Hello everybody, we’re pleased to report back after two eventful days at the Sundance Festival, sponsored by Sony Entertainment Network; here were our main highlights.

Friday 27th

14:00 – Arriving at the exquisite INC Club inside the O2 Arena complex, we found ourselves delighted by the company of Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, who you may as well recognise as Mr. Ekko in Lost, reading his script of Farming (now officially confirmed for production). Among the cast presented we were surprised to see one of the most talented actresses of our time, Minnie Driver. The reading was emotional and projected us to the harsh reality that this compelling story will bring to the screen.

17:00 -We head straight to a panel hosted by prominent UK and US directors, called ‘Thinking Independently – UK vs. US’.

Guests included Claire Stewart, Sally El Hosaini, James Marsh and Gurinder Chadha from the UK, along with John Cooper, So Yong Kim, Josh Radnor and Ry Russo- Young from the US. Issues of funding independent films from one side to the other were among the most discussed topics.

19:00 – We went to the screening room to see an independent feature called Filly Brown, starring upcoming talent Gina Rodriguez, co-directed by Michael Olmo and with original music by Reza Safinia. At the end we enjoyed the company of all three in a small Q&A.

Saturday 28th

14:00 -Escaping the gloomy rain that impregnated the huge marquee surrounding the O2 complex, we visited the ‘Cinema/Music Café’ with Terence Nance, director of An Oversimplification of her Beauty, and the talent from Filly Brown. We had the chance to personally meet with Gina Rodriguez and her energy was contagious.

19:00 – Some of you might know Josh Radnor from the TV series How I met your Mother, and he was presenting his already second feature to the Sundance Festival. Radnor presented us with a modern tale of human relationships set around post-university early thirties lifestyle.

The whole experience was very constructive and emotional. We got to have a real taste of what it is to work as an independent filmmaker. It does bring a lot of thought of how a dream can be succeeded with will, evading the traditional barriers.

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Last week I was in Rome with some friends from Capcom to attend their Captivate event, an annual showcase of what’s in the pipeline for such game series as Street Fighter, Resident Evil, Devil May Cry and Lost Planet. While I could spend a couple of hundred words on fountains and pizza, there is a lot of game news to cover off so, without further ragout, here’s a handy digest of all the best bits.

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“Who would have thought that playing EA SPORTS FIFA would one day take me to the FIFA Ballon d’Or,” said reigning FIFA Interactive World Cup champion Francisco Cruz, sitting in Zurich, Switzerland just hours after having experienced the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2011 Gala.

With his victory at the FIWC11 Grand Final in Los Angeles, Cruz earned $20,000 in prize money and a priceless invitation to the FIFA Ballon d’Or 2011 Gala. At the Gala, Francisco talked tactics with Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, played FIFA 12 against Wayne Rooney and Gerard Piqué on a nearby PS3 and shook hands with superstars such as Lionel Messi, Xavi, Ronaldo, Neymar and Dani Alves. The morning following Francisco’s incredible night at the Gala, the team at FIFA.com spoke with him as he reflected on the experience.

This must have been an amazing experience for you. Does any specific moment stand out?

Francisco: I can’t really say what my favourite moment was. All of it was incredible. Beating Wayne Rooney at FIFA 12 and talking to Sir Alex Ferguson were certainly highlights. And of course meeting Lionel Messi, my favourite player. There have been so many highlights, I have to watch out that I don’t forget anything!

What did you discuss with Sir Alex?

Francisco: For me he’s a true legend. He’s been with Manchester United for more than twenty years now so I was very happy that I had the opportunity to talk to him. We talked about the best ways to cope with mental pressure in tough games. This was really helpful for me and I’ll definitely try to apply his advice at this year’s Grand Final.

You mentioned your EA SPORTS FIFA 12 match with Wayne Rooney. What was it like to play against one of your idols?

Francisco: It’s a dream playing against one of my favourite players. It’s a new experience and I would like to do it again next year, he is a good player. He kept possession of the ball well with England but he could not transfer that into goal scoring opportunities. He said he was the best FIFA 12 player at Manchester United and I believe him as he was very good. I had some good chances and I scored, but he could have scored one or two goals.

You brought your cousin to the Gala. Why did you choose him to accompany you?

Francisco: My family is very important to me. For the 2009 Grand Final in Barcelona, where I placed third, I invited my sister. Last year, my father came with me to Los Angeles, so now it was my cousin’s turn. He’s just as crazy about football as I am, plus he’s a really good friend of mine.

Did you ever imagine that you would be part of such a special night when you first played the FIFA series?

Francisco: No, not at all. It is still unbelievable. I mean who would have thought that playing EA SPORTS FIFA would one day take me to the FIFA Ballon d’Or! And now, here I am, among stars like Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney!

Is this day at the FIFA Ballon d’Or a strong motivation for you to defend your title?

Francisco: I’m very competitive and I want to win every game. Of course, this day is very special for me and If I could be part of this once more it would be fantastic. I’ll definitely give my all and try to defend my title!

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You may remember last week I showed you photos from our Uncharted 3 Treasure Hunt in Jordan, where we took 20 competition winners from across the globe deep into the desert to compete in a series of challenges. Here is a short film we shot following their progress:

Congratulations to the winners and thanks to everyone that made such a fantastic trip happen. Here’s hoping all that sand has whetted your appetite for Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, which launches from November 2nd, only on PlayStation 3.

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While our wonderful PlayStation Community has been getting their hands on the Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception multiplayer this week, team SCEE were joined by 20 competition winners from across the world, local media, Naughty Dog representatives and Nolan North and Emily Rose – the actors behind Nathan Drake and Elena Fisher in the game – on a treasure hunt in the Jordanian desert.

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