But that was the gauntlet thrown down by Santa Barbara International Film Festival honcho Roger Durling for his documentary jury, of which I dutifully comprised 50%. (Producer Lauren Moews comprised the other half, and thankfully we were in "taste sync" the whole way--so no arm wrestling nor rock/paper/scissors was needed for decision-making).
Durling is the charismatic film buff who's transformed the SBFF into a vibrant cultural destination in just five years. At a private (and tasty) dinner for jurors, he regaled us with the story of his evolution from UN interpreter to playwright to coffeehouse maven to film festival head in less than a decade. Pretty amazing, actually. And currently, the festival not only has the support of the town but also real cache from a range of well-made films and a stream of Hollywood heavyweights. In the days I was there, Kate Winslet and Penelope Cruz both showed up for well-done tributes, and Anne Thompson led a great screenwriting panel with Andrew Stanton (WALL-E), Tom McCarthy (The Visitor), Dustin Lance Black (Milk) and Robert Knott (Apaloosa).
(In between spoonfuls of asparagus soup, here's a moody cell phone pic I snapped of myself with fellow juror Efren Ramirez, he of the classic Napoleon Dynamite. All the jurors, I have to say, were way cool and easy to chill with. No prima donnas!)
Now, is it good luck when a bird shits on you? Debatable, right--though that is the legend. Regardless, it did happen to me on Day 3, in between screenings. Were I not on such a tight schedule I'd have hoofed it back to the hotel to change my shirt, but I was so dedicated...and the splatter was, thankfully, so minimal...that I could wash it off in a bakery bathroom. The bakers eyed me for not buying an Italian pastry, but the situation was dire and after it had happened I can't say I was terribly hungry. I had to run - I had films to judge!
And judge we did. Now, I can finally reveal our winner, since it was just announced today: Australian filmmaker Megan Doneman's fascinating and impressive Yes Sir, Madam, chronicling the feisty, uncompromising human rights efforts of Kiran Bedi, India's first policewoman and (later) prison warden, who battles bureaucracy and sexism throughout her career. In particular, Bedi works to try to give prisoners a better and more humane way of life. And the scenes of hundreds of incarcerated criminals meditating en masse were truly incredible. During the Q&A, Doneman said she slept on Bedi's couch on and off for six years to get the film done--and deserves the credit and the prize (which included an IDA membership and a post package worth $100K. Her film also won the separate Social Justice Award, for $2500.
Other interesting, and well-made, docs that I felt merit special attention: Art and Copy (direct from Sundance); Inventing LA: The Chandlers In Their Time (soon to PBS); Johnny Cash at Fulsom Prison; and another Aussie import, The Oasis. I have to say, all 12 films in the lineup had interesting and unique flavors and thoughts to offer audiences. But Yes Sir, Madam was the frontrunner, a compelling and eye-opening film you will probably be hearing more about in 2009. Doneman should be very proud.
Check out all of the festival's offerings at www.sbfilmfestival.org.