PALERMO AND AMIINA

OK, first of all, this wonderful music you are listening to is Amiina. A 4 piece band of talented women from Iceland. Iceland is in my top 2 places I want to visit right now. Seems like it is full of artistic, beautiful, nice people, music and art. More on Iceland later. For now, enjoy this cool song.

Second of all, I'll give everyone (like there are a ton of you reading this) a quick rundown of the Italy trip, since there are stories and rumors out there the truth needs to come out.

Coyote played at the Ecovision Film Festival in Palermo. This is on the island of Sicily. Old school Italy, far from the touristy areas of Rome etc. It's the little island at the bottom of the boot. That weekend was Brian Petersen's wedding (CONGRATULATIONS BRIAN AND KRIS. AWESOME that you guys are married! Was hoping for it the whole time!) and he called me the day before and asked if I would go represent Coyote. I told him as long as I had Kris' permission to miss the wedding too, I would go.
So on Sat I went to the airport at 5 am and checked in plenty early. While I was waiting, I fell asleep in the terminal and when I awoke, my flight had left without me. I missed it by about 15 minutes somehow. I then had to try and get the next flight to Chicago. I was 7th on the standby list and was literally sweating bullets. I begged her to let me on and I think she saw hoe desperate I was cause there was some guy who checked in late and they told him that he couldnt get on the flight. Then she called me over after he left and gave me my ticket. WHEW.
Then I got to Chicago and there was a rainstorm, (by the way this was the VERY FIRST FLIGHT from Chicago to Milan for AIR ONE) and they moved the flight to Indianapolis. The weather cleared up and it came back to Chicago 5 HOURS LATER. meaning I would miss my connection in Milan no matter what. Oh, by the way, I was carrying the film in my hands and it wouldn't show if I didn't make it in time.
I called Chris and Brett at the wedding and asked for some info on the Italian travel guy. Chris was helpful and said he would tell him about my troubles and get something solved. So I hopped on and slept for an hour or two on the flight over. I got to Milan and there were 3 flights in all of Milan that made it to Palermo on time. I was literally running top speed around the airport trying to get back and forth between places. Nobody was willing to help and it was REALLY humid. So finally, Luigi (yes, Mario's brother) books me a flight on Easyjet since it is the absolute last flight that will get me there on time. Picks me up at the airport and we FLY in the cab to the botanical garden where the movie is screening. People are already in seats and the movie is to start in 15 minutes NO LIES!!!! They put the big digibeta tape in, Gloria, (former Miss Italy who was quite cute and did a good job) announces COYOTE! and the place goes black.... nothing. no images. I am freaking and go back and there are two Sicilian dudes arguing and trying to figure out what's wrong. I hand them the backup DVD and luckily after about 5 minutes it works.

The movie starts and nobody understands any of it. There are a few good little jokes at the beginning that geta little laughter, but nothing. silence. NO LAUGHING AT ALL. I literally am sick to my stomach thinking "I Went through hell for this??" I go to eat dinner (lots of fish and octopus) and still feel pretty sick, but when I come back, the vibe is different and people are kind of liking it. They're into the action and the images and the feel. Movie ends and eveybody claps and smiles and really likes it.
Relieved I go back to hotel and sleep. Wake up next day, buy underwear, toohtpaste, toothbrush, clean shirt, ride the shuttle etc. (luggage never made it to Italy so smelled REALLY bad, even for Europeans I think) Nobody in the town really speaks English. Interesting challenge. That night, go to the award ceremony, see some good clips of other films and then the big award comes up for best film of the festival and it is Coyote! Very cool.

Had to go up and have a translator for my comments, but people really liked it. Turns out they pretty much missed all the humor and satire, but loved the locations and the desert and the action and the beauty. Many comments of how beautiful and spiritual it was. Kind of cool to see the reaction like that in the home of Coppola, Scorcese, Fellini etc. They really like beautiful, serious films so the comments were great and the Coyote team should be very proud.

Went to airport about 5 hours after the awards ceremony, made it to airport fine, flew business class from Milan to Chicago since they screwed up so bad and it was pretty nice, that business class. and then back to LA. That's all for right now. Thanks for sticking around. More good stuff to come soon.