In the New Orleans Times-Picayune, Chris Rose interviews Michael Almereyda, movie maker and all-around Renaissance man from Kansas. Almereyda's film tltled "New Orleans, Mon Amour", will be shown on Sunday at the New Orleans Film Festival. I like it already just from the title. It's the story of two people who meet doing relief work after Hurricane Katrina. All right then! Now it's a must-see.
Anyway, since it's his third movie about the city, Chris asks Almereyda what draws him to make movies about New Orleans. He answers:
I'm the same as most people: Crazy about New Orleans. I love the people, the architecture, the music, the food, and the way they all blend together. I love the hauntedness and the sense of immediacy. And I love the unique rhythm of the place -- the way things are always switching from slow to fast, lazy to frenetic, and back again.
My heart melts. But wait! There's more.
Chris asks Almereyda if the New Orleans Film Festival has reached "big-time" status, and he answers:
You seem a bit fixated on this idea of "bigness." The thing is, if you have to ask, it's hard to pretend this is a big potato festival. But the bigger potatoes aren't necessarily the tastiest. And the big, self-important festivals aren't the most fun. I'm sure the New Orleans Fest will yield a fair number of treasures this year and I'm assuming it's one of the few festivals on the circuit that allows you to bring to-go cups into the theaters. That's good enough for me.
That's telling him, and it's good enough for me, too.
There's no jambalaya at the Tribeca Film Festival; none that anyone would want to eat.
ReplyDeleteThere's that, too, Counterlight. The jambalaya.
ReplyDeleteYou tell 'em, Michael Almareyda!
ReplyDeleteGreat interview!
ReplyDeleteBubs, I agree. Almereyda sounds just like you.
ReplyDelete