Asian American Film: Features

"Rosewater" at Slamdance - An Interview with Kimi Takesue

02.24 - Posted by Editor

A solitary man struggles to cultivate beauty in a surreal urban world in Kimi Takesue's experimental short "Rosewater"

"Rosewater" at Slamdance
Kimi Takesue dissects the Park City experience

2.24.00
Kimi Takesue's experimental short "Rosewater" played last month at the Slamdance Film Festival. Founded as an alternative to Sundance, Slamdance is now even more selective than its predecessor and has become a fantastic venue for independent filmmakers. AsianAmericanFilm talks with Kimi about her Park City experiences.

AAF  These days, Slamdance is even more competitive to get into than Sundance. How did you find out your were accepted and what was your reaction?

KT  Late one night, I got a call from Slamdance letting me know that I had gotten into the festival. I think at that point, I screamed. I was really shocked that "Rosewater" had been accepted-- in part, because it's so competitive, but I also had a strange pre-conception that Slamdance only took semi-slacker comedies. That's really not the case- the films at Slamdance cover the full spectrum.

AAF  What were your objectives for the festival and how did you prepare for going?

KT  I actually applied to Slamdance because it struck me as a really fun film festival--one that I would enjoy attending. If you check out their website, you'll get a sense of the unique spirit of Slamdance. As a filmmaker at Slamdance, you get the best of two worlds. You benefit from the festival's high-profile status, yet simultaneously you get to enjoy a wild, creative, vibrant festival atmosphere---and they throw fantastic parties! At Slamdance, your work is taken seriously, but you're discouraged from taking yourself too seriously---it's a great balance. I was also really excited about the opportunity to meet other filmmakers from around the world. Slamdance is held over the course of a week, and many of the filmmakers attend, so you really get to hang out with people and see their work. It becomes a bonding experience.
    However, in going to Park City one does feel the pressure to capitalize on the "opportunity". It can be a bit overwhelming but Slamdance does a great job in guiding filmmakers through the daunting publicity maze. They offer some preliminary get-togethers in LA and New York and extensive suggestions on their website, with advice on specific press materials to bring, who to contact, and how to psychologically prepare for the chaos. I ended up having postcards printed, designed a couple of posters and brought along business cards, press kits, and vhs tapes to Park City. Before the festival, I sent out postcards to filmmaker friends and other contacts to let them know I was attending the festival. I also contacted some local press people in Philadelphia to see if they were covering Park City; the City Arts Paper ended up running a story when I returned from the festival.

AAF  What was the atmosphere in Park City like? Anything special in your experiences as a maker of a short film? As an Asian American?

KT  Park City was pretty crazy. Lots of cell phones. Lots of people wearing laminated badges around their necks. Lots of filmmakers running around with stapler guns and posters...The festival atmosphere was intense because there was this concentrated pool of people, all involved in film, who had converged in one place. Sometimes, it felt a bit creepy but overall it was a fascinating experience. Generally, people were really open to one another and would strike up friendly conversations on the buses, hanging out on the street, waiting in lines etc.
    As a maker of a short film I really appreciated the non-hierarchical environment at Slamdance. There were no real divisions imposed between features & shorts. I've been to some festivals where that split is really pronounced, and as a filmmaker with a short, you feel like a second-class citizen. I think the Park City environment in general, and Slamdance included, would have benefited from more cultural diversity. I didn't feel personally alienated but it would have been nice if there were more people of color and women filmmakers represented.

AAF  How were the screenings of your film? Facilities, audience turnout, responses?

KT  Despite the prestige of Slamdance, the screening facilities were far from "ideal". The screening rooms felt like saunas. People were advised to take off clothes. It was so hot they had to install industrial fans to keep people from passing out and the equipment from breaking. Once I got over the initial horror, I kind of embraced the situation. It was endearing in a strange way---everyone sweating together and watching films. Slamdance definitely has character.
    I had 4 screenings over the course of a week and was slated with 3 other films in the Dramatic Shorts category. After each film there was a short Q & A with the filmmaker. Because the films were shown throughout the week, some buzz could develop and people had several opportunities to check out your film. All of our screenings were packed and I had some great responses.

AAF  There was a great deal of talk about internet companies like atomfilms.com buying short films in Park City this year. Any thoughts or experiences?

KT  There definitely was a flurry of activity around internet companies buying shorts in Park City. In some respects, it felt like a lot of hype. I think filmmakers feel pressure to sell their films in order to feel "legitimate" and have distribution. But some of the deals out there don't seem to benefit the filmmaker. In many cases, companies pay a small acquisitions fee and demand exclusive rights etc. I'm still trying to sift through some of the possibilities and have been talking to various internet/ dvd/ and short film distributors. I definitely would like to have exposure for ROSEWATER but I'm cautious about forfeiting the rights to my film.

AAF  How was the festival for making industry contacts, pushing future projects?

KT   At this point, I'm not sure what even qualifies as an "industry contact". At Slamdance I met a lot of people---filmmakers, cinematographers, distributors, producers, actors etc. My general network of contacts definitely expanded. I did talk with people about my current projects in Q & A sessions, various interviews and in general conversations, but the discussions were all casual; I didn't make any effort to target producers to push my projects. From my own experience, I'm a little skeptical about pursuing industry channels to find support for projects. I seem to benefit most when I direct my energies toward making authentic connections with like-minded people. I have more faith in those relationships growing into the future and translating into opportunity.

AAF  What's been your best festival experience so far?

KT   I've been fortunate to attend quite a few film festivals around the country and several internationally. Slamdance ranks high among my experiences, but I'd have to say the most memorable was the Brno Film Festival in the Czech Republic. Brno was completely free from the commercialism, hype and self-promotion which plagues American film festivals. In Brno, the value of a film was NOT equated with its production value. Instead, films were judged for their content and artistry; people spoke passionately about the ideas behind the films. I also met some incredible filmmakers from around the world, many of whom I'm still in touch with.

AAF  Any advice for other filmmakers taking their films to festivals?

KT   I would encourage filmmakers to attend festivals whenever they can. It's one of the tremendous rewards of being a filmmaker. You get this incredible opportunity to travel to new places, meet new people and see how different audiences react to your work. Each festival has its own character and it's hard to predict which ones will be most beneficial on a professional and personal level. The larger more prestigious festivals have their perks but there are disadvantages as well. Sometimes you and your film get lost within the crowd. Audiences in smaller cities, are often responsive and appreciative of visiting films and filmmakers. So I wouldn't overlook the value of attending smaller festivals --they can be just as rewarding. I'd also encourage filmmakers to go see the films of other filmmakers when they attend festivals----it's important on the level of support, but it also allows you to engage with other filmmakers on a deeper level and actually discuss each other's work.

AAF  What's next for "Rosewater"? What's next for Kimi Takesue?

KT   If all goes well, "Rosewater" will continue on the festival circuit for another year. At this point, I'm interested in also investigating possibilities for distribution on national television, the internet , and dvd collections. Currently, I'm developing several short narrative projects and a feature film script. I'm also in post-production on "Heaven's Crossroad": a journey through Vietnam filtered through the eyes of a traveler and the thoughts of the lover left behind.

For more information, please contact

Kimi Takesue
3408 Baring St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Tel: 215.222.8276
kimitakesue@hotmail.com

Comments

Hi, Sweetie,

I just tried Google for the first time in the lobby of the Bristol Hotel in San Diego.

I'm very impressed with your interviews. You give thoughtful answers to all the questions, even the dumb ones!

And I was able to see--although not hear--your
interview from Slamdance 2000 for the first time!

love you,
your mamma

Posted by: mamacita on August 1, 2003 10:18 PM

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