Suddenly Las Vegas has a hot and hip film festival. Actually, there is
nothing sudden about it as CIneVegas has been building and growing for years.
But some major hurdle has been cleared based on my informal accounting method of
the numerous phone calls from national media and journalism friends asking me to
write freelance articles on CineVegas (or, to lend out phone numbers that might
help them with interviews and access). CineVegas has been dogged in achieving
their current success. This is the festival that every year has Dennis
Hopper creatively instrumental and, unlike a figurehead, he is always present
during the day. If I had nerve, I could walk up and talk to Dennis Hopper any
old time there. Maybe, this year, I will. CineVegas is the festival that managed
to get Hunter S. Thompson to make his one trip back to Las Vegas before his
death (since writing his famous Fear and Loathing book), and this is the
festival that beat Oscar by honoring Helen Mirren a year earlier.
But even as a resident closely connected to entertainment (and, on top of
that, the parent company of Las Vegas Weekly, where I am on staff, is owned
by the parent company that owns CineVegas) I only made it to CineVegas for the
first time last year. I am not a movie person. But it was nothing like my image
of a film festival. I had a blast hanging with Artie Lange last year, and even
more so seeing Hollywood and Vegas cultures meet and mingle. And, obviously,
anything that brings a batch of independent movies to a Las Vegas casino's
theatres is a great opportunity for locals. We do not get much in the way of
movies that star Parker Posey in Las Vegas (that changes when her
CineVegas film, "Broken English" is screened June 14).
Of course, it all starts in total Vegas fashion tonight with a screening of
Ocean's Thirteen at the Palms with enough star power to blind the sun. Tonight I
will be on the red carpet with valiant photographer Sarah Gerke trying to get my
quotes and report for the Buffet on the theatrics, atmosphere and ambience
of what happens when Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Ellen
Barkin, Elliot Gould and Jerry Weintraub are all gathered in Vegas.
