I think this could be a good place to exchange information about this year's festival in Venice. While browsing through IE thread, I noticed a few people who are planning on attending (iar, Rabid Muse, mr. Silencio...?), as this could be an unique opportunity to see the IE premiere, and hopefully David in person.

However, I'm not sure if accreditation is necessary to attend, or how/when will the tickets be put out on sale. I have already talked to iar about this, and we both emailed the festival staff. The response to my inquiry follows:

"At present, the details related to the tickets have not been decided yet. Usually the tickets will be sell the day before or the same day of the screening. In order to have a general outline about this subject you can visit our website www.labiennale.org/en/cinema  by the middle of August 2006 . It’s not possible booked tickets. The access to the Opening and Closing Nights are with invitation only."

Also, this could be a good place for us to arrange some kind of a meeting in Venice, I will most probably travel alone but wouldn't it be nice to meet some fellow Gazette members? :)

Cheers! 

Keep your eye on the doughnut, not on the hole -- DL

Hello,

I know since yesterday that I will have a press accreditation for this festival. I just hope now the journalists can be at the party where David will receive his Lion d'Or and we will see after this event his new project... INLAND EMPIRE....

Sophie

I am VERY VERY confused about this and would love it if somebody with a bit of knowledge on the festival could clear a couple of things up....

Firstly, is it possible to buy tickets for the premiere/some of the first screenings of an out-of-competition film like IE?? I would just like to know what exactly members of the public have access to. I keep getting different information from different places...for instance, some places seem to suggest you can see the premieres providing you get up ealry enough the day before and buy a ticket...some places also suggest that the premiere is just after/before David getting his Golden Lion...that is to say, in the same ceremony.

I dont want to spend loads of flights and accomadation only to find i have no chance in hell of seeing the film! I think a few of us are thinking the same...

 Does anyone know??

(PS. Good call on opening the thread Chandra!!)

Okay, so according to the festival website, the screening will be open to public and all you have to do is grab the tickets the day before. That means I'm in ;-)

So, I'm looking for some available and affordable accommodation. Has anybody booked anything yet, any recommendations? Do we have any fans from Venice with suggestions?

Cheers!

Definately dont bother with anywhere on Lido..its all booked up. Mestre (the mainland) will be cheapest but kinda far away considering youll be wanting to get to Lido regulary and early in the morning. Your best bet is Venice itself, but possibly the Western side. The further you are from St Marks Square the cheaper the accomadation will be. Venice itself is only 2 miles accross so it shouldnt matter if youre on the Western side.

Youre looking at about 90 euros a night for the cheapest decent hotels. Cheaper than that and you will probably have to try a youth hostel. You will have to do some searching though because as you know this time of year is incredibly busy. Id try expedia.com/co.uk to start off your search. Youll find that the same hotels tend to come up time and time again and youll become familiar with them.

Vaporettos are very regular to Lido and a couple of new routes have been put on especially for the festival. There is also a night service until 6am which will cater for your early morning travel on the 5th

Hope that helps...

Thanks, Iar.

So,90 euros a night? Quite a bit. Therefore, before I even begin my search, is there anyone here still looking for accommodation and is willing to share a room? :)

Edit: I will drive to Venice, so distance from Lido is not a big issue; Anyone who needs a drive from mainland can count on me during those few days I will be there (arriving early morning 5th, leaving on 7th). I browsed through some of the accommodation offers online, and there are hundreds of options, so I think it's not too late to arrange something. I would still rather share a room with a fellow fan than pay ridiculous prices. I'm non smoker, quiet and polite :) Ask One Suave Folk, I shared a room with him two years ago during the TP fest... 

Nobody for a room mate?! Then please, those who have already booked a room, can you tell me which place is it, so I can make inquiries, maybe there's still rooms left. Surely it would be better to gather as many fans at one place? Kind of an euro-Edgewick place? :)

Cheers!

I keep checking Igor's Venice Film Festival thread hoping to see who's signed on to accompany him to the festival!  If I were on the continent, I'd be on board!  What a great trip that would be, huh, Igor?  We could pick up on our earlier discussion from some years ago as we sat in traffic all the way to the crowded parking structures on the edge of town!  And then in the water taxi on our way to the Cipriani or the Danieli...

What a kick!  Oh well, send me a postcard.  If you have to go all on your own because no one else is daring enough, then (as we say in the US and A -- Just Do It!  And then make sure to report back.

