contact-742-500835's reviews
This page showcases all reviews contact-742-500835 has written, sharing their detailed thoughts about movies, TV shows, and more.
82 reviews
Woe written and directed by Matthew Goodhue is a very well crafted smart film. Mr. Goodhue's choice and style to build a story around a very common situation in a very "un-common" way is brilliant filmmaking. Woe is sharp-well casted-and finds a way to stay with you long after the final credits.
-Oaxaca FilmFest.
-Oaxaca FilmFest.
Polla-Ilariya Kozino' animated short The Ribbon is a spectacular journey for all one's senses. Smart animation blended with an intelligent story line grounded in a strong score. The film captures you from the first frame and holds you in suspended "animation" until the final credits. A sure fire hit on the global festival circuit.
-Oaxaca FilmFest
Ian Anthony Nelson's Exploring the Pacific Northwest is critical, important and smart filmmaking. His visual eye is a master class in cinematography.
-Oaxaca FilmFest
Céline Coste Carlisle and Judit Kalmár team up to bring us Silêncio - Vozes de Lisboa (Silêncio - Voices of Lisbon) a well crafted documentary from Portugal. The cinematography and the music are entrancing. However, it is the characters and the story line that will really connect with audiences around the globe. The methodology used to transform Ivone and Marta's lives to film is done with such grace and elegance. Simultaneously having us-the audience-examine how the ever changing world will eventually impact our own lives. Beautiful filmmaking.
Oaxaca FilmFest
Oaxaca FilmFest
Three Brothers Two is POWERFUL! Director Craig Moore brings a must see film to the festival circuit. A strong script with captivating characters and a riveting story line pulls us in from the opening and keeps us mesmerized till the end. A sure hit on the global festival circuit.
-Oaxaca FilmFest
Writer Director Matteo Ciotola delivers something very special with his Italian short Come è entrato (Within). Within, draws you in from the first frame. Young Mr. Ciotola's choice to take an experimental path in telling his story is smart filmmaking and his visual eye is a master class in cinematography. Within, is sure to be a hit on the international festival circuit.
-Oaxaca FilmFest
Kyle (Ari Brand) has been unsuccessful so far in finding a fascinating subject for a documentary for his film class at his community college. He's been filming boring and uninteresting people so far, members of his community until one day he finds a strange couple formed by wheelchair bound Barb (Shirleyann Kaladajian) and intense psycho Dick (Alex Webb) Kyle enlists the help of fellow film students Penny (Jasmine Carmichael) who becomes Kyle's romantic interest and his Best friend Sam (Maul Donte Davis). The weird couple is obviously attractive from an interest point of view as they are both fascinating despite being obviously strange, however it is Dick who gives the strongest vibe that there may be something beyond just weirdness and eccentricity when it comes to these two, something probably more shady and dangerous than Kyle would like to admit. However, despite the obvious signs that Kyle should get away from the couple as fast as he can, his fascination for them keeps him coming back for more. If Kyle doesn't get away from Barb and Dick, he will burn like a moth does when attracted to THE FLAME.
It is almost a cliché that in thrillers or horror films where there's obviously something wrong going on, characters make strange and often stupid choices like staying at the haunted house or approaching strange people who give clear signs of danger. However, in Alex Webb's thriller TO THE FLAME there is a very good reason for Kyle to plunge himself into peril despite the obvious warning signs the couple that has become the focus of his documentary give away. Kyle is an aimless young man attending community college and he's given an assignment to interview people in his town, which is a boring and tranquil place, but also a dead end. Kyle is stuck interviewing chinchilla farmers and coming home to an empty fridge. At class, he hears his professor speak of the myth of Achilles, the great warrior of myth who fought at Troy, who was given a choice: Forsake war and live a mundane life and become forgotten, or head to Troy and achieve glory and immortality. His opportunity arrives when he finds Barb and Dick, a strange couple living in seclusion and keeping to themselves. Barb is welcoming to Kyle and takes to the idea of his documentary, while Kyle is far more aggressive and unwilling to participate. Kyle finds in the couple the perfect subject for his documentary, but also the first glimmer of uniqueness and excitement in his boring and unassuming town. Dick is basically a walking "Warning!" sign, but much like Achilles, Kyle realizes that it is this very danger that will give him a chance at glory, even if he burns in the process. As for Dick, he eventually gives into being filmed by Kyle, he may have tried to keep to himself and not call attention, but his narcissism (part of his psychopathy) pushes him to open himself up to the camera. All psychopaths claim for attention, and he has now someone who gives that attention to him, Dick even has a box that makes cheering sounds when he opens it like a music box. Dick knows that he should allow Kyle to film him (he becomes particularly violent when Kyle uploads a video of him on the internet) as he could be recognized, but the sensation of validation becomes intoxicating and forgets his discipline. The title refers to the mortal attraction of moths to flames, moths cannot help the attraction, and they simply head into the burning light. Both Kyle and Dick are moths, each attracted to the light that emanates from each other, but unlike moths who have no consciousness of their acts, Dick and Kyle are aware of the inherent danger that they both represent. The things that they offer to each other are irresistible: excitement and attention. In this regard, TO THE FLAME becomes a parable of the way that content creators are constantly trying to find the most sensational subject they can find while simultaneously validating and glorifying deranged people into celebrity status. The relation between documentary maker and subject is one of mutual attraction, it becomes irresistible, and also for the audience as Kyle's fellow classmates become glued to the screen anytime they witness new footage of Dick's strange shenanigans.
Alex Webb's TO THE FLAME is darkly comedic thriller that balances its uncomfortable humor with suspense and thrills, the script always stays on point and never deviates from its main subject. Ari Brand plays Kyle with a boyish and unassuming charm whose ambition and desire to leave his small town behind gets the best of him, he can't escape Barb and Dick's orbit anymore nor does he want to, the material he gets from them is too good, but there may also be a personal reason for him to investigate the coupe further. Shirleyann Kaladjian plays the wheelchair bound Barb with more restrain, doing a more disciplined job at hiding the cracks in her psyche, yet her psyche is as damaged as her physique. Jasmine Carmichael's Penny is the one character who keeps her sensitive core and can see right through Barb and Dick's madness, but she's also seeing how Kyle is becoming more and more detached from reality while she stays grounded. Pulling double duties as both Director and actor is Alex Webb himself who plays Dick. The film wouldn't work if Barb and Dick weren't truly fascinating and worthy of being obsessed with, but Dick is a magnetic character who commands attention, he's weird in a way that could be just unassumingly eccentric or unhinged and lethal. Webb provides Dick with an imposing physique who easily outmatches Kyle's smaller and weaker frame. He's sometimes charming and paternal to Kyle but when the switch is on he becomes a wrecking ball. Dick is simultaneously the antagonist and the comic relief as his behavior goes from hilarious to unnerving in a matter of seconds, he is unpredictable at all moments. TO THE FLAME works because its characters make the wrong choices for very understandable reasons.
It is almost a cliché that in thrillers or horror films where there's obviously something wrong going on, characters make strange and often stupid choices like staying at the haunted house or approaching strange people who give clear signs of danger. However, in Alex Webb's thriller TO THE FLAME there is a very good reason for Kyle to plunge himself into peril despite the obvious warning signs the couple that has become the focus of his documentary give away. Kyle is an aimless young man attending community college and he's given an assignment to interview people in his town, which is a boring and tranquil place, but also a dead end. Kyle is stuck interviewing chinchilla farmers and coming home to an empty fridge. At class, he hears his professor speak of the myth of Achilles, the great warrior of myth who fought at Troy, who was given a choice: Forsake war and live a mundane life and become forgotten, or head to Troy and achieve glory and immortality. His opportunity arrives when he finds Barb and Dick, a strange couple living in seclusion and keeping to themselves. Barb is welcoming to Kyle and takes to the idea of his documentary, while Kyle is far more aggressive and unwilling to participate. Kyle finds in the couple the perfect subject for his documentary, but also the first glimmer of uniqueness and excitement in his boring and unassuming town. Dick is basically a walking "Warning!" sign, but much like Achilles, Kyle realizes that it is this very danger that will give him a chance at glory, even if he burns in the process. As for Dick, he eventually gives into being filmed by Kyle, he may have tried to keep to himself and not call attention, but his narcissism (part of his psychopathy) pushes him to open himself up to the camera. All psychopaths claim for attention, and he has now someone who gives that attention to him, Dick even has a box that makes cheering sounds when he opens it like a music box. Dick knows that he should allow Kyle to film him (he becomes particularly violent when Kyle uploads a video of him on the internet) as he could be recognized, but the sensation of validation becomes intoxicating and forgets his discipline. The title refers to the mortal attraction of moths to flames, moths cannot help the attraction, and they simply head into the burning light. Both Kyle and Dick are moths, each attracted to the light that emanates from each other, but unlike moths who have no consciousness of their acts, Dick and Kyle are aware of the inherent danger that they both represent. The things that they offer to each other are irresistible: excitement and attention. In this regard, TO THE FLAME becomes a parable of the way that content creators are constantly trying to find the most sensational subject they can find while simultaneously validating and glorifying deranged people into celebrity status. The relation between documentary maker and subject is one of mutual attraction, it becomes irresistible, and also for the audience as Kyle's fellow classmates become glued to the screen anytime they witness new footage of Dick's strange shenanigans.
