Father Geek here with more from "The Islands" and our hard working gal in the mid-Pacific, Ms Moon Yun Choi...
Moon Yun reporting in with more about the fabulous Maui Film Festival 2003 …
The most endearing thing about Greg Kinnear is how the Oscar-nominated actor remains that down-to-earth everyman TV-goers took a liking to during his days hosting E! Channel’s “Talk Soup.”
Now that Kinnear has made the leap from TV to the big screen, the handsome, affable actor still manages to light up a room with his funny sarcasm.
So it’s a wonder how the easygoing Kinnear related so well to Robert De Niro, who has a reputation for being intense and unapproachable, while shooting the thriller “Godsend.”
“He was much funnier than I expected,” Kinnear told the audience during a filmmaker’s brunch at the Maui Film Festival 2003. The actor attended the festival with his wife, Helen Labdon, to accept a special award June 14.
Kinnear added: “Bob is a remarkable actor. He takes his craft seriously. He created a good atmosphere on the set. He has a remarkable role playing the villain in the movie … which touches on the issue of [human] cloning.”
Kinnear’s roles have ranged from the comedic, such as the irresponsible David Larrabee in the romantic comedy “Sabrina,” to a dark role in “Auto Focus,” in which he played the sexually addicted Bob Crane, star of TV’s “Hogan’s Heroes.”
There are many variables that go into choosing a role, but Kinnear said, “The most interesting to me is I have to be able to identify with the role.” He looks to see if the part has “layers and color to it.”
He added, “I also look at the director, the cast, the subject matter, and if it feels fresh.”
Julie Moran, former host of “Entertainment Tonight,” was on hand to introduce her former colleague from the days of their humble beginnings, when they had to use one of the shower stalls as their dressing room.
They both started out at Movietime cable channel, which later became E! Entertainment Network. Moran, looking beautiful in a red and white strapless dress, presented Kinnear with the inaugural Navigator Award for carving a course of distinction through the turbulent waters of the entertainment industry.
To go along with the theme of the award, one of the festival sponsors gave him a globe of the world. Kinnear, who didn’t get his Golden Globe for his supporting role in “As Good As It Gets,” looked at it for a moment as if he didn’t know quite what to make of it and took the irony in stride by stating: “I finally get a globe.”
The festival sponsor showered him with more presents by giving him a fancy watch. Moran teased her old friend by saying that’s something he could use because he’s usually late for events.
Her remark led into his account of his Oscar moment, when he was nominated for best supporting actor in “As Good As It Gets.”
“I took my parents, which kept me grounded. [When we got to the Oscars], my mom kept whispering ‘Warren Beatty, Dustin Hoffman.’ It was a thrill for them. It was a special night. I was literally late. I sat down, Robin [Williams] walked up to get the award.”
Williams won the Oscar for a supporting role in “Good Will Hunting” at the 1998 Academy Awards.
Kinnear didn’t keep us waiting long at the filmmakers’ brunch where his award was being handed out.
He burst on to the terrace at Longhi’s restaurant where the ceremony was being held. Dressed in white shirt and slacks, Kinnear immediately addressed the audience stating, “Wow! Wasn’t that amazing, that movie last night? ‘Whale Rider’ was the best movie [at the festival].” He said it’s wonderful to be at a festival where you can watch movies under the stars like he and his wife did at the outdoor Celestial Cinema at Wailea.
Then he went on to proudly announce his happy news: “We have a baby coming in September.”
“Stuck On You,” directed and written by the Farrelly brothers, Bobby and Peter, and “Shattered Glass,” directed by Billy Ray, are two more of his movies that are coming out. “Shattered Glass” is a true story about a journalist who fabricated over half his articles. It makes you wonder how they made a movie so quickly about fallen “New York Times” reporter Jayson Blair but it’s actually about another journalist, Stephen Glass of “The New Republic,” who also made bogus reports.
The trailer to “Godsend” looked really good. It made me want to see the movie. Check it out on: This Cool Site.
The filmmakers’ brunch turned out to be a special moment for one surprised filmmaker. Bobby Garabedian, director of “Most,” won the MFF’s “Tommy Bahama Short Film Award.” Then he got up again to accept the “Best Newcomer Award.” Garabedian was stunned stating: “I didn’t know there was going to be an award.” The national media was there and he got lucky the award brought attention to him and his film. Barry Rivers, Founder and Director of MFF, talked up the movie to Kinnear in the hopes that the movie which he found so special gets seen by a major Hollywood actor.
Garabedian, who co-wrote it with William Zabka, said it took him a year to make the 29-minute short because he filmed “Most” in Czechoslovakia and he wanted to get the best Czech actors. The short, which screened at Sundance 2003, is centered on a railroad bridge-tender. “It [explores] the relationship between a father and his son and how other characters get in the way [of their relationship],” he said. His next project titled “Times Like These” is a youth driven ensemble that deals with different classes of youth. It’ll be his first feature.
Check out photos of Kinnear, the winner of Best Newcomer Award, and the producer of “Dreaming of Tibet”: Just Click Here Now.
I wish I could’ve seen “Most.” Schedule conflict. I did however get to soak up some of the other first rate films at the festival which ran from June 11 – 15.
“Dreaming of Tibet” was a beautiful, moving documentary about the hardship of thousands of Tibetans who had to flee their homeland after the Chinese invaded their country in 1959. The 56-minute film also documents Tibetans who risk their lives to escape Chinese rule by crossing on foot in the dead of winter a treacherous mountainside in order to receive refuge in Nepal. They have to make their escape during the winter because there’s less chance of them getting shot by the Chinese army. They travel without proper shoes, clothing and food. Children who join their parents on this perilous journey sometimes don’t make it. They die of hunger or the cold. Despite their plight, the documentary shows that the Tibetans remain peaceful people. I’ve heard reports of the Dalai Lama and his exile f! rom Tibet but I felt so removed from it until I saw him in this documentary. I was blown away by his gentleness, humor and attitude of forgiveness and acceptance. I really felt for the Tibetans, especially for those who are in exile and dream of their country. John Antonelli, the film’s producer, came to the festival to represent “Dreaming of Tibet.” The film was shown at a choice venue – under the stars at the open-air, up-on-the-roof on the Pacific Terrace of the Wailea Marriott Resort. Geena Davis and her husband, Reza Jarrahy, came to see the film which played on June 12.
“Only the Strong Survive” is a music documentary where you get to relive the sounds of the greatest surviving soul legends of our time. The audience at the outdoor Celestial Cinema went wild over such singers as Isaac Hayes, Rufus Thomas, Sam Moore (of Sam and Dave), Jerry Butler and Mary Wilson. They were still belting it out like there’s no tomorrow. For people who grew up with their music, it was great for them to know what happened to them and that they were still alive. The music was fantastic. It was like being at an outdoor rock concert. I especially enjoyed listening to “Shaft” and “Walking the Dog.” The music documentary really picked up on the singers’ spirit. “Only the Strong Survive,” directed by Chris Hegedus and D.A. Pennebaker, screened at MFF on June 14.
That’s it for this report on the MFF. I’ll be wrapping up my coverage of the festival in my next report with more film reviews, filmmaker interviews and quotes from Rob Reiner on his thoughts about romantic comedies, the movie industry, and what title he would’ve changed “Alex and Emma” to if he had heard about it early enough.
Next year’s festival will be held from June 16-20, 2004. For additional information, call the Film Festival Headquarters at (808) 579-9244 from Hawaii or (888) 999-6330 toll-free from the mainland or visit www.mauifilmfestival.com.
