My night in 'The Vanishing City'

Rosier/News
Jen Senko and Fiore Derosa, directors of the new documentary called Vanishing City, pose outside of Katz's Deli on Houston Street.

Ten days are over…what ten days. I don’t know where to start telling you from my New York City trip? But let’s start with the Harlem International Film Festival and the screening of ‘The Vanishing City’ – the New York City documentary Kathryn narrated.

There had been that immense popping up of film screenings in late August and early September. So much little festivals had/will show Kathryn’s projects. I added every new screening in my sidebar (today the screening of 3 Backyards @ Hamptons Film Festival
[Sun, Oct 10, 3:15PM UA East Hampton Theater 5 $20
Mon, Oct 11, 7:00PM UA East Hampton Theater 3 $27]…thanks to Nantz for the finding.)

I lost a little the overview. So I realized just a few days before the start of my New York vacations that two screenings (Harlem + Williamsburg) would be while my 10 days in the city. Because at the WILLiFEST you just could get a day pass, I decided to organize tickets for Harlem. Unfortunately the tickets were available Monday 20th September. But I hit the buy button, knowing that I would meet Susan at Tuesday and she could bring me the print out. [My meeting with Susan…I call it the CI day and will tell you later what happened…there was also a Gary Sinise day…snicker. The vacations were so amazing.]

The whole Thursday my mom and I spent in Prospect Park for geocaching but in the night, we dressed a little nicer and headed off with the subway to Harlem. Driving with the New York subway is another big chapter. Dear, you don`t need a sauna subscription, just stay a few minutes in Fulton/ Nassau-Broadway and then for the ice bath/cooling in one of the MTA trains.

I hoped a tiny bit that Kathryn would join the festival [and I could ask her about the CI news]. Unfortunately she didn`t but Fiore Derosa was there. Now I kick my ass, why not asking about the publish date of the Daily News article…see below. I was Friday in the city and had loved to read it in the newspaper and get my own copy.

The Maysles Institute in 343 Lennox Avenue was a very small independent cinema…just 50 places. There were so many people who wanted to watch the New York City section [beside the screening of The Vanishing City there were three more amazing movies] that they had to open another room and sent the movies via beamer to the other half.

There were a few problems with the technique at the beginning so they had to start the screening five times. I loved the movie about the Picasso from Harlem who drew wonderful pictures at the rolling gates. The movie about the blind man was great too. Both performers were in the screening. Movie number three was a five minute animation…nice, but the other two movies were better and then Kathryn’s movie started. I didn’t get everything but you could feel the annoying about the Bloomberg administration and there tax policy in the theater.

Yes cities changed, Berlin did so much in the last 20 years and I’m angry. I can feel so well that the New York people are worried, too about the changing of their neighborhoods. People who lived 20 or more years in their apartments have to go because the landlord wanted something fancier and then the financial crash destroyed everything and left building lots and lost town houses.

It was amazing to hear Kathryn`s nice voice. First I thought, what just one line and then not more, but in the second half of the movie she is hearable more often. Interesting was that Kathryn was announced in the opening credits, but not in the end titles. But there I could spot Vincent D’Onofrio’s name under special thanks to…

Here you can find the Daily news Article.

…The directors have experienced several sides of New York since each moved here separately from New Jersey in the late 1970s and early '80s. DeRosa has supported himself as a construction worker while pursuing acting and directing in off-Broadway theater; Senko has worked as a presentation artist with financial companies. "The Vanishing City," exec-produced by Oscar-winner Ericka Hampson and narrated by actress Kathryn Erbe ("Law & Order; Criminal Intent"), reflects a love of the entire city and their mutual concern about local government's unspoken policy of what the film terms "luxurification."…

Congratulation to Jen Senko and Fiore Derosa. The Vanishing City won Best feature Documentary at the Williamsburg International Film Festival and Best Short Documentary at the Harlem International Film and was Honorable Mention in The Los Angeles International Film Festival.

It’s a very interesting and informative movie you should try to watch.