Alex Webb's TO THE FLAME is darkly comedic thriller that balances its uncomfortable humor with suspense and thrills, the script always stays on point and never deviates from its main subject. Ari Brand plays Kyle with a boyish and unassuming charm whose ambition and desire to leave his small town behind gets the best of him, he can't escape Barb and Dick's orbit anymore nor does he want to, the material he gets from them is too good, but there may also be a personal reason for him to investigate the coupe further. Shirleyann Kaladjian plays the wheelchair bound Barb with more restrain, doing a more disciplined job at hiding the cracks in her psyche, yet her psyche is as damaged as her physique. Jasmine Carmichael's Penny is the one character who keeps her sensitive core and can see right through Barb and Dick's madness, but she's also seeing how Kyle is becoming more and more detached from reality while she stays grounded. Pulling double duties as both Director and actor is Alex Webb himself who plays Dick. The film wouldn't work if Barb and Dick weren't truly fascinating and worthy of being obsessed with, but Dick is a magnetic character who commands attention, he's weird in a way that could be just unassumingly eccentric or unhinged and lethal. Webb provides Dick with an imposing physique who easily outmatches Kyle's smaller and weaker frame. He's sometimes charming and paternal to Kyle but when the switch is on he becomes a wrecking ball. Dick is simultaneously the antagonist and the comic relief as his behavior goes from hilarious to unnerving in a matter of seconds, he is unpredictable at all moments. TO THE FLAME works because its characters make the wrong choices for very understandable reasons.
Jennifer Frappier is an actor, softball player and festival producer living in the height of her active professional life, however, thoughts of family have made her take the decision to extend her fertility by freezing her eggs. Jennifer takes us through her journey, first by getting to know her and her family background as well as her hopes of having the same chances of having the experience of having a family of her own and then through a more medical and technical approach where we see the science behind egg-freezing in full display. Frappier crafts a documentary that is a mixture of heart and science or more like science in the service of the heart.
Women are often thought to prevent pregnancy or to delay it, especially in our day and age where women are focusing on themselves, their careers and professions. Generally, people used to be have children at a younger age, forty or fifty years ago people in their twenties would marry and have children and form families of numerous children, which was the norm but not anymore. In CHILL we follow Jennifer, a woman who is laser focused in her career and newly single after a long relationship, she decides to freeze her eggs when the thought of missing out on having a family of her own the way her parents and grandparents did overwhelms her. Despite the fact that women postpone having children to focus on their careers, their biology doesn't extend the same courtesy and the chances of being fertile diminish with age. Women sometimes have to choose between their professional goals and raising a family, but not anymore, for technology gives women the chance to hold on to hope thanks to innovative procedures in egg conservation. The process as depicted in the short doc is very technical; a series of shots are administered, containing hormones that will produce the desired changes and maximize the egg count. The injections are taken within a month along with ultrasounds so as to see if the desired egg count has been achieved. After enough eggs are available, the removal procedure begins, a surgery that removes the eggs and then places them into an innovative deep freeze that has removed the freeze crystals which used to tear through the tissue, the eggs do get slightly damaged and it is possible that not all of them will be fertile, but this is why there injections where necessary to overhaul the number of eggs and have a better percentage of success. As technical as these parts are, this is truly a about family and the possibility of family. This is really what it's all about: family, Jennifer Frappier introduces us to the why by presenting her family to us, the people that means the most, the people who raise her and helped shape her into the person she is today. Jennifer presents us not just with an interesting documentary about advanced procedures, but also about how women through technology are becoming truly empowered over their bodies and their choices. They can choose to postpone pregnancy and now they can also prolong their fertility and not have their own biology punish them for the choices they make, they are in control now and it is a powerful thing. Another interesting thing about the documentary is that all the Doctors and scientists who are presented in the documentary are females, these are women who have learned and mastered these procedures and techniques in the service of a cause that they understand better than anyone. There's a sense of sisterhood in how the procedure is performed on Jennifer, how they talk to each other on a whole other level of understanding among them. Sure, a male Doctor would have been just as careful and thoughtful when applying these techniques, but there's a whole other dimension of meaning that this technique achieves when it is all-female. It's truly a thing to behold, how women can say when and how, their bodies would be almost a foreign biological entity with no regard to their needs, all bodies are like that, the disconnect between mind and biology and how we as humans sometimes have no control over the way owe function. Technology and science have become the key to master our own biology and in the case of women they have now a way to say to their own biological ticking clocks "hang on a second". Despite all these breakthroughs, one thing will remain the same; family. Families will continue to grow, Jennifer will have a chance to have a family of her own, and she can choose to be a single mom or wait for the right partner, it's all about choice and that's what empowerment is about.
Jennifer Frappier's documentary is short and not technically sophisticated, by this we mean that it's not a short documentary concerned with form, but rather with function. The purpose is not to dazzle with film-making techniques and polished cinematography, but to learn and to share. We learn about the science, which for some (including this reviewer) came off as a surprise, you may have heard of the procedure, but to see how advanced it is and how efficient it has become is another thing. The process is fascinating, and Jennifer presents it in a very easily digestible and comprehensible way that doesn't hold people by the hand, but rather makes it more intuitive. We learn not through exposition but by seeing it, show, don't tell in full motion. The sharing part comes from Frappier herself opening up to us the way she does. While this is a very private matter and a life-changing decision, Frappier opens up and we can see all the vulnerability, the doubts and fears but also the hope, the strength and a sense of humor about the whole thing, which makes her both a skilled documentarian and an amicable subject to follow. The documentary only portrays the initial process, the removal and freezing of the eggs. We hope that one day we can see the follow-up with Frappier as a mom having completed her journey.
Women are often thought to prevent pregnancy or to delay it, especially in our day and age where women are focusing on themselves, their careers and professions. Generally, people used to be have children at a younger age, forty or fifty years ago people in their twenties would marry and have children and form families of numerous children, which was the norm but not anymore. In CHILL we follow Jennifer, a woman who is laser focused in her career and newly single after a long relationship, she decides to freeze her eggs when the thought of missing out on having a family of her own the way her parents and grandparents did overwhelms her. Despite the fact that women postpone having children to focus on their careers, their biology doesn't extend the same courtesy and the chances of being fertile diminish with age. Women sometimes have to choose between their professional goals and raising a family, but not anymore, for technology gives women the chance to hold on to hope thanks to innovative procedures in egg conservation. The process as depicted in the short doc is very technical; a series of shots are administered, containing hormones that will produce the desired changes and maximize the egg count. The injections are taken within a month along with ultrasounds so as to see if the desired egg count has been achieved. After enough eggs are available, the removal procedure begins, a surgery that removes the eggs and then places them into an innovative deep freeze that has removed the freeze crystals which used to tear through the tissue, the eggs do get slightly damaged and it is possible that not all of them will be fertile, but this is why there injections where necessary to overhaul the number of eggs and have a better percentage of success. As technical as these parts are, this is truly a about family and the possibility of family. This is really what it's all about: family, Jennifer Frappier introduces us to the why by presenting her family to us, the people that means the most, the people who raise her and helped shape her into the person she is today. Jennifer presents us not just with an interesting documentary about advanced procedures, but also about how women through technology are becoming truly empowered over their bodies and their choices. They can choose to postpone pregnancy and now they can also prolong their fertility and not have their own biology punish them for the choices they make, they are in control now and it is a powerful thing. Another interesting thing about the documentary is that all the Doctors and scientists who are presented in the documentary are females, these are women who have learned and mastered these procedures and techniques in the service of a cause that they understand better than anyone. There's a sense of sisterhood in how the procedure is performed on Jennifer, how they talk to each other on a whole other level of understanding among them. Sure, a male Doctor would have been just as careful and thoughtful when applying these techniques, but there's a whole other dimension of meaning that this technique achieves when it is all-female. It's truly a thing to behold, how women can say when and how, their bodies would be almost a foreign biological entity with no regard to their needs, all bodies are like that, the disconnect between mind and biology and how we as humans sometimes have no control over the way owe function. Technology and science have become the key to master our own biology and in the case of women they have now a way to say to their own biological ticking clocks "hang on a second". Despite all these breakthroughs, one thing will remain the same; family. Families will continue to grow, Jennifer will have a chance to have a family of her own, and she can choose to be a single mom or wait for the right partner, it's all about choice and that's what empowerment is about.
