In many ways, the regal red carpet epitomizes the ideals of big city fame, especially considering the immeasurable wealth and extravagant apparel of the film personalities and other socialites who tread upon it each day. But one may not realize that the extensive acclaim held by the likes of Abigail Breslin, Kevin Smith and Quentin Tarantino owes a debt to the Sundance Film Festival, a humble yet beloved staple of the independent film community. And for the past two years, Ann Arbor’s own Michigan Theater has enjoyed a share of the yearly Sundance hubbub with the advent of a national publicity initiative called Sundance USA.
Sundance USA: Cedar Rapids
Tonight at 7:30 p.m.
Michigan Theater
The program includes a bevy of film screenings and filmmakers’ commentaries in select host cities across the country. This year, Sundance USA caters to the burgeoning arts communities of eight cities, including San Francisco, Brooklyn, Seattle and Los Angeles. But the historic Michigan Theater holds the distinct honor of hosting two Sundance feature films.
According to Drew Waller, director of marketing at the Michigan Theater, this opportunity distinguishes the theater from the other Sundance USA locales — each of which hosts a single film. Ann Arbor’s small size is offset by its residents’ passion for quality art, and with two films, most will be able to enjoy a show without a hitch.
“We’ve been put in the position where we’re the smallest market with the largest venue. Most of the larger markets have a modern multiplex with three hundred or four hundred seats,” Waller said in a recent interview with the Daily.
“In our case, we have a historic theater with a capacity of 1,700 people. So we’re in the best position to get as many people to come as possible, whereas the other shows are sold out in a flash.”
Last night, the theater featured Thomas McCarthy’s “Win Win” starring Paul Giamatti and Amy Ryan. “Cedar Rapids” will screen tonight at 7:30 p.m. Its inclusion in the showcase was an easy decision for the film’s production staff, since the majority of the movie was shot in Ann Arbor and its surrounding areas.
“A good portion of the film takes place in a dilapidated hotel adjacent to Weber’s Hotel off I-94, and it fits the humor and the tongue-in-cheek tone of the story very well,” Waller said.
Many filmmakers flock to Michigan for the generous tax credits. However, the city of Ann Arbor held a unique allure for the “Cedar Rapids” crew due to its lack of cumbersome red tape.
“The Visitor and Civics Bureau as well as the Screen Arts & Cultures Guild made the whole process very easy regarding accessibility of resources. There was plenty of good discussion before the film was made as to how to make the process as simple as possible for the crew,” Waller said.
The Michigan Theater’s business relationship with the organizers of the Sundance Festival is the result of the yearly Art House Convergence conference. This year’s Convergence ran from Jan. 17th-20th and brought art house theater owners from around the country together under the same roof. During the event, proprietors discussed ways to keep the unadulterated genre of art cinema relevant and distinguishable from the rote popcorn fluff of mainstream Hollywood.
“The goal is to develop a new perspective of the Michigan Theater. Last year’s Sundance screenings showed that we have the fortitude and foresight to organize something of this caliber,” Waller said. “Not only that, it gave us a platform to say, ‘We don’t just do this on any given weekend, we do it 365 days a year.’ ”
Granted, this beautiful venue and its faithful clientele will have to share their moment in the sun with the eight other host cities. But with the Michigan’s rich history and ability to afford an additional screening to spite an array of mass-manufactured multiplexes, Ann Arbor’s spotlight is sure to shine a bit brighter this weekend.