Saw Solondz Speak Today...
...at a masterclass in Jerusalem. Very interesting - who knew he once studied to be a Rabbi?
Anyways, here's a few things he talked about that I think are relevant 'Palindromes' as well as his others:
-He empathizes and cares about all his characters. Often portrayed as a misanthope by critics, Solondz noted that one of the reasons he's touched on pedophilia in several films is because he wants the audience to form a (somewhat sympathetic, or at least not entirely negative) attachment to people whom society views as beyond reproach. Again, when talking about the Sunshine family - who some might interpret as the villains in this movie - Solondz was clear to emphasize their positive attributes. For example, as another person noted in this forum somewhere, there is an obvious contrast between how Aviva's mom scorns cripples and how the Sunshine family warmly embraces the outcast.
-Someone insinuated that he exploited disabled people in 'Palindromes' (although he referred to the characters as "retards" which made it clear who was more clearly disrespectful). Todd gave a good answer. He said that the scenes with the disabled children were funny, regardless of whether the characters are disabled or not. He said to make fun of someone for having a disability is "obscene," but that (and I'm generously paraphrasing here) to avoid humour when working with the disabled is ridiculous. As someone who has worked in the human services, I was impressed by his very assured, respectful answer.
-When the child actors were filming sex scenes, they were fully clothed and their parents were in the room. Todd had mixed feelings about child actors, and said that he wouldn't encourage a child to act. He also said that a child actor didn't have the same understanding of the material, and that one must be very careful and considerate when working with children.
-Finally, he said that Mark Wiener's speech at the end was a very close approximation to his own thoughts and feelings. He said that Mark Wiener had a much bleaker outlook, but that he shares the basic ideas. Which, given his output, is not at all surprising.
Anyways, if you get the chance to Solondz speak, I would highly recommend going. He's intelligent, candid and funny, and I'm sure you'll gain a much deeper understanding of his films.