The Vanishing City and more Criminal Intent?

Tomorrow The Vanishing City will be shown at the Harlem Film Festival. I managed to get two tickets and will hopefully watch (or better hear ;o)) the movie together with my mom.

Here you can read a new article:

The Vanishing City: How it happened

It's old news that Bloomberg has achieved his goal of turning NYC into a playground for the feral rich. What most of us don't know is how it happened.

Bloomberg's policies opened the floodgates for the fall of New York. It didn't start under his tenure, but his vision of a “city of luxury” allowed the forces of greed to take New York as their own.

A new documentary, The Vanishing City answers the questions of how did this happen and who done it? It opens the Harlem Film Festival on September 23rd at 8pm and also will be included in Willifest at the Knitting Factory in Williamsburg on Saturday, the 25th...

Read the whole article of Bernie Mooney.


Why I really break my New York Hiatus...

...I also read about the interesting news around Criminal Intent and Vincent's coming back. There is one article (untapdreasure found it) who also mentioned Kathryn's coming back. I cross my fingers for this truth.

I'll just post the article. I have to think about all these news a little longer.

D’Onofrio, Erbe Back to “Law & Order: CI”: We Told You 2 Weeks Ago

By: Roger Friedman in Exclusives, Television (sarticle found here)
September 21st, 2010 at 5:58 PM UTC law-and-order-criminal-intent-s91

The official news is out that “Law & Order: Criminal Intent” is coming back to USA Network with its original stars.

Yes, I told you on September 5th in this very column that Vincent D’Onofrio and Kathryn Erbe were on their way back. It’s too funny to read it in what I now call “Deadline Yesterday.”

The show went back into production a week ago.

Anyway, so it is, as the stars were booted from the show a season ago and replaced with Jeff Goldblum. But Goldblum did one season on his own and abruptly quit. The world of Dick Wolf has never been an easy one, that’s for sure. But it’s good to have two “L&O” shows still operating in New York.

The loser in all this is Eric Bogosian, whose character was killed off preemptively. It’s not known if anyone else from that original cast will return. A source tells me, “They kind of want to start over.”

New York City Vacations

Tomorrow my mom and me will start our vacations in New York City.

We have so many plans. I'm excited. I'll meet Susan...jippy.

Have a great rest of September. We'll read us again in October.

Stir of Echoes

I think you all know that Kathryn played Maggie Witzky in the movie Stir of Echoes in 1999.

Plot: In this supernatural thriller, Tom Witzky (Kevin Bacon) is a fairly typical working-class guy living in Chicago with his wife Maggie (Kathryn Erbe) and his son Jake (Zachary David Cope). One night at a party, Tom gets into a lively discussion with his sister-in-law, Lisa (Illeana Douglas), who believes in psychic communication and the power of hypnosis. He challenges Lisa to hypnotize him, and she plants in him a post-hypnotic suggestion to be more open-minded. But the results aren't quite what Lisa or Tom expected; Tom now senses an air of terrible dread throughout his house and is convinced that evil lurks just around the corner. He also sees the spirit of a girl from the neighborhood who disappeared months ago -- and Jake sees the spirit as well.
Stir of Echoes was based on a novel by Richard Matheson, whose work inspired such disparate films as Somewhere in Time and The Incredible Shrinking Man; it was written and directed by David Koepp, who wrote the screenplays for Jurassic Park and Mission: Impossible.
[Mark Deming, All Movie Guide]

Funnily imdb and wiki both write in their synopsis that Maggie is pregnant. I don't know where this comes from.

Untapdtreasure found two amazing behind the scenes videos I also want to share.

I'm fascinated over and over again from this Maggie Look Test video - amazing expression.

Very interesting, they used a doll for the exercises and not Zachary.

Both videos published from: Kris21108 on youtube.

The Vanishing City is busy

Beside the screening schedule at Williamsburg International Film Festival, now the movie maker published on facebook the exact date:
Saturday, September 25, 2010 at 10:00pm
The Knitting Factory, 361 Metropolitan Avenue in Brooklyn

Ticket Information:
Please Print out all PayPal receipts and bring them with you to the venue for admission to the event. The receipt is your ticket. No tickets will be mailed out.

