Michael Sporn Animation – Splog

-Last night I was invited to an event built around the documentary No End In Sight. I’d already seen the film, and, as a matter of fact, have already voted for it for Best Doc Feature. (It didn’t quite make sense to me that they would have featured this film at a special dinner since voting ended last week for the documentaries.)

But I don’t look a free meal in the eye, and I wanted to meet this film maker. On a Saturday night, they booked the Cinema II, one of those high end theaters on the upper East Side of Manhattan. A line stretched around the corner for the other films playing at the triplex, The Bucket List and There Will Be Blood. We skipped that and moved to the theater where we were sent in.

Names were on the reserved seats (it’s a kick to be one of those), and this was helpful in that one could see some of the others there, a crowd of lefties and celebrities: Amy Goodman (of Democracy NOW!), Eli Pariser (of MoveOn.org), Jane Fonda, Giancarlo Esposito, Carol Kane and documentary filmmaker, Barbara Kopple, among others. Candy Kugel was the only other animator in attendance.

After the film, Ariana Huffington had a short Q&A for director-writer, Charles Ferguson. Following that, there was a meal at the excellent restaurant, Plaza Athenee. Ariana continued the Q&A after the meal, and it got interesting when a couple of people there weren’t quite as supportive.

It became a somewhat intense evening. That’s probably how it should be after that film. It’s an account of all the steps taken to get us to where we are in the war in Iraq. No one seemed to speak for any of the participants in the film, but the four in charge in the White House seemed to do all the dirty work themselves. It’s a strong movie. I was pleased to have met Mr. Ferguson there.

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