A Standing O, baby!

Just got back from the Sidewalk Festival in Birmingham (and boy are my arms tired, ba-dum-bump). The screening last night was AMAZING. The theater was spectacular, a huge immaculately renovated Art Deco movie palace from the 20s, with three balconies, gilt ceilings and red velvet curtains. Honestly, I've seen crappier opera houses. The line was around the block, the place was packed, and the audience was incredibly responsive, getting every joke and chuckling knowingly at every reference. It was a pleasure to sit through the film with them. Bringing this film back to Birmingham, after all my travails and travels making it, really felt like a homecoming of it's own.

At the end of the film, after thunderous applause, I climbed to the stage to start the Q&A. As Jessica came up the steps to join me, the whole theater, 2000 people, rose to their feet clapping again to give us standing ovation. It was the most incredible moment of my whole journey with this film.

Almost all the girls were there, with their families. Jess, Creshema, Sara Catherine (the redhead), Tatiana (the one who says "Are they gonna stop by here and leave us their laundry"), Stacy (the school administrator), and even Marvely (Jessica's rival on the Court) who showed up out of the blue - I haven't had any contact with her since filming. The Q&A was intense and interesting, but entirely supportive (I guess the Machine was busy that night). The most moving moment came at the end, when Jessica spoke being able to bring her grandmother to see this film about her running for Homecoming Queen in this gorgeous theater which, when her grandmother was growing up in Birmingham, she was never allowed to enter. It kind of summed everything up in such a beautiful and personal way.

I have to stop describing it because I'm running out of superlatives. Am attaching a couple of articles that came out over the weekend (we were on the front page of the Birmingham News) in case you feel like doing some supplemental reading. Also, a news story from last night.

http://www.al.com/movies/birminghamnews/index.ssf?/base/entertainment/122258977447650.xml&coll=2

http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20080926/TUSK03/809250282/1005?Title=She_fought_the_machine

http://www.cbs42.com/news/local/29870669.html (scroll through the video pieces in right viewer until you see "Bama Girl")

B'Ham, here we come!

Very excited to that 'Bama Girl was chosen as the Closing Night Film of the wonderful Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham Alabama. (Mostly because it gives me an excuse to get back to Dreamland - best and messiest BBQ in the US o A.) But a little nervous too. Although we've shown the film all over the country, to all kinds of audiences, this time we're really bringing it home. Screening this film in the shadow of the University, with all the local sensitivities and issues that raises, is going to definitely make it the most intense screening we've done so far.

The University isn't particularly happy about the film. The Machine isn't particulary happy about the film. And it really does touch on some of the most sensitive subjects one can talk about in the South - race, electoral politics, the dark and the light sides of the "tradition" that makes the South such an interesting, vibrant and complicated place to be.

So buckle in. It's going to be a bumpy - and exciting - Festival!

First Atlanta Screening - PLUS: NEW SHOW ADDED

What a great night.  Our first screening here in ATL debuted to another sold out crowd, great audience response and a Q&A that went on until they kicked us out of the theater.  Lots of Alabama alums in the audience, AKA and Delta Sigma sorors, and the dedicated cadre of film buffs here at the festival.  Everyone responded to the film very strongly, and, as has been the case at other screenings, everybody took away something different from it.

Jess, the main subject of the film, and Creshema, her best friend and campaign manager, were here with their families, and had a lot of interesting things to say in the discussion following the film.  It's so nice to see them and catch up -- we shared such an intense experience making this film together that it's a real pleasure to be able to just sit back and enjoy the results.

My favorite thing about these screenings (aside from being told what a great film maker I am from people who have to say that because I'm standing in front of them...) is seeing the passionate discussion it provokes in people from different racial, geographic and political backgrounds.  It's why I made the film, and I love to see it play out in the Q&As and the conversations that spill over into the lobby.

The film was such a hit that they added another screening --FRIDAY AT 5PM.  So if you're reading this blog and you didn't get a chance to see it tonight - catch it on Friday.

Welcome to My Blog

Just started the official 'Bama Girl blog in anticipation of the impending Atlanta Film Festival.  If you want to read about all the tiara-wearing madness from the SXSW Festival, where BG had it's premiere last month, go to my AOL blog at http://cg.channel.aol.com/sxsw-blog.    Much hilarity was had by all. But from now on -- this is where all the excitement is, I promise.