The Best Thing Ever at This Year's New York Film Festival P&I

At the end of Brian De Palma’s Passion, Film Comment’s Amy Taubin came up at the end of the credits to inform us that De Palma hadn’t arrived yet and would be here in ten minutes. I left to go eat lunch, because I frankly don’t see how you top any Q&A where a long-winded question can be answered with "I’m Brian De Palma."

But he did. By not showing up. At all.

So, while the New York Film Festival doesn’t give out awards or accolades, I want to honor BDP with the “Most Swag Ever" award. Hang those laurels over your unreleased film proudly, Brian.

New York Film Festival by The Numbers: Day -1

# of the end of the world according to Abel Ferrera: 444

# of films pre-screened for Press & Industry so far: 24

# of cigarettes smoked on screen today: 20

# of twists in A Separation: 12…ish

# of walk-outs during Twenty Cigarettes: 10

 # of films so far that have an extremely fatalistic and yet poignant view on life: 4

# of walk-ins during Twenty Cigarettes: 3

# of theaters needed for Carnage screenings: 2

# of days until NYFF premieres: 1…(but I’m calling tomorrow Day Zero so Friday is officially Day 1. I am terrible at counting down.)

# of the end of the world according to Lars Von Trier: …no fucking clue how you calculate the size of that planet.

New York Film Festival By The Numbers: Day -14

Year Mud and Soldiers  was released: 1939

# of minutes in Mud and Soldiers: 120

# of years Nikkatsu has been in business: 100

# of Years Festival Has Been Going On: 49

# of Nikkatsu Films Screening at the festival: 37

# of films in Main Slate to play: 22

# of slaps to the face in The Woman with Red Hair: 12

# of Nikkatsu Films screened yesterday: 3

# of slaps to the face that missed in The Woman with Red Hair: 2

# of pretentious prick press people who moaned there was no coffee or juice and how his bagel was dry and wore a motherfucking ascot: 1 (the loneliest number)

# of Films In Competition: 0