The editor invited me to review/pre-view the film Passing. It had done well at Sundance and the New York Film Festival. I'd never heard of it.
OK, I said.
Great, she said, You can do the junket on October 23.
Me. What's a junket?
Editor. You do all this writing on music and film and all that. I thought you'd done this before.
Me. Nope.
Editor. You interview the actors and director and ask them a bunch of questions. It usually takes place in expensive hotel. Now it takes place over zoom. I'll send you the screener.
Me. What's a screener?
And so on...Either way, it went very well, although for a brief second, it seemed that the stars Tessa Thompson (Avengers: Endgame, Men in Black: International) and Ruth Negga (Ad Astra, Warcraft) were more interested in my dog, Jazz.
I also interviewed André Holland (Moonlight, Selma) and the director of Passing, Rebecca Hall. The ensemble is lovely, talented, very, very smart.
What a trip!