Jennifer Frappier's documentary is short and not technically sophisticated, by this we mean that it's not a short documentary concerned with form, but rather with function. The purpose is not to dazzle with film-making techniques and polished cinematography, but to learn and to share. We learn about the science, which for some (including this reviewer) came off as a surprise, you may have heard of the procedure, but to see how advanced it is and how efficient it has become is another thing. The process is fascinating, and Jennifer presents it in a very easily digestible and comprehensible way that doesn't hold people by the hand, but rather makes it more intuitive. We learn not through exposition but by seeing it, show, don't tell in full motion. The sharing part comes from Frappier herself opening up to us the way she does. While this is a very private matter and a life-changing decision, Frappier opens up and we can see all the vulnerability, the doubts and fears but also the hope, the strength and a sense of humor about the whole thing, which makes her both a skilled documentarian and an amicable subject to follow. The documentary only portrays the initial process, the removal and freezing of the eggs. We hope that one day we can see the follow-up with Frappier as a mom having completed her journey.
ONE MOTHER'S FIRE: THE GAIL MINGER STORY delves into one mother's fight for truth and for change, as we follow Gail Minger's crusade for campus safety and her achievements on legislation and change.
It is unfortunate that sometimes purpose comes from tragedy. Some people find their calling in life without a major life-changing event having to happen for them to become advocates to a cause. Others, like Gail Minger, become crusaders out of a place of pain and a desire to spare other people that pain. One night, Minger went to sleep like any other night, when she receives a phone-call, her husband answers in the middle of the night and then they receives news that forever changed their lives. The college informed them that their son, Michael Minger, has perished in a fire at his dorm room. After grieving, came the questions: why did this happened? What could have happened to avoid this tragedy? How can we avoid these from ever happening again? As it happens, Murray State University's fire contingencies were archaic and antiquated. From faulty sprinklers to faulty fire alarms and nonexistent contingency procedures, not to mention that there had been already an arson reported at the same premises and the College covered it up. Minger's question brought to light a web of negligence and greed, she was driven not just to expose these corruption within Michael's college, but all colleges around America, holding them accountable for the safety of sons and daughters like hers that are sent away to college and placed in the hands of people who may not have their best interests at hand. Gail could have stayed quiet, allowed for things to take their course, but instead she took it upon herself to make sure that College dorms around the country would ensure their student's safety, not by asking nicely, she took it to the senate where legislation was passed to make these changes by law. Gail Minger has saved lives by taking college campuses to task when it comes to safety, other parents won't have to wake-up in the middle of the night to the terrible news that they won't see their child again. While this is primordially a tale of resilience in the face of insurmountable tragedy, this documentary is also a celebration of a mother's love and the life of a kid who had his whole life ahead of him. Through this film we also get to know Gail's son and what it meant for her to be his mother, Michael Minger was a college kid with a lovely voice who was on the autism spectrum, and yet, he was an active and exemplary student who never allowed his disability to stop him so as we can see, resilience is in the family. Michael's passing weighted on Gail, it almost broke her, but she found the strength to use her pain as fuel for another kind of fire, one that she would use to give her the will to make a difference. To this day, Gail honor's her son's legacy by rising awareness on college campuses nationwide. She has founded the Michael H. Minger foundation, rising safety standards and looking out particularly for students with disabilities and how the safety protocols can be modified for their needs. A true story of fortitude in the face of loss and tragedy.
Director Diana Nicolae has crafted a documentary that combines interviews and testimonies with dramatizations of the events that led to the tragic fire at Murray State campus. Focusing mainly on Gail Minger, as we hear from her own account who her son was, what those moments of anguish felt like when they got that phone-call and the subsequent quest for truth and the road that led her to the senate where stronger campus safety laws were passed with unanimous approval. Nicolae doesn't just point and shoot at interviews and testimonies, she also directs vivid dramatizations of the night of the fire, she doesn't just show a strong hand as a documentary filmmaker but also as a story-teller who provides these sequences with cinematic flair and an eye for emotional impact. The scenes never feel exploitative, they are simply here to get us into Gail's mindset, what she felt like on that night and what it must have been for Michael as the firefighters searched for him amidst the fire, in other words: what it feels to lose a child to negligence. Gail is a compelling narrator, but she's also a woman who is determined and who never backs down when she demanded answers and people refused to give her the truth. Nicolae and Minger team-up to create a documentary which purpose is not just to show us Minger's story, it is meant to make us realize that this could happen to us, and that we should be vigilant and demanding when it comes to college campus safety. We are Gail and we are Michael and we are the fourteen kids who were harmed on that night, and we should be safe within our college dorm-rooms and be able to graduate, and we shouldn't have to receive a phone-call in the middle of the night bearing terrible news and then expect us to shrug it off. At heart, Gail's story is a true example of American resilience, when Americans see that there's something wrong, or a wrong has befallen them, they take their pain and turn it to fuel and they spring to action and make a difference. Nicolae worked with Minger, crafting safety videos for college campuses, compelled by her story, Nicolae decided to craft this short documentary as a way to raise awareness but also as a homage to both Gail and Michael.
It is unfortunate that sometimes purpose comes from tragedy. Some people find their calling in life without a major life-changing event having to happen for them to become advocates to a cause. Others, like Gail Minger, become crusaders out of a place of pain and a desire to spare other people that pain. One night, Minger went to sleep like any other night, when she receives a phone-call, her husband answers in the middle of the night and then they receives news that forever changed their lives. The college informed them that their son, Michael Minger, has perished in a fire at his dorm room. After grieving, came the questions: why did this happened? What could have happened to avoid this tragedy? How can we avoid these from ever happening again? As it happens, Murray State University's fire contingencies were archaic and antiquated. From faulty sprinklers to faulty fire alarms and nonexistent contingency procedures, not to mention that there had been already an arson reported at the same premises and the College covered it up. Minger's question brought to light a web of negligence and greed, she was driven not just to expose these corruption within Michael's college, but all colleges around America, holding them accountable for the safety of sons and daughters like hers that are sent away to college and placed in the hands of people who may not have their best interests at hand. Gail could have stayed quiet, allowed for things to take their course, but instead she took it upon herself to make sure that College dorms around the country would ensure their student's safety, not by asking nicely, she took it to the senate where legislation was passed to make these changes by law. Gail Minger has saved lives by taking college campuses to task when it comes to safety, other parents won't have to wake-up in the middle of the night to the terrible news that they won't see their child again. While this is primordially a tale of resilience in the face of insurmountable tragedy, this documentary is also a celebration of a mother's love and the life of a kid who had his whole life ahead of him. Through this film we also get to know Gail's son and what it meant for her to be his mother, Michael Minger was a college kid with a lovely voice who was on the autism spectrum, and yet, he was an active and exemplary student who never allowed his disability to stop him so as we can see, resilience is in the family. Michael's passing weighted on Gail, it almost broke her, but she found the strength to use her pain as fuel for another kind of fire, one that she would use to give her the will to make a difference. To this day, Gail honor's her son's legacy by rising awareness on college campuses nationwide. She has founded the Michael H. Minger foundation, rising safety standards and looking out particularly for students with disabilities and how the safety protocols can be modified for their needs. A true story of fortitude in the face of loss and tragedy.
