tuckergurl

A Diva In Argentina

I had my first diva filmmaker moment.  At least it happened in Buenos Aires so the story is more exotic. 

I had been waiting to get into this seminar with a producer from New York.  The burocracy to get into films or workhops at The Buenos Aires FIlm Festival is intense.  You have to pick tickets up a day before and they sell out in a second.  It´s every man and women for themselves.  I´m amazed I´ve seen the two films I have.

Anyway, I had wanted to go to this seminar all week.  It was supposed to be free and all I needed to do was flash my badge.  Well, after going up the two flights, and asking several people along the way, I get to the door only to be told that I need a ticket.  Una tarjeta to be exact.  I say fine and go to the film office to talk to Jose, mi angel, who is my guide for the trip. 

Jose is not only my angel but the angel of seven different people, one of whom is this Russian director who decides to fed ex his film in two seperate packages the day before his screening.  Now, one reel of his film is floating around in Fed Ex purgatory somewhere and they can´t screen it!  The director´s angry (though it´s his fault) and everyone is running around trying to fix it.

Anyway, after waiting for ten minutes to get his attention, Jose goes to the girl who gives out the free tickets (that again I was told I didn´t need) who tells me that I am late and can not get in!  Things start on time here so sneaking into something late is a BIG no no. 

Maybe it was the so what attitude she had or the comment that I should´ve come earlier in Spanish which she thinks I don´t understand but actually do.  I am not sure what happened but I just went ballistic.  I say, ¨What do you mean I can´t get in?¨ and just could feel my blood pressure go through the roof.  They told me that I could go to a later seminar but it was a different one so it´s not really the same thing. 

Maybe it was her hipster clothes (everyone here looks straight out of Williamsburg) or her eyes rolling but Jose had to stop me from hitting her.  I controlled myself only because I am here for work and am the only black person at this festival (not including Lauren who I brought with me).  I feel I have to represent on a few levels even if people may not think I do.  I yelled a bit and then walked away.

So here I am waiting in the internet cafe waiting for a film to start.  It´s not like throwing the fit got me anywhere.  I still missed the seminar.  But I have my first filmmaker diva moment. 

Now I have to go have a coffee, as they say here, and wait to try to get into another film.  More to come ...

Gone Fishing

I am off to Argentina tonight!! I am not sure how much I will write but I will be back on April 20th. I will take a TON of pictures, attend some Deadline screenings, take Tango lessons.

No More Death Penalty In New York!!!!!

Well, the state Assembly has voted to take the death penalty off the books for years to come. It's a huge victory!!! Hopefully this will make other states evaulate their capital punishment systems.

Of course you wouldn't know that this HUGE this has happened since Britney Spears' pregnancy got all of the coverage today. Who really cares if she's pregnant?? But anyway ...

Check out this quote from Pataki. He is no friend of mine. None at all:

Mr. Pataki, a Republican who plans to disclose by summer if he will seek a fourth term, said on Tuesday that it was "outrageous" for Democrats to derail the death penalty in a committee.

"The Assembly leadership's 'so what' attitude toward criminals, whether they're sex offenders, deadly drivers, or heinous murderers, is simply shameful," Mr. Pataki said.

Why Desperate Housewives is Cool

Alfre Woodard is joining the cast next season. I am so excited to see that woman get some real work. (And Beauty Shop does NOT count.)

Now, I could make some joke about Marcia Cross saying f*** but honestly, it's kinda not funny anymore. No one would ask a bunch of men to dress up in the underwear for the cover of Vanity Fair and expect them to like it. That's just my opinion. I could care less if they pull knives out on set. The show is good!

Brown Bloggers

Afro-Netizen spoke on a panel at the Personal Democracy Forum, which I attended too. He wrote a hysterical and insightful entry about the lack of diversity there. I too noticed and felt it, being one of two women of color in the audience that day. He made mention of this to many of the organzers and attendees and in his entry discussed the need for many white people to leave their comfort zones to include more people of color in events much like this one. Here is my favorite section:

Woody Allen and the cast of 'Friends' aren't the only New Yorkers who can experience a white Manhattan, if they wish to. The fact of the matter is that most white people live in a segregated world of their own making, and the only thing keeping them from jumping into the mix is the will to do so. Maybe before Google, I'd cut my white compatriots with no Black friends or acquaintances some slack. But, damn, just Google "blackfolk" and "Manhattan" and if you don't come up with something germane within 5 minutes, you're either an imbecile or full of shit.

