Yesterday afternoon, between seeing In Prison My Whole Life and CSNY: Deja Vu, I drove with Katrina, James, and Jim to the Sundance resort, about 40 miles from Park City in an idyllic setting where Robert Redford originally purchased land on which to live with his family in 1969 (he was later joined by several investors in purchasing a total of 5,000 acres, 4,500 of which are preserved as open space). It was at the screening room at Sundance that we had an afternoon showing of Traces. (And no, Mr. Redford wasn’t there…)
Having seen the film several times, James and I decided to have some lunch in the cafe and then be available for the Q&A after the film ended. We were joined by a woman who had seen the film earlier this week who does work in the northern part of Ghana supporting women in becoming self-sufficient in their villages. It turned out to be quite serendipitous to make a new connection with someone from whom I hope to learn, and perhaps collaborate with, in the future.
The screening at the resort was followed this morning by the final screening of Traces at the festival back here in Park City. At both of them, as with all the others this week, the Q&A sessions were filled with engaging and thoughtful questions. The sessions last until the theatre operators tell us we have to leave so they can prepare for the next film. We have invariably then spent time talking individually with people about the film and our journey until we are eventually asked to vacate the lobby so they can get people into the next film to be screened. Traces of the Trade is an invitation to a deeper conversation about race in our lives and the invitation is being accepted by wide varieties of people who view the film.
It has been exciting and interesting to be here at Sundance. It has also been an honor to be here in support of Katrina for the World Premiere of Traces of the Trade. Tonight is the awards dinner that Katrina and her film making team will attend, followed by a celebratory party to which I believe the rest of us will also be invited.
I’ll catch a shuttle early tomorrow morning to make my way to Denver where I’ll spend some valuable time with my cousin and Traces partner Keila DePoorter and her husband Jerry (who weren’t able to be with us at Sundance: they were certainly here in spirit!), as well as with Harold Fields, who headed home from Sundance a few days ago. Harold has arranged for us to visit with students at two Denver schools, one a middle school and the other a high school, in addition to the reading and book signing at the Tattered Cover Book Store on Thursday evening.