Sun Valley is no stranger to stardom. This ski resort was made famous by the rich and glamorous, the movers and shakers and beautiful faces of the of the 1940s big screen. Actors and actresses like Gary Cooper, Clark Gable and Marylin Monroe came in big sunglasses and scarves to pose with ski poles and pursed lips on the slopes of Bald Mountain—Hollywood A-listers in search of a quiet found only in the mountains.
Sun Valley even starred in a few films itself, like the 1941 “Sun Valley Serenade” and Clint Eastwood’s “Pale Rider,” establishing a cinematic tradition for this place since its inception.
Last weekend was no different—producers, screenwriters, filmmakers and a slew of Hollywood’s finest ascended on the Wood River Valley as the stars of the 2nd Annual Sun Valley Film Festival (SVFF).
Teddy Grennan, an LA producer now living in Virginia, first started the festival in 2012. “His original thinking was that he wanted to bring filmmakers together in a place that was inspiring,” said Candice Pate, the Director of the SVFF. “Sun Valley was such a natural fit—the outdoor component layered on the cultural sophistication of this place, for him, made all the sense in the world. Plus, he just loves it here.”
Apparently, USA Today agreed—they named Sun Valley one of the top 10 “Greatest Places to Have a Fabulous Film Festival” in a February 22nd article.
Last year, the festival drew between 1500 and 2000 people and this year, with 60 regional, national and international films including a music video and short film section, ticket sales have been even stronger. “We had to close one of our opening films [“Running from Crazy”] because it sold out so early. It’s really great—it’s a high-class problem,” Pate said smiling.
Film highlights for the year also included “Starlet” with Dree Hemingway (daughter of Mariel Hemingway) and the Oscar-nominated Norwegian film, “Kon Tiki.”
The winner of Best Short Film, starring real-life couple Patrick Fischler (“Mad Men,” “LOST,” “Californication”) and Lauren Bowles (“True Blood”), was a 13 minute “dramedy” about a husband and wife waiting for the results of a pregnancy test.
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During an interview with Sun Valley Magazine, Fischler, who has been a working actor for 20 years, said the idea for the “The Test” came to him while sitting in LA traffic. “You have a lot of time to think of ideas when you’re stuck in traffic,” he joked. “But I wanted to write something for Lauren and I—I wanted to write something about a couple on the edge of a precipice.”
There is a “definite sense of humor” between the two in the film, said Fischler, that in part arises from their long-standing real-life relationship (over 25 years), but there is also “a hint of sadness.”
“Overall, the film is touching and very real. I wanted it to be like a fly on the wall—very intimate,” Fischler said.
When asked what it was like to co-produce, write and star in a film with his wife, Fischler replied, “It was fantastic. I love her—I love her taste. I wish I could do every film with her.”
Hits like “The Test” premiered all over the Valley during the four-day extravaganza, which also included VIP cocktail parties (and after parties), Q&A’s, a Coffee Talk with Jodie Foster, Screenwriter’s Lab with Will McCormack and a Hollywood Heritage Screening.
Those in the know could easily spot familiar faces in coffee shops, wandering in and out of stores or, in Fischler’s case, sampling the best in local cuisine. A self-proclaimed “foodie,” Fishcler said he always researches extensively every city’s top restaurants before visiting. “I’ve heard a lot of great things about your town, and I can’t wait to try Idaho food,” he said.
In addition to the $500 VIP film passes, there were $250 all-access passes for sale and even a $100 movie pass, which allowed entry to every film at the festival. “We wanted to make [tickets] accessible for everyone in the Valley, especially for real film-lovers,” said Pate.
Next year is already gearing up to be bigger and better. “For it to be getting such great traction in only its second year, I really see [the Film Festival] being one of the signature events, certainly for the Valley, and hopefully for Idaho—one that helps draw more people to this magical place.”
Jodie Foster reiterated at the Awards Ceremony, "Remember what this festival is like now, because it is going to be big one day."
Photos courtesy of Sun Valley Resort and the Sun Valley Film Festival.
