WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING...

Hello again. Since our screenings we've been getting emails from people all over the world who either saw the film or had a friend who did or who just want to know when they can see it. We thought we'd post a sampling from some of the people who've been emailing us...


Dear Chris and Patty,

I just wanted to congratulate you guys on taking an award at Slamdance. I am not an emotional guy, so when I find a little dampening around the eyes while watching a film I generally wonder if the room needs an air purifier, this time I was actually moved. Good luck on getting it into theaters. It was also a pleasure meeting you guys. Take care and good luck.

Jake

Hi,

I saw Abduction at Slamdance and thought it was great. I live in Seattle and am wondering if it will be showing anywhere in the area or somewhere online. I have several friends who would like to see it.

Thanks,
Angie


Dear Chris and Patty

I was privileged enough to see your wonderful film Abduction on Sunday,
and I just wanted to say that it was an incredible piece of filmmaking and
a quite extraordinary story. I am here for both the Sundance and
Slamdance festivals, and I can safely say that it is the best film I have seen
from both, and I am sure that this will still be the case by the time I
leave.

Oli

Hi Chris,
Congratulations! I was at your world premiere and actually did a few interviews afterwards with the many Japanese TV crews. I wanted to say hello, but you and Patty were swamped with people. Thank you for sharing such an incredible story. I was genuinely moved to tears.

AUDIENCE AWARD WINNER!!

We are pleased to announce that ABDUCTION has won the 2006 Slamdance Film Festival Audience Award for Best Documentary. What a surprise and honor! We were really happy when they announced it because the audience award is totally democratic and voted on by the viewers not just a panel of judges. The winners were announced at a ceremony at Club Suede in Park City on January 27th. The festival is now over but it was a fantastic experience for us. We're now trying to decide which agents and distributors are going to suit our film best. We've had a lot of interest but we need someone who's going to give it the kind of care that it needs so that people all over the US can hear the story of Megumi. Our friend Todd Rohal, director of THE GUATEMALAN HANDSHAKE, won a Special Jury Prize as well last night which was a wonderful bonus for all of us since Todd is from the DC-area and we'd been supporting his crew all along. Congrats to him and his peeps!

SLAMDANCE LOG 4

The day after the second and final screening and we're feeling pretty good. We've earned some diehard fans who are now making it their personal mission to tell everyone they can about the film. Last night's screening was overflowing and included a lot of big wigs from the film industry. We are now talking to them about the future of this film. It helped that half the audience was sobbing throughout a good portion of the film. The Q and A afterwards was excellent and we actually had to cut it off even though people continued to ask questions afterwards. Patty had a talk with Darryl Hannah (yes, the one-eyed assassin from KILL BILL) about the film and she seemed genuinely interested. We also ran into Helena Christensen, the former Supermodel, and told her all about it too. The audience reviews have been excellent and we're now getting reports from friends in Japan that reviews of this film are all over the place. We can now relax a little and actually see some films (imagine that!) since there are some great ones at Slamdance this year. In fact, it's now as hard to get into many Slamdance films as it is getting into Sundance films.

SLAMDANCE LOG 4

The day after the final screening and once again, I'm feeling pretty good. Last night's screening was packed and, for a second night, oversold. Many big wigs in the film world showed up and were impressed. It also helped that half the audience, women and men, were sobbing throughout and visibly moved by the story of Megumi's parents. We're now talking to distributors and sales agents about the future of this film and that's great. The first screening won us some diehard fans who are now making it their personal mission to tell as many people about ABDUCTION as possible. We can now relax a little and actually WATCH some other films. There are some fantastic films at Slamdance and the documentaries are getting a lot of attention. Patty had a talk with Daryl Hannah about ABDUCTION and she seemed genuinely interested. We also ran into former Supermodel Helena Christensen who was in a Danish film here. We told her all about it. The buzz will definitely last beyond the festival.

SLAMDANCE LOG 3

Sorry for not posting last night but the night of the premiere ended with lots of sake and beer so I was in no position to type anything intelligent. The family spent the evening at a Japanese restaurant letting loose following the premiere. The premiere was the most anxiety-laden event ever but everything seemed to work out fine. The Japanese media showed up big time for the opening night and most of them seemed to be happy with the results. The screening went really well with no technical glitches and no walkouts. Patty and Chris were hypersensitive to any movement, cough, shuffling of feet or movement. But the Japanese journalists who got audience reactions coming out of the screening said that every comment was very positive. The highlight of the evening was when the audience got to ask questions to a character in the film. Teruaki Masumoto came all the way from Tokyo for the screening. His sister was abducted in 1978 and he is part of the film (you'll have to see it to find out why!!). It was really refreshing for him to see so many Americans asking questions and reacting to the story of the abductions. Tuesday night we will do it all again when ABDUCTION screens for a second and final time. More celebrity sightings include John Malkovich, Michael Rappoport and Rosie O'Donnell.

SLAMDANCE LOG BOOK 1

We are finally here in Park City, Utah, and yes it's COLD! But the buzz is HOT around the film ABDUCTION. The first screening has already sold out and it's still two days away (on Sunday, January 22 at 6pm). The Los Angeles Times called ABDUCTION one of the best films in Park City this year and that has focused a lot of attention on it. Our families helped hand out postcards and put up posters around town and it seems to have drawn the even more attention. The Japanese media have also been covering the story with a lot of excitment and passion and that's helped bring even more scrutiny on the film.
Mr. Teruaki Masumoto arrived from Tokyo today to find us wearing our ABDUCTION t-shirts over our winter jackets...part of the ongoing advertising effort.

All the attention has helped prove our theory all along that Americans truly do care about the story of the Japanese abductions. We hope this carries beyond the festival.