Arrividerci! 

Susan 

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

(Where is Igor's Film Festival Thread?)

My heart is with those of you who are actually going; I hope it's a wonderful experience.  Like Susan said, if I were in Europe (and had the money) I'd go...but alas...no.  Just please report back when it's over.  I can only pray it will show in a theater in Omaha, Nebraska--which is a long shot.

Have a good time for all of us!

Keep your eye on the doughnut, not on the hole -- DL

Maybe I was confusing, Annie, but Chandra = Igor.  I guess there is an "Igor" screenname too, but this is what I meant by Igor's Festival Thread.

Susan 

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

Hey Susan,

That would be a great trip indeed! As you can see, I didn't make it on the fest this year again, so our discussion will have to wait until the next time I visit the great northwest for the fest (hey, it rhymes!) ...which I really hope will happen next year. I've had a lot of things going on this year, with my family and my girlfriend, and also moving to a new apartment I bought. So it was a no-go. The hardest part was looking at all the photos posted on the board. Argggg....

Well, Venice, at least. I'm really excited at the chance to see David in person. So far only Iar has confirmed attendance, and we will meet at the ticket queue, 5am, next tuesday :) I will make sure to write a detailed report when I get back.

Cheers!

P.S.

I'm re-reading Chris Rodley's "Lynch on Lynch" and finally I figured out what your nickname means, when David is talking about the famous LA Nuart theatre ;-)

Yep, Im attending!! Im off on Saturday....and Im so excited but really nervous too! It will be my first time in Italy so Im hoping that my year-long Italian course will benefit me a little!!

Im praying that Ill get a chance to see Inland Empire...Im going to try my very best and will report back as soon as I can! 

Alright!  Can't wait to hear ALL the details, so pay attention, okay?  I mean the details about the Italians, what they're wearing, souvenirs you buy, food, ambience -- not just the films. 

So exciting!

Yes, Igor, that is the origin of Nuart!  Now you can tell me about "Chandra" unless it is your secret mantra, something I've always suspected. 

Susan 

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

I cannot believe I have only just found this thread!  I am in Europe, of course, and would love to go to this, but unless I can miraculously win the lottery or get soem huge amount of money and get a ticket I can't.  If I were going I would be more than happy  to meet you Chandra. :)

"watch out for my cousin.."

Susan,

It's not my secret mantra lol :) It's kind of a long story. When I was a kid I was fascinated by A.C. Clarke's 2001: A Space Odyssey, and the sequel (2010). There was a character, dr. Chandra, a computer freak who invented HAL 9000. I loved computers back then (and still do) so I began to use that nickname. Later when I read the book (2010), I found out his full name was Sivasubramanian Chandrasegarampillai, which was a clear reference to a Nobel-prize winner, Indian astronomer and astrophysicist dr. Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar who studied the structure and the evolution of stars. I loved astronomy back then (and still do). Later, when I began my research into meditation, yoga etc., I found out the word "Chandra" actually means "the moon" in the old sanskrit dictionary. I fell in love with it even more then. And last but not least, NASA launched an X-ray observatory in 1999 which was named Chandra, in honor of the late Indian nobel prize winner. Hooray!!

Maddy, no need for huge amounts of money, there are cheap flights from London to Venice (check www.dohop.com - on monday there's a 38 EUR flight, a real bargain). A night in mestre or punta sabbioni can be found for about 40 EUR. It's not too late! The only thing I'm still not sure about are the movie ticket prices. Iar, anybody?

38 euros is far more reasonable. 400 euros would be my entire budget for DL lobby cards and press kits for a month! I think I may need psychiatric help. 

Igor, I'm happy you settled for the shorter version of Sivasubramanian Chandrasegarampillai!  Reminds me of the name of the LA coroner back during the OJ trial -- Dr. Lakshmanan Sathyavagiswaran.

But isn't it funny that your screen name and my signature are both HAL 2001 Space Odyssey related...

Great minds think alike.

Susan 

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

I just saw an advertisement on tv for one of the movies screening at Venice, The Black Dahlia.

Do they just have a better press agent, or do you think it's because it's expected to win the Golden Lion?  And IE is part of David's Lifetime Achievement award?  Wondering out loud to you all why we have to wait so long...

