Opening Night, at last

Hello, I know this is a bit "old news," and I did post it on my own blog, myspace.com/gthree, but since SIFFBLOG now reigns again, I'm posting it here...

Finally, my Opening Night report! Always fun. As per usual, I dressed up extra-special. Black boots. Black pants that look like animal skin. Black mock turtleneck short-sleeved shirt. Black cap. Topped off by my silver leather jacket. I got a compliment from a woman while walking down to the venue — the only one that night, alas.

I was only going to the party, not the film, having seen it at the press launch (see date entry). My timing was just right, and I arrived at the space, the former temporary home of the library and now headed for MOHAI use, minutes before the doors opened. Met a cluster of journos waiting outside; Sean A (PI), looking especially dapper in formal wear, Moira M (Seattle Times), and Shannon Gee (producer, freelancer). The doors soon opened, and remembering the layout from last year, I headed upstairs to the top floor via stairs while slowpokes waited for the elevators. Anyway, it’s good exercise.

The top floor was a big open space, with a few partitions, and a room off to the side. Tables around the wall had various little foodstuffs, on an international theme. I was able to snag some, but my first priority was alcohol. The first drinks booth only had beer and wine. So did the second. I finally found the Bombay Gin booth. I heard later there was only one, which, well, didn’t seem that generous to me. I grabbed two g&t’s, remembering the crush from last year. They were again sporadically carding, but also giving out a wristband so you didn’t have to keep producing ID. But it was inconsistent. A passholder told me she’d first been told “Oh, you don’t need to show your ID” (as was I — it’s rude to tell a lady that!), but on her third time was told she did need to. Adding to the confusion (and delays).

I have never understood why SIFF hasn’t figured out how to set up things up better vis a vis drinks; it always seems that no matter what size the space, there end up being long lines. I only saw 3 drinks booths, for example (there may have been more I didn’t see), and they really needed at least another 3, or maybe even more. Not more booze necessarily…just more places where it’s available.

Well, then the hordes began to arrive. Ran into the journos I’d talked to previously, then went round to try and find other folks. Was talking with passholder Ray when passholder Poppy came up, already frustrated by the drinks lines. She said she’d been told she should check out the VIP room, but she didn’t know where it was. I remembered from last year, so led the way back downstairs, but knew I wouldn’t gain entry, as I was a lowly press type and they were big money platinum passholders. So I didn’t mind not getting in, but was sorry I couldn’t keep chatting with them. But Deb Pearson, SIFF’s Managing Director, was hovering about, so I went to chat to her, and she began gathering up folks to usher into the VIP room, so I happily went with the flow.

Now, the term “VIP room” conjures up visions of celebrities and gift bags stuffed with nifty swag. There was none of that here. Though I did see Tom Skerritt, who is a SIFF Board Member Emeritus. And Jessica Biel, one of the stars of The Illusionist, was also in attendance, with publicists hovering at a discreet distance to make sure she wasn’t mauled or heckled unnecessarily. One jokingly asked me if I was a heckler; I said to ask again after a few more drinks. It did make me think about who I would be excited to see at Opening; well, there is Naomi Watts of course, but everyone would want to hover around her. So how about John Hurt, Helen Mirren, or John Glover? I’d probably even have Glover all to myself, only the Smallville folks know who he is.

BUT, more important than celebrities and swag in the VIP room was the lack of drinks or food lines! And they had their own bathroom! So I happily stayed for the rest of the night, snacking and imbibing, chatting mostly with other passholders. One journo said he’d asked to be on the list for VIP room, gaining entry that way; another journo said he’d done the same, and been confirmed, only to be told his name wasn’t on the list. So no guarantees, I guess. It was fun talking with passholder folks I hadn’t seen for a year. This year’s Superbowl came up, and I was griping about the bad calls the Seahawks received (that game was fixed!) and told by Steve of KING-FM that now when teams feel too many calls are made against them they say “We’ve been Seahawk’d.” Wow, pop culture Seattle enters the lexicon again.

I was afraid to leave as I didn’t think I’d get back in, so I missed the crowds and dancing up above, and seeing other people I might have known. Eventually, around 11, people began departing; such lightweights! I finally left when they began packing up the food and drinks, and headed upstairs to see who might remain. I ran into Irene from the Christian Science Monitor, who was on her way out, having danced to excess. As we live close by, we shared a cab.

So, not the most exciting Opening Night compared to others, but still pleasant and fun. I felt on the verge of having a few too many drinkies, but had actually held back enough that I did not end up with a hangover the next day, though I had a headache for a little while. A SIFFer who shall remain nameless told me, “I have enough hangover for us both!”