matt dentler Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Every day seems to bring a new channel for delivering great, unheralded film right to your television or laptop. The latest is Film Buff, a video-on-demand channel run by Cinetic, and overseen by Matt Dentler, former producer of the legend that is Austin's SXSW. Variety has the details great and small.

I can't describe this channel better than Cinetic president John Sloss, who says its "as if your most film-literate friend programmed your Netflix queue and it was immediately available." They plan to offer as many as 15 first run films and classics per month, and the first slate is pretty tasty: The Carter (the Lil Wayne documentary that premiered at Sundance), Enzo Castellari's original The Inglorious Bastards, the 1984 documentary The Times of Harvey Milk, Richard Linklater's Slacker, and Michael Almereyda's New Orleans, Mon Amour. Dentler stresses that they won't be limited to Cinetic repped titles, nor will they only showcase new releases. FilmBuff also aims to champion older films in need of rediscovery, especially if they're tied into a hot trend or remake, such as Quentin Tarantino and his Basterds.

Now, I know Wayne Wang isn't in most cinephiles' good graces these days.* He's spent most of the decade making bland and unremarkable middle-brow flicks like Maid in Manhattan, Because of Winn-Dixie and Last Holiday. But the director behind The Joy Luck Club and Chinese Box still has a fair bit of cachet, and when he does something like make his new film available in its entirety online and for free, people pay attention.

So, pay attention: Wang's The Princess of Nebraska, an indie he premiered at last year's Toronto International Film Festival (where it got a positive review from Cinematical's Kim Voynar), will be offered for free on the internet in September. The filmmaker partnered with ex-SXSW chief Matt Dentler and his Cinetic Rights Management to make this happen, as a means of releasing Princess simultaneously with its companion film, A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, which will come to theaters courtesy of Magnolia Pictures. The exact plans of the release (i.e. where, how) haven't been announced, but I'll keep an eye on it. Take a look at this IndieWire story for more.

Not, probably, the start of a new Hollywood trend, given that The Princess of Nebraska -- a no-budget drama about a pregnant Chinese teenager's struggles in the United States -- probably wouldn't have done much business anyhow. But if Dentler and his colleagues can figure out a way to get people to watch the thing, who knows. Indie filmmakers could always use a new channel.

*The exception is our own Eric D. Snider, who informs me: "I love Wang films!"

During the South by Southwest Film Festival, short filmmaker Behn Zeitlin was in a terrible car accident on the way to the screening of his film, Glory at Sea. Zeitlin shattered his hip, which had to be replaced, fractured his pelvis, and sprained both ankles. The director, who did not have medical insurance, now faces over $80,000 in medical bills.

Even in the midst of transitioning into a new gig, outgoing SXSW head Matt Dentler is on the ball with this. SXSW is trying to help Zeitlin out, by hosting two benefit screenings on April 29 at everyone's favorite Austin film venue, Alamo Drafthouse. The screenings will show shorts by Zeitlin and some of his friends. Austin's a great film town, so I hope all you Austinite film buffs and filmmakers will get out there on the 29th and give some support to Zeitlin. And hey, it's at the Drafthouse, so you can enjoy some great shorts, support a filmmaker, AND get yourself a yummy dinner and one of those awesome five-dollar milkshakes or brown-sugar lemonades. Check out the screening details here.

We at Cinematical wish Zeitlin well, and hope he has a speedy recovery.

Wow, this news threw me for a loop. According to indieWIRE, our mutual friend Matt Dentler, producer of the South By Southwest Film Festival since 2004, is leaving his post (and Austin) to move to New York City, where he will head the marketing and programming operations of Cinetic Media's new digital rights management unit. Replacing Dentler as SXSW producer will be Janet Pierson, long-time independent film producer and board member of the Austin Film Society.

I've never met Pierson (well, that I know of ... you do get introduced to so many people at film fests, it's hard to keep track of everyone sometimes ... ) but I feel like I know her, from watching the documentary Reel Paradise, which she made with her husband, John. That film documented the year the Piersons and their two children spent living on a remote island in Fiji running the only movie theater on the island. I also wrote last year about John Pierson smacking down on Michael Moore, whose film Roger & Me was sold by the Piersons to Warner Brothers for the then-unheard-of sum of $3 million.

Janet Pierson has fantastic indie street cred, she's a passionate lover of independent film, and I'm sure she'll do a stellar job heading up SXSW. We at Cinematical extend our warmest welcome to her, and wish our friend Matt great luck and joy in his new endeavor. Matt is one of our favorite indie-film-world people, and we hope that he'll come back to SXSW every year to just enjoy the fest for a change, rather than running to and fro introducing films and shepherding talent around. We'll save you a seat at the Alamo, Matt, and there's a five-dollar milkshake with your name on it when we see you there.

*Update: Check out indieWIRE's well-informed piece on Cinetic's plans for Dentler and Pierson on stepping into Dentler's shoes.

