Its Hard to Be A Pimp In A Canadian Holiday Inn

If only things were simple... like smearing spaghetti all over my face because it tastes good, like my cousin P.J. The name is all too tragic (Peyton Jewell) but the kid is all too cute.

So -- here I am in the hustle and flow of the incredibly sexy documentary world. In big news, Cara Mertes, the long time head of P.O.V. series on PBS was just appointed the director of the Sundance fund. I'm still too early in my work to show her anything, but did intersect with Shannon Kelly from Sundance who gave me or his assistant gave me the handwritten rejection letter and was very nice in person.

But back to the pimpin lifestyle -- Yo Yo.
Cuz that's what sipping on decaf is all about, in my Victoria's Secret bed dress, propped up on pillows using the ol' Holiday Inn, Bloor Street wireless network connection.

SO -- HotDocs is as annoying and shitty as it was last time, in some ways better and worse then two years ago. I'm much farther along with my film, so therefore much more confident and directed when I talk to people this year. I met with an Israeli distributor/sales agent that I needed to meet and also talked to the Court Tv people. Both are interested. I'll meet with Court Tv in New York. They may not be the most elite/upscale home for the film, but they could be second channel distributors after someone bigger and better.

I also re-schmoozed the very sweet Channel 8 head in Israel and he wants the film in September, to make the 2007 cutoff so I think that funding is a very nice possibility in a few months. Plus he laughs at my off the cuff jokes about anal sex and whore houses... he likes me.

I met with a very open minded smart Canadian producer who gave me tips about how to restructure at least what I'm talking about, to get it to the largest audience possible. Clearly this is a festival film, but to get it to broadcasters (who are chicken shit) it needs to be presented in such a way, that it is simple and "entertaining" enough to understand, while still delivering the goods. I sensed a nice alliance between us, and when the time is right, she's going to connect me to hbo.

I think I'm up for the challenge, so I left HotDocs (after hiding out in the park for lunch, I kid you not) feeling inspired and releived its over.

And I'm hanging with Ilil Alexander tonight and her bald, intense Israeli male producer. And there's a salsa party later.

A friend of Dana has been taking us all over Toronto these past nights, a nice antidote to dorkydocumentaryland.