Director Diana Nicolae has crafted a documentary that combines interviews and testimonies with dramatizations of the events that led to the tragic fire at Murray State campus. Focusing mainly on Gail Minger, as we hear from her own account who her son was, what those moments of anguish felt like when they got that phone-call and the subsequent quest for truth and the road that led her to the senate where stronger campus safety laws were passed with unanimous approval. Nicolae doesn't just point and shoot at interviews and testimonies, she also directs vivid dramatizations of the night of the fire, she doesn't just show a strong hand as a documentary filmmaker but also as a story-teller who provides these sequences with cinematic flair and an eye for emotional impact. The scenes never feel exploitative, they are simply here to get us into Gail's mindset, what she felt like on that night and what it must have been for Michael as the firefighters searched for him amidst the fire, in other words: what it feels to lose a child to negligence. Gail is a compelling narrator, but she's also a woman who is determined and who never backs down when she demanded answers and people refused to give her the truth. Nicolae and Minger team-up to create a documentary which purpose is not just to show us Minger's story, it is meant to make us realize that this could happen to us, and that we should be vigilant and demanding when it comes to college campus safety. We are Gail and we are Michael and we are the fourteen kids who were harmed on that night, and we should be safe within our college dorm-rooms and be able to graduate, and we shouldn't have to receive a phone-call in the middle of the night bearing terrible news and then expect us to shrug it off. At heart, Gail's story is a true example of American resilience, when Americans see that there's something wrong, or a wrong has befallen them, they take their pain and turn it to fuel and they spring to action and make a difference. Nicolae worked with Minger, crafting safety videos for college campuses, compelled by her story, Nicolae decided to craft this short documentary as a way to raise awareness but also as a homage to both Gail and Michael.
I WANT FOR NOTHING is a tale of magical-realism, taking place in a small town somewhere in modern day England. At heart it is a classic story of people wishing to obtain something, only to obtain that said something and proceed to ruin it, either by jealousy or self-sabotage. Daisy wishes she could overcome her crippling shyness and make friends, more than anything in the world. But when she actually does, not only does she have to learn what is like to actually interact with another person, but also begins to experience the complicated emotions that come along with friendship. When Daisy meets Jill, she's about to bail on her just like she always does whenever she encounters people. In her mind, she sees herself interacting with others, but in reality her body reacts in almost physically painful ways that keep her from ever being able to make the first step and actually even opening her mouth. When Jill solves Daisy's dilemma by providing her with a novel way to amplify her voice, Jill doesn't use her newfound voice to say anything nice, but rather indulges into a barrage of profanities that are both liberating and strangely also meant to keep Jill away. However, Jill finds Daisy's Tourette-like rants refreshing and they become fast friends. Daisy's wish has been fulfilled, she finally has a friend and one she can be herself with, as for Jill's wish, she's about to have it granted when later on, as they fool around, they're surprised to discover a strange and mysterious power - allowing them to taste other people's food without ever having to eat it. They set out around town, approaching people in order to try and sneakily taste their food. And here comes the part when the irony of having our wishes granted comes; Despite being friends with Jill, Daisy remains painfully shy and she can't quite get as close to people's food as she wishes to, however, Jill has no such problem and manages to get closer to people and fool them with her verbal dexterity. This causes a rift between both friends, for Daisy now experiments something that sometimes can come with friendship: Jealousy. Daisy becomes jealous with Jill's ability to speak to anybody, and so, she decides to get back at her friend where she knows it hurts: her bulimia. Daisy convinces Jill to taste people's food without ever taking a bite, and this begins to take a serious toll on her health. One woman gets to have finally have a friend, and her jealousy causes her to drive her away from her, while the other one wishes she could eat without getting fat, and gets more than she bargained for, to the point of endangering her life. Finding ourselves in a constant state of struggle, trying to obtain the things we wish for can bring purpose to our lives, but once we get what we wanted, our self-sabotaging nature causes us to destroy the dreams we craved so much. Such is the tragedy of western civilization, a way of life that gives us everything and yet keeps us unsatisfied at all times.
Directed by Keir Black, I WANT FOR NOTHING is a bizarre fantasy that is reminiscent of Jean Pierre-Jeunet films. Being sweet and crass, tender and revolting at the same time with a mischievous and fun glint in its eye. Black manages to tell his story on an almost purely visual level, only resorting to incidental dialogue here and there, but this is an expertly told story that employs images and editing to convey emotions and communicate its intentions without lengthy dialogue nor exposition. It is an example of "show don't tell" narrative. We imagine his film process must have been to story-board and plan every shot, for it all assembles logically, which is no small feat when talking about a narrative that is not exactly bound by logic. It may read contradictory, but this is a film about irony, after all. Keir doesn't explain why his characters are the way they are, he simply shows us what they do and what their respective wishes and fantasies are and then proceeds to put them to the test once they get what they wanted, almost as if experimenting with them. The film itself is fun, it's a curious and bizarre story that depends mostly of its vibrant score, filled with over-saturated colors and highly expressive leads in the form of Louise Mardenborough as Daisy and Catherine Manford as Jill. Mardenborough, plays Daisy almost mute, so her big expressive green eyes have to do much of the heavy lifting. Manford's manic and bubbling personality make for the perfect foil for Daisy. These two awkward yet magical women make no sense when separate, but together they are a perfect match (their friendship points at even deeper feelings) however, they are not immune to the darker side of the human heart; Daisy never knew she had it in her to feel Jealousy or envy because she had never had a friend nor interacted with people, although the hints where there all along every time she saw people mingling at the distance, secretly wanting what they had. Daisy saves Jill life in a scatological act of self-sacrifice, literally giving herself to Jill in order to save her. A selfless act indeed. This is an imaginative and original story, unpredictable and vibrant.
Directed by Keir Black, I WANT FOR NOTHING is a bizarre fantasy that is reminiscent of Jean Pierre-Jeunet films. Being sweet and crass, tender and revolting at the same time with a mischievous and fun glint in its eye. Black manages to tell his story on an almost purely visual level, only resorting to incidental dialogue here and there, but this is an expertly told story that employs images and editing to convey emotions and communicate its intentions without lengthy dialogue nor exposition. It is an example of "show don't tell" narrative. We imagine his film process must have been to story-board and plan every shot, for it all assembles logically, which is no small feat when talking about a narrative that is not exactly bound by logic. It may read contradictory, but this is a film about irony, after all. Keir doesn't explain why his characters are the way they are, he simply shows us what they do and what their respective wishes and fantasies are and then proceeds to put them to the test once they get what they wanted, almost as if experimenting with them. The film itself is fun, it's a curious and bizarre story that depends mostly of its vibrant score, filled with over-saturated colors and highly expressive leads in the form of Louise Mardenborough as Daisy and Catherine Manford as Jill. Mardenborough, plays Daisy almost mute, so her big expressive green eyes have to do much of the heavy lifting. Manford's manic and bubbling personality make for the perfect foil for Daisy. These two awkward yet magical women make no sense when separate, but together they are a perfect match (their friendship points at even deeper feelings) however, they are not immune to the darker side of the human heart; Daisy never knew she had it in her to feel Jealousy or envy because she had never had a friend nor interacted with people, although the hints where there all along every time she saw people mingling at the distance, secretly wanting what they had. Daisy saves Jill life in a scatological act of self-sacrifice, literally giving herself to Jill in order to save her. A selfless act indeed. This is an imaginative and original story, unpredictable and vibrant.
Emma (Daisy Bevan) is an Englishwoman of Italian descent who has arrived at Florence, Italy from New York. She had spent some time during her childhood in Italy, and own a house there. Emma meets Tancredi, an Italian noble and member of a high-society family. At first, Emma enjoys the privilege that comes with belonging to Tancredi's social circle; spending her days at the beach, enjoying decadent meals and the constant flow of wine, the parties and the servants, eventually becoming engaged with Tancredi. However, Emma slowly begins to realize that she is not entirely free and that her position within the family comes with certain expectation, which lead to pressure and the clash of her values against a decadent aristocracy that is wearing away while indulging in its own hedonism.
