We went to our first film yesterday and saw "Broken Circle Breakdown" a Belgian film getting a lot of buzz. We thought it was very good but pretty hard to watch most of the time…a brutal exploration of grief but it was leavened by lots of great bluegrass music. We saw Tom and Claire there. They were heading off to another film so didn't have time to discuss it but will meet later this week for a bite and talk. Claire said the only thing Tom and she agreed on was the music was great so should be an interesting discussion….usually is with Tom and Claire!
It seems like this gala was a refreshing change. From the Desert Sun today:
With votes due Wednesday for Oscar nominations, an unprecedented group of A-list stars put aside politics and delivered impassioned speeches at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Awards Gala Saturday about inspiration.
Eloquence replaced tired awards show rhetoric. Presenters exalted honorees and honorees showed genuine gratitude, reminding industry and non-industry people alike that this gala was primarily about the art of cinema.
The result was standing ovation after standing ovation — in stark contrast to last year’s gala when Rancho Mirage resident Jack Jones had to stand alone to lead the first standing ovation late in the evening.
This three-hour event in the rose-hued Palm Springs Convention Center climaxed with an Icon Award presented to a performer festival chairman Harold Matzner has been trying to honor for years: three-time Oscar winner Meryl Streep, up for a Golden Globe for her performance in “August: Osage County.”
And when they presented Streep’s highlight reel, presenter Margo Martindale, who plays Streep’s sister in “Osage County,” could only say, “Wow! That’s incredible!”
Martindale noted Streep has received 113 other awards and 167 nominations, according to IMDb.com, but this was her first Icon Award.
“Frankly, I’m skeptical that the Icon Award existed before tonight,” she said. “I think they might have just created it to get Meryl to come to Palm Springs.”
Streep, with humility that was common throughout the night, reacted, “Oh my God, sit down.” Then she explained why she was honored to be at the gala.
“I feel lucky to have had so many chances, over and over again,” she said. “I feel like I’m more of an example moving into my dotage. ‘You just can’t put those old gals out to pasture.’ We still have a lot more stuff to say.”
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The gala grossed $2.4 million for the non profit Palm Springs International Film Society, which will be used to fund festival programming and educational programs.
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The gala grossed $2.4 million for the non profit Palm Springs International Film Society, which will be used to fund festival programming and educational programs.