My first South By Southwest was actually my second film festival ever. But I had my festival partner (Erik Childress!) there, as well as a bunch of movies to watch, so it's not like I was worried or miserable or anything. The year was 2003, and I was just about to meet Matt Dentler. Only a few weeks removed from my first Sundance, I simply wasn't prepared for the Austin hospitality. Once Mr. Dentler knew who Erik and I were (online film critics, big woop) he never stopped being a prince. Thanks to Matt and his awesome girlfriend Jarren, Erik and I became SXSW superheroes almost overnight. So it only took about six years for me to come up with the idea, but here's an interview with my friend Matt Dentler, powerfully good guy and ridiculously hard-working producer of the South By Southwest Film Festival.

Cinematical: You've been the producer of South By Southwest for the better part of a decade now, and the festival has seen huge growth in that time. How'd you score such a sweet gig, and (more importantly) how do you keep the festival chugging along year after year?

Matt: I've only been the producer since 2003, but I did start working at SXSW in 1997 as an office intern. I've seen the festival go through various stages of growth and it's really exciting. I guess I got the gig because I worked my way up the food chain and was just relentless about doing a great job. I dunno what it is, but something about this place and this job fit really well with me. The great thing about each festival, year to year, is that there are always new films and new filmmakers and new audiences. That keeps things fresh all the time, and you never feel like you're just doing the same job over and over. It really does feel like a new challenge each year, especially as we've grown.

Cine: How important is it for a festival producer to be a hardcore movie freak? Does your love for cinema ever start to wane when you're faced with 45 brand-new screener discs?

Matt: A programmer at another festival once used this analogy and I think it's appropriate: To do this job, you have to love movies like it's a marriage. You have to love it through thick and thin, sickness and health, richer or poorer. You have to be ready to embrace it during the good times and bad. And, that's very true. It can be a daunting gig, but I don't take it for granted. I love the idea of discovering great new films or a great new voice. That keeps it constantly interesting and usually entertaining.

This year saw a lot of notice paid to the film movement known as Mumblecore, but it's still low enough on the radar that its members -- including filmmakers Andrew Bujalski, the Duplass Brothers and Joe Swanberg -- are likely still pretty approachable human beings. Of course, that doesn't mean that their biggest fan can easily meet them. While these very indie filmmakers aren't celebrities, their most devout follower, Erin Scherer, lives too far away and is apparently too poor to pay her own way to simply locate the Mumblecore lot, travel to where they're at and pay them a visit. The difficulty isn't stopping her from trying, though. Scherer, a filmmaker and video blogger best known for her monologue "How Mumblecore Saved My Life," has set up a website asking for donations in order to fund her trip to the South by Southwest Film Festival in March, where she apparently will have the opportunity to meet with indieWIRE blogger and festival programmer Matt Dentler, as well as whatever Mumblecore representatives are available. The site, titled GrantErinsWish.com, features some videos of her explaining her predicament and begging for money.

So far, according to the updates on her site, Scherer has only collected $55.00. That's a lot less than the $3200 she needs by March 5, 2008, the date she heads down to Texas for the festival. While I don't completely condone giving a fangirl charity when there are more important causes in the world, I do like the idea that you can purchase t-shirts and other merchandise from her CafePress site, so that you don't have to feel like you simply gave the money away. The merch does, however, state the cute-yet-implicit declaration, "I helped Erin get to SXSW and all I got was this stupid t-shirt." Keep in mind, that if she does not raise the full amount, she will still be going to SXSW -- she's apparently already paid for the trip and is presently in debt -- so you won't likely be receiving a refund. However, if you've had your own dreams of meeting your idol(s) and think it's a good cause, or at least an endearing one (heck, even if you just pity her for all I care), feel free to do with your own money what you wish.

[via The Reeler]

UPDATE: Despite the fact that her current total is still only $55, Sherer has decided to up her amount needed another $400-500.

What do you get if you're a winner in the SXSWclick competition? Well, you get your short film screened at one of America's coolest film festivals ... and a bunch of editing software and other little prizes. But playing at the South By Southwest Film Festival? That's every indie filmmaker's "realistic" dream, isn't it? (The unrealistic one would be: Winning an Oscar, sleeping with Scarlett Johansson at Sundance and beating Spielberg out of a directing gig.) And why exactly should you care about short films? I mean, short films rarely feature big stars or talking dogs or giant robots ... so who gives a wet slap?

Good question. Try checking out the SXSWclick award winners and then tell me if you still feel the same way. For the record, the winners are: Don Brown's Pierre (Grand Jury Winner -and- Animate-it), Will Elliott's Peterson's Savings and Loan (Popularity Contest -and- Old School Shorts), David Serota's Ubutu (Really Real Shorts), Andrea Giacomini's Always Near (Sound Checks), and Tipper Newton's The Timebox Twins (What the F*#!?). Congrats to all the winners! And if your short happens to be playing in front of a gory horror movie at SXSW 2008, then I'll probably see it. (Feel free to browse through the winning shorts right here. Dang, you can even watch 'em on your phone. And in the bathroom!) Judges for the SXSWclick competition include filmmakers Bob Odenkirk, Kal Penn, AJ Schnack, Michael Tully, bloggers Agnes Varnum and Violet Blue, and Homestar Runner co-creator Craig Zobel.