For Festival Pass attendees, please report to the Main Stage Pavilion at Washington Plaza in Williamsburg starting on Thursday, September 23 between the hours of 12:00 PM and 5:00 PM to pick up your passes.
YOU MUST HAVE YOUR PAYPAL RECEIPT TO PICK UP YOUR PASSES.

After Thursday, Festival Passes will be available for pick up at the Main Stage Pavilion each day starting at 10:00 AM.

Directions to all venues can be found on the General Info page of this site.

ALL FESTIVAL PASSES ARE SOLD ON A FIRST COME FIRST SERVED BASIS.
So for films that are of a particular interest to you, please arrive at the screening venue early.

ONE DAY FESTIVAL PASS
(Unlimited films, panels and after-parties for a specific day of the festival)

$20

FULL FESTIVAL PASS
(Unlimited access to all films, panels and after-parties and Closing Night Ceremony)

$50

The Vanishing City documentary will be also aired at the Opening Night of Harlem International Film Festival
Thursday, September 23, 2010 at 8:00pm
Maysles Institute, 343 Lennox Avenue.

Maybe you get the chance to joint.

P.S. I want to ask if one of you saw/read/get the Daily News Article about the Vanishing City with including pictures of Kathryn? Was it still inside an edition or will it come soon?

Alex's Privilege Party ensemble

In the last two weeks a few people asked for the Kathryn’s clothes auction. I think it is time to make finally a post about it.

It was a very lucky Thursday back in July as I got this big package.

The Charitybuzz shipping was quicker than I thought. Okay, I paid nearly $80 US for the delivery so at least it was quick.

It was an amazing moment to unpack Kathryn’s clothes. The dress is a simple dark blue velvet dress from Mark by Mark Jacobs in size two. It is soft and light and although I hate to touch velvet (got problems with breathing) didn’t happen this here. Funnily you can see that the wardrobe changed the sleeves. I think they made them shorter for Kathryn so the dress fit perfectly and didn’t show too much of her cleavage.

And then there is the brocade coat. I love the coat. It’s also dark blue with shimmering blue stitchery. I slipped inside the beautiful size two piece from Nanette LePore. [Look at her prices. I made an immense bargain.] The length of the arms is perfect, the shoulders are okay. The sleeves are a little too tight but there are these damned 20 cm over breasts and belly to close the coat.

If I am strong and keep eating after weight watchers maybe winter 2011/2012??? Who knows?

What really let me scream out loud was the third item in the package. There was also this Polaroid.

At the front you see Kathryn in the ensemble and her sign. On the back a description what she wore.

But how to present this awesome ensemble until I can wear it? Very fast I decide to buy such an antique looking dress doll. It was not easy to get one in the right size...Kathryn’s tiny size but I managed it.

So now dress and coat stand in my room before my big mirror and onto an old wood chest so my little Schoki bunny can’t reach it.

Please don’t publish the pictures unasked somewhere else. I’m not a watermark maker on self made caps and won’t do it in future, but these pictures I took by myself. We can talk about everything.

The Vanishing City - Screening

Today I got an email and I visited finally the facebook page of The Vanishing City. They have very good news.

Facebook: "The Vanishing City" has been accepted as an Official Selection of the Williamsburg International Film Festival (WILLiFEST) - a film and music festival featuring film screenings, musical events, Q&A’s and panels.

Email: We are psyched to announce that we will be in the Williamsburg Film Festival, taking place Sept. 23 - 26. We have not yet been given an exact screening day / time yet. As soon as we hear, we'll announce it.

In addition there will be an article about the documentation in the Daily News in the next days.

Facebook: Watch for an article about us in the Daily News! Fiore and Jen were interviewed by film critic Joe Neumaier, and there was a photoshoot with Jen, Fiore, Erika Hampson (Oscar winner, and exec producer) and Kathryn Erbe (ex-Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and narrator). Not sure of when it'll appear, but most likely it'll be in the New York Events section.

