Variety’s Todd McCarthy: Why No Conservative Docs at Sundance?
by Big HollywoodBetter to ask this question late than never:
Everywhere you go at the Sundance Film Festival in its 26th year, you’re smacked in the face with the admonition to “rebel.”
Rebel (…not really)
Running before every screening are arty little animated trailers encouraging the idea of rebellious ideas percolating up from underground. The program booklet is graced with a cover announcing, “This Is Your Guide to Cinematic Rebellion.” In his catalogue welcoming note, new festival director John Cooper calls out, “Let’s rebel,” in the same enthusiastic tone that, at a different time, he might have said, “Let’s party.” The festival literature discusses the conceptual nature of “rebel branding,” and that this year’s edition represents “the renewed rebellion. This is the recharged fight against the establishment of the expected.”
Still, I must hasten to point out that, given the dogmatic leftism/tree-hugging/granola-chewing/global warming alarmism, et al., the festival has always embraced, the only real act of rebellion within a Sundance context would be to present a smart film that questioned any of these positions. I honestly cannot remember ever seeing what could remotely be described as a conservative documentary at Sundance. Granted, not many are made, and I would frankly be amazed if any would be accepted if submitted. But I, for one, would love to see a genuinely critical examination of the many blunders and chicken-hearted actions of the United Nations; a documentary holding up for scrutiny the many wild prophecies of the esteemed Paul Ehrlich, whose doom-ridden predictions about population growth were the first words I heard out of any professor’s mouth as a university freshman, or a film that looked with unbiased clear eyes into the extent of Soviet communist infiltration and financing of American unions, academia, social organizations and other institutions from the 1930s onward. There are many potent unmade films.
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77 Comments
"The only real act of rebellion within a Sundance context would be to present a smart film that questioned any of these positions."
It takes courage to admit something you have believed for a decade is a complete and total hoax. If there is one thing more absent than logic in the Progressive Movement its COURAGE.
Living breathing walking contradictions. Why would you want to be in a Festival with THAT? Start your own festival. I'll attend it.
The left will never give up the idea that they are the rebel, the outsider, down for the struggle, against "'da MAN!" Ain't going to happen.
Watching these establishment elitists proudly proclaiming their ideals as edgy and cutting gives me the same feeling when I heard some one was opening up a rock and roll hall of fame. If there was ever a genre that screamed "F*** the establishment" it was rock and roll.
So what do the elitists on rock do? Sell out their very souls for a chance at a plaque with their name on it, and E! special about their careers.
Real rock and rollers don't give a rat's ass about what some judging panel thinks of their music. And real rebels would be disrupting festivals like this, showing them for what they are. Nothing more than left wing kiss-up fests.
"Ooooh there's Robert Redford, let's get an autograph, that will prove how cool and anti-establishment we are!"
Earlier today on YouTube I watched a short documentary from Sundance, "Mr. Okra". It's about a man in New Orleans who sells produce from his truck. It was interesting, funny as hell in spots and unless I missed it, has no liberal bent to it. In fact, I'd say it was the opposite, with a "conservative" viewpoint of self-reliance along with a love for one's neighborhood and friends.
I have to admit I just finished a film that has a conservative slant and I never even thought of entering it into Sundance (and I live 10 minutes from Sundance) but only felt it wouldn't get picked up. For the very reason that I felt Sundance wouldn't even look at it. Possibly others look at it the same way.
If you want to see the trailer to see if it would or not, look here.
http://lasteaglescout.com
I find it very amusing that they're trying to make being a rebel into some sort of brand.
Come on everybody, let's all be a rebel together!
In today's political context, who exactly are they encouraging folks to rebel against? They don't get to be both the establishment and those who rebel against the establishment–it just doesn't work that way. EdSki is right–they'll never give up the idea that they are the quintessential rebel.
I agree, there are definitely good movies slipping through the liberal sieve. Just last month my teenage daughter and I have a great time watch Nic and Nora's Infinite Play List.
Dumb, stupid, irreverent, but definitely worth a couple of hours of quality time with my daughter.
Submit it for everything and anything you can. Get the word out. People will like it or they won't. But they won't be able to decide if they don't know about it. What's the worst that can happen? They say no?