Speaking of SXSW '08, consider this the starter's pistol: (Bang!) Filmmakers! Time to get your flicks into the SXSW offices if you want to be considered for next year's slate. True, the admission process runs until (almost) the end of the year, but why not be an early bird? Catch those programmers while they're still bubbly and pleasant! And as far as movie-watchers go, festival master chief Matt Dentler would like to extend a personal invitation to any and all Cinematical readers. Mention this article during SXSW '08 and get a free beer at the Austin bar of your choice! (Offer expires March 6, 2008)

Time once again for our weekly Indie Film Blog Group Hug, wherein we check in with other film blogs around the internet to see what other folks are writing about. One of these days, I want to throw a big party at my house and have all the other film bloggers from around the world converge in my living room to wax eloquent about all things film-related over chips and salsa, taquitos and icy-cold margaritas. Wouldn't that be a blast? In the meantime, the Group Hug will have to suffice ...

Oh, and by the way, fellow cinephiles, if you have a film blog I don't know about (or even if you've previously submitted your blog and I haven't covered it in a while), drop me a line at kim(at)cinematical(dot)com to point me your way.

• Over on The Hot Blog, David Poland writes about whether it means anything that Fox pulled out of Comic-Con, and ponders the whole sticky-wicket issues of which critics get into sceenings when, which leads to a discussion of embargoes, which then gets into the whole kerfuffle surrounding the Baltimore Sun and NYT breaking embargo on the lastest (and last) Harry Potter tome. And somehow, he manages to tie it all together in a way that actually makes sense ...
• ... Meanwhile over at Hollywood Elsewhere, Poland's sometime-rival Jeff Wells commentates nicely (I think) on Poland's piece and offers up his own take on the whole Fox-pulls-out-of-Comic-Con-Does-That-Mean-The-Simpsons-Movie-sucks thing.
• Apparently everyone the Baltimore Sun and NYT have everyone thinking about all things Potter this week, as both Anne Thompson, Matt Dentler, and Karina Longworth ** (great minds thinking alike) have posts up about the Harry Potter embargo-breaking, too.
• Strange Culture is already thinking Oscars ... in July! That's right, RC is already positing that Roger Deakins will be nominated for an Oscar for cinematography -- and that's probably a pretty good guess. Any early bets on other Oscar noms?
• Indie Film Nation, which runs some nifty podcasts about all things indie, has a fascinating interview up with Richard Moore, the director of the Melbourne International Film Festival. Good stuff. While you're already over there, check out last week's interview with Goetz Weber, CEO and co-founder of inDPlay.
• Checking out what's going down over at Twitch, Kurt has a little post up {via just about everyone on the planet, so this is obviously old news to everyone but me -- figures) about the possibility that one of my favorite films ever, John Carpenter's They Live, might -- that's might -- be made into a series for the Sci-Fi channel. They live is great political satire wrapped up as a fun horror flick, and I agree with Kurt -- it's never been more relevant than it is now. Keep your fingers crossed -- if it does ever get made, that's one series that's getting set to record on my DVR, baby. Don't forget your special sunglasses ...

**Karina does indeed have a great mind, but that particular post was about Fox and Comic-Con, not Harry Potter. It's still a good post and worth reading, though. The moral of this story? Don't read 40 different film blogs while simultaneously writing a post and getting four kids ready to get out the door for swim lessons without double-checking that you've got it all right. Thanks for setting it straight, Karina. It's good to still have you around to keep us on our toes.

What's the point of going to a festival like Cannes? Is there really a bigger appreciation of 'art' films in Europe? Why do movie studios spend millions of dollars for stunts and publicity at Cannes? When you're blogging, is anything ever really off the record? Joining us this week from the shores of France is South by Southwest Film Festival senior programmer -- and IndieWire Blogger -- Matt Dentler. Matt and I talk about these topics and much more in this latest edition of The Rocchi Review. You can download the entire podcast right here -- and we hope you enjoy.

The team behind South By Southwest has come up with an appropriately tech-savvy way for festival attendees (or interested parties anywhere) to stay informed about events, locations, and news: they've created a SXSW-specific text messaging system that, if it works, could really revolutionize the way festivals are attended. In addition to being able to subscribe to what is essentially an SMS newsfeed consisting of "general updates and alerts" about the festival, the system also provides an extensive series of keywords that, when sent to the proper number, get festival attendees information about everything from screenings to Austin's best sushi; from concerts to panel discussions.

So now, rather than carrying around a laptop and obsessing over web searches, users can find out where a given screening is taking place on their cell phones. Want more? You can even vote for the festival's audience award via text message which, while it's ripe for corruption (I imagine an SMS snow-chain type system, set up by a clever director), is still pretty damn cool.

[via Matt Dentler]