Sundance 2010: Look Out Paul Allen, Bill Gates is the New Microsoft’s Party Boy

Historically Paul Allen has been the one to party with musicians and dance on tables at to lavish parties at his Beverly Hills home and take girls on his submarine The Octopus”  in Europe. I’ve been to one of Paul’s parties in Beverly Hills – there was lots of food, security, and valet. The best part about the party was seeing that Paul had my uber favorite home accessory:  a funicular!! It connects his recording studio/party pad to the rest of his home off Coldwatrer Canyon. A friend of a friend once made frantic calls to friends to come pick her up when she  got stuck in the funicular that broke down, on her way back up the mountain to head to her walk of shame home at 5am.

But now Bill Gates is giving his former Microsoft partner a run for his money! Microsofts’ new search engine Bing.com (oh excuse me, a “decision engine”) sponsored several events at Sundance including their own after hours party at our friends Sam and Ben Keywanfar’s Sundance House Of Hype.

Bill Gates was in Sundance to attend the screening of his friend, Davis Guggenheim’ documentary on the U.S. school system, called “WAITING FOR SUPERMAN”. The failing school system is a pet interest of Bill’s. While bill was in Sundance, he took the opportunity to also meet with his “favorite” actor, Sundance film festival founder, Robert Redford (more below, scroll down).

Bill Gates also has recently joined Twitter and started a blog called The Gates Notes, where he shares ideas and hopesd for feedback on how he is spending his funds through The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (more below, scroll down).

WAITING FOR SUPERMAN | Davis Guggenheim 2009 | U.S. Documentary Competition, World Premiere, Political | 102 min.

Despite increased spending and politicians’ promises, our buckling public-education system, once the best in the world, routinely forsakes the education of millions of children.

As he follows a handful of promising kids through a system that inhibits, rather than encourages, academic growth, Guggenheim undertakes an exhaustive review of public education, surveying “drop-out factories” and “academic sinkholes,” methodically dissecting the system and its seemingly intractable problems.

Producer Jeffrey Skoll was the second employee and first president of internet auction firm eBay, and used the wealth this gave him to become a philanthropist and to found the independent movie production company Participant Media.

Bill Gates recently started a blog called The Gates Notes. Here he tells about all his philanthropic journeys, recommends books and shares his thoughts on domestic issues such as the U.S. helping Haiti and the U.S. Education system. This weekend Bill Gates makes his first trip to Sundance to attend the premiere of Davis Guggenhiem’s new film about the U.S. School System entitled “Waiting for Superman.” Gates also says he hopes his blog will welcome feedback on how he is spending the billions he and Warren Buffet have given to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

From Bill’s blog …

“This year, Bill is attending the Sundance Film Festival for the first time. While he’s there he’ll see an important new movie about the U.S. education system and meet with Robert Redford, one of his favorite actors and directors.

I’m going to the Sundance Film Festival to attend the showing of Waiting for Superman, which is a great film by Davis Guggenheim about the U.S. education system that is coming out later this year. This will be the first time I’ve attended Sundance.

Although I watch very few TV shows, Melinda and I see a lot of movies – at least one per week. I have never really met with movie stars but since I’m going to Sundance, I asked to see if I could meet Robert Redford, whose work I admire.

It looks like I will get to meet him, which will be great. He directed my all time favorite movie – Ordinary People. I also love A River Runs Through It, Quiz Show, and The Horse Whisperer. I really like every movie he directed.

I also like almost every movie he starred in. Some of my favorites include Spy Game, Three Days of the Condor, The Sting, and The Great Gatsby. If you haven’t seen these I highly recommend them! I have watched all of them at least three times.

I’m not sure what we will discuss but between movies, politics, and philanthropy I am sure it will be a fun conversation.

I’ll be doing more on Twitter from the festival as well.” – Bill Gates’ blog

2010 Sundance Film Festival – Director’s Brunch