This post got people talking and ultimately led Nichelle and Lisa of Culture Kitchen to organize a monthly gathering called Brown Bloggers at Lava Gina in the East Village. (On Avenue C, which a trip for me to go to since I was never allowed to go to Avenue C when I was growing up. It's so funny how you still feel giggly, like you're doing something you're not supposed to even after years and years.)

Sunday was the first get together and I was too curious to miss it. I didn't know anyone. George (who travelled from San Fran) and I had casually emailed but that was about it. Honestly, I never really thought about myself as a member of the blogging community. I mean, I have a blog and write as regularly as I can but never really included myself in the ongoing debate about blogs and their merits.

As I've said a few times, I started my blog after my father died. I needed an outlet to express some stuff, the journey of being without both my parents at 28, being an artist, being single, being an avid T.V. watcher, etc. The blog morphed into the crazy ramblings in my brain. Sometimes I am good and blog all the time about everything under the sun. Other times, I start to feel anti-social and just let things stay in my head until I'm ready to share again.

The thing I found interesting about the event was how many people started blogging because of something sort of traumatic happening to them, either a personal tragedy like me or loss of a job or just feeling a voiceless in this new form of technology. Many of the other bloggers were writers by trade and most were far more technical than I am. (I just learned what an RSS Feed was the other day.) It was nice to meet other folks of color with similar interests. There's definately a movement goin' on.

There's a podcast of the event thanks to Nichelle.

My New Addiction

I currently am totally obsessed with Grey's Anatomy. It's bad. So bad. Last night I exercised some self control by going out and missing an episode. I was starting to feel like a slave to my TV. (Luckily my friend has TIVO!)

Anyway, what's cool about the show, other than the hotness of Patrick Dempsey, is that most of the people in charge on the show are black. The creator of the show, Shonda Rimes, is also a black woman (her name being Shonda was a big clue as well).

NPR was hip to this fact and interviewed the creator and Isaiah Washington (who I really want to get with Saundra Oh because that would be one hot couple). Check it out. Ed Gordon, who I think has replaced Tavis Smiley, conducted the interview.

Sahara

was the number one movie this past weekend!!!! What is this world coming to? Are we this desperate to see a movie??

I saw Sin City and honestly was pretty bored. And why can't Benicio just look hit in his movies? Why does he have to mess himself up all the time.

And The Winners Are ...

Before I begin this post, I have to admit that drinking vodka on a Sunday afternoon with my Russian friend was not my wisest move. I find as I get older, alcohol has a more profound effect on me. My head doeesn't hurt so much as my general mood is off and energy is low. Whoa! I did go to a few nice tiny Russian spots that I never would've found.

Anyway, the Pulitzer Prize winners were announced and I learned that I don't read as much as I should. Who are half these people? The only one I predicted was Doubt for Best Drama. There has been a story about that play on NPR every day for weeks! I think I might go see that now.

April Fools

Rooftop Films got me good. I was taught a good lesson for skimming my emails!!! I can't believe I fell for this. I think I was just being optomistic. On April 1st, I got an email in my inbox that said "Rooftop Films Bought By Miramax". Here is what it said:

Over the past nine years, Rooftop Films has grown from a whim to a noted festival to a premiere venue for independent cinema. And the big guys have noticed. After weeks of secret negotiations, as of today, Friday April 1st, Rooftop Films Inc. has been sold to Miramax Film Corp. for $1.3 million dollars. All the hard work for no pay, all the kowtowing to tiny community groups, all the endless chasing after muddled filmmaker-geniuses -- it's all paid off. From now on, the Rooftop Films staff (those who are chosen to remain) will be well compensated, we’ll only have to attend our screenings if celebrities will be there, and our filmmakers will benefit from millions of dollars a year on Academy Award campaigns. Miramax has ensured the Rooftop Films Board of Directors that the parent company will not demand changes to our programming and artistic mission. Our Friday night shows will remain a showcase for cutting edge independent shorts, to precede a re-released Miramax classic.

Is This For Real?

OK. This is Michael Bay's blog, or is it? I got the link from The Black Table. I started to read it and then just stopped. I mean, I heard he was a whore but this is CRAZY!!!! If this is his blog, once anyone's lawyers get a hold of it, it's bye bye Blogspot for him. If it's not his blog, well, I'm not sure if he'll even care!!!

Anyway, for all of you who like dirty things, this blog is for you. Don't say I didn't warn you.