When we meet Emma, she visits a cemetery, one where the graves are quite ancient in appearance and also opulent in design (although almost everything in Italy is beautifully designed) we never quite know whose grave that is. Later, Emma meets Tancredi, a handsome and young Italian (like most Italians apparently) who happens to have the distinction of being a member of Italian aristocracy. Emma feels welcome at first, as she's introduced to the rest of the family and her relationship with Tancredi deepens, enjoying all the privileges that come with it in the process. However, this beautiful world she has entered begins to show cracks, something ugly lies beneath the surface of its seemingly exuberant perfection. Or as some may say it simple terms: "Too good to be true". Emma begins to slowly notice how these "noble" families are actually quite casual when it comes to misogynistic attitudes and racial slurs, followed by elitism and rampant bigotry. As if this wasn't enough, Emma begins to realize that there's certain things expected of her if she's to be part of this family. Tancredi's mother, Ludovica (Bettina Giovaninni) is an ever present and almost intrusive presence between Emma and Tancredi, somehow making things even more difficult for Emma by pressuring her with overbearing kindness at all times, and passive/aggressive remarks that insinuate that Emma is not just part of the family, but basically "owned" by them. At one point, Ludovica's favorite horse breaks-out from the stables, later as Emma walks alone at the estate's grounds, she encounters the horse. She connects with the creature, projecting her own captivity into the animal, understanding exactly how the horse feels and wishing she could do the same, just break free from them, at the point that she keeps her encounter with the animal a secret. If the pressure of belonging to this family wasn't enough, Emma has to contend with their political views as well as the way they treat migrants in dehumanizing ways. While the film never makes this point clear, we believe Emma is not just clashing with the reality behind modern Italian nobility due to her convictions as she's seen deeply affected by the way nobles treat and view people, for she's also being confronted with what is like to be a noble herself and seeing what that means to her. We can only speculate that the grave Emma visits, belongs to one of her Italian ancestors, perhaps a member of a noble family on his own and therefore making Emma a member of high society herself. Perhaps that's what she came to Italy for, to discover who she is and where she belongs to, but once she found what she was looking for and being confronted with what it really means to be noble in modern day Italy, perhaps left her deeply disappointed, not just with Tancredi and his family but also possibly with herself.
NOBLE EARTH is directed by Ursula Grisham, who in her quest to realize her vision as truthfully and naturalistic as possible set her film in Florence, Italy shooting everything on-location and casting real local people as well as true members of nobility in an effort to grant the film as much verisimilitude as possible. The film is authentic in every sense of the word, capturing a world of superficiality and decadence that is seldom thought of today; modern day Italian nobility. Grisham shows these noble families as people who keep selling away their properties and valuables, sometimes for a good price and sometimes for a steal, all in the name of keeping a lavish life-style that allows them to preserve an image of opulence. Through the eyes of Emma, as played by Daisy Bevan, we see how they are content with doing nothing much besides eating amazing food, drinking copious amounts of wine, partying all night and spend their days at the beach, while also plotting their triumphant return as rightful rulers of Italy by entering into politics while dining among themselves. Grisham's work is through and detailed in presenting us with an experience that is both understandably alluring with privilege and oppressively toxic in its practices. Grisham is certainly a filmmaker to watch, for she manages to recreate experiences that feel personal and authentic through her lens. Speaking of which, cinematographer Kasper Wind Nielsen baths the screen in a naturalistic light, always keeping the film grounded in reality while also adding a stylistic visual flare that conveys Italy's obsession with aestheticism and design. The hauntingly ethereal score by Martin Velez sounds almost as if it came straight from Emma's own soul, almost as a quiet and repressed cry for help that reflects her internal conflict. Finally Daisy Bevan carries the film with her portrayal of a willing prisoner who's self-discovery arc is one that is played with as much restrain as she can, but with every discovery and disillusionment her calm and proper exterior slowly cracks until she rebels, almost like a storm that has been slowly growing within herself, until she can't take no more. These various elements constitute the strength of this project. Under no circumstances would I change any of these.
When we meet Emma, she visits a cemetery, one where the graves are quite ancient in appearance and also opulent in design (although almost everything in Italy is beautifully designed) we never quite know whose grave that is. Later, Emma meets Tancredi, a handsome and young Italian (like most Italians apparently) who happens to have the distinction of being a member of Italian aristocracy. Emma feels welcome at first, as she's introduced to the rest of the family and her relationship with Tancredi deepens, enjoying all the privileges that come with it in the process. However, this beautiful world she has entered begins to show cracks, something ugly lies beneath the surface of its seemingly exuberant perfection. Or as some may say it simple terms: "Too good to be true". Emma begins to slowly notice how these "noble" families are actually quite casual when it comes to misogynistic attitudes and racial slurs, followed by elitism and rampant bigotry. As if this wasn't enough, Emma begins to realize that there's certain things expected of her if she's to be part of this family. Tancredi's mother, Ludovica (Bettina Giovaninni) is an ever present and almost intrusive presence between Emma and Tancredi, somehow making things even more difficult for Emma by pressuring her with overbearing kindness at all times, and passive/aggressive remarks that insinuate that Emma is not just part of the family, but basically "owned" by them. At one point, Ludovica's favorite horse breaks-out from the stables, later as Emma walks alone at the estate's grounds, she encounters the horse. She connects with the creature, projecting her own captivity into the animal, understanding exactly how the horse feels and wishing she could do the same, just break free from them, at the point that she keeps her encounter with the animal a secret. If the pressure of belonging to this family wasn't enough, Emma has to contend with their political views as well as the way they treat migrants in dehumanizing ways. While the film never makes this point clear, we believe Emma is not just clashing with the reality behind modern Italian nobility due to her convictions as she's seen deeply affected by the way nobles treat and view people, for she's also being confronted with what is like to be a noble herself and seeing what that means to her. We can only speculate that the grave Emma visits, belongs to one of her Italian ancestors, perhaps a member of a noble family on his own and therefore making Emma a member of high society herself. Perhaps that's what she came to Italy for, to discover who she is and where she belongs to, but once she found what she was looking for and being confronted with what it really means to be noble in modern day Italy, perhaps left her deeply disappointed, not just with Tancredi and his family but also possibly with herself.
NOBLE EARTH is directed by Ursula Grisham, who in her quest to realize her vision as truthfully and naturalistic as possible set her film in Florence, Italy shooting everything on-location and casting real local people as well as true members of nobility in an effort to grant the film as much verisimilitude as possible. The film is authentic in every sense of the word, capturing a world of superficiality and decadence that is seldom thought of today; modern day Italian nobility. Grisham shows these noble families as people who keep selling away their properties and valuables, sometimes for a good price and sometimes for a steal, all in the name of keeping a lavish life-style that allows them to preserve an image of opulence. Through the eyes of Emma, as played by Daisy Bevan, we see how they are content with doing nothing much besides eating amazing food, drinking copious amounts of wine, partying all night and spend their days at the beach, while also plotting their triumphant return as rightful rulers of Italy by entering into politics while dining among themselves. Grisham's work is through and detailed in presenting us with an experience that is both understandably alluring with privilege and oppressively toxic in its practices. Grisham is certainly a filmmaker to watch, for she manages to recreate experiences that feel personal and authentic through her lens. Speaking of which, cinematographer Kasper Wind Nielsen baths the screen in a naturalistic light, always keeping the film grounded in reality while also adding a stylistic visual flare that conveys Italy's obsession with aestheticism and design. The hauntingly ethereal score by Martin Velez sounds almost as if it came straight from Emma's own soul, almost as a quiet and repressed cry for help that reflects her internal conflict. Finally Daisy Bevan carries the film with her portrayal of a willing prisoner who's self-discovery arc is one that is played with as much restrain as she can, but with every discovery and disillusionment her calm and proper exterior slowly cracks until she rebels, almost like a storm that has been slowly growing within herself, until she can't take no more. These various elements constitute the strength of this project. Under no circumstances would I change any of these.
