By Anna Zimmerman
A veritable Cannes right in Utah County''s backyard, the Sundance Film Festival addresses a wide range of topics and social issues in films and documentaries, attracting visitors from around the globe - and with them, economic and cultural sustenance.
The 2003 festival attracted over 29,000 out-of-state visitors and over 9,200 Utah residents to Park City, Sundance resort and Salt Lake City. Most of the eight official lodging providers of the festival are completely booked for the event, an occurrence usually reserved for Christmas and Valentine''s Day weekends.
International guests pepper the theaters as well as don volunteer jackets. Film-goers and volunteers from Buenos Aires to London, from New York to California mingle in the most culturally explosive ten days of Park City''s year. For many who attend the festival, Sundance is the only experience they have with Utah.
'I think it''s a diverse experience Utah needs,' said Monica Stauffer, a first-time festival attendee. A student at the University of Utah studying political science, Stauffer adds, 'Utah''s usually seen as a stereotypical Mormon society, then stuff like the Sundance Film Festival comes and hopefully it will help diminish the stereotype a little.'
With live music, big parties and so many people, numerous establishments around Park City''s Main Street keep their doors open until midnight to accommodate patrons. Java Cow, a coffee shop and bakery, keeps its doors open 24 hours a day during the festival.
'It''s like the Olympics; it brings a completely new group of people in to Utah,' said Kristin Asai, a dance major at the University of Utah and repeat festival-goer.
Kenyan Cotton, a shuttle bus driver from Nephi, thinks the festival 'helps counter the stigma or the idea that people have about Utah being predominantly LDS.' Born and raised in Nephi but not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Cotton thinks the festival gives people a chance to bring their voice into Utah while giving local residents a peek at other cultures, opinions and values.
Meandering up and down Main Street, a slight hike in menu prices may be noticed, but the box office price remains a steady $10 -- free panel discussions with directors, free parking, free shuttles and endless Main Street perusing included.
Such a reputable event cannot help but add cultural, economic and cosmopolitan flair to Utah County, yet some may avoid or even disparage the festival because of violent or sexually explicit material. Most film-goers have learned to appreciate the diversity and perspective available while holding fast to their standards.
'I''ve seen some of the most raunchy films ever that have been documentaries at Sundance, but I''ve also seen some of the most beautiful films about redemption as well,' said April Chabries, a Theater and Media Arts faculty member. 'You just have to be careful ... and take some responsibility. If the film takes a turn in a direction that you''re not comfortable with, then you need to be able to walk out,' she said.
Sarah Aller, a 22-year old TMA major from Boise, Idaho agrees. 'The film descriptions are usually good indicators of what you''re getting into. Obviously, I probably don''t want to see ''Born into Brothels,'' but there are a lot of other good stories being told. Great characters make great stories, and you don''t need vulgarity or baseness to create an amazing character,' she said.
For BYU students and independent filmmakers alike, Sundance provides an unparalleled opportunity to gain ground in an aggressive industry.
'For independent films, this is it,' said Charlie Brown, a 39 year-old, three-year festival volunteer and Chicago native. 'I think it''s a lot better than L.A. There''s no other way to go.'
Brown believes in the idea and principle of sharing great stories and experiencing film despite language or culture.
'Sundance is a great place wherever you have it, it just so happens Robert Redford put it here,' he said.