Email: Also, watch for an article about us in the Daily News. Don't know exactly when that will be either. Fiore and Jen were interviewed by Joe Neumaier and photographs of Jen and Fiore and Erika Hampson (exec producer) and Kathryn Erbe (narrator) were taken for the article just yesterday [07th September]. It will most likely appear in the New York Events section.


I think we'll see the pictures in web [I hope soon] but maybe you're able to buy your own exemplar of the newspaper with the Kathryn pictures and the article.


P.S. I also got an answer from Ghent [3 Backyards Screening].

Dear Antje,

Thank you for your message.
The film will indeed be part of our festival.
At this stage we have no confirmation of talent (director or cast). But we are working on it.
The complete line-up and all screening dates will be available on our website from September 29th onwards.
All the best,

Wim

Fight Back New York - NYC Fundraiser

Untapdtreasur pointed me on her unofficially Kathryn board to an article.

Nixon, Cummings, Jackson, et al. Set for Fightback NY Fundraiser, 9/13

Cynthia Nixon, Moises Kaufman, Cheyenne Jackson, Alan Cumming, Rosie O'Donnell, Charles Busch, Kathryn Erbe, Terrence McNally, Sarah Paulson, and Cherry Jones are set to host and attend a fund raiser on Sept 13, 2010 at 15 Central Park West for Fight Back NY.

Fight Back New York is taking on senators who voted against equality, using 100% of every contribution to directly communicate with voters in the target district...

...Kathryn Erbe earned a Tony Award nomination in 1991 for her portrayal of Mary in THE SPEED OF DARKNESS. Other theater credits include GRAPES OF WRATH, A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE, and MY THING OF LOVE.

Read here the whole article.

Go to the Fight Back NY web page and make your own registration for this event.

You are Cordially Invited to Join

Cynthia Nixon & Christine MarinonI
Judy Gold & Elysa HalperN
MOISES KAUFMAN
CHEYENNE JACKSON & MONTE LAPKA
AlAN CUMMING & GRANT SHAFFER
ROSIE O'DONNELL
Anne Meara & Jerry Stiller
charles busch & eric myerS
KATHRYN ERBE
Terrence McNally & Tom KirdahY
SARAH PAULSON & CHERRY JONES
RANDI WEINGARTEN
DAVID MIXNER

Donna Cary • Andrew Goffe & Jeff Levin • William Kapfer • Charles Meyers
Greg Rae • Nick Scandalios & Ric Swezey
Michael Sennott • Richard Socarides • James Triner & Josh Meltzer
(Host Committee in Formation)

For a Reception in Support of Fight Back New York:


Monday, September 13
6-7 pm VIP Cocktails for "District Fighter" Donors
7– 9 pm Reception

At the Home of:
Andrew Goffe & Jeff Levin
15 Central Park West

• $5000.00 District Fighter – Access to VIP Cocktail Reception
• $2500.00 Town Fighter
• $500.00 Street Fighter
• $0.00 District Fighter – Access to VIP Cocktail Reception *I will bring a contribution of $5,000 via check to the event.
• $0.00 Town Fighter*I will bring a contribution of $2,500 via check to the event.
• $0.00 Street Fighter *I will bring a contribution of $500 via check to the event.
• Other $XXX I cannot attend but would like to support Fight Back NY.

I hope we'll get a few pictures from this event.

3 Backyards - Festival Fall

Because I read on Nantz Vinnie Vidi Vici Blog that 3 Backyards will be shown on Woodstock Film Festival. I visited the officially page of this movie again. There I found three more Festival Screenings this fall. Maybe you have the chance to visit one of the screenings.


3 BACKYARDS

by Eric Mendelsohn

SYNOPSIS:
The story of three residents of the same suburban town over the course of one seemingly perfect autumn day. A businessman with marital troubles wanders around his hometown while waiting for a delayed flight. A little girl steals her mother’s jewellery in the morning and finds herself in an unexpected adult realm. A well-meaning housewife offers her neighbour a lift and the trip detours into unsettling territory.

