This week an article was posted on Wellesnet about the latest updates and craziness with The Other Side of the Wind. Here is a link to the article. http://www.wellesnet.com/is-oja-kodar-holding-up-the-other-side-of-the-wind/ It is a thoughtful piece on a very hot-button issue in the Welles world as they had a fundraising campaign to raise money to edit it. I really support and believe in the efforts of the guys behind the website but for me the article was one sided and I needed to chime in about my take on the deal. I also was very offended at what people say on Facebook and the internet. What else is new? People say things when cloaked in anonymity. But there are real human beings behind the words and there are always several truths. Depending of whose version.
Here is my version.
Before I arrived at Woodstock celebrates in early may there was talk of a Hollywood presence at the festival and everyone was very excited. Michael Dawson talked about Frank Marshall sending a film crew and people were pumped to get that kind of exposure. I arrived in Woodstock on May 5th and it was reiterated to me through Greg Gantner that there was a hollywood film crew that was coming in. On May 6th at the Citizen Kane screening I volunteered to help out with all the guests and was assigned to be Jonathon Rosenbaums driver. Anticipation and exciting was palpable. On May 8th Friday, I picked up Jonathon from the train station and instead of going straight to the hotel, we drove to the bed and breakfast where Oja and her family was staying. Instead of Oja, who was resting, Biljana, her niece, came down to talk. Immediately there was an air of tension and unease. Biljana stated that under no uncertain terms that Frank Marshalls crew going to shoot the interview that was scheduled for the next evening. She then relayed that they were scheduled to pay Oja since the previous October and had reneged every single time. Biljana and relatives even flew to LA to receive payment only to wait at a hotel and never receive payment. So obviously by the time of the festival tension had already digressed into mistrust and estranged encampments. Michael Dawson was left to make a last minute phone call to LA to tell the Marshall Film Crew to stand down. Biljana said there was an ongoing expectation of payment that never had materialized and the trip to LA had completely eroded the trust. I brought Jonathan to his hotel and he was even a bit frustrated that Oja had circled the wagons as much as she did. But for me who is a newcomer to these conversations, my jaw was on the floor with these revelations. Sad but all completely believable. At no time did I think that Biljana was exaggerating or misstating what had gone on. I was unfamiliar with the exact figure but assumed it was large.
The next day May 9th, the day of the Oja Interview I talked to Michael Dawson about his call to LA. He was very stressed because he wished to keep Ojas camp happy but had to tell the Marshall crew that if they showed it would jeopardize the event. He shook his head in amazement at what was excitement only a few days before into a full blown uncomfortable argument.
i remember thinking that both of us had no reason to not believe what Oja and her niece Biljana were saying and that they had been promised payment only to have it be delayed and not come through. We went to the Oja event not knowing what to expect and we were pleasantly surprised to see Oja be quite revealing about her life with Orson. The interview was captured by a local crew which I think will be released by DVD later.
Two conversations, with Biljana laying things out to Jonathan, and my conversation with Michael Dawson that put an air of skepticism into my accepting everything the Other Side of the Wind producers as truth. But I also know that there are several sides to any tale and that I’m sure the producers have a different version.
It is hard for me to accept blaming Oja after meeting her and hearing her story. Also, people need to be more civil. I mean really be nice. Not be so inflammatory. One guy said “I hope she just dies” Wow. Really. So we can see a movie. That is so out of balance. What makes people so inhumane? Over entertainment…Just sickens me. I hope that people can understand that there are people with feelings and intelligence on the both sides of every argument and that respect can be included in any discussion. Probably over idealistic but I always aim high.
I don’t claim to know all of the story. I’m sure there are people that know much more then me. But I do know what my gut tells me and that is Oja and her family are being misrepresented. Just thought I needed to get that out there….For what its worth.
