Like Truly Floored - Blog Posts

𝐍𝐎. 𝟑   ❛ 𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐬 ❜   |   RIVA DORATA, TARTOSA, MAY 1998

While serious publications prepared to cover the most prestigious premieres, interpret the thoughtful commentary of illustrious casts, and divine the future of cinema from the awards race, most people would encounter the Tartosa International Film Festival in pop culture. Accordingly, executives at entertainment giants Day One and MondoVibe had an unprecedented idea. Stephany Fox was as ubiquitous in Simerican culture news as her Tartosan counterpart, Giannino Adimari. Putting them together on one screen had never occurred to anyone. It was a smart move—an intercultural novelty, like the festival itself, that blended respective knowledge, style, and personas for a global audience. It was a lucrative move, too, with collaboration translating directly into cheap, constant, breathless coverage.

Entertainment, the spectacle and celebrity, piqued general interest more than the artistry. Everyday consumers may venture out to see a movie months later—perhaps Captivated for horror fans or Into the Wild for romantics, although sexy, gritty, action-packed thrillers like The Last Con and The Phoenix invariably outsold them these days—but wouldn’t recall having seen them first in festival coverage. On daytime television or in grocery store aisles, what they noticed were the famous and beautiful people whose names they, somehow, already knew. They tuned in for salacious gossip about their personal lives, all torrid affairs with co-stars and spiraling substance abuse and workplace calamities swept under the foreign label of “creative differences.” Photographs of attractive faces and physiques, glamorous attire, and adoring crowds caught the eye. Cheeky headlines shouting half-truths held it long enough to ensure they glimpsed an advertisement or two. If they wouldn’t flip to page six or sit down for a full segment, they would at least pause with a wistful gaze to wish they, too, were arriving in sunny Tartosa.

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TRANSCRIPT:

STEPHANY | Hello from Day One, live in Tartosa! I’m Stephany Fox— GIANNINO | —and I’m Giannino Adimari, for MondoVibe! STEPHANY | It’s the first day of Tartosa’s annual International Film Festival. We’re at Riva Dorata this morning and, as you can see, a crowd’s already gathered on this beautiful overlook.

STEPHANY | The Tartosa Grand Hotel is well-known for its gorgeous views. The hotel’s signature speedboats ferry guests here from the mainland, meaning anyone can arrive in style, but— GIANNINO | And, actually, the Tartosa Grand Hotel is impossible to get into this time of year. Why? It’s reserved for the festival’s most special guests: golden ticket holders, the invitees.

STEPHANY | That’s right. Every other hotel and inn in Riva Dorata is booked up, too—it’s the people in this crowd, maybe with tickets to see the new films but most likely here to do some celebrity-spotting. This overlook is a go-to area for tourists and locals alike.

STEPHANY | Life in Riva Dorata is typically languid, relaxed, and quiet, but it comes alive in a new way for this springtime festival. GIANNINO | The locals are used to the fanfare and take pride in welcoming everyone—new faces from other places but also Tartosan artists here for a homecoming as well.

STEPHANY | He’s here with composer Lee Thompson and up-and-coming actress, Sierra Moss. Moss co-stars in The Last Con, a classic dramatic thriller from Teresa Salame. Thompson scored Hudson Waverly’s irreverent comedy, Trash Tease, also premiering this week.

GIANNINO | Which, oh, can I give my personal opinion, Stephany? STEPHANY | [Chuckles] I can’t stop you— GIANNINO | Waverly is a genius, and maybe a comedy deserves to finally win the Golden Laurel this year. STEPHANY | Maybe. That’s for this year’s jury to decide.

STEPHANY | The invite list has more than just industry people, though. While film folks are representing the “international” spirit of the festival, ambassadors in the form of bonafide royalty do it in a different way. GIANNINO | See, there’s the Renaldis from nearby Saocossaint looking stylish and ready for some festival fun! STEPHANY | Vivica Haywood is over there—a celebrity stylist, here as one of this year’s “friend of the panel” guest.

STEPHANY | Armorican actress Anita Garcia is a panel guest as well. GIANNINO | Can you tell us what that means, Stephany? STEPHANY | Organizers, led by producer and festival president Sanja Dinapoli, as well as artistic director Bruno Raffaele Como, send two kinds of invites: to those screening films and to “friends of the panel.” People who will, as they say, “enhance the festival.”

GIANNINO | There, Max Kyle and Lena Scott! They were on MondoVibe’s festival “ones to watch” list. Plus a spread in Vogue Simerica last month and a profile on Scott Group in Venture before that. STEPHANY | Kyle’s screening an important documentary. It’s wonderful to see people who have such immense success in really powerful sectors put their energy toward, not just the arts, but social justice. GIANNINO | Ah, yes, true. Fashion is icing on the cake!

GIANNINO | Speaking of fashionable people: another princess! STEPHANY | Many countries are represented at the festival, some unofficially like with Princess Leonor of Uspana. She’s attending as a plus-one for an A-list invitee, Renzo Ledford. He’s debuting two films— GIANNINO | Maybe making up for time away building a family with the princess! MondoVibe covered that. Two movies, two babies! STEPHANY | How about that?

STEPHANY | The most esteemed arrival today is Queen Nicola of Corrilea, who has been a fixture of the global film industry for, well, six decades. She’s an active member of Corrilea’s royal family but also the boards of several festivals, including Tartosa’s.

GIANNINO | And cameras love her just as much now as they did before her retirement! A living legend. Maybe the fountain of youth isn’t just a myth after all, and she—

STEPHANY | Here’s Yuling Zhao. She’s premiering a buzzy period drama. Having already established herself as a talented storyteller, it— GIANNINO | Kiara Bello! Tartosan beauty. Why haven’t we seen her on screen lately? I blame the comedian, who many say isn’t even funny— STEPHANY | Maybe inspiring attendees, like Yuling Zhao, can get her back on screen soon. The festival is famous for networking.

GIANNINO | What comes after this parade, Stephany? STEPHANY | The board and jury meet while these stars settle in behind the hotel’s walls. Of course, we can assume many won’t get much rest before the big opening dinner this evening. GIANNINO | Hair and makeup! If we’re lucky, we may glimpse some black tie outfits while they’re filing into Palazzo Ofelia.

STEPHANY | Oh, look, Tyler’s starting her snap interviews soon. GIANNINO | Rae Donovan! Now, this is a big comeback year for her. STEPHANY | And, when we come back: over to you, Tyler.