I was also lucky enough to be behind the scenes when Joe Wright and Tom Stoppard took their special 20x24 Polaroid photographs for the Film Society. These are some of my favorite shots. I especially love the last one because Joe is just so goofy.

Tonight I had the absolute pleasure of seeing Anna Karenina followed by a Q&A by the film’s director Joe Wright and its screenwriter Tom Stoppard at the Film Society of Lincoln Center.

I cannot tell you all how excited I was for this event. If you follow my film blog you know just how brilliant I think Joe Wright is and just how much I was looking forward to Anna Karenina. It was such a treat to see him in person and I absolutely loved Anna Karenina. What a beautiful and brilliant adaptation. Both Stoppard and Wright did a fantastic job of turning an 800+ page book and making it really dynamic and so much more cinematic. I cannot wait to see it again. 

NYFF 2012: Closing Night film Flight

Photographing the New York Film Festival was such a treat! My experience was topped off with Robert Zemeckis’s Flight, which featured an all-star cast of Denzel Washington, Kelly Reilly, John Goodman, Melissa Leo, Bruce Greenwood and Don Cheadle.

The film itself was really suspenseful and entertaining, particularly the first half or so when the plane crashes. While the direction wasn’t that spectacular it was definitely thrilling and Washington’s performance was amazing as always. The film is less about a plane crash and more about the redemption of a man. Zemeckis is a legend in the biz and seeing him in person was surreal! 

NYFF 2012: Pablo Larrain and Antonia Zegers for the No Premiere

I cannot tell you all what a pleasure it was for me to be able to photograph the red carpet for No. If you follow me on Twitter you’ll know that this is one of the films I had been highly anticipating. Not only because I’m a huge fan of Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larrain and his films, but also because it did exceedingly well in Cannes, taking the top prize at the Directors’ Fortnight. I followed the film’s trajectory through various film festivals and was elated when it was entered into the Oscar race as Chile’s official entry for Best Foreign-Language film.

The film did not disappoint. While, Post Mortem will still be my favorite Larrain film, No was much more light-hearted but still equally poignant. Plus it featured outstanding performances by Gael Garcia Bernal, Antonia Zegers (Larrain’s wife and oft-leading actress) and Alfredo Castro (a Larrain regular). The Q&A was spectacular, pretty much solidifying my love for Larrain’s directorial style. I even asked him if he thought Chilean cinema was undergoing a “New Wave” to which he responded with, “I can’t say, but I’m very proud of the films being produced by great Chilean Directors like Sebastian Silva and Marialy Rivas.” Amen, to that.

NYFF 2012: Ginger & Rosa premiere

It didn’t get to see all of Ginger & Rosa since I only managed to catch the end. What I did see, however, was truly gripping and I’m hoping to catch the rest of the film sometime soon because Elle Fanning’s performance was so captivating.

The Q&A was still pretty interesting even though I really had no idea what they were talking about. Elle Fanning, who plays Ginger, seemed to be so excited to be there. She plays such mature characters it’s easy to forget that she’s only 14! It was also quite fantastic to see Sally Potter in person. She’s an enigma. 

NYFF 2012: Raul Ruiz’s last film Night Across the Street

Most of Ruiz’s films aren’t for the feint-hearted. His movies are often obtuse, bizarre and wholly original. Most times, a film’s intent isn’t even completely understood until you’ve seen it a few times. But what I love about Ruiz is that his films are unique. They don’t look or tell a story quite like any other film. Night Across the Street was no different.

Raul Ruiz did so much for Chilean cinema and it was a shame that he died before this film was released. I would have loved to have met him. Instead, his wife Valeria Sarmiento (Ruiz’s longtime editor and a director in her own right) tried to field any audience questions. Mostly what I took from the Q&A is that in the last few months of his life Ruiz was preoccupied with death and that is quite apparent in this film.

NYFF 2012: Amour 

The great Michael Haneke has been one of my favorite directors for some time now, ever since I saw Caché. He really is a master of his craft, which made it all the more surprising that he was such a humble and grateful person. You’d think someone that brilliant couldn’t possibly be that unassuming. 

