Broken Side of Time

OK, I have never done this, but I am 35 minutes into this film and cannot believe how awful this film is! The first 30 minutes were spent with one character. She played with her lighter for 15 minutes, spent some time on the phone, etc. The film is slightly over 2 hours long and I am getting sick and tired of people associated with a film writing phony reviews. Film making is an art, it requires a particular kind of talent and skill. Owning equipment does not a film maker make!! I wish there was some way to control bogus reviews because this does not qualify as a film! I am tired of wasting my time watching stuff that's unwatchable.

Spare yourself and pass this one by quickly!!

"Broken Side of Time" was an interesting little project by Gorman Bechard. It follows veteran model Dolce (Lynn Mancinelli) on a road trip to her home, stopping at different places along the way for various types of photoshoots. She is leaving the modeling business, and she intends for these shoots to be her last big "hoorah" before leaving. We see Dolce struggling with a variety of different issues, from relationships to drinking and smoking. Through her actions and expressions, it is easy to tell what she is going through at any given moment, and Mancinelli is so convincing in the role it is hard to believe she is even acting. There are many great scenes, including my favorite where she gets behind the camera to shoot a younger model named Viral (Audria Ayers). My favorite aspect of the film was the use of natural lighting. Whether it be the sun shining through a window, or a sliver of light coming from a door, it makes the film seem all the more realistic. Bottom line, this is a good film not only if you are into the aspects of modeling and photography, but also if you like character study. I must admit, I don't get to see many indie films, but I am glad I caught this one.

This was a dark journey for the Dolce/Jane (Lynn Mancinelli) and the viewer is right there with her. You see her at her lowest, indulging in the vices a lifestyle with no center and sustained by illusion, smoke, and mirrors, provide. You experience her world, from her eyes, and together come to a realization that the ride must come to an end. So, one more trip down the rabbit hole. Only this time, not to stay, but to say, "goodbye". On the road for one more stab at all the things that made this her lifestyle of choice. Indulge in one more drug binge, one more casual sex encounter, one last great photoshoot. With each experience, she sheds her demons. In the end, there is redemption in coming home.

First off, for people who seem to think every good indie film review is written by someone associated with the film, I have NOTHING to to with the film, the filmmakers, the cast, any of them. I read these silly comments here all the time, and wonder why people can't just understand we all have different tastes. I think big action movies suck. But I don't write reviews claiming that every good review was written by someone involved with the production. It's just ridiculous.

That said, Broken Side of Time is a beautiful film about a woman's journey to rediscover herself, to start over, when she realizes the job she loves now belongs to 18-year-olds and she can't and won't compete.

The opening half hour is a brilliant piece of acting my Lynn Mancinelli. There is virtually no dialog during this section. Instead, we see and feel the internal pain she's going through to come to the realization that she MUST move on with her life. Anyone who's ever been in a situation where they know they must make a decision they don't want to make will understand. It's like knowing you need to break up with someone. We see how hard the decision is for her.

The zippo lighter scene kills me. First off, it appears to be the only light used in the scene. It's stark, it's heartbreaking, it's how humans actually behave in real life. And for the record, it's about 30 seconds, not fifteen minutes. But for people with ADD, well...y'know.

Once she gets in the car and begins the road trip home, at about the 32 minute mark, the film changes tone. We see her come to accept her decision, and even turn from a very depressed creature, into the stunning model she once was. And as she slowly gives up the vices in her life, we see her smile for the first time. We see her begin to enjoy life.

Everything about this film is beautiful. From the performances, to the music to the way it was shot. It felt real to me. I've been there. Every woman I know has as well.

Broken Side of Time is what an indie film SHOULD be. Allow yourself to get lost in her journey. You won't be disappointed.

And if you're looking for a comparison, it's very much like a French film. Think Blue Is The Warmest Color. Or the American indie film Starlet. That's the vibe. If your attention span is that of a 4-year-old, this is not the film for you.

Greetings,

Thank you for checking out the IMDb page for my new narrative feature, "Broken Side of Time."

This is a film that grew out of making my first documentary, "Color Me Obsessed, a film about The Replacements," and the idea of shooting a fiction film the same way we'd shoot a documentary. No script. Just an idea for a beginning and an end, and we'd let the footage captured dictate the story when we got to the editing room. But I knew to make that work I needed a brilliant lead actress, so I turned to Lynn Mancinelli from my "Friends (With Benefits)." She will break your heart in this film. She will speak to the wrong decisions we all make, the abuse we often times inflict upon ourself, knowing we need to stop, but unable to, until rock bottom is hit.

"Broken Side of Time" is a story about redemption. About starting over. About hitting that rock bottom, and realizing you are the only one who can save yourself. Lynn's character, Dolce, needs to reinvent herself at 30 and start over. And that is never easy.

The 11 professional photo shoots depicted in the film were all real shoots, with some of the best photographers located on our road trip between Connecticut and Detroit. They were shot cinéma vérité style. My camera set into a corner, capturing the action as it unfolded. The only instructions to the photographers: Lynn had to be called by her character's name.

I'm very proud of this film. It was made by a very small crew. At times I was the only person behind the camera (shooting, directing, doing sound), Lynn was the only person in front of it (also doing hair and makeup). The most crew members ever on set numbered 5 during the bar scenes, proof that a small collection of people who really know what they're doing can make a film look as good as a crew of 20 or 60 or more.

By ordering this DVD or renting/purchasing the film on a digital platform, you are supporting indie film the way it was meant to be. (This is not a $20 million dollar Hollywood version of "independent" cinema.) I truly think you'll find "Broken Side of Time" raw and heartbreaking, and Lynn's performance beautiful. Hopefully it's a film that will stay with you for a long long time. A film that you will return to, finding some deeper meaning each time you watch it. Spotting a shot that you somehow missed the first time around. One that now takes your breath away.

Thank you for coming along with us on this amazing ride.

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Until next time...

Gorman Bechard director/editor/cinematographer, "Broken Side of Time"

P.S. The DVD edition on sale May 20, 2014, features a number of great EXTRAS, including: 5 extended unedited photo shoots, a bunch of deleted scenes, extended scenes, and some really funny blooper outtakes. Plus there's a featurette on how we created the look and feel of the film, and got it made on such a low budget using KickStarter.