9.7.08

TWNN at LAFF

Why yes! Those are in fact paparazzi photos of Sarah and I attending one of the three screenings we were blessed with at the LA Film Festival a couple of weeks ago, now. LAFF graciously hosted a mess of independent filmmakers from all over, fostering an incredibly stimulating environment; kind of like the best summer camp you could ever dream of. We made many new friends and helpful contacts, got some fantastic reviews from Variety and indieWIRE, watched some beautiful movies, and suffered many hangovers from the free mojitos and all-night karaoke and pho. It was the most perfect 1% glamour to the 99% grit of filmmaking, which made it *that* much more appreciated...

But now I'd better back up; after returning from South Africa, we did a Q+A at the final Brooklyn International Film Festival screening at a superb new facility called the Lumenhouse, catching up at last with some great old friends and meeting some new ones. Then it was on to Boston, where Gerry met up with us and helped out with the more medically slanted questions, and I reunited with the brilliant Julia Przedworski of Ecuasana, who works in the similar vein of increasing access to medical treatment in Ecuador.

I am now home, back in my own space, with the windows open, the orchid in full bloom and the artifacts of familiarity all around. My head is still reeling from these past two months, of so much noise and nervousness bursting in on a normally quiet life...good to get jolted by the electric minds of others from time to time.