Farewell to Park City, and Good Riddance to Trump’s First Year.

From Jamie’s Desk:

Today marks the start of the final Sundance in Utah. More specifically, it marks the first Sundance without its founder and legendary actor Robert Redford. To say people will be feeling many emotions over the next ten days is an understatement. The first official festival in Park City was in 1985, and it screened 85 films over ten days in just two theaters with a staff of only 15 people. In the 40 years since its founding, the festival has changed the lives of not only many artists but also the hundreds of millions of people around the world who have been moved by the films and filmmakers that got their start there. Here are just some of the directors whose films premiered at Sundance:

Quentin Tarantino, Steven Soderbergh, Joel and Ethan Coen, Richard Linklater, Wes Anderson, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, Darren Aronofsky, Celine Song, Paul Thomas Anderson, Chloé Zhao, Christopher Nolan, Kevin Smith, Robert Rodriguez, David O. Russell, Jordan Peele, Todd Haynes, Catherine Hardwicke, Damien Chazelle, Rian Johnson, Derek Cianfrance, Anna Boden, and Ryan Fleck. 

Many of these filmmakers above not only had their films premiere at the festival, but also were a part of the Sundance Lab, which is run by the brilliant and amazing Michelle Satter who deserves a special thank you from all of us.

Personally, I have been attending the festival for the past twenty years and have loved every second of it. Sure, there have been changes, but I have had so many great moments at Sundance that have shaped my career and helped build the relationships that have played a critical role in my life. 

Of course, like everything, the first one stands out the most. It was in 2006 for the premiere of Half Nelson. It was a $900,000 film made by a bunch of people with little to no experience making a movie–from the producers to the directors to the crew to even the actors (sure, Anthony Mackie and Ryan Gosling had been in a few things, but they were still newbies). Fortunately we had Paul Mezey as an EP, who in my opinion is still one of the most talented producers in the business. We came to work everyday not really knowing much, which honestly is the only way the film happened.

Today, we are back for the 20th anniversary, and will screen Thursday, January 29th at 5:30 pm at The Ray. Sadly, we will be without Mark Urman, the brilliant CEO of ThinkFilm, the distributor of Half Nelson, who passed away in 2019. If it wasn't for him, I don't think the film would have ever reached the audience it did or made the impact it has. However, we will be with my producing partners Alex Orlovsky and Lynette Howell Taylor, stars Anthony Mackie and Shareeka Epps as well as crew members Andrij Parekh, Erin Benach, and Inbal Weinberg who were all part of that group of babies who made this film possible two decades ago. 

There will be a Q&A about the film, so for those of you in Park City, make sure to not miss it. I will share something that will surprise most of you–a story of the sale of Half Nelson. We went in not expecting much. Again, we didn't know anything. But we had great representation from Rena Ronson and Cassian Elwes (LEGENDS). Still, we were naive. 

We could tell the screening went well because people were laughing. If you have a drama and people are laughing, it’s generally a good sign (unless they are laughing in the wrong places). After the credits rolled, the applause started–and we felt good. People started coming up to us and congratulating us. We heard a lot of “everyone wants to buy the film.” It felt great.

We went to the after party, and midway through Rena and Cassian told us we had to leave to meet with Miramax’s David Greenbaum and Peter Lawson, who both loved the film. In the meeting, we went back and forth negotiating until 4 AM. Then, on a stairwell of a crappy hotel, on my Motorola StarTAC, I told them to pass on the deal. They were only going up to $500k, and my logic was simple: if everyone wanted to buy the film, why should I sell at what could be a loss if the film didn't work? I urged everyone to go to sleep and field the other offers in the morning. 

Rena and Cassian disagreed—but I was arrogant, on a high, and naive. We woke up to the news that Miramax had pulled their offer, and no other offers came that day (or the next day, or the next day, or the next day). It wasn't until during the festival awards show, again on a back stairwell almost a week later, we sold the film to ThinkFilm for $50,000 and a gross percentage of the revenue. It was our only offer, and if the film worked, we would make our money back and then some.

Sure, it was less than the first deal–but if I could go back in time, I would do  the exact same thing. ThinkFilm was the only distributor for Half Nelson, and without someone who loved the film as much as Mark Urman (and their Head of Acquisitions Daniel Katz and Head of Marketing David Fenkel, who would later go on to create A24), the film would have been buried. So many of us owe our careers to Mark and his team. It still ranks as one of the greatest moments I have had in my career because it taught me a valuable lesson.

