Browse: August 2007

The curtain was drawn on the 34th Telluride Film Festival and the magic began. The best of the best of the film industry strolled into our little mountain town for a Labor Day weekend of eating, sleeping and breathing film.

One month ago Telluride's auditoriums, conference rooms and even the Elks Park began their transformation into sophisticated metropolitan theaters. Labor Day weekend those seats filled fast for eager film buffs, film historians, filmmakers, actors, and Film passholders for what has been for three decades an elegant yet quaint festival of the art of film.

Thousands took a seat—in theaters, on main street and Elks Park—for the Show that goes on in Telluride inside and out. There's no better place to watch the stars, no matter which kind you are looking for.

Check here with Plum for Film moments.

By Kara Tatone

After years of contributing to the success of numerous recording artists, urban storyteller extraordinaire Kenny White has finally set sail on a solo career. A master of commercial songwriting and a seasoned studio artist, it wasn't until his late 40s that White decided it was time to step forward from behind the scenes. And we're glad he did.

A natural storyteller, White has developed the ability to express heartaches, happiness and observations with guileless flare. It's refreshing and relatable songwriting because there's an honest maturity to his words. The New York native has something the youth-saturated radio lacks: experience.

Having worked with high-profile recording artists throughout his career (Shawn Colvin, Linda Ronstadt, Dwight Yoakam and Gladys Knight, just to name few), White was able to tap into his colleagues' support for his own musical endeavors. The result was two full-length albums, Uninvited Guest (2002) and his most recent effort, Symphony in 16 Bars (2005).

So, what took him so long to share his well-crafted tunes with the rest of us? We don't know, but it was worth the wait.

Tune into Plum on Saturday, September 1 at 10pm to watch the documentary on Kenny White featuring an exclusive interview and live performances. Get a peek at the trailer below.

Not all young people have the same opportunities — but the Telluride Film Festival is doing its part to change that.

The festival's City Lights Project invites 15 high school students, from underserved school districts, for a weekend of cultural immersion. They watch about a dozen of the best films in the world, interact with filmmakers, screenwriters, actors, musicians and producers in an intimate setting, keep journals, hike in the mountains around Telluride and meet with college students participating in the festival's Filmmakers of Tomorrow program.

It's an opportunity of a lifetime, says the student programs assistant Erika Gordon. She says the students last year were in tears when they had to leave for home.

"It changes them. They get a taste of other realities ... it's an experience that otherwise they'd never get the opportunity to have. They get completely outside of their own lives," says Gordon.

They keep a harried schedule during the weekend, and Gordon says they often have to bring the students food to scarf while they wait in the queue.

"They have a super rigorous schedule, from sunrise to way past sunset," says Gordon.

Learn more about the Telluride Film Festival events online. 

The Telluride Film Festival program secrets have finally been let out of the bag, do you have your laminate? If not, no worries. Plum tells you how to do this theater-transformed town without a pass and on a budget.

It can be a daunting endeavor. Standing in lines without a festival pass can be risky with theater seats filling fast with passholders first, and second, with ticket buyers if seats remain. But alas, there are perks for those going pass-less making Film Fest on a budget a fulfilling film endeavor for even the buffest of film buffs.

• Free Films in Elks Park That’s right, the Abel Gance Open Air Cinema is back summoning folks off the streets—with blankets, lawn chairs and warm clothes—to take a seat in Elks Park for films of the festival organizers’ good choice. Tonight Michael Mann’s “The Last of the Mohicans” will screen, and tomorrow night, Norman Jewison’s “The Thomas Crown Affair.” The outdoor theater has long been made possible by Ralph and Ricky Lauren, and this weekend a total of seven films will be shown over four nights.

• “Conversations” Celebrities speak at the courthouse and all are invited to take a free seat and listen in to panel discussion talks. (Passholders, however, take a seat before it’s open to public)

• The Back Lot The Wilkinson Public Library is opening 72 seats for movie screenings on movie making. The documentary extravaganza takes place throughout the weekend. Plus, “Filmmakers of Tomorrow” sets up in the library.

• Late Show Pass Save the best for last. Two theaters, the Chuck Jones at the Telluride Conference Center and the Palm Theatre, are open to Late Show passholders for the last films of the day Friday-Monday. Late Show passes are $40.

• Individual Tickets=$20 Buy a ticket the old-fashioned way and go to the movies. Lines may apply and seats may fill, but there is always the next show.

• After the Fest This year passes are cheaper, $15 cheaper. Buy a $30 pass and check out what the festival has to offer after the fest; these aren’t leftovers but choice festival picks.

Shakespeare said "All the world's a stage," but in this case, it's all of Telluride that's the stage.

Curious Noise Theatre's "A Day" takes place all over town: scenes are set on someone's porch, by the San Miguel River, in the Bubble Lounge. The audience follows three characters around as their lives intersect during the course of a day. There is also music on board the drama caravan, as two guitarists/singers nudge the narrative along with their witty lyrics as they wander with the crowd and the characters.

"A Day" is the work of writer/director/actor Sasha Cucciniello, and the play also stars Tom Shane and Teresa Koberstein. Performances are this week, Tuesday and Wednesday, Aug. 28-29, and you can find out the secret starting location by calling Cucciniello at 708-3934.