Sundance’s Gilmore Jumps To Tribeca

COMMENTS (21)

• Well, I guess Tribeca now will become a celeb-whore-fest with every movie having tons of celebrities.

  Good move for Sundance though.

  Comment by chris — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 8:58am PST  Reply to this post

• as neo would say, “whoa.”

  Comment by mike — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 9:07am PST  Reply to this post

• Maybe now Sundance will start getting better films. RIP Tribeca.

  Comment by framed — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 9:19am PST  Reply to this post

• Well I hope he finds happiness there, cause I’m pretty sure he wasn’t happy at Sundance.

  Comment by Indie film is not dead! — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 9:47am PST  Reply to this post

• Thank god I won’t have to put up with Gilmore’s holier than thou programming of Sundance anymore. Or that stupid Capote voice of his when he announces “how thrilled he is to be able to announce this selection…” But Gilmore’s move to Tribeca is more than just being able to get a better table in many fine NYC eating establishments. Gilmore is CASHING in! He must have finally realized that he’s now in his 60s and only makes $105,000 and must not have gotten kissed into Redford’s sale of Sundance’s cable station. That’s the only way he’d go to Tribeca. They must be paying through the pooper to get him because why else would he give up being the Pope of Independent Cinema (PoIC). I mean going from Sundance to Tribeca’s like going from a Mercedes to a Yugo — from Broadway to Poughkipsee dinner theater — from Harvard to Chico State (OK that would actually be a move up) — from Jenna Jamison to wackin’ it to a two bit ho’. The Houston Film Festival has more street cred than the Tribeca Film Festival. This move is laughable. Plus when you factor in what is costs to actually LIVE in New York, Gilmore will be LOSING money so the joke’s on him!!!! This is the stupidest “sell out in Hollywood history. Hahahahaha.

  Comment by idriveayugo — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 10:23am PST  Reply to this post

• Truth be told, I’m THRILLED. Having been to Sundance many times both as a fan and a filmmaker, I will not miss him one bit.

  Comment by Happyforgilmore — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 10:50am PST  Reply to this post

• Yeah this is a real opportunity for Sundance to blow itself up a bit and get back to being about discovering new filmmakers and movements.

  It seems the last couple of years it’s all been about sponsors, shots of random, pointless stars in overpriced winter garb, and an overall air of self-satisfied douchieness.

  Basically, Gilmore’s administration turned this fest into a quasi fashion week, complete with interchangable celbutards and their dumb photo ops holding cell phones and energy drinks. It’s driven the whole enterprise into irrelevance.

  Kick out the paps and photographers and gifting lodges and let’s get back to the dangerous, smaller-scale Sundance that gave us all those great films in the late 80′s and early 90′s.

  Comment by INterested Observer — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 11:05am PST  Reply to this post

• Didn’t Tribecca get a huge investment last year, that’s probably why they can afford to hire him…

  Comment by Thrilled — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 11:09am PST  Reply to this post

• What does this mean for Peter Scarlett?

  Comment by Rizzan — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 11:14am PST  Reply to this post

• Oh no… Well, Sundance will make a come up while Tribeca starts to sink.

  Comment by Paco — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 11:48am PST  Reply to this post

• The change in ‘vision’ may make for better viewing.

  Comment by Thomo — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 12:39pm PST  Reply to this post

• OMG, idriveyugo! That you mention his tone of voice! It really started to feel like it wasn’t about the film he was talking about but all about him…just something in his voice, drove me crazy! Spot on brother/sister?!

  Comment by Indie film is not dead! — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 1:03pm PST  Reply to this post

• Well if he’s gone who is taking the reigns?

  Comment by Anonymous — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 1:09pm PST  Reply to this post

• Good -maybe I’ll have a chance to get in now.

  Comment by Yeahhhhh — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 2:00pm PST  Reply to this post

• He’s a devil to work for, even more dreadful to take a class from, and a complete ass as a human, but for good or for bad, he did build Sundance into an important festival.

  Good luck and good bye.

  Comment by Spikey — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 2:11pm PST  Reply to this post

• Gilmore is an a-hole on top of what everyone else is saying. Not a very nice guy at all.

  Comment by Coral — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 3:02pm PST  Reply to this post

• As a filmmaker who had a film at Sundance and traveled to many, many fests, I’m happy to see the man go. I’ve never met a more pompous, unapproachable, egotistical film fest director in my entire life. Dealing with Geoff (with a G) was akin to dealing with a Hollywood executive rather than someone who is passionate about independent film. Talking to him made me feel that I should be blessed to be in his presence.

  Comment by Gilmoreisanass — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 6:05pm PST  Reply to this post

• THANK GOD he’s leaving! The man is a CUNT. Honestly, people in NYC won’t be all that impressed with him. I’d like to see him try to get all Devil Wears Prada on people there. Fuck him. Don;t let the door hit you in the ass on your way out.

  Comment by Raymond — Tuesday February 17, 2009 @ 11:22pm PST  Reply to this post

• At long last, THE WALRUS is heading for NYC!

  Comment by fayedinaway — Wednesday February 18, 2009 @ 9:40am PST  Reply to this post

• I only dealt with him in the early 90′s, but he seemed reasonable enough and at that time was certainly choosing films based solely on merit. I think the mediocratization of Sundance has more to do with the current state of American independent film than Mr. Gilmore. It’s not like there are all these great films that he’s passing over. I’m sure most of the above comments come from people who’s films were passed over for selection in Sundance. Programming a major festival means rejecting a lot of films and pissing off a lot of people.

  Comment by Olaf — Friday February 20, 2009 @ 6:19pm PST  Reply to this post

• Robert Redford fathered Sundance, but Geoff Gilmore mothered it. And as a father I can vouch that mothering something is usually a hell of a lot harder than fathering it. Gilmore’s done an incredible job as a gatekeeper/cheerleader/field genereal/and chief creative. I’ve been to about 30 different festivals around the country/world and one thing is certain: There’s Sundance and then there’s everyone else. And that’s due in large part ot Gilmore’s vision, taste, and incredibly hard-working team he’s built at Sundance.

  Judging by these posts above (what a snarky bunch of weasels — wow) there are a lot of people who have submitted films to Sundance, been turned down, and now have it our for him. Here’s some advice: make better films next time and maybe you’ll be invited to Park City.

  One last thing: As for the increasing number of celebs that go to Sundance every year and the growing number of big-name actors that appear in films at Sundance…. who’s to say that’s such a bad thing? If ultimately it shines more light on the films in the festival then that’s a good thing.

  Good luck to both Sundance and Tribeca… these fests are two of the best and they well continue to be in the years ahead.

  Comment by Tim — Saturday February 21, 2009 @ 12:16pm PST  Reply to this post