Keep your eye on the doughnut, not on the hole -- DL

Some REAL informations about the trip, for those of you that are reckless:

If you go to Venice by train you have to stop at the Venice Station of Santa Lucia and take the vaporetto lines 1 or 82 (these take 50 minutes to reach the Lido).

Lines 51 and 52 take 35 minutes. There is also a brand new line, which is direct, that leaves each 20 minutes from the station or from Piazzale Roma.

 At this link you have more infos www.hellovenezia.it  or tel. no: 0412424

 TICKET COSTS:

Each movie officially premiers, in the presence of the cast, in the Sala Grande del Palazzo del Cinema and also in another place called tensostruttura del Palabiennale in via Sandro gallo. The tickets can be bought in Piazzale del Casinò, at the Palabiennale or at Palazzo Querini Dubois in Venezia Campo San Polo 2004.

The price goes from 10 euros (11 a.m. and 2,30 p.m. screenings) to 38 euros (the 7, 30 p.m. screening).

The price for the double ticket of the 8, 30 p.m. two screenings at the Palabiennale is 16 euros.

As an italian, I can say these are too much high costs for one movie, especially for those that go for a day only, it's extremely inconvenient. If you hope to shake hands with David Lynch and get an autograph or something like that, forget it. It's really difficult coming close to the stars at the lido and the presence of the crowd makes everything more difficult. So if yo go there to watch Inland empire, I consider it a waste of energy, time and money since the movie is going to be released worldwide with absolutely no problem. 

Here is the official program for the festival, day by day:

AUGUST 30:

The Black Dahlia

AUGUST 31:

The U.S. vs John Lennon, Lettere dal Sahara, Infamous, Hollywoodland, Syndrome and a Century

SEPTEMBER 1:

When the levees broke, A requiem in four acts, Daratt, Quelques jours en septembre, World Trade Center, Black book, Jakpae - City of violence

SEPTEMBER 2:

Heimat - Fragmente, The hottest state, Paprika, The queen, Private fears in public places, Para entrar a vivir

SEPTEMBER 3:

Bellissime 2, Suely, Gedo senki, Children of men, Ye Yan - The Banquet, Sakebi - Retribution

SEPTEMBER 4:

Roma wa la n'touma - Rome, Plutot que vous, Non prendere impegni stasera, Hei yan quan - I don't want to sleep alone, The Fountain, Fallen, The wicker man

SEPTEMBER 5:

Dong, Opera Jawa, L'intouchable, La stella che non c'è, Bobby, Summer Love

SEPTEMBER 6:

Tachiguishi retsuden, Tai yang yue - Rain dogs, Ejforija, Inland Empire, Fangzhu - Exiled, Per qualche dollaro in più

SEPTEMBER 7:

Ma Bei Shang De Fa Tiing - Courthouse on the horseback, Quei loro incontri, El cobrador, Devil wears Prada, Nue propriété, Baaz ham sib daari- Have you another apple?, The magic flute

SEPTMBER 8:

Svobodnoe plavanie - Free, Floating, Koorogi, Belle toujours, Nuovomondo - The golden door, Mushi-shi, Rob-B-Hood

SEPTEMBER 9:

Ostrov

"Did they scoff the whole damn Smörgåsbord?" (Audrey) 

"Gimme a donut!" (Coop)

Aw, come on, Mr. Silencio.  It's all about the experience of the moment -- not just seeing this or that film.  Same reason people go to Sundance or Cannes Film Festivals.  Sure, they could see the movie at their leisure later and for less money.  Sure they could visit Park City or Cannes at another time with fewer inconveniences.  But sometimes you just have to go with the flow knowing that the totality of being there will be worth the temporal discomfort. 

Susan 

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin

You're perfectly right, Susan but the point is:

When you ain't got a nickel in your shoe

you have to say "no" to something, isn't that true? 

"Did they scoff the whole damn Smörgåsbord?" (Audrey) 

"Gimme a donut!" (Coop)

I suppose so, Mr. Silencio.  But don't you think if you dig under the cushions of your sofa, you usually can scrounge up a little spare change?  A shortage of cash is always a bad reason not to travel, I've always believed.  Traveling is always more inconvenient than staying home, but it's the adventure -- the possibilities -- the unexpected -- that trumps the trouble.

Anyway, by now I imagine Igor/Chandra is well on his way.  I'll betcha he has no regrets when all is said and done.   

Susan 

     
“Half a truth is often a great lie.”

Ben Franklin