Park City, Utah
After a short 35 minute ride from Salt Lake City Airport we arrived in Park City for my first trip to Sundance with four friends from Chicago. We stayed at a luxury triple level, three bedroom, three bath condominium at the base of Deer Valley Ski Resort. Our arrival was late day and even though we hired Guardian Angels to shop for food for the Condo, we opted to go out for dinner. Based on a recommendation from our airport driver we chose Deer Valley Lodge restaurant. The restaurant featured a seafood buffet which turned out to be quite amazing. I had some of the best oysters, King Crab legs, sashimi, shrimp and a variety of other seafood on the buffet that I have ever experienced. Between the buffet, all day travel and the mountain air, I slept like a newborn.
The following day we attended the screening of Director Spike Lee's documentary about Michael Jackson http://www.sundance.org/projects/michael-jackson-s-journey-from-motown-to-off-the-wall, one of Sundance's hottest tickets. There is some great footage of Michael's time at Motown and the beginning of his solo career. The genius of Michael is told by Spike Lee through an abundance of archival footage, interviews with peers who knew Michael, other Jackson family members and in Michael’s own words and images. It is an in-depth look at his solo career and his collaboration with Quincy Jones. It is an important portrait of how passionate and hard-working Michael was in his quest to become the “King of Pop.” Michael Jackson; From Motown to Off the Wall. Speaking of quest, Questlove was in the audience and part of the Q&A with Spike Lee following the screening.
Michael Jackson; from Motown to Off the Wall
After the Spike Lee screening we headed into Main Street to attend the BET party. We didn't stay very long but I did get pictures with some of the stars in attendance, Gabrielle Union (who is currently starring in Nate Parker's Birth of a Nation), Emayatzy Corinealdi co-starring in Don Cheadle's film Miles Ahead, and Vanessa Bell Calloway (Southside and You) the story of Barack and Michelle Obama.
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| Birth of a Nation and Being Mary Jane star Gabrielle Union with Evelyn Wheeler at BET Party in Park City, Utah |
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| Gabrielle Union and Angela Thompson at BET party in Sundance, Utah |
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| Emayatzy Corinealdi (co-star with Don Cheadle in Miles Ahead) with Evelyn Wheeler at BET Party in Sundance, Utah |
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| Vanessa Bell Calloway and Evelyn Wheeler at the BET party in Sundance, Utah |
Following an early evening dinner, we attended an industry party at the home of Entertainment Attorney Corky Kessler. He also headed a panel on Financing Your Film that we attended the following morning. It included a pitch session for scriptwriters looking to get their projects off the ground. Pitches were only allowed to be made in front of the panel members, so we didn't get a chance to hear them. The winner was a twenty year old who didn't even have script yet, just an idea, but it completely floored the people listening to the pitch. Can't wait to see if it makes it to the screen or will be at Sundance sometime soon.
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| Chi-Raq creators with Evelyn Wheeler in Park City, Utah |
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Producer of Chi-Raq Roger Jackson with Evelyn Wheeler 
This young man took my seat when I got up to get a drink so I made him take a picture with me (didn't get his name) at the BET Party at Sundance
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I attended the screening of the documentary film chronicling the life of Dr. Maya Angelou. This film is superb and left almost everyone in attendance in tears. And Still I Rise.
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| Screening of the documentary "And Still I Rise" |
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| Colin Johnson grandson of Dr. Maya Angelou at the screening of the documentary "And Still I Rise" in Sundance, Utah |
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