AFI Film Fest

A friend of mine, the wonderful Ines, suggested that I should volunteer for the AFI Film Fest. Because I thought it sounded like a great idea, I went on their website and filled in their 'Volunteer Form'. A few days later I received an email telling me they had a work schedule for me, a badge and a film-fest-volunteer t-shirt. I have to be totally honest, I wasn't very excited of working for free but the job did come with some perks like tickets to the movies that were in the festivals.
The day before my first shift, I got a call from someone at the festival. They were desperately looking for French translators to assist one of their invited french speaking filmmakers. Now that sounded way more interesting than being an usher! I told them I would do it but at one condition: that they could get me into the Catherine Deneuve Tribute, which had been sold out for weeks. They said it was a deal!
The filmmaker I assisted was Salif Traore, a director from Mali, whose film, 'Faro, Godess of the Waters', was part of the Project 20/20. Project 20/20 selects seven filmmakers from all over the world, whose films have a very strong cultural message. Being in this project has the great advantage that these filmmakers are send to fim festivals all over the planet, meaning that they are automatically accepted in these festivals, and they don't even have to apply for them!
My first day went well, although I felt like being a machine standing between two people who didn't speak each other's language. You really feel like you are invivisble.
The second day was the worse. I was translating the press conference to Salif at some press conference during the AFM (American Film Market), when the guy on stage stopped talking, looked at me and in front of everyone in the audience told me I had to be quiet because I was interupting him! I told him I was translating and although he apologized, I felt like a complete idiot. I hated this job!!! I got even worse at the Q&A after Salif's screening, when this woman in the audience told me I was doing a horrible job at translating, only because she didn't like the answer Salif was giving her!
But I refused to give up. I wanted those Catherine Deneuve tickets! From day three one everything couldn't have been better. I was given an all access pass, which allowed me to go see any movie I wanted, without even having to use any of my ticket vouchers. One Tuesday, when I didn't have to work, I spent the whole day watching movie after movie. The excellent Mexican comedy 'Gabriella Can't Die', the wonderful Israeli movie and Cannes winner 'Jellyfish' and the very well-done documentary 'Afghan Muscle'. The last movie I saw that day with Mark was the very annoying and oh so full of itself 'Noise' with Tim Robbins.
The week got even better when during a around the table meeting between Project 20/20 and the Current TV people, I was given, like all 7 filmmakers, a small digital video camera. This camera allows you to record little messages or even little segments, which then can be uploaded directly onto your computer.
Then Stacy, my 'boss', got me and Mark into the Laura Linney Tribute. That was amazing! Not only was she great to listen to, the film afterwards is probably one of the best films I've seen this year: 'The Savages'.
And then came the day I had worked so hard for. The Catherine Deneuve Tribute. The theater was packed and Mark and I literally sat right in front of this French legend. Catherine Deneuve, just like Laura Linney the day before, was wonderful to listen to and for some strange reason I had this strong feeling that one day she and I would be working together. Wishful thinking? I don't think so ...