As you are reading this, I am landing in Park City, which might be the last time I ever come here. I am very excited for what’s to come in Boulder, but it all starts with the filmmaking community and the audience. Support Sundance and other film festivals. From the ones in your backyard to Cannes to TIFF to Tribeca. Without them there will be no next Steven Spielberg or Ryan Coogler or Chloé Zhao. 

Discussed in this issue: A farewell to Park City, Maine lobster in Utah, and Trump’s foreign policy strategy.

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I have said it before and I will say it again—there are actually a lot of solid food options in Park City. Maybe none with a Michelin Star or a Bib Gourmand, but enough to make me happy during the festival. My biggest stress about Sundance moving to Boulder is definitely the fact that I have never been, and therefore have no idea where to eat. So please send me your favorite spots so I can start my list now. Since this is the last year, I am highlighting everywhere that I want to hit before I head out of Park City (possibly forever). I’m also sharing an extended list for paid subscribers that you can refer to as a trusty guide while you are at the festival. Plus, you’ll get to find out the best way to get Deer Valley turkey chili to your condo or hotel room. Enjoy!

Bangkok Thai: Right on Main St, this is where I get take-out between films. They have a dining room that accepts reservations, but it’s just as good on the go. Address: 605 Main St, Park City, UT 84060 | Phone: (435) 649-8424

Collie’s: There are few things I like more than a sports bar, and no Sundance trip is complete without some wings and some beer from Collie’s. No frills, no fuss–just good times in the center of the festival. Address: 738 Main St, Park City, UT 84060 | Phone: (435) 649-0888

El Chubasco: This is without a doubt my favorite Park City restaurant. There are fests where I am here once a day, either for sit-down or take-out. The Camarones a la Diabla is my favorite, but nothing is bad here. Don’t forget the mango salsa from their legendary salsa bar. Address: 1890 Bonanza Dr, Park City, UT 84060 | Phone: (435) 645-9114

Freshie’s: Maine lobster is flown in every day to make these incredible lobster rolls–soft and buttery, it doesn’t get better than this unless you’re actually on the East Coast. And be sure to pair it with their New England clam chowder. This is another spot I hit up more than once when I’m in Park City. Address: 1915 Prospector Ave, Park City, UT 84060 | Phone: (435) 631-9861

Grappa: If you are lucky enough to have time to have a proper sit down meal during the festival, Grappa is hard to beat. I have had so many memorable meals here during my time in Park City. I hope I have enough time on this trip to take a deep breath and get a nice relaxed meal at this higher-end Italian establishment. Address: 151 Main St, Park City, UT 84060 | Phone: (435) 645-0636

Well, we’re one year into Trump’s second term–and it’s safe to say it feels like a decade. With the ever-changing news cycle, it’s almost impossible to keep up with how quickly our country and the world is changing. The theme of 2026 seems to be international relations–from the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to Trump’s “Peace Board” to threats to annex Greenland, the world stage is in chaos. 

Which is why I was so glad to have a conversation with Richard Haass, who is one of the most prominent voices on diplomacy and American policy. He worked for Presidents Carter, Reagan, and Bush 1 and 2 as a diplomat. He then served as President of the ​​Council on Foreign Relations for almost twenty years. He has also written 13 books, most recently in 2023, The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens. 

Richard and I spoke about a lot, and like always, it felt like an hour wasn’t enough to even scratch the surface. But he was able to explain the situation in Iran, highlighting why he doesn’t think the country is ripe for regime change yet–and why the Trump administration should approach it with patience and diplomacy. He expressed his thoughts on whether or not America can return back to its respected and trusted position on the world stage (spoiler alert: he says we can’t), and what it might take to undo the damage caused by Trump’s hostile, unpredictable policies. 

Of course, we covered Venezuela, and how the “successful” operation may have influenced Trump’s rhetoric in Iran and Greenland. We also spoke about Israel/Gaza, and the real way to end the Russia-Ukraine war. On the home front, Richard shared that we need to prepare for our elections to be manipulated. It’s not a certainty, but a possibility, and it’s better to lay the groundwork to protect our democracy than act surprised if it crumbles. It ties into his Bill of Obligations: we need to be civic-minded and informed, while protecting our country’s values and democratic norms. 

This was a fantastic, informative conversation that I thoroughly enjoyed. I hope you all learn as much as I did, and take his action items seriously.

You can listen to the full conversation on Youtube, or as a podcast on Apple, Spotify and Amazon.

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