Too early for check-in, but patience is rewarded with a different set
of rooms with two exposures, one to the north and one to the west, and a
balcony.
A long sleep's journey into morning.
Walking up and down Main Street, from hotel to press office:
Mighty quiet. A sprinkling of early birds. From the narrow sidewalk, stairways
of a thousand steps lead directly up to the mountains.
First language overheard: French. First passer-by spoken to: a Navajo Indian
carrying a tray wrapped in a white towel from door to door. Under the towel,
minuscule Indian pottery.
First Festival goer spoken to: French reporter for "La Marseillaise".
She recommends "L'Appartement" and "When the Cat's Away"
which she's seen and I respond with "Kolya" and "Love Serenade"
which I've seen.
Restaurant menus casually scanned in passing: mud pie, $3.75, cappucino
$2, croissant ,$1.10. Pass on this survival info to a fellow Brit, searching
for the Claimjumper Hospitality Suite. A producer seeking a first-time director
for a film, he's chagrined to find Claimjumper won't open its doors till
Friday, 'cause they're still training volunteers. The scoop on film production
in the UK is that a new method of financing has just been launched: $270
million now available to finance independent production.
Note on drinking establishments here: by Utah state law, all of them are
private clubs open to members only. Membership, of course, is always available.
By mid-afternoon, press screening schedules are issued. Only a few films
have press screenings. Jigsaw puzzle fans will no doubt enjoy devising a
timetable for films in 8 different categories showing at 7 linked-by-bus
locations, not to mention conferences or social events at remote mountain
venues.
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