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Saturday, Jan 19, 2013 10:15 PM UTC

Seen and heard at Sundance

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Topics: From the Wires,

Associated Press journalists open their notebooks at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah:

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PELOSI AS PROUD MOM

Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s first time at Sundance was not as one of the nation’s top political leaders, but as a proud mom.

Pelosi was on hand as her daughter Alexandra made her Sundance Film Festival debut with the documentary “Fall to Grace,” about the charitable works of former New Jersey Gov. Jim McGreevey. McGreevey resigned from office in 2004 when it was revealed he was cheating on his wife with a man. Since leaving office, he has worked to help rehabilitate female prisoners and lives with his partner.

Nancy Pelosi said McGreevey’s fall was magnified because he was seen as such a political star: “For him, a young articulate, appealing governor of New Jersey. The sky was the limit for him, in terms of political aspirations.”

Pelosi gave a strong endorsement for her daughter’s film, but also enjoyed others, including “The Battle of AmFar,” which chronicles the work done by Elizabeth Taylor and Dr. Mathilde Krim in fighting the epidemic: “I’ve really worshipped at the shrine of Mathilde Krim for decades,” Pelosi said.

Pelosi planned to see one more film, a documentary about former Rep. Barney Frank that was being shown at a private house, before leaving for the inauguration festivities for President Barack Obama in Washington.

— Nekesa Mumbi Moody, twitter: (at)nekesamumbi

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DON’T BLAME HOLLYWOOD

While renewed focus is on the entertainment industry and the role it may play in violent events, Rep. Nancy Pelosi said her first priority on her weekend visit to Sundance was to support her daughter’s debut at the film festival, not to discuss the First Amendment with the entertainment industry. Still, she indicated that she was leery of blaming Hollywood for society’s ills.

“Obviously the industry knows what the challenges are and I look to them for any suggestions that they may have,” she said. “By in large, I think it’s a little bit not a certain place to go, to start talking about Hollywood’s responsibility or something that has happened by obviously a deranged person .. But we all have a responsibility to make sure that violence is not glorified in our society, so you have to be very careful when you tread that web.”

— Nekesa Mumbi Moody, twitter: (at)nekesamumbi

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EYES ON THE INAUGURATION

Skylan Brooks, the 13-year-old star of “The Inevitable Defeat of Mister and Pete,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this weekend, is excited about President Barack Obama’s re-election and Monday’s inauguration.

“I’m glad!” the young actor said. “Not because he’s a black president, but because I think he sets a good example. I’m learning about him and Black History and American history in history class, so I’m getting a good vibe about these next four years.”

— Sandy Cohen, www.twitter.com/APSandy.

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