PHOTO CALL for After The Wedding
by Karen Pecota

I tried and tried to get a ticket for the opening film AFTER THE WEDDING but to no avail. The next best thing was to use my press credential to get in line for the films photo call. At least I could get some candid shots of the main players in the film which is usually the director, producers and often the cast but one never knows. Since this was one of the festival's opening films it's safe to assume the main cast would be present...Michelle Williams and Julianne Moore.

I had RSVP'd, my name was on the list and stood near the front of the line to be ushered into the photo call room...until...there was a strange surge of press that just cut in line or was allowed to cut in line...ugh!...the people around me were all "just a little" perplexed but due to the enjoyable time talking-film everyone took the frustration in stride; but, not without grumbling to each other and staring-down the ill-mannered journalists or those in charge of that press line. Lol!

Eventually, all press got into the photo call room packed-in like sardines. I was standing with a young, sweet and energetic Italian journalist trying to stake our place for the photo-only group but kept getting pushed around by BIG people and HUGE cameras. I had been warned of this but never experienced it...well...it's real! Some journalists brought their own step-tools to be elevated above the BIG people. Smart! Lesson learned there!

We waited and waited...in a hot and stuffy room...as minutes passed we peeled off our heavy outerwear with no space to place our stuff. Backpacks on, camera(s)`in hand, coats and sweaters between our legs, the two of us peeking between the BIG people vying for that open space ready to take photos when it was time.

We could see Michelle Williams and Julianne Moore with several others ready to walk the photo call line. It was exciting! My Italian friend and I were next to the entrance glass door watching but sadly four people deep from the front. Suddenly the doors open and Michelle Williams enters. Her countenance lit-up the room. She stops and with her graceful poise and beautiful smile, she turns to the cameras and looks slowly to the right, to the left, straight-ahead and then sees my Italian friend and I straining to get a shot from the back-of-the-pack. Her eyes locked on to ours. She looks directly at us and paused for seconds. We both knew she was doing us a favor and we were so honored. Wow! We couldn't believe it!

As soon as she began to move on down the line, my Italian friend and I looked at each other and said, "She saw us!" Ahhh....what a photo call to remember!