2010. Hdcam. Couleurs. 1,85. Dolby Sr. 88 Minutes.

CREDITS:
Director: Eric Mendelsohn
Producer: Rocco Caruso, Amy Durning, Eric Mendelsohn
Screenwriter: Eric Mendelsohn
Cinematographer: Kasper Tuxen
Editor: Morgan Kasper, Jeffrey K. Miller
Composer: Michael Nicholas

MAIN CAST:
Embeth Davidtz (L’actrice)
Edie Falco (Peggy)
Elias Koteas (John)
Rachel Resheff (Christina)
Wesley Broulik (Big Man)
Kathryn Erbe (La Femme De John)
Danai Gurira (La Femme En Robe Bleue)

• Deauville 36th American Film Festival: 03rd – 12th September

Screenings schedule

Tuesday, 07th September 17:30 at C.I.D.
Wednesday, 08th September 21:00 at Casino

• 15th Milano Film Festival: 10th – 19th September

After switching back and forth many times I couldn’t find the screening dates. Why all these festival pages have no search function? 3 Backyards in Milano

• 11th Woodstock Film Festival: 29th September – 03rd October

Tuesday, 30th September 7:30 PM Upstate Films RHINEBECK
Sauturday, 2nd October 7:00 PM Upstate Films WOODSTOCK

These dates I read on Nantz blog. After torturing google I couldn’t find them for myself.

• 37th Film Festival Ghent: 12th-23rd October

Happy Birthday, Hannah

I wrote this little drabble for the Cool Challenge on Law and Order 100. I think today it needs a little update.


“Hannah, hurry up. We wanna start,” Barbi yelled toward the kitchen.

“C’mon kid we checked out four films and have just that night,” Susan giggled, while drinking up her second margarita.

“I just get the ice-cubes. I know we’ll need them after seeing his naked butt,” Hannah called and sat down next Suzanne, placing the bowl with the frozen surprises onto the table. “Which order?”

“Guy, Claire Dolan, Household Saints…” Susan listed.

“But only the beginning ‘till…” Antje snorted.

“I think I get crazy, when I see Joseph Santangelo’s upper arms again,” Suzanne groaned.

“And finally Naked Tango,” all five women moaned in unison.

“Hannah, are this little penis ice-cubes?”

She nodded dirtily and winked into Antje’s direction. “It’s all her fault. She gave it to me.”

“Coooool!”



Hannah, I think now you unpacked your gift and I hope you like your little gifts. Have a great day. Enjoy your next year of live. I know there will be a few changing. The Diploma Thesis will be done and maybe you’ll find a job as Historian or you will go on with your second studies and pass more exams.

You’ll run more and exciting doggy competitions, also with Aidan at your side.

Maybe Mr. Right will cross your way. Who knows?

You know I’ll be here. I’ll support you.

We have to meet again as soon as possible. It’s great to chat about everything vis-à-vis.

Ich hab dich lieb,
Antje

Mother's House Update

August 29, 2010: Rule #1 of a film set: there's never enough elbow room. No matter how large a space you're shooting in, you will inevitably be tripping over each other... here Roger and the camera squeeze in next to the Hoosier cabinet, while Cherity looks for a place to plant her feet while booming the shot. At least Kathryn and Tim got to sit down!

No wonder the crew stretched their legs whenever they got a chance. Check out Dan, Charles, Andrew and Ian showing us how it's done:

Go to facebook to see all the jumping students.

August 24, 2010: Don't be fooled by Kathryn Erbe's peaceful, contemplative expression. She was a ball of energy during the shoot, keeping us all on our toes and focused. (Note to producers: if you want to shoot a mini-movie in only nine days, make sure you have actors like Kathryn and Tim heading up your cast.)

Again, all pictures and information belong Colleen Lynch (Cedar Hill Photography) and Peak Road Productions.