This irreverent Christmas black comedy has some very funny moments. From its witty introduction to the Grandpa at the opening, to the atypical wedding that closes it the film it never loses its wit. The characters defy the conventional typecasts for these sorts of film, lending the film a fresh and exciting feeling.
The central performance from James Wirt was impressive. He embodied the role of the useless doormat well, adopting mannerisms and affectations that all added to a convincing characterization. Similarly, his wife serves as a brilliantly boisterous contrast to her cuckolded spouse.
The film's editing was good. There were several playful cuts (the edit switching to the chopping axe for example) that kept the film engaging. The pace of the film was steady, sustaining interest throughout the 80 minutes. The dream sequence was particularly effective in this sense. Shots were framed well throughout and maintained an aesthetic coherence.
Sound editing sustained the feel of an ironic Christmas comedy, and the soundtrack was orchestrated with the visuals well.
The central performance from James Wirt was impressive. He embodied the role of the useless doormat well, adopting mannerisms and affectations that all added to a convincing characterization. Similarly, his wife serves as a brilliantly boisterous contrast to her cuckolded spouse.
The film's editing was good. There were several playful cuts (the edit switching to the chopping axe for example) that kept the film engaging. The pace of the film was steady, sustaining interest throughout the 80 minutes. The dream sequence was particularly effective in this sense. Shots were framed well throughout and maintained an aesthetic coherence.
Sound editing sustained the feel of an ironic Christmas comedy, and the soundtrack was orchestrated with the visuals well.
THE LURKING MAN reminds us of Neil Gaiman's SANDMAN, a masterpiece of graphic novels which employed mythology and an anthropomorphic representation of Death as means to explore life in the modern age. Brikisak and Rommel mix a harrowing addiction drama with a supernatural battle over a woman's soul which is more effective as a vehicle to tell a story about alcohol abuse and mental disorder than if this had been a straightforward narrative without the fantastical elements. In the "normal world" Cailean's life has been pretty rough, a story not unlike the one's we've heard of people struggling with sobriety: a history of sexual abuse as a child, broken home, divorce, custody battles, etc. But when the script transports Cailean from her mundane life into a supernatural realm, then the story becomes much grander in scope in ideas and becomes a mythological story akin to Faust. Who better than the Angel of Death to show Cailean what a mess her life has been up until the moment she's dying. In life, Cailean never allowed anyone to call her out on her mistakes and poor life decisions, but in death she has no option but to revisit every painful moment, and worse, she must see every painful moment as it truly was instead of what she convinced herself it was. Brikisak pulls double duty as she portrays Cailean herself, her performance is fearless as there's no ego, she fully commits in portraying this shell of a woman, broken beyond repair. Her struggle with her inner demons and the drink is a compelling a realistic approach to how painful such existence is. It's hard to empathize with her at times, but we do feel sympathy for her. This is not an easy performance to pull-off, she goes from being an emotional wreck, to abusive to finally seeking redemption and she's giving it her all every step of the way. Daniel Lench plays Sariel, the Angel of Death, imbuing this elemental force with a regal quality and creepiness augmented in great part thanks to fantastic creature design and make-up, which allows for Lench's expressions to show through, he comes off as a Nosferatu-like creature that skates the line between benign and malevolent, teasing and judging while also offering salvation. Frank Kruger as Cailean's ex-husband Wilson and Dorian Gregory as her new flame portray two very different men who are nevertheless concerned with her well-being despite being treated poorly by Cailean. Finally, Jentzen Ramirez as Cailean's paraplegic son Beau, amazes with a fantastic performance as he turns out to be quite the find.
A battle between brothers, a story as old as time. However, Derek and Vinny are the reverse Cain and Abel, for one is trying to save the other one's life against his own wishes. This is not the first time Derek has attempted suicide; he has tried it before going as far back as when he was thirteen. Derek has had to carry with him this inexplicable pain that only makes sense to him but baffles everyone else around him. Vinny can't seem to understand why his brother would want to end his own life, since from his own point of view Derek has everything he could ever want: a great job, loads of money and success all while Vinny himself has a shitty job (in his own words) and by all accounts he should be the one depressed instead. Derek's like a fish trying to swim out of a fishbowl and being constantly put back, he has one goal in mind and that's to end it all by whatever means necessary. Vinny just doesn't get it, to him his brother is now safe and "cured", to his eyes he only had a rough batch but now he's up and running and surely he won't attempt to end himself anymore, but he couldn't be any more wrong. Derek's almost like the Wile E. Coyote, if the Wile E. Coyote failed at trying to kill himself, his attempts are constantly thwarted and he becomes frustrated by his failure to soothe the pain with what he sees as mercy. Derek has his work cut out for himself, he feels it's his responsibility to keep his brother alive by constantly keeping vigil, making sure he doesn't try it again. Derek has tried different methods to achieve his ultimate goal, but he's constantly thwarted and his frustration begins to show, he knows that perhaps his prickly attitude will help push his brother away. But blood is still stronger and so Vinny stays even if it gets harder and harder to support his brother despite the constant abuse. And so, we arrive at a battle between these two brothers where one wants to safe the other and the other wants none of it. Medication has only made it worse, one pill to keep you away from the blues, but that pill makes you gain weight, which throws you back into depression and a new pill to further suppress the monster, but then you become impotent and makes you more depressed. It's like warfare that keeps feeding the flames and the fire will never get put-out. As for Vinny, we can see him try, he goes the distance with his brother, at first he tries to understand him but then he realizes that no one can understand what he's going through, he call him out, calls him selfish and entitled. And maybe Derek really is entitled, and some would say "just let him do it and get it over with", but we know Vinny is not going let go, no matter how hard his brother makes it for him, and Derek is not going to back-down until he finally wins by losing. Who'll win? To find out would be like finally knowing what happens when the immovable object meets the unstoppable force. But one things for sure, if Derek gets away with it, Depression gets to claim one more victim.
TO BE SAVED is written by Jeff Locker (who plays the suicidal Derek) and is directed by Brent Harvey who is himself an actor, which is something that shows as this is a short-film that is drama in its purest form. Some short films are displays of world-building skills by the filmmakers, or a showcase of a clever high concept that attempts to sell a feature length film. But then there's the more old-school filmmaking showcases, and this is an example of narrative at its most grounded and relatable. This film depicts a harrowing battle where the stakes are even larger than "saving the world", these stakes are personal and painful. It's as simple two actors and dialogue, yet there's few things as powerful as seeing two actors going at it, drawing us into their world through empathy and performances so searing that we feel we stumbled into a real argument between real brothers. TO BE SAVED manages to convey exactly how it feels to try to save someone who doesn't want to be saved. The exhaustion, the constant push and pull, how one party seems almost possessed and irrational by how much he or she wants to put an end to their own lives and the absolute fear and dread that comes with knowing that if we lower our guards for a second our loved one will be gone, and that we imagine the guilt awaiting us once they do so, because we know we could have kept them from doing so if we had done "more". But like this short-film shows us, doing "more" sometimes is futile, if the other person just doesn't want to keep on living. It's a tough watch, but then again that's why it succeeds, because its depiction of depression and unconditional love ring true. Brent Harvey uses his own training as an actor to help his cast inhabit these people and the result is a fantastic duel between performers. Locker does fantastic work portraying a man who seems almost possessed by a parasite that sucks the will to live out of him and compels him to be the worst version of himself, knowing that this is just one more method to finally get his brother to leave him alone so he can finish what he started, but then there's this pain that only he knows what it feels like. Peter Capella as Vinny is the selfless brother who will not give up when it comes to saving his brother, no matter how hard Derek makes it on him. He's his brother and he won't fail him."
