OtherThanThat

When I was at this year’s Sundance film festival I spent alot of time seeing documentaries. One of them, “Crossing Arizona”, caught my eye in the program but unfortunately I missed all the showings. I did, however, meet the filmmakers one night while grabbing a much needed late night latte.
Their passion for their work was infectious even in our brief encounter, so when I heard their film had secured a theatrical premiere in San Francisco I was thrilled. I was even more so when I discovered they were still in town and had the time to sit down and talk with me.

I consider myself one of the creative class, but when it comes to filmmaking – specifically the realm of documentaries – there’s an entirely different level, at least in my opinion, of inspiration.
You might think it’s no different than any other sort of journalism. After all, how do people – me for example – pick stories to cover? But the truth is that I see documentarians as a special hybrid of journalist and filmmaker – people who grab hold of powerful topics and artfully display them bringing the message to viewers through a delicate balance of image and sound. They show that life does more than imitate art – it serves as the foundation for its existence.
When I met Dan Devivo and Joseph Mathew in Park City, UT in January 2006, they impressed me immediately with their thoughtful demeanor and clear articulation about their passion for film.
They came to San Francisco in April 2006 for the theatrical debut of their documentary, “Crossing Arizona,” and we grabbed a few minutes before one of the showings of their film at San Francisco’s Roxie Cinema. Sitting in the chilly San Francisco air we talked about:
Where they got the idea for the film.
Moments of shock and horror that helped inspire them.
The somewhat unusual path they took to becoming filmmakers.
Fear. Uncertainty. Doubt. The FUD factor’s role in making “Crossing Arizona”.
If you’re reading this before April 27, 2006 and you’re in the City of San Francisco – GET TO THE ROXIE CINEMA. If your latitude & longitude don’t allow your getting there, please make sure and visit their web site: www.crossingaz.com.