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Best Documentary Feature: “Taxi to the Dark Side”
“Taxi to the Dark Side,” directed by UCLA alumnus Alex Gibney and produced by Eva Orner, just won best documentary feature.
Alex Gibney’s Acceptance Speech
Wow. Thank you very much, Academy. Here’s to all doc filmmakers. And, truth is, I think my dear wife Anne was kind of hoping I’d make a romantic comedy, but honestly, after Guantanamo, Abu Ghraib, extraordinary rendition that simply wasn’t possible. This is dedicated to two people who are no longer with us, Dilawar, the young Afghan taxi driver, and my father, a navy interrogator who urged me to make this film because of his fury about what was being done to the rule of law. Let’s hope we can turn this country around, move away from the dark side and back to the light. Thank you very much.
This was Gibney’s second nomination; his 2005 film, “Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room,” was nominated for best feature documentary.
We spoke with Alex Gibney at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival this year (introductory post, Oscar nomination announcement), where he talked about his Sundance film, “Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson,” as well as “Taxi to the Dark Side:”
Louis J. Horvitz, director
Gil Cates, producer
Hundreds of media outlets were represented at the press conference Friday at the Kodak Theater. Producer Gil Cates, Director Louis J. Horvitz ‘68 and Academy president Sid Ganis answered questions on all things Oscar for about 25 minutes and then broke out to give individual interviews. The Bruin team on the scene was first among all the crews to get Cates, who also teaches at UCLA’s School of Theater, Film and Television. As he made his way to our camera, Cates was urged to talk to the Entertainment Tonight (ET) crew a few feet away. “Hey, this is UCLA,” Cates enthusiastically told the ET producer with a mic, “you gotta get your priorities straight here!” The ET guy wasn’t too happy with that decision but had no choice except to patiently wait his turn.
Coverage in Pictures
The Golden Boy Under Wraps – If the clouds don’t part on Sunday within five hours of showtime then the tent stays according to producer Gilbert Cates. Work crews require that amount of time to dismantle the apparatus protecting the red carpet entrance to the Kodak Theater explained Cates to the throngs of media attending the Friday noon news conference. Oscar just doesn’t look as good under plastic, so let the sun shine and remove the tents.
Inside the Kodak Theater
Gilbert Cates, producer of the Oscar show and professor at UCLA, with Louis J. Horvitz, director and UCLA alumnus, on the red carpet headed to the all media news conference on Friday. When asked about how the show was being adjusted while the writer’s strike was unresolved, Cates reminded the massive crowd of journos that of the 24 categories represented on the evenings telecast, only four of those are acting. So even if celebrities boycotted the ceremony, 20 other winners would be revealed to the viewing audience. Plus more movie clips would eat up airtime instead of witty commentary from a sizzling hot host. Jon Stewart made it clear to Cates if the strike was still underway, he would not participate in the movie love fest.
A peek behind the scenes in the master control booth/trailer set up back stage at the Kodak Theater. This is the cramped dark space where director Louis J. Horvitz ‘68 will call the shots during the telecast on Sunday.
Veteran writer/producer/director Hal Kanter, 89, is working hard back stage in the writers room developing bits for presenters at the Oscar show. Logging his 37th Oscar ceremony, his first was on radio with the action switching back and forth from Los Angeles to New York, he told our crew that each bit is reviewed by the celebrity presenter’s team of agents and managers. Kanter is very proud of his affiliation with UCLA through the The Hal Kanter Comedy Writing Award presented to a talented student at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television each spring. Kanter attends the annual awards breakfast where he meets the honored student. He looks forward to reading the winning script each year and enjoys encouraging young talented writers. “The world would be a better place if there were more great comedy writers out there,” he told us.
Mid-day press conference
UCLA Film Directing student Olivia Silver is busy this weekend preparing final research details for the official ABC pre-show talent including TV veteran Regis Philbin. Philbin and a team of younger on-air hosts from “ET” and “Dancing With the Stars” will be interviewing celebs as they walk the walk on the red carpet. Let’s hope it’s not too soggy.
Louis J. Horvitz, director of the Oscars
Show director Louis J. Horvitz ‘68 talks with our crew while standing on the elaborate set for the 80th annual Academy Awards designed by Roy Christopher. In an upcoming videotaped interview with the veteran of live television, Horvitz explains how the five very large set pieces can be arranged on stage. Each circular tube contains a giant Oscar statue that can be revealed partially or fully to the audience and members of the viewing public. Horvitz says he hopes his choices in the booth help viewers in their living room feel like they have the best seat in the house.
You’ll see a lot of Steadicam shots, in wide angle, to feel like you’re right there on Sunday night
Rehearsal placeholders include Oscar nominee, Alex Gibney, who directed “Taxi to the Dark Side;” we interviewed him last month at Sundance
Footnote: Colin Farrell presents for the live performance of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova from the film “Once” singing “Falling Slowly.”
The Oscars welcomes several Bruins
The following Bruins, faculty and friends of UCLA are involved in the 80th annual Academy Awards telecast set for Sunday on ABC TV.
- Gil Cates, professor and founding dean, UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television is producing the telecast.
- Louis J. Horvitz, alumnus, is directing the program.
- Veteran Hollywood scribe Hal Kanter, a donor who established the Hal Kanter Comedy Writing Award at the UCLA School of Theater, Film, and Television, is on the writing team of the show.
- Alumnus Scott Farrar ‘72, MFA ‘75 is nominated for Best Achievement in Visual Effects, for his work on the action-packed “Transformers” feature film.
- Alumnus Alex Gibney: nominated for Best Documentary, Features, “Taxi to the Dark Side.”
- UCLA Alumni Association/UCLA History project staff member, Talleah Bridges is the associate producer of “Operation Homecoming,” nominated for Best Documentary, Features.
- UCLA Extension screenwriting alumnus Dmitry Yurkov, produced “Moya Iyubov” (My Love), the short animated Russian film nominated for an Oscar.
- Andrea Jublin, a student from Italy who took a UCLA Extension directing course is nominated for an Academy Award for Live Action Short Film, “The Substitute.”
- Amy Adrion MFA ’07, is the head of research for the Red Carpet Show preceding the Oscar telecast.
- Xochitl Dorsey, film directing student, is working on the production as an intern assisting Producer Gil Cates and his staff.
- Olivia Silver, film directing student, is working as an intern on the pre-show events.
- Stephanie Pollock ’03 works as an awards assistant at the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and will be staffing the red carpet for the fifth time this year.
- Stevie Lee Lundgren ’05 is a marketing assistant for the Academy who will be coordinating the red carpet experience for the 620 fans sitting in the bleachers on Sunday.
- Robert Reneau ’84 is the Academy’s assistant programs coordinator in the education and special programs department. He will be working the red carpet arrivals tent and the post-ceremony Governor’s Ball.
Photo: Denzel Washington (left), who will be presenting at the 80th Academy Awards, meets with producer Gil Cates at the production offices of the 80th Oscar® telecast in the Kodak Theatre on February 21, 2008. Credit: A.M.P.A.S.
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- Best Documentary Feature: “Taxi to the Dark Side”
- Louis J. Horvitz, director
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