TO BE SAVED is written by Jeff Locker (who plays the suicidal Derek) and is directed by Brent Harvey who is himself an actor, which is something that shows as this is a short-film that is drama in its purest form. Some short films are displays of world-building skills by the filmmakers, or a showcase of a clever high concept that attempts to sell a feature length film. But then there's the more old-school filmmaking showcases, and this is an example of narrative at its most grounded and relatable. This film depicts a harrowing battle where the stakes are even larger than "saving the world", these stakes are personal and painful. It's as simple two actors and dialogue, yet there's few things as powerful as seeing two actors going at it, drawing us into their world through empathy and performances so searing that we feel we stumbled into a real argument between real brothers. TO BE SAVED manages to convey exactly how it feels to try to save someone who doesn't want to be saved. The exhaustion, the constant push and pull, how one party seems almost possessed and irrational by how much he or she wants to put an end to their own lives and the absolute fear and dread that comes with knowing that if we lower our guards for a second our loved one will be gone, and that we imagine the guilt awaiting us once they do so, because we know we could have kept them from doing so if we had done "more". But like this short-film shows us, doing "more" sometimes is futile, if the other person just doesn't want to keep on living. It's a tough watch, but then again that's why it succeeds, because its depiction of depression and unconditional love ring true. Brent Harvey uses his own training as an actor to help his cast inhabit these people and the result is a fantastic duel between performers. Locker does fantastic work portraying a man who seems almost possessed by a parasite that sucks the will to live out of him and compels him to be the worst version of himself, knowing that this is just one more method to finally get his brother to leave him alone so he can finish what he started, but then there's this pain that only he knows what it feels like. Peter Capella as Vinny is the selfless brother who will not give up when it comes to saving his brother, no matter how hard Derek makes it on him. He's his brother and he won't fail him."
A LONG HOT SUMMER IN PALESTINE follows documentary filmmaker Norma Marcos as she travels to Palestine in order to shoot a film on the subject of women and daily life in the West Bank. It all goes as planned, but this was the year of 2014. While Norma gathers material for her documentary, the events that led to the War on Gaza began taking shape off screen.
The documentary immediately shifts from its initial intentions and purpose, and becomes a document on how Palestinians endure the aggression directed towards them by Israeli forces, and how different Palestinian people with normal lives try to cope with a war that weakens their economy and jeopardizes their attempts to organize and rebuild their country. A LONG HOT SUMMER IN PALESTINE is an example of documentary film-making that is forced by circumstances to change its initial agenda and point its lens towards new developments that occur around it. The initial plan was to make a film about different women and their daily lives in the West Bank; women such as a female race driver and a female mayor. However, as we are presented with scenes of daily life and traditions of the Palestine people, a dark cloud begins to loom in the background. We are shown idyllic scenes of weddings, teenagers singing to their favorite music and the preparation of the world's largest Katayef (The Guinness World Records). This is all a taste of what normal Palestinian life looks like, far from the outsider propaganda that tries to sell them as terrorists.
This is the summer of 2014, when three Israeli teenagers were abducted in the West Bank. Israel blames Hamas. Israel's next move was a military assault known as "Operation Brother's Keeper" which resulted in casualties, and arrests of Palestinians. These attacks included air strikes, ground invasions, overall repression and violence. We are shown the calm before the storm, while life for Palestinians is far from idyllic under Israeli occupation, they manage as best they can to try to lead normal lives, but the conflict in this part of the world is far more ancient and sadly it will most likely continue towards the future. As a filmmaker, Norma Marcos realizes that the events surrounding her visit to her land cannot be ignored; she must change gears and begin to modify her initial plan. The initial story would still have been powerful, but the circumstances now dictate the course the documentary must go. Life during that summer changed for many, while simultaneously remaining the same as it has been for centuries in that region. The events showed the world that Israel is committing atrocious acts without anyone standing up to them. The camera shows Palestinian West Bank solidarity with Gaza, as well as how Palestinians are not allowed to roam freely through their land without permission from the Israelis. As we keep visiting zones in Palestine and their people, we keep hearing the shells exploding in the distance, and in one of the most beautiful and poignant sequences in the documentary, we are shown a cat sheltering her kittens as she nourishes them. The sound of bombardment makes the kittens seek protection and comfort beneath their mother. This scene is representative of what many went through during this Summer; people trying to live their lives as normal as possible while simultaneously having to protect themselves from the fires of war.
Ms. Marcos could have easily removed the rushes intended for the original project. Instead, what she does is keep this material, while gradually warning us that things are about to change drastically in Palestine and Gaza. The reason for keeping the original material is to show us how people's lives and plans change overnight when faced with the threat of war. We can go through our day as we normally do, unaware that in the distance there is a series of events we are unaware of, that will shape the destiny of our country and fellow people. The second thing that Ms. Marcos does is to simply show Palestinians as people just minding their own business, going through their daily lives and simply wishing to be free without Israel breathing down their necks. We meet artists, business owners, and religious leaders. These are not terrorists, but regular people who unfortunately have become the punching bag of a country that has forgotten what it is like to be persecuted and harassed at every turn.
Norma Marcos narrates the documentary herself. Her voice and cadence is full of sorrow, it sounds tired yet hopeful and unbroken. She shows the beauty of Palestine, the calm and warm days under the summer sun, juxtaposed with stock images of violent confrontation in the streets as well as a remarkable night sequence where the dark sky if filled with the unnatural thunder of exploding shells. It shows us a Palestine that is beautiful in spite of being broken up by checkpoints and walls. This is a documentary that expresses both sorrow and beauty, hope and despair. It ends on a sad note, but still manages to keep hope for a future when Palestinians will be finally free to live their lives just like we are shown in the tranquil segments of this film; without violence entering the frame to disrupt their lives. For those of us who are only observing this conflict from other parts of the world, it is also a reminder of how we must never take for granted our freedom, peace and tranquility. These various elements constitute the strength of this project.
The documentary immediately shifts from its initial intentions and purpose, and becomes a document on how Palestinians endure the aggression directed towards them by Israeli forces, and how different Palestinian people with normal lives try to cope with a war that weakens their economy and jeopardizes their attempts to organize and rebuild their country. A LONG HOT SUMMER IN PALESTINE is an example of documentary film-making that is forced by circumstances to change its initial agenda and point its lens towards new developments that occur around it. The initial plan was to make a film about different women and their daily lives in the West Bank; women such as a female race driver and a female mayor. However, as we are presented with scenes of daily life and traditions of the Palestine people, a dark cloud begins to loom in the background. We are shown idyllic scenes of weddings, teenagers singing to their favorite music and the preparation of the world's largest Katayef (The Guinness World Records). This is all a taste of what normal Palestinian life looks like, far from the outsider propaganda that tries to sell them as terrorists.
This is the summer of 2014, when three Israeli teenagers were abducted in the West Bank. Israel blames Hamas. Israel's next move was a military assault known as "Operation Brother's Keeper" which resulted in casualties, and arrests of Palestinians. These attacks included air strikes, ground invasions, overall repression and violence. We are shown the calm before the storm, while life for Palestinians is far from idyllic under Israeli occupation, they manage as best they can to try to lead normal lives, but the conflict in this part of the world is far more ancient and sadly it will most likely continue towards the future. As a filmmaker, Norma Marcos realizes that the events surrounding her visit to her land cannot be ignored; she must change gears and begin to modify her initial plan. The initial story would still have been powerful, but the circumstances now dictate the course the documentary must go. Life during that summer changed for many, while simultaneously remaining the same as it has been for centuries in that region. The events showed the world that Israel is committing atrocious acts without anyone standing up to them. The camera shows Palestinian West Bank solidarity with Gaza, as well as how Palestinians are not allowed to roam freely through their land without permission from the Israelis. As we keep visiting zones in Palestine and their people, we keep hearing the shells exploding in the distance, and in one of the most beautiful and poignant sequences in the documentary, we are shown a cat sheltering her kittens as she nourishes them. The sound of bombardment makes the kittens seek protection and comfort beneath their mother. This scene is representative of what many went through during this Summer; people trying to live their lives as normal as possible while simultaneously having to protect themselves from the fires of war.
Ms. Marcos could have easily removed the rushes intended for the original project. Instead, what she does is keep this material, while gradually warning us that things are about to change drastically in Palestine and Gaza. The reason for keeping the original material is to show us how people's lives and plans change overnight when faced with the threat of war. We can go through our day as we normally do, unaware that in the distance there is a series of events we are unaware of, that will shape the destiny of our country and fellow people. The second thing that Ms. Marcos does is to simply show Palestinians as people just minding their own business, going through their daily lives and simply wishing to be free without Israel breathing down their necks. We meet artists, business owners, and religious leaders. These are not terrorists, but regular people who unfortunately have become the punching bag of a country that has forgotten what it is like to be persecuted and harassed at every turn.
