one of his background singer, Bobbi Ann (Jennifer Hudson), Lionel’s demons and indiscretions are beginning to catch up with him. “Shame” is a quiet film; it allows the audience to indulge in Lionel’s depressing late 1960’s world until it explodes; along with the life that Lionel has built for himself.  It’s a film about moments, reflections and unforeseen consequences.  More than that, “Shame” forces its audience to confront the sins we often try to keep hidden.

Though Gibson first appeared on the big screen in John Singleton’s 2001 film, “Baby Boy”, his most recent projects have been action films like the “Fast and Furious” and “Transformers” franchises, his character Lionel shows a much grittier side of the 36-year old actor. Gibson recently premiered “Shame” overseas at the Aruba International Film Festival.  Here is what he told Shadow and Act.

On the Inspiration Behind the Film:

Well the movie is directly inspired by my song “Shame”, from my most recent solo album, “Black Rose.” I’ve been living with this song and I was in a relationship for five years and when the relationship ended, I was devastated. So, I went in the studio and the first song that I recorded was “Shame.” After living with the song for a long time, all of these characters popped up in my head. Everything that you just saw was in my head, because I played it over and over and over. So, I got the director in place, and I asked Jennifer Hudson who was featured on the song if she would do the movie with me, and that’s when we also landed Denzel Washington. It was really just a labor of love. I tell people all the time, especially my supporters and fans, all of us have great ideas, and all of us are very creative. If you allow ideas to pop up in your head, and then you allow them to go away; or when you talk to people about it and then they laugh at you, you’re stopping yourself from impacting the world. This was in my head and I was obedient. I made it happen and I followed through.

On Lionel’s Faith, Humanity and Demons:

You know it’s interesting; almost all of us have things that we struggle with.  I don’t drink or smoke or anything like that, but I also don’t judge people who do. My mother was an alcoholic for 27 years, so I grew up with drugs and alcohol, and a lot of family in and out of jail. I grew up in the ghetto in South Central, LA so a lot of what you see are images that I was exposed to growing up. I didn’t want this character to be so far away that people can’t relate to him. I wanted Lionel to be relatable. I also wanted people to be able to say, I may have a drinking problem, I may use drugs here and there, but I need to leave it alone because I might end up looking like [Lionel].  It’s that good and that evil that most of us struggle with. That’s why I don’t judge anyone, because good and bad have various levels.  Lionel became very popular in Detroit singing at the nightclub, and his popularity made him powerful.  But then, he became abusive with his power. So, the thing is, we all have power but a lot of people become abusive with their power and that’s who Lionel was. He thought that it was OK to be married to Jennifer Hudson’s character, and to be having an affair with another background singer. He thought it was acceptable. If anyone tried to get in the way of that, he would shoot, stab and kill and then run to Jesus afterward.

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Images: Tyrese Gibson's "Shame"