Sherman Alexie and Chris Eyre charm Sundance

By Brenda Norrell
Pechanga Net

PARK CITY, Utah -- American Indian author and filmmaker Sherman Alexie, as friendly and humble as ever during his rising fame, charmed press and filmmakers arriving at the Sundance Film Festival as he prepared to premiere his new film, "The Business of Fancy Dancing."

"My message to the whole planet is to be eccentric and iconoclastic," said Alexie, Spokane/Coeur d'Alene, during an interview at the Saturday evening reception.

American Indian director Chris Eyre is slated to premiere "Skins" at the Sundance Festival Mon., Jan. 14, in Park City. Filmed on Pine Ridge
in South Dakota, the cast includes Eric Schweig, Graham Greene, Joseph American Horse, Gary Farmer, Elaine Miles, Lois Red Elk and many other
American Indian film favorites.

"Skins," adapted from award-winning poet Adrian C. Louis' powerful first novel, is a modern portrait of brotherhood, alcoholism and redemption.

Eyre said, "I fell in love with the paradox of Skins, that it was funny and dark at the same time. The humor is so real, very rural and on the nose."

"Skins" and "The Business of Fancy Dancing," both have screenings Monday through Wednesday at Sundance.

With Native Forum films slated throughout the week, Alexie said there should be plenty of Natives in audiences to get the humor.

"There will be enough Skins in the crowd to get my jokes."

With clear skies and snow on the way in time for the Olympics 2002 in February, independent filmmakers, Hollywood stars and newsmakers
arrived from around the globe at Robert Redford's Sundance Film
Festival.

Although most of the crowd wears blue jeans and hiking boots, Alexie said being in the limelight does not come easy.

"If left on my own, I would be in my hotel room, sleeping, watching basketball or in the tub reading."

Urging Native authors and filmmakers to find their own voice, Alexie said, "Be individualistic, don't join and be suspicious of all authority and institutions."

Still, Alexie said the Sundance Film Festival is the only venue in the United States whole-heartedly promoting American Indian filmmakers and
screenwriters.

"The Business of Fancy Dancing" is a poetic story of growth, death and
the choices that define and reunite best friends Aristotle Joseph (Gene
Tagaban) and Seymour Plotakin (Evan Adams) sixteen years after their
high school graduation. Directed by Alexie, the cast includes Michelle
St. John, Cynthia Geary and Elaine Miles.

Currently, Alexie is preparing to film "Indian Killer," in the Seattle area. Meanwhile, Eyre is developing a screen adaptation of "The Spirit of Crazy Horse," about American Indian activist Leonard Peltier.

At Sundance, Native Forum films showing this week include a portrait of
the Zapatistas in "Caminantes," New Zealand filmmaker Merita Mita's "Hotere," and Australian filmmaker Rachel Perkins' "One Night the
Moon."

First Nations filmmakers from Canada in the Native Forum film screenings include Dennis Jackson's "Christmas at Wapos Bay" and Jules
Karatechamp's "Miss 501 (A Portrait of Luck.)"

Although advance tickets may sell out, tickets were still available at the box office in Park City, Sun., Jan. 13. Tickets are released each day and seats are usually available in the wait lines one hour before showtimes at theater box offices in Park City and Salt Lake.

For more information:
www.sundance.org
brendanorrell@yahoo.com