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2013 NEWSLETTER
 

December 20, 2013

In the 12/15 edition of the San Franciso Chronicle, several local Bay area actors were asked the question - "How did you get into theater?" Peter responded, "When I was young and growing up in New York, my parents took me to children's theater quite often - elaborate presentations of  'Goldilocks' and 'Rapunzel' for Upper East Side kids. As I grew older they took me to adult theater, mostly musicals. The first that I remember was John Murray Anderson's 'Almanac' with Harry Belafonte. It was stunning. Full of drama, sound, music, passion. Then I put it on hold and forgot about it"

"When I got to Grinnell College, I was part of the black turtleneck sweater and Camel cigarette crowd of poets and writers. One day, the drama coach, a brilliant fellow named Ned Donaho, slid into our booth at the student center, half in the bag, and challenged me: 'Has it ever occurred to you that theater is a public argument of great moment?' he demanded. I admitted that it hadn't. He arm-twisted me to try out for the theater, and when I did I was the last piece in a puzzle for him. 'No one asks the basketball coach to use his second-string team,' Ned said. He went on to assemble a rep company in the college, and for the next four years I did plays. By my senior year, I played James Jr. in 'Long Day's Journey into Night,' and it was an epiphany. I was transported and so was the production - we had all seasoned together for four years. I could tell by the respect with which the faculty members treated me when they all came backstage, that it had been something special. Never quite got over it. When I went to get my master's in creative writing at San Francisco State after Grinnell, I joined the moribund remnants of the Actor's Workshop, until I saw Kay Hayward and Sandy Archer in the San Francisco Mime Troupe, and drove down that day to audition. The rest is history."

October 21, 2013

This year's La Femme Film Festival, held from October 17-20, featured one of Peter's narrated documentaries called "Paulo Soleri: Beyond Form". Created by filmmaker Aimee Madsen, the 80-minute film  is a cinéma vérité style documentary, that presents an intimate look at the legendary and multi talented artist, philosopher, urban theorist and architect Paolo Soleri. A man who had a dream to create an environment in harmony with man. This film focuses on how his body of work has inspired thousands of people over the years and why his technique and concepts have staying power.

October 12, 2013

Always the politically-engaged person, Peter gave a helping hand this week  to Lhamo Tso, wife of Tibetan Dhondup Wangchen, who has been imprisoned in China for six years. He was sentenced for "inciting separatism" simply because he dared to speak about about Tibetan human rights through his filmmaking. It was Lhamo Tso's intention to have cards and pictures from his children delivered for her husband's upcoming birthday on October 17th. Peter accompanied her to the Chinese Consulate but they were not received so they had no choice but to drop the envelope off in the letterbox. They then held a press conference with Lhamo Tso stating, "I’m disappointed that the Chinese Consulate would not receive us today and that my husband Dhondup Wangchen will have to spend another birthday alone in prison, far away from his family. It would have meant a lot to him to receive the cards and letters from his children who miss him a great deal. At this time, I’d like to thank Peter Coyote for his support and help today and also the many people around the world who have expressed solidarity with Dhondup Wangchen.”

October 7, 2013

The 36th annual Mill Valley Film Festival paid tribute to famed political filmmaker Costa-Gavras Friday night at the Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center. Costa-Gavras was in town to present his latest film, “Capital” and to receive the Mill Valley Film Festival Award. Peter moderated the event, which included conducting a Q&A with the audience. Introducing the film, he said, "It is just part of the continuum of great films. I don’t know another director that has mixed the craft of cinema with rigorous political analysis with unbending belief in the democratic process and civil liberties and rights." After Costa-Garvas walked out to a rousing ovation, conversation turned to his film career, and not surprisingly, politics. Who better to chit-chat with on the subject of politics than the Coyote! The first photo shows Peter and Costa-Gavras with MVFF's programming director Zoe Elton and festival director Mark Fishkin.

On September 17th Peter attended the Public Premiere of "Metallica Through the Never" at Christopher B. Smith Rafael Film Center. The screening was held as a Mill Valley Film Festival Kick-off event. Here are some photos of Peter hanging out with some of the group.