Robert Redford and musician/producer T-Bone Burnett spoke on-stage at Sundance London's opening night event. If that wasn't enough star power, author Nick Hornby joined them to moderate the discussion about the intersection of film, music and other arts. In his introduction, Hornby joked that if anyone didn't recognize his guests, "leave now and give your ticket to someone more deserving because they're are plenty of people who want to get in."
The president and founder of the Sundance Institute posed for photographers as he opened the first-ever Sundance London film and music festival on a rainy Thursday. The event in East London drew attention from creatives, but also from mainstream media.
The Wainwrights performed at Sundance London and hosted a Q&A. They did so following the world premiere of Sing Me The Songs That Say I Love You – A Concert for Kate McGarrigle by Lian Lunson. The movie is about the music of the mother of the musical siblings.
Actor Crispin Glover joined Sundance Film Festival director of programming Trevor Groth to add more star power to the Sundance London affairs. They attended a River's Edge screening at Cineworld at the 02 Arena. Tweeted Groth: "Excited for Placebo and Crispin Glover tonight at #sundancelondon. Truly unique voices in film and music."
Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal and Steve Forrest of Placebo posed backstage before performing as part of Sundance London. Their appearance at Indigo 2 at the O2 Arena. Before the concert, the festival screened Charlie Targett-Adams’s Placebo: Coming Up For Air, which tracked the band on its eighth world tour.
Minne Driver was also among those who turned out during the three days of jam-packed Sundance London programming. The actress attended a table reading of Farming. The new script is from British actor Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and is about a young man growing up in 1960s and 1970s Britain. Driver read with Ashley Walters, Marc Warren and David Harewood.
Director/writer/actor Josh Radnor was a recurring presence at Sundance London. His indie film Liberal Arts was followed by a Q&A that showed the How I Met Your Mother star get animated. He also joined a panel discussion about indie film making in the U.S. and U.K.
James Marsh, Josh Radnor, Sundance Film Festival director John Cooper, Gurinder Chada and others participated in a panel entitled Thinking Independently – US Versus UK. Film financing, indies versus the studio system and other topics kept the audience in their seats. Chada shared that while her Bend It Like Beckham has made good money, "it's still hard to make another film" and get the necessary financing.
One of the biggest names attending the London festival do doubt was Paul Simon. He attended the London premiere of documentary Under African Skies with director of the Sundance Film Festival John Cooper and filmmaker Joe Berlinger. He uses the film to explore Simon’s album Graceland, which caused political controversy and saw Simon accused of breaking the cultural boycott against South Africa that was designed to end apartheid.
Trip hop veteran Tricky also took to the stage at the Sundance London film festival. He performed his debut album Maxinquaye with vocalist Martina Topley Bird. The two reunited on stage for the event for first time in 15 years.