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CNN Live At Daybreak

Small Film Festival Slamdance Taking Place in Utah

Aired January 23, 2004 - 05:57   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, not one but two independent film festivals are underway in Utah. The one you know about is Sundance. The one you've probably never heard of is called Slamdance.
Here is CNN's Maria Hinojosa to tell us about it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Slamdance calls itself the little independent film festival that could.

DAN MIRVISH, COFOUNDER, SLAMDANCE: We're like punk bands, you know, before punk was popular.

HINOJOSA: That could survive for 10 years in the shadow of the big brother at Sundance. So, let's compare. At Slamdance, it's wooden fold up chairs. At Sundance, comfy velvet. Slamdance, ultra low tech. Sundance, top of the line. Slamdance, films with no budgets and no names. Sundance, so-called independent movies with big Hollywood stars.

Slamdance is the renegade festival.

MIRVISH: Robert Redford once called us parasites, which is true. But we like to think of it as it's for parasites, but we're like the beautiful green moss on the large oak tree that just makes the whole forest look better.

HINOJOSA: In the past, Sundance officials have said Slamdance doesn't register on the scale for them. The Slamdance press office is a small hotel room with cardboard boxes. But first time directors like Nancy Hower don't care about that.

NANCY HOWER, DIRECTOR, "MEMRON": If we were in Sundance, it would be wonderful. But we'd be very, very small fish, you know, in a big pond.

HINOJOSA (on camera): At Sundance? At Sundance?

HOWER: Yes, yes. We're very big fish, you know, in the small pond.

HINOJOSA (voice-over): But there is another challenge. Sundance gets the big promotional posters. But Slamdance directors, anyone can get arrested if they hand out leaflets on the street, so they promote their movies... UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, we'd love to have you come.

HINOJOSA: ... on the Sundance shuttle bus.

Maria Hinojosa, CNN, Park City, Utah.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com






Aired January 23, 2004 - 05:57   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Well, not one but two independent film festivals are underway in Utah. The one you know about is Sundance. The one you've probably never heard of is called Slamdance.
Here is CNN's Maria Hinojosa to tell us about it.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MARIA HINOJOSA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Slamdance calls itself the little independent film festival that could.

DAN MIRVISH, COFOUNDER, SLAMDANCE: We're like punk bands, you know, before punk was popular.

HINOJOSA: That could survive for 10 years in the shadow of the big brother at Sundance. So, let's compare. At Slamdance, it's wooden fold up chairs. At Sundance, comfy velvet. Slamdance, ultra low tech. Sundance, top of the line. Slamdance, films with no budgets and no names. Sundance, so-called independent movies with big Hollywood stars.

Slamdance is the renegade festival.

MIRVISH: Robert Redford once called us parasites, which is true. But we like to think of it as it's for parasites, but we're like the beautiful green moss on the large oak tree that just makes the whole forest look better.

HINOJOSA: In the past, Sundance officials have said Slamdance doesn't register on the scale for them. The Slamdance press office is a small hotel room with cardboard boxes. But first time directors like Nancy Hower don't care about that.

NANCY HOWER, DIRECTOR, "MEMRON": If we were in Sundance, it would be wonderful. But we'd be very, very small fish, you know, in a big pond.

HINOJOSA (on camera): At Sundance? At Sundance?

HOWER: Yes, yes. We're very big fish, you know, in the small pond.

HINOJOSA (voice-over): But there is another challenge. Sundance gets the big promotional posters. But Slamdance directors, anyone can get arrested if they hand out leaflets on the street, so they promote their movies... UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Yes, we'd love to have you come.

HINOJOSA: ... on the Sundance shuttle bus.

Maria Hinojosa, CNN, Park City, Utah.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com