Amour was absolutely touching. I think my favorite film of 2012 so far. It invoked all the right kinds of feelings in me and was just candy to look at it. Both actors were wonderful, but Emmanuelle Riva was especially heartbreaking. It really made me think about my own mortality. 

NYFF 2012: Frances Ha premiere

Noah Baumbach’s Frances Ha was refreshingly delightful. I loved his black and white style as well as the film’s cinematography. And while I might not have loved the idea of another “manic pixie dream girl,” Greta Gerwig is lovable and the film itself quite charming. 

After the premiere I took a lot of behind-the-scenes shots, particularly of the celebs hobnobbing. Ben Stiller and Sting managed to make it out, the former to support his friend Noah Baumbach, and the latter to support his daughter Mickey Sumner who played Frances’s best friend. 

NYFF 2012: The 25th Anniversary screening of The Princess Bride

I cannot believe how fantastic this movie is even after all these years. As Carol Kane said during the Q&A, “Tonight as I was watching, I felt like I was seeing a perfect film.” I definitely felt that way after seeing The Princess Bride after all these years.

I was lucky enough to photograph the red carpet and got to see the very stars I loved as a kid. Almost everyone from the cast was there, Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Carol Kane, Billy Crystal, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Wallace Shawn and director Rob Reiner as well as screenwriter William Goldman. What a great reunion! And the Q&A was so wonderful I couldn’t stop smiling and laughing. 

NYFF 2012: Little Shop of Horrors

Dir. Frank Oz, composer Alan Menken and star Ellen Greene all showed up for the New York Film Festival’s special Director’s Cut screening of Little Shop of Horrors. 

Such a great event! All 3 just seemed so grateful and appreciative to finally be showing the version of the film they had originally intended (with Audrey II taking over the world). The audience even got a special treat with Ellen Greene performing Somewhere That’s Green, and Alan Menken riffing on the piano.

Little Shop was the first musical I ever performed in and it’ll always make me little heart squeal with glee. I think I have every song permanently etched in my brain.

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Had the pleasure of seeing David Cronenberg after a screening of his film Cosmopolis last Friday at the Walter Reade Theater! The movie wasn’t my fav (for the record, Videodrome is), but it had a certain level of charm. In my opinion, the film was brought down significantly by Robert Pattinson’s acting. I’m sure he’s a lovely fellow and I really do feel bad for all the scrutiny he’s been under lately over his much-publicized break-up (ugh), but I don’t think the guy can act. He has this cold detachment and stiff demeanor that just makes me cringe every time he’s on screen. The story was a bit complex and, in my opinion, a bit dull at times. The film itself was based on a Don DeLillo book so it was bound to be hard to adapt, but stylistically the film was interesting. Overall, I just couldn’t get over Pattinson’s moody scowls.

The Q&A with Cronenberg was absolutely hilarious though. And even if he didn’t like The Dark Knight Rises, I respect the hell out of the man. He’s a film legend.

Sharing a few of my shots from the David Cronenberg Q&A a shot last Friday!

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Very hilarious night at the Film Society of Lincoln Center for a preview screening of Will Friedkin’s latest film Killer Joe starring Matthew McConaughey, Gina Gershon, Emile Hirsch, Thomas Haden Church and Juno Temple. 

For the Q&A director William Friedkin (a Hollywood legend films like The Exorcist and The French Connection), screenwriter Tracy Letts, and stars Matthew McConaughey and Gina Gershon were in attendance. The film itself was not my cup of tea (any film that features female sexual violence tends to make me squirm)—even though I do have to admire its bold material and McConaughey chillingly excellent performance—Friedkin had me in stitches the whole night! That man has great comedic timing. When asked what advice he’d give aspiring filmmakers he said, “Ambition, lots of luck and the grace of God.” McConaughey countered with “Don’t say it, be it.” 

Any of you checking out Killer Joe this weekend?

Some shots from last night’s event as part of my gig with the Film Society!

My week in Instagram.