Reminds me of a pick up line I used to use in college (at least it got a conversation started). I'd ask a girl to dance and if she said no, I'd say that's okay, can I ask again later because I'm into rejection.
Usually got a laugh.
I made an indie-documentary, it's been on the smaller film fest circuit, certainly wasn't submitted to Sundance.
The film tells the story of the grass-roots efforts to honor a WWII Hero in the town of his birth, and it's a positive portrayal of the military.
http://www.PappyBoyingtonField.com
Thank you Todd McCarthy. Thank you Big Hollywood.
Rebellion to a liberal is to have an original thought. But then again if a liberal had an original thought, they wouldn't be a liberal, so never mind.
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jeez; Redford looks like he's dead in that picture. How does one spell O V E R T H E H I L L?
It looks like it's exactly the kind of film that should be honored there.
S-e-v-e-n-t-y T-h-r-e-e
Robert Redford, an old 60s dude rebel with a very profitable agenda. Who says capitalism doesn't work? Rebeling all the way to the bank. Smucks are still falling for his schick and shuffle.
They are rebels?
How can you be a rebel when everybody is in lock step.
Just so how can you tell a rebel at Sundance?
I don't agree with T2k2, I would like to see some conservative docs. The real stories are far better than anything these Rebels(R-INO) or Hollywood could come up with.
Gucci-wearing, non-conformist rebels…fightin' against the man by making faces at him in the mirror at every college, every newsroom, every Hollywood party, the White House, and both houses of congress. Talk about profiles in courage…
Pursue a doctoral degree in a music department and choose to compose in any style not approved by the leftist faculty; then you'll find out who the rebels are. Hint: It ain't the leftists.
Redford is the smuggest fuck on the planet. You see how much his side has won? In the old days I would have said smuggest fuck on earth.
It's like Hot Topic. "Let's be unique and different, just like everybody else!"
Hell, there's a guy who made a documentary about how he couldn't get any film festivals to show his previous film. Ironically, the film (I think it's called OFFICIAL REJECTION) became an underground hit.
Hot Topic is just one manifestation of the rebellion-as-conformity movement. What bugs me equally is the whole idea of rebellion as an end in itself — when everybody's unique there's no commonality left.
Conservative films have a hard time because of the extreme leftist bent of Hollywood and the film industry itself.
There is EXTREME discrimination in many colleges, particularly in fine arts, against students who are not leftists.
Several years ago, on my one trip to Sundance I saw the movie Clearcut.
I consider it to be a conservative film, however I do not know if the filmmakers took any position on the issues described in the film.
I was surprised this film was shown at Sundance and find it highly unlikly that similar documentaries would ever make it to Park City.
I do recommened conservatives check out this film.
Gee I dunno, why isn't Barbara Streisand posting on Beerfart.com? I suppose it's "censorship" to have a festival that accords with the political views of it's founder. Here's a hot concept! Start thy own Conservative Documentary festival and watch the knowledge-thirsty throngs gather in groups of as many as 10 if not 20!
Isn't wondering why no conservatives docs at Sundance sort of as silly as whining that there's no bacon at the vegan restaurant?
But he's still. Robert. Redford. Even old and crinkly.
"When 900 years old YOU reach, look this good You will not!" ;-D
I don't know anything Sundance or film festivals, but my guess is scouting makes liberals run. Was that Crowder I saw?
Rock on \m//
I imagine conservative "docs" doing as well as Air America did.
IE Air America failed because no rational thinking person needs to listen to someone constantly telling them what to think. So no one listened.
Conservative documentaries fail because no rational thinking person feels the need to go and see them.
Hey dimwit, you don't even know what the Sundance Film Festival is about.
The left-wing, maggot-infested liberals are the establishment now, they're not outsiders living on the fringes of society like the bikers in Easy Rider. That's why liberals are mentally ill, pathetic morons. They don't know if they're coming or going. Back during the Vietnam War era the liberals were the anti big government people. The "free to be you and me" types. They wanted to have the freedom to do what ever they wanted to do. They didn't want "The Man" intruding on their personal liberties. Now, under the Obama-Reid-Pelosi communist regime, the liberals want their entire lives run by the government. The want government-run health care, cap and trade, taxes on everything, forced gay marriage legislation, forced citizenship for illegal aliens, government funded abortions, Global Warming legislation, this and that and the next thing. These lobotomized liberals in today's society are clueless retards.
