The Importance of Women Friends

Sometimes in our society, women are portrayed as back-stabbing, jealous, gossipy busy queens, with out real friends. I can honestly say I am grateful for this friendship the belles have together. It is true, that we only had one common denominator when we started this wonderful adventure, Shannon. But as our wise leader noted, we came together for a purpose. That purpose binds us 5 different, opinionated, loving women and shows all women it can be done. As Leslie posted earlier it is about compromises. We are there for each other, to build each other up and to learn how to be a better friend. I want my daughters to see how wonderful and meaningful it is to have true women friends! To see the comradeship, the laughter, the silliness, the work it takes to get along. There are times when only another women knows what you are going through. That connection that is there from being a wife, a mom, a sister, a daughter, a friend , a women. I give a loud HALLELUJAH for all the true friendship that have survived through time and distance. It is hard. I know I have lost some along the way, but I have wonderful memories and I have a hope that there will be a reconnection one day. I also have those who have been with me for years and will always be there. I have been blessed in my life with all different women friends. I meet new ones everyday. I learn from every single one. I say to all women out there," WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU MAKES YOU STRONGER" and that would be surviving true friendship. I will have these belles with me forever!

RE......think.

So I thought that I would blog a little bit about the "theme" of Sundance this year... REBEL. It is something, that I am sure many of you find, not a bit surprising, that I am an expert in!! Well, I have to say, I am glad to see Sundance heading back into the original direction it was in when I first started attending the festival, almost 10 years ago. Back in the day, and even before.... Sundance was a festival committed to bringing new artist, directors, writer, actors together, exposing the broader public to a grittier, somehow more "real", raw, gorilia style of film making. It was an artistic endevour for all "small fish in a VERY big pond" filmmakers to have their film even considered for the festival, even greater to get in! I have seen some genius films in the past, made for very little money ($25,000 or so) and being SO happy for the director when he / she stands up in the crowd to accept the accolades of the cheering film aficionados and shyly answer intriguing questions at the Q&A..... But then, something changed, around 2004 or '05.... films started appearing on the roster that were already "picked-up" by MAJOR labels.... no more of the "poor filmmaker, 'I put it all on my credit card'", kind of stories. Instead, they were all "tapped" by the institute (Sundance Institute). They all "knew the right people".....

So, why go to an "independent" film festival, if it's "corporate"?? I think that must be the question many people began to ask not only themselves, but Sundance, as well..... When you have to be bothered by hoping traffic is not cut off because Brittany Spears is coming down the sidewalk with an entourage, you know it's gotten WAY TOO TRENDY. Trendy is NOT independent!

This year, though, was a breath of fresh air. Maybe it was because of the recession, and only people who really WANTED to watch movies came. Or maybe it was the selection of very indie feeling, gritty films about rebellion, rock & roll and freedom movements that kept the weaker away..... THANK GOODNESS! This year, the theme was "rebel" but it was also "re _____" in general.... you know, rethink, renew, redux, reveal...etc... you get the picture. Basically, rethink what you know, what you do, who you see and make it all better, more original, more.... REal.

Shannon

Gazing at the Stars...and I don't mean the ones in the sky!

Well after spending the last week, okay maybe two, in a state of SWD...or Sundance Withdrawal Depression...I am now ready to write (type) my little fingers off about the Belles wonderful trip. What an experience...one that I have wanted to have for SO long...thank you Shannon for asking me every year and for allowing it to happen this time!
When the Belles talked about seeing films...I mean, thats why you go to Sundance...never in my wildest dreams did I envision seeing as many as we did. I figured we would probably see one a day...ummmm....that would be a negative! We saw movies from sun up to sun down...factor in also the times we waited in line to get tickets to those movies we didn't already have tickets to and you can say our days and nights revolved around seeing amazing films. Not to mention the question and answer sessions after each movie. I had heard about these but I was blown away when the actual actors would come out and talk to the audience.
I am a pop culture junkie...and I love celebrity news. I am a faithful and loyal subscriber to US Weekly and watch the "news" every evening on the E channel. But nothing truly prepared me for actually seeing with my own two eyes actual movie stars walking beside me, in stores, in restaurants and in the various theaters where we viewed the films. Of course Shannon informed me I had to act cool and not take pictures or gawk at them...and I did...but the wonderful memories I have of seeing them, being next to them on a shuttle bus or get this...having them sit behind me in the theater...and YES...this happened... are all memories I will cherish!
Orlando Bloom was probably one of the biggest stars we saw....others were Mark Ruffalo, Juliette Lewis, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Josh Radnor, Parker Posey, Jason Ritter...just to name a few. We also saw the actors and directors from many of the foreign films and documentaries we saw and a few times you could even see a celebrity while you were waiting to get in the theater. James Franco anyone?? And for all you reality television show viewers out there....I saw Constantine from American Idol fame and in the fur boutique I was standing next to Gretchen from the Real Housewives of Orange County. Jon Gosselin was also there that week but much to my dismay I didn't get to run into him~rats!!!
Yes, I did indeed have stars in my eyes...I will never forget being that close to some of Hollywood's finest. For this Southern Belle it was a dream come true!