Barry Dignam reports from the Berlin Film Festival, where his short film "Dream Kitchen" was selected for the International Competition.
Sunday 13th Feb
Up out of bed at 5am with only 90 minutes sleep under my belt. I catch a train from Clermont-Ferrand where Audrey is still sleeping soundly (see Audrey O'Reilly's report from last week) at 7:30. The train is full of very fragile filmmakers all wrecked from the closing party (which has just ended). From Paris it's a quick flight to Berlin, where I arrive at 3pm tired, smelly and kinda narky.
My mood changes quickly when I am met by a driver, a Mercedes Benz limousine and Atilano the guy from Protocol who is to look after me during my week in Berlin. They take me directly to the luxury hotel they are putting me up in and on route I'm given all the passes and information for my stay. God these guys are organised.
I get to my room and almost dance around it. No offence Audrey, but you don't have to listen to my snoring and I don't have to listen to you giving out about my snoring anymore!!
"Dream Kitchen's" first screening is in the Berlinale Palast at 10:30pm. I get picked up by another limo at 9:45 (I could get used to this limo thing). The cinema is huge, no HUGE. I take one look at the front of the building and start to feel decidedly shaky - is it nerves or maybe just that I haven't eaten all day. I spot McDonalds and make a beeline there. I hide my badge and scoff down a Big Mac Meal thinking that's it's kinda cool to be pigging out in McD's one minute and then walking down the red carpet to the most dramatic cinema I've ever been to. And that's exactly what I did.
The curtains lift (they have curtains in Germany!!) the fanfare plays (a fanfare all for me!!) and the film begins to play. I feel sick. I'm gonna see my Big Mac again all over the row in front of me. And then they laugh. And they laugh. And they clap!! DURING the film!! It ends and there is really warm applause with cheering, I like Berlin, I like Berliners. I like everyone.
I intend to go to a party, but end up going back to the hotel and crashing out. I do need some sleep.
Monday 14th Feb.
All eleven short filmmakers in competition have to meet in the lobby at 10am to be driven to the Cinemax for a press screening of all eleven shorts, followed by a press conference. All eleven films are of a high standard and the screening goes well, after which we are escorted to the press VIP room. So this is where there is glamour in filmmaking. And I thought it was all about getting up at 5am and standing in mud / water / filth for 13 hours. The VIP room is all white walls and red carpet along with more Champagne then I ever seen in my life. We are photographed signing the guest book and then brought to the pressroom.
This was my first press conference ever and the worst thing is I can't remember a single thing I said. I can remember the mass of photographers and the earphones for translation. I can remember what the other directors said. I can remember being asked questions. I just can't remember my answers. Oh well I'll do better next time.
We then kill some time until the evening reception thrown by the festival Director Moritz de Hadeln. More Champagne. Now time to see films and go to parties.
We have dinner (all the filmmakers) and then go to "The Beach". Big BIG mistake. "The Beach" becomes the benchmark of how bad a movie can be.
Tuesday 15th, Wednesday 16th , Thursday 17th Feb.
Films, parties, dinners and films. It's all a bit of a blur. The highlight of which was Conor McPhearson's "Saltwater" which was really great. It begins to be known as "Sold-out-water" since about 30 mins after its first screening all further screenings have been sold out.
Friday 18th Feb.
We really do feel like impostors. We get the same treatment as feature film directors, but this is without doubt a feature film festival and market. When you are introduced to somebody as a short film director they nod with very little interest, but when the word Wettbewerb (International Competition) is added the interest level visibly increases.
The filmmakers are beginning to get edgy. We have been told that if we have won a prize we will get a call by tomorrow. If we don't get a call by 6pm then we can take it as bad news.
Saturday 19th Feb
6pm NO CALL. Not that I thought there would be. Dream Kitchen might pick up an audience award or two, but this is a serious jury. Anyway, I soothe myself by going to pick up an award for "Saltwater" at a Panorama do. Then on to the biggest party of the festival the "Teddy" awards where I'm told that I came second place by a "Teddy" jury member. Oh well.
Sunday 20th Feb
We don't know if we'll be invited to the main awards ceremony. Well we haven't asked actually. But sure enough we get a call to pick up out tickets.
And the winners are…..
Well you can go look up the web site www.berlinale.de
The awards are followed by a reception at the City Hall in Alexanderplatz. Soviet Berlin. It's soooo cool. Blacktie, ball-gowns. I keep expecting James Bond to blow the whole place up. These guys really know how to throw a BIG party.
I get back to the hotel at 6am and pack.
Monday 21st Feb
I fly home. It has been a long, but very successful two weeks. We won in France and didn't in Germany but you can't have it all. We have sold both "In Loving Memory" and "Dream Kitchen" to loads of markets. When I get to my house there are a pile of faxes and emails inviting the films to other festivals. "Dream Kitchen" is to open a new cinema in Switzerland, so that's kinda cool.
- Barry Dignam
