Some say film festivals are all about the movies.
True, they are.
However, were it not for high-profile stars trotting down the red carpet, there wouldn't be much glitz or glamor.
Moreover, festival organizers would have to rely on promos focused on a particular demographic to get filmgoers in the door.
AFI Dallas was not wanting for celebs to tease the audiences!
Here is a sampling of a few of the charismatic show biz personalities who lit up the red carpet and sparked a meaningful dialogue about film and the state of the art today in Dallas this week.
Joaquim De Almeida - a co-star of Che (often seen portraying nasty pieces of work like Drug Lords from South America) is one of my favorite character actors who stars in the soon-to-be-released drama "A Burning Plain".
At the screening, gossip mongers were tattling that De Almeida and co-star Kim Basinger, would be steaming up the silver screen with a smattering of sexy love scenes.
"Yes. We have some intimate moments together," the handsome thespian chuckled.
"In fact, the day before the shoot started, we talked extensively on the telephone about what our approach would be."
In the final analysis, both agreed they were professionals, and that they would just "do it".
"We started with a simple scene which consisted of just a kiss. Then, over the next week, Kim and I built up to the intense moments."
Lou Gossett Jr. appeared on the red carpet to tout his new project premiering at the AFI Dallas, wearing a T-Shirt emblazoned with the word "eracism" on the front in keeping with the plot line of the film.
When I asked him why he chose "The Least Among You", he noted the reason was twofold.
"First, because of my faith. Second, because of the subject matter."
The low-budget short was about the 1st African American to attend a Religious College.
Although Mr. Gossett's acting was excellent as usual, I found the project to be amateurish and poorly-written.
Before he moved on to another reporter, he quipped:
"Our children are our future, not oil."
Cheryl Ladd's daughter - a pretty petite young lady with a glow about her - noted that she talked with the director Paul Solet on the telephone for about four hours before jumping on board.
"Grace was described as a kind-of "Rosemary's Baby," she beamed.
Unfortunately, the talented young actress could not save the project which - by most accounts - bombed miserably at the AFI Dallas Fest.
Patton Oswalt - the perennial funny man - was a little more reserved when he chatted up the media to promote his film, "The Big Fan".
"It's similar to great films of the 70's like Marvin Gardens and Electra Glide in Blue," he noted to a crush of press types jockeying for pictures.
Janine Turner (Friday Nights) appeared on the red carpet on a couple of occasions during the AFI Fest; once, at a screening of Monroe's "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes"; then, later at the end of the week at Texas Film Day when Governor Perry also put in a much-ballyhooed appearance to boast about the State's contribution to the film industry.
Turner was gracious, elegantly dressed, and accessible to fans.
The pretty lady gave me a calling card with a striking photo etched on the front.
Sorry, dudes, I'm not sharing!
The producer - and most of the cast of "Pearl" - sauntered into the press room the night of the premiere for their biography on a Chickasaw Aviator inspired by known-flyer Wiley Post.
The director informed that the production was financed by the Chickasaw nation.
The head of the tribe was a bit taken aback by the high price tag, but paid up, nonetheless.
"The Chief thought it was important to produce this project to put the focus on the Chickasaw people."
I pointed out that in Miss Navajo (a film I took in last year at the Los Angeles Film Festival which featured a Q & A with the director) Native American Indians expressed their concerns that if a language and culture were not kept up in the modern day they would disappear in the next twenty years.
He agreed.
Jeremy Renner - a screen heart-throb to reckon with - was a tad serious when he ran the gauntlet to discuss "Hurt Locker"."It was a challenging role," he confessed. "Film buffs will have to take in a screening to figure it out."
And, who could forget the big splash that Adrien Brody made on opening night when he strode down the carpet for the premiere of Brothers Bloom?
Judging by the frenzied attention he nabbed that night, Brody is no doubt a Hollywood megastar to contend with, in every sense of the word!
Jordan Ladd
