Page 4 of 4
Five Places You Need to GonWhen the credits roll, here are a few essential nonshuttle stops for your visit to Park City. n
n
1. New Frontier on Main
nIn its third year, this exhibit stands out as one of the most fascinating and entertaining places to poke around during the festival. Located in the mall across the street from the Egyptian Theatre at 333 Main St., New Frontier hosts a variety of installations—some 3-D, some interactive, some bizarre, some all of the above. While many Sundance-goers steer away from New Frontier feature screenings due to fear of being stuck for 90 minutes watching masturbation (figuratively and/or literally), they are actually safe here. If one piece isn’t working, they can walk right past it and look at another one. (JM) n
n
2. Music Café
nSundance’s Music Cafe, which just moved downhill to a tent on Main Street and 7th, offers cheap and easy entertainment—the rarest kind at this film festival. No one can argue against free, quality live indie music from well-known and up-and-coming artists. (Must be 21 or older. Sundance badge-holders have first dibs on limited space. Open 1:30 - 5:30 p.m.) (JM) n
n
n
n | How to Sundance n Many—if not most—Sundance screenings are sold out by the time the festival opens. But tickets can still be found through two primary sources: n Day-of-Show Releases: A limited number of tickets are released when the box offices in Park City (Gateway Center) and Salt Lake City (Trolley Square) open at 8 a.m.; tickets for the first show at each venue are released the day before. Lines usually are long, so arrive early. n Wait List: Arrive at the venue two hours before scheduled showtime to receive a wait-list number, then return half an hour before showtime. Larger theaters (like the Eccles Center), early mornings and screenings later in the week are the best bets. Cash only. n | n
3. The Queer Lounge
nSome gay-rights advocates wanted to protest the LDS Church by boycotting Utah’s crazy degenerate liberal film festival. But most of them thought that was a stupid idea, so GLAAD and Absolut’s stylish Queer Lounge (608 Main) remains a place for people of all orientations to relax or party, depending on the time of day. (JM) n
n
4. Slamdance HQ
nIf Sundance’s presence spawned Slamdance, Slamdance spawned a series of other so-called “satellite festivals,” held in conjunction with the big one. Some prospered while others vanished, but Slamdance remains the biggest of the little guys. Before you dismiss the wild-eyed kid thrusting his film’s postcard on you, remember that The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan screened his first feature (Following) here. Stop by the Treasure Mountain Inn on top of Main Street for an alternative perspective on independent film. (JM) n
n
5. Squatters
nDetached from the mayhem of Main Street, Squatters (1900 Park Ave.) remains busy throughout the festival, but almost comes off as subdued compared to the overstuffed eateries and party locales in the heart of town. Unwind and enjoy some local food, brew and atmosphere. (JM) n
n
nOver the years, Sundance programmers have developed a language all their own for the film descriptions in the annual festival guide. Here are a few helpful translations. n
n
1. “… defies categorization …”
n“You will have no idea what the hell is going on in this movie.” (SR) n
n
2. “… audacious personal expression …”
n“You will see either a naked penis, a decapitated body part, or a decapitated, naked penis.” (SR) n
3. “… poetic and beautifully crafted meditation …”
n“If you have been watching four or five movies per day, and are running on four hours’ sleep, you will doze off at around the 20-minute mark.” (SR) n
n
4. “… moving and intensely satisfying …”
n“There is a possibility that someone outside of Park City might actually want to pay to see this movie.” (SR) n
n
5. “… truly fresh filmmaking voice …”
n“After this week, you will never hear this director’s name again.” (SR)n
Visit Sundance.org/Festival for film guide and additional information. tttt