SXSW2001 Day Four - Monday, March 12
Monday. I worked my day job 9-5, so I
was pretty beat after work and took a nap. I had sorta
wanted to see a film called "The Journey" at 7, but
it was pretty low on my list, so I opted to snooze a
bit instead.
At 9, I got up and went toward downtown
for "The
Slow Business of Going."
An aside: I went by 8th and Red River
on my way to the movie I noticed that a club called
Ocean's 11 has opened on the corner. I think it is in
the building that housed the Caucus Club. Are they going
to change the name a few months after the Soderbergh
film comes out in November?
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Director
Athina Tsangari
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Anyway, back to the film-going: I knew the director
of "Slow Biz" was a former Austinite and UT prof,
but I thought since the film was kinda strange
sounding and stuff, it would be a small crowd.
Boy, was I wrong. There must have been 5 or 600
people there. The line went around the block.
This is on a Monday night! Director Athina Tsangari
is VERY popular in Austin.
Angela Lee, SXSW Film Programmer,
said Hi to me on the way in. She's been very sweet
to me during the fest. There were lotsa "ethnic"
types and a few young women with - Goddamiit -
babies there. I sat in the balcony and people
just kept coming and coming and sitting in front
of me until I finally sighed, grabbed my shit,
and hightailed it to the front row downstairs.
People are so damn rude. 1,400 seats in the place
and these two guys have to sit down right in front
of me in the balcony. And they were "ethnic" types.
At first I thought they were Jewish but after
reading more about Tsangari, I think they may
have been Greek. They spoke a foreign language.
Anyway, point is, I find myself being a bigot
when things like that happen and thinking bigoted
thoughts and that really pisses me off and makes
me mad at myself. When you are a white European
mutt, like myself, it's easy to feel really weird
in a place where a strong showing of a certain
ethnic group is prevalent. I even found myself
cursing lesbians when I went to see "Elanor" at
the Paramount a couple of months back. I HATE
myself when I have these feelings. And I know,
as a gay man, I have at least one "group" that
I feel somewhat comfortable around. Why do I allow
myself to feel marginalized when I'm in a group
such as I was Monday night? It makes me question
myself as a human being and seriously consider
my immediate reflective response to those situations...
But I digress...
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Bryan Poyser, who I do not know, introduced Tsangari.
She was a young woman of ethnic decent and had a rather
thick accent. I had to listen closely as Tsangari evoked
the name of Denise Montgomery and dedicated the night's
performance to her. Tsangari worked with Montgomery
on "Slacker." Montgomery died a couple years back. I'm
not sure exactly what the circumstances were. Someone
may have told me at one time but I can't remember. (I
do know that Luke Savisky won a grant named for Montgomery
within the past year or so). Anyway, it was a nice thing
that Poyser called Tsangari his mentor and Tsangari
called Montgomery her's. It was a really nice moment.
There was a Q&A after the film but the
screening had started late due to the huge audience
and I didn't have time to stay. It was 11:30 and at
11:45 "Southlander"
was playing at the Dobie. I rushed down to the drag
and the Dobie and made it in plenty of time.
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The Dobie was also crowded, but
I like to sit in the front, so I had no problem
getting a seat. "Southlander" stars pop music
eccentric Beck and the place was loaded with several
little mini-Becks. So, you know, I was ROCK HARD.
(Even the girls looked like Beck). The place was
jam packed with cute, scrawny, pop-punky, little
college guys. One guy even really looked like
Beck. I so wanted to take his picture but, of
course, did not have the balls to ask.
I eavesdroped on the guys talking
behind me and they were talking about "He-Man"
and the Cartoon Network. The guys down the row
from them asked how they had heard about the film
and one said, "My roommate asked me if I wanted
to go to a movie." They in turn asked the guy
about his knowledge of the film and he told them
he worked on the website. (I went to the website
after the screening and it says it was designed
by a guy named "Truck." It's not a particularly
good site, mind you). Angela Lee was here as well
and introduce the film's director Steve Hanft
who was, as it happens, sitting right next to
the web designer.
Hanft is a groovy and weird little
guy who has trouble stringing two words together.
He was probably stoned out of his mind. I would
be if I were at the premier of my film. Anyway,
after the film Hanft did a Q&A and it was the
worst Q&A I've ever been to. This guy barely answered
questions. It was sad and lame. How does a guy
like that direct a film? (Answer: Not really very
well).
After the film I went to Taco Cabana
and got a Chicken Fajita Taco Salad (no sour creme)
to go. When I got it home it was beef and had
refried beans in it. Bleeech.
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Q&A
with Steve Hanft
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After the film I went to Taco Cabana and
got a Chicken Fajita Taco Salad (no sour creme) to go.
When I got it home it was beef and had refried beans
in it. Bleeech.
Oriah of Hobble wrote me to tell me of
another show for SXSW week!
Here's the info: Hobble had another show
added on this week.
We'll be playing during the day this Thursday
3/15 at the Red Eyed Fly (715 Red River, 473-BUGG).
Hobble will play around 4:00PM and this show is free.
In Review Hobble is also playing three
times this week.
Here is the when and where:
3/13 Room 710 (710 Red River[2 blocks
North of Emos], 476-0997) @ 12:30 AM Tues Night, Free
Show.
3/15 Red Eyed Fly (715 Red River, 473-BUGG)
@ 4:00 PM Thursday Afternoon, Free Show.
3/17 Flamingo Cantina (515 East 6th Street,
494-9336) between 1-3 PM Sat Matinee, Food Available.
Until tomorrow,
Lodger2001 @ SXSW2001
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