Talk about a mercurial bunch of idiots. That's the problem with liberals; their minds are so full of mush that they have no self-discipline, morals, or judgment. Give me the circe-1969 hippies from Easy Rider–they were some true conservatives who believed in unfettered freedom and self-actualization. That's what it's all about, brother! Part deux!!!
< looks at her dad… then looks @RobertRedford…Miss Quinn's dad – - just as lefty , 80% fewer wrinkles.
*MissQuinn*
The liberal 'rebellion' has been swept into the dust bin of history. Eco-terrorism [Manson], Free Love [Manson], dopes on dope [Ginsberg], the beats, black berets and bongos, shooting smack , drunks posing as hip writers-[Hunter S. Thompson]. The Free Lunch crowd died a long time ago. The swingers [AIDS] , film makers- [Oliver Stone] killed the truth in Cinema. The leftist Media-[MSNBC], (CBS),[ABC], all dead .
What happened to Redford's face?
For years now, when I think Sundance I think Conformity. The 'non-conformists' of the 60s have become today's conformists, but the dirt little secret is that they were always conformists to a belief system that came with its own pre-packaged set of beliefs and assumptions. There is no "rebellion' here.
It's become 'old-farted'
Love the trailor, big fan of Pappy and his fellow WWII pacific pilots! Thanks for the good work.
Yes, that was Crowder you saw. I was kind of surprised myself.
Yes that was Steven and Alfonzo Rachel.
Yes, that was Steven and Alfonzo
I love the television show based on his group. Would like to read a true narrative of the man and his crew.
[...] [...]
Todd McCarthty statement: "I honestly cannot remember ever seeing what could remotely be described as a conservative documentary at Sundance."
Todd McCarthy response: "Granted, not many are made."
Couldn't help but notice Breitbart offers NO suggestions…
Conservative rebellion. That's a good one. How can you be a rebel when you represent the status quo elites. And let's make no mistake: that's what conservatism was and is. How about a daring documentary extolling Enron? Or how about a documentary that actually FOUND WMDs in Iraq? Bring it on, you fascists…
Amazing.
You actually posted a comment on an article that didn't mention Avatar.
That's a bold step for you.
Fascists huh….You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.
"But I, for one, would love to see a genuinely critical examination of the many blunders and chicken-hearted actions of the United Nations; a documentary holding up for scrutiny the many wild prophecies of the esteemed Paul Ehrlich, whose doom-ridden predictions about population growth were the first words I heard out of any professor’s mouth as a university freshman, or a film that looked with unbiased clear eyes into the extent of Soviet communist infiltration and financing of American unions, academia, social organizations and other institutions from the 1930s onward. There are many potent unmade films."
Funny, those sound like suggestions to me…
Bless your smooth dad!
But those aren't actually "films," are they? There's plenty of money to produce these kinds of films, but they havn't been made… Why is that?
Liberalism has become incredibly repressive. It didn't used to be. You're ignoring the sea change in politics, whereby liberals represent huge oppressive powers like labor unions and big government.
Liberal oppression. Try doing ANYTHING in the arts that isn't liberal and see what happens to you. You'll be shout out completely.
Read his book. The TV show was garbage as far as I could see, but I watched it faithfully to see the occasional real gun camera clips from WW-II
point!
Umm… No. I don't think so. I'm pretty sure they have a hard time because no sane person buys the arguments.
And how would you know?
Like "Victory at Sea," "Yankee Doodle Dandy," "Sands of Iwo Jima," "World Trade Center," "Pearl Harbor," anything by John Wayne, etc. etc. etc…
John Wayne died in 1979 and his final movie was released three years before that.
Victory at Sea ran in the early 1950s.
I'm talking about the current political environment, whereby Hollywood and entertainment in general are highly biased against anyone and anything that isn't Leftist.
