Film Scouts Buzz

1996 Sundance Film Festival Buzz
Festival Buzz

by Leslie Rigoulot

January 24, 1996

Not to say that the competition for new films is heating up at Sundance but rumor has it, from one of the hot British directors, that Harvey Weinstein of Miramax got into it with Bob Shaye of New Line in a local restaurant. Seems Harvey had "Shine," the hot biography of pianist David Helfgott, in the bag. But when he got the news that New Line had scored, Harvey went ballistic and was escorted from the premises.

Confirmed: John Travolta was here to support wife, Kelly Preston's movie, "Meet Ruth Stoop" as was Burt Reynolds, her co-star. The couple of the year, Brad Pitt and Gwyneth Paltrow were here Saturday to support Paul Thomas Anderson's "Sydney".

Totally unconfirmed: Madonna was spotted outside the Egyptian theater on Monday. But there are a lot of people here who look familiar. Of course, to me the most familiar ace is the volunteer who guards the door of the press screening room at the Olympia Park Hotel. The San Franciscan is cute enough to adopt!

Amazingly enough, even distributors are having a hard time getting into the theaters. Steve Lustgarten is here to scout for potential home videos and he can't get tickets to the shows. When I told him that half the seats are empty at the press screenings, I thought he would lose it. He will be trying to get into the press room today!

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