Page 31 - ATD23Jan2016

PEOPLE & ARTS A31
Saturday 23 January 2016

Around Sundance: Sundance opens with film on Norman Lear

Daisy Ridley lends star power, SANDY COHEN chronological restraints. A wrong?” Bunker pleads.
Judd Apatow is a proud papa AP Entertainment Writer theme throughout is Lear’s As much a history of the
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — Nor- unresolved feelings for his modern sitcom as a portrait
The Associated Press man Lear was so touched father, who was jailed for of their creator, the film re-
PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — The Associated Press is all over by the documentary made fraud when Lear was 9. Lear veals behind-the-scenes
the Sundance Film Festival, which runs through Jan. about his life, he wanted to
31, from its premieres to the Hollywood glitz. Here’s cuddle up with the entire Directors Rachel Grady, left, and Heidi Ewing, right, pose with
what they’ve seen and heard: audience at the Sundance Norman Lear at the premiere of “Norman Lear: Just Another Ver-
Film Festival. sion of You,” during the 2016 Sundance Film Festival on Thurs-
RIDLEY’S STAR POWER “If we could find the largest day, Jan. 21, 2016, in Park City, Utah.
Daisy Ridley knows a little something about being one bed and we could all get in
of the only girls in a boys’ club. The “Star Wars: The bed together, it would ex- (Danny Moloshok/Invision/AP)
Force Awakens” star transfixed audiences as the can- press everything I’m feeling
do Rey, and now Ridley is lending her support to an- right now,” Lear, 93, said af- grew up between uncles’ strife in Lear’s TV families.
other young girl with a dream — Aisholpan, 13-year- ter watching the film. and grandparents’ hous- Carroll O’Connor, who fa-
old Mongolian girl who endeavors to become the first “Norman Lear: Another es, and the film frames his mously played Archie Bun-
female Eagle Hunter. Version of You” was re- work — particularly in “All in ker but was actually a lib-
After seeing a cut of the film, Ridley decided to sign ceived with a standing the Family” — through this eral, often challenged Lear
on as an executive producer of “The Eagle Huntress,” ovation when it opened painful lens. over his character’s abra-
a documentary from director Otto Bell about Aishol- the Sundance Film Festival Even more than 40 years sive manner. “Good Times”
pan’s journey to reach her goal. Executive producer on Thursday night. Directed later, Lear tears up when stars Esther Rolle and John
Morgan Spurlock (“Super Size Me”) announced her by Heidi Ewing and Ra- watching an episode Amos also argued over
involvement on Friday. chel Grady, the film spans where Archie Bunker is how their characters were
The film is making its debut at the Sundance Film Festi- practically the whole of the faced with the reality that portrayed. As the first black
val, and Ridley hopes to use her newfound star power 93-year-old artist and activ- his father was bigoted and family on television, the ac-
to increase the documentary’s visibility and it’s mes- ist’s life, professionally and cruel. tors bristled against what
sage of female empowerment. personally. “How can a man that loves they saw as caricatures
“I was deeply moved by Aisholpan’s story and want- It explores Lear’s reasons you tell you anything that’s and stereotypes.q
ed to be a part of this beautiful film,” Ridley said in a for creating such ground-
statement. “I feel audiences and young girls around breaking sitcoms as “All
the world will be as inspired by her story as I was, and in the Family,” ‘’Maude,”
I am so proud to share her journey with the world.” ‘’Good Times” and “The
--By Lindsey Bahr Jeffersons,” which were
based as much on his
DINNER WITH STARS personal experiences as
Sundance filmmakers and their supporters broke his desire to bring real, rel-
bread together at the film festival’s annual dinner cel- evant subjects to TV audi-
ebration, An Artist at the Table. ences.
Ava DuVernay, Jon Hamm, Casey Affleck, Zosia “Another Version of You”
Mamet and Nick Jonas were among the artists dining skips through time, unfold-
with Sundance donors at the private event, held on a ing Lear’s story without
ranch outside Park City.
Guests were invited to experience a short virtual-re- ‘Other People’ impresses Sundance crowd
ality film, and people wearing special goggles and
earphones dotted the room. LINDSEY BAHR Actress Maude Apatow, right and her father Judd Apatow, left,
Norman Lear was the guest of honor, attending the AP Film Writer poses at the premiere of “Other People” during the 2016 Sun-
dinner after the documentary about his life, “Norman PARK CITY, Utah (AP) — dance Film Festival on Thursday, Jan. 21, 2016, in Park City, Utah.
Lear: Another Version of You,” premiered as the festi- There is no joy in watch-
val’s opening-night film. ing Molly Shannon die for (Danny Moloshok/Invision/AP)
Lear said the film “startled and stunned and thrilled 97 minutes, especially in a
me.” movie that’s not really her either extreme, but instead sight in the end.
Later, a troupe of musicians performed the theme story. languishes in that murky That first scene sets the
songs to some of the most popular shows Lear cre- That’s not a spoiler. Her middle territory where tone. It opens on a fam-
ated, including “All in the Family,” ‘’The Jeffersons” character’s death is the there is promise, emotional ily of four (Jesse Plemons,
and “Good Times.” opening frame of “Other truth and comedic prow- Bradley Whitford, Maude
Flanked by his wife and one of his daughters, Lear People,” the feature di- ess, but there’s also clunky Apatow and Madisen
was merrily singing along. rectorial debut of Chris character development, Beaty) sobbing over their
--By Sandy Cohen Kelly, who has written banal clichés and little in- dead mother’s body. q
for “Saturday Night Live”
PAPA APATOW and “Broad City.” The
Dads will be dads no matter where they are and film, which follows a fam-
producer, director and writer Judd Apatow was no ily across the year their
exception at Thursday’s Sundance premiere of the mother is dying of cancer,
movie “Other People.” His 17-year-old daughter opened the Sundance Film
Maude Apatow, who has appeared in “Knocked Up,” Festival on Thursday night
‘’Funny People” and “This is 40,” is in the film — and to a packed crowd at the
it’s her first movie not made by her dad or starring her Eccles Theatre.
mom, Leslie Mann. “It’s really nice,” said Maude on The opening night film has
the red carpet. “This is the first film I’ve done without a scattered history and
my parents too, and I think it feels like the same sort of can range from Oscar-wor-
people like funny people and I felt really comfortable thy (“Whiplash”) to Razzie-
the whole time. It was awesome.”q ready (“The Bronze”). “Oth-
er People” doesn’t fit into