FASCISM:
fascist – an adherent of fascism or other right-wing authoritarian views
A political theory advocating an authoritarian hierarchical government (as opposed to democracy or liberalism)
Fascism comprises a radical and authoritarian nationalist political ideology and a corporatist economic ideology. …
A political regime, usually totalitarian, ideologically based on centralized government, government colusion with business, repression of criticism or opposition, a leader cult and exalting the state and/or religion above individual rights. …
A system of government that promotes extreme nationalism, repression, anticommunism, and is ruled by a dictator.
A philosophy or system of government that advocates or exercises a dictatorship of the extreme right, together with an ideology of belligerent nationalism."
Besides, You've got your own film festival right here…http://www.afrfilmfestival.com/content.cfm?sid=fi...
Kind of like in Massachusetts?
Fascism is government control of everything. Much like the current make up of the democratic party would like. Witness the government takeover of GM. Witness the government pressure on the banking industry to force them to make loans to people who were more likely to default than not.
Witness the left keeping the boyscouts from organizing in public parks because they believe in God. Witness the lefts attempt to overturn proposition 8, an amendment passed democraticly by vote of the people, through the courts. Witness the lefts attempts to ban homeschooling in California, Witness the lefts attempts to stop any school choice proposals, so long as the public/government schools teach leftist ideology.
I could go on and on and on. Its clear that the left wants control.
Witness the recent 2000 page health care bill. 85% of the people are happy with their current health care coverage, yet the left wants to restrict the insurance industry to the point where they could no longer provide the same coverage thereby forcing people into a government run plan.
Or perhaps you are more into Crypto-fascism: The secret adherence of a party or group to the doctrines of fascism while attempting to disguise it as another political movement. …
Or maybe you're just Stupid Fascist: Fascist who just don't understandthe word fascist…
Umm, just look at the evidence. No one except the sheep goes to see them.
Massachusetts has a film? Cool! Oh, you meant the senate seat that was filled by a Conservative. So what? Can't cure stupid from everyone.
Conservative documentaries also have a hard time because they require intellect, education, a capacity for honesty, and a hunger for the truth. The addle-brained products of leftist institutions like our public schools thus remain largely uninterested in conservative docs and in any case incapable of grasping and judging the arguments within them.
Leftist docs, on the other hand, are cartoonish fictions intended for the simpleminded, the lazy, and the young. They tend to succeed brilliantly.
Thank you Night Fighter, good summation.
The only documentary I saw while I was at Sundance last week was My Perestroika. It was neither Liberal or Conservative. http://myperestroika.com/about/
Absolutely, EdSki. The Left are poor substitutes for independent thinkers and genuine revolutionaries. In fact, they're actually no more than overgrown children, pathologically afraid of true progress and–growing up.
Robert Redford, anti-establishment–which 'establishment' are we referring to? Firstly, he's a very successful capitalist if ever Hollywood produced one, and secondly, at least fellow leftist Paul Newman strove for recognition beyond his looks. Redford's career rode on his looks. And Sundance? Tell me how his festival has influenced the making of quality Hollywood productions?
Anyone?
That does not qualify as an argument. Be specific.
Ah, the Reducto Ad Hitlerium, the refuge of those incapable of making a proper argument.
And yes, would appreciate a documentary about the WMDs we found in Iraq, given the Yellowcake, the old Poison gas, and the other things we actually HAVE found lying around. ANything else.
Firstly, governor, government "collusion with business" was hardly a tenant of Fascism. At best, it was a case of political opportunism (as Hitler and Mussolini learned), and was often disdained by them (see Hitler's nationalization, rants against "Profiteering", and Mussolini's own massive purges against Business after he was established at Salo and no longer had to appease the Royal family).
And secondly, exactly HOW DO you know it is "Right-Wing", particularly given the many statements from the Fascists themselves indicated an alternative possibility (for instance, the comparisons of Hitler to Lenin in the early days, in PRIVATE, and the fact that substantial portions of Nazi law- including punishments of so-called "privateers"- were lifted wholesale by the Soviets in forging their Eastern German puppet?
And perhaps you are just an immature fool who has not actually studied the origins of Fascism and has decided that Fascism is whatever is convenient for you to make it.
If you can't argue intelligently, don't argue at all.
Let's see here, funding issues (some of which ties into the issues a mainstream studio would have with such things, as Kazan learned) the lack of people willing to do them, lack of time, the inability to secure materials in large amounts without funding….
The list goes on.
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