Norma Marcos narrates the documentary herself. Her voice and cadence is full of sorrow, it sounds tired yet hopeful and unbroken. She shows the beauty of Palestine, the calm and warm days under the summer sun, juxtaposed with stock images of violent confrontation in the streets as well as a remarkable night sequence where the dark sky if filled with the unnatural thunder of exploding shells. It shows us a Palestine that is beautiful in spite of being broken up by checkpoints and walls. This is a documentary that expresses both sorrow and beauty, hope and despair. It ends on a sad note, but still manages to keep hope for a future when Palestinians will be finally free to live their lives just like we are shown in the tranquil segments of this film; without violence entering the frame to disrupt their lives. For those of us who are only observing this conflict from other parts of the world, it is also a reminder of how we must never take for granted our freedom, peace and tranquility. These various elements constitute the strength of this project.
Alex (Jaho Guma) is a young architect who is dating Nayade (Julinda Emiri) after meeting her at a bar. They seem to be made for each other, and Nayade decides to introduce Alex to her brother Noel (Klevis Bega) a live-wire of a man with an intense personality that tags along with the couple wherever they go. As time passes, Noel and Alex begin to become closer as friends, but there's something about Noel that is not quite right. Meanwhile, a mysterious lunatic is on the prowl.
This is a film that has to be seen more than once to truly begin to discover its secrets. There's a lot of sleight of hand going on here, a lot hints as to what's really going on. Because once the first reveals begin to shed light on what we saw during the running-time of the film, the final sequence comes to once again change everything we knew about the film. BLACK MAN is directed with by Gentian Selo, and his film is powerfully enigmatic. This film reminds us of works like Denis Villeneuve's ENEMY, David Fincher's FIGHT CLUB and even Richard Kelly's DONNIE DARKO. We would need two reviews to truly tap into the amount of themes and subjects this film explores. There's duality aspect going on here as Noel and Alex represent polar extremes, their personalities and body appearances are opposites and yet they become a duo that makes logical sense. There's a study in masculinity, in how Noel is an example of an "Alpha Male" as he's an overconfident womanizer and Alex is more of a "Beta Male" who follows Noel's lead. And then there's a metaphysical aspect to the film, where it appears as if time itself was fragmented, the editing here works to displace time and makes us focus on scenes as at first we perceive these time jumps and cuts in a disorienting way, but then we begin to realize that time is not flowing naturally, it's playing tricks on us and our attention must be on the film at all times. And then, there's the ending, which we won't spoil, but even when it appears to come out of nowhere, it has always been hinted that is was going to happen. Watching the film again, the clues are there in Noel's existential musings. The secret weapon behind this film is its flawless casting. Jaho Guma is spot-on as Alex, he possesses an Elijah Wood quality to him that makes him the "good guy" who eventually reveals his flaws, a good natured personality who serves as a contrast, he's not passive but he's simply witnessing a whirlwind before him. Julinda Emiri as Nayade is a strong female character that knows her brother well, and knows at least one part of his secret. And finally, the tactical nuclear weapon that is Klevis Bega as Noel. Bega is an absolute force of nature here, looking like a cross between 90's Michael Wincott and James Franco, his smile and energy are overpowering and his charm only serves to hide his darkest secrets, secrets unknown even to him. Good guy or bad guy, we think we know and then maybe we know, but he delivers a knock-out performance as he's also charges with delivering lengthy existential monologues that don't seem rehearsed, but as if his mind were generating on the spot.
This is a film that has to be seen more than once to truly begin to discover its secrets. There's a lot of sleight of hand going on here, a lot hints as to what's really going on. Because once the first reveals begin to shed light on what we saw during the running-time of the film, the final sequence comes to once again change everything we knew about the film. BLACK MAN is directed with by Gentian Selo, and his film is powerfully enigmatic. This film reminds us of works like Denis Villeneuve's ENEMY, David Fincher's FIGHT CLUB and even Richard Kelly's DONNIE DARKO. We would need two reviews to truly tap into the amount of themes and subjects this film explores. There's duality aspect going on here as Noel and Alex represent polar extremes, their personalities and body appearances are opposites and yet they become a duo that makes logical sense. There's a study in masculinity, in how Noel is an example of an "Alpha Male" as he's an overconfident womanizer and Alex is more of a "Beta Male" who follows Noel's lead. And then there's a metaphysical aspect to the film, where it appears as if time itself was fragmented, the editing here works to displace time and makes us focus on scenes as at first we perceive these time jumps and cuts in a disorienting way, but then we begin to realize that time is not flowing naturally, it's playing tricks on us and our attention must be on the film at all times. And then, there's the ending, which we won't spoil, but even when it appears to come out of nowhere, it has always been hinted that is was going to happen. Watching the film again, the clues are there in Noel's existential musings. The secret weapon behind this film is its flawless casting. Jaho Guma is spot-on as Alex, he possesses an Elijah Wood quality to him that makes him the "good guy" who eventually reveals his flaws, a good natured personality who serves as a contrast, he's not passive but he's simply witnessing a whirlwind before him. Julinda Emiri as Nayade is a strong female character that knows her brother well, and knows at least one part of his secret. And finally, the tactical nuclear weapon that is Klevis Bega as Noel. Bega is an absolute force of nature here, looking like a cross between 90's Michael Wincott and James Franco, his smile and energy are overpowering and his charm only serves to hide his darkest secrets, secrets unknown even to him. Good guy or bad guy, we think we know and then maybe we know, but he delivers a knock-out performance as he's also charges with delivering lengthy existential monologues that don't seem rehearsed, but as if his mind were generating on the spot.
Azad has returned home to Pakistan, after defecting from a covert government agency that targets minorities under orders of the new presidential administration of the US. Azad struggles with his own guilt as he carries with him painful memories of being a minority himself in the employ of bigots in the past. Now, the world is quickly moving towards new order and Azad holds the key to the future, unless his former retainers find him first.
The world is in constant change, we know this and have made our peace with this concept since the beginning. But after the presidential election of 2016, it seems as if something has truly broken after a man who ran a campaign based on bigotry and rampant nationalism won the election. There has always been racial and religious tensions in the US, it's the way things have always been, but there was always a sense that people were trying to move forward and not backwards, that there was a sense of trying to work things out and that eventually people would reach a common understanding. However, the new president has ensured that the country has moved backwards, and that behavior that was known to be abhorrent by the mainstream and the common person, is now accepted and even glorified. Hate groups that used to be hidden and speak in whispers are now openly in the out and brandishing their racial and nationalistic agendas. The president has emboldened these groups, and more so than the president himself is his chief strategist who has a clear vision for an America without minorities and closed borders. It's minorities such as Hispanics, Muslims and Blacks that have become the main targets of these groups and a hard-left that has tried to deny that there's such a things as "white privilege" or that preserving confederate monuments has anything to do with slavery, we live in a time when the news media is under attacked by being labeled as "fake news". Not to mention, the fear of being detained and deported (in the best of cases) or simply detained and be labeled as an enemy of the state without a fair trial and thrown into a triple-max prison somewhere. Such tensions are explored in AZAD (the Film) and expressed with genuine worry and concern for a world where white supremacy reigns unchecked and can operate without consequences or boundaries. It's not like we haven't seen the world fall into chaos before, but this chaos comes after a time when people believed there was a glimmer of hope, that people perhaps had left racism and bigotry behind after electing the first black president. Now, it seems as if all these things that belong in a sewer that contain the worst of humanity have come afloat and have taken over. The people who represent the "Alt-Right" show their faces in the mainstream media, they walk around without fear, they have modified their look to become more acceptable, and they are now invited to speak (although it is their constitutional right to do so) on TV and other media outlets, but they used to do so with a collective sense that this mentality was something to be ashamed of, now, it is something that is even welcomed or even justified by some. AZAD (the film) captures the inherent worries and fears that are present in our times, and presents a near future scenario that plays as a warning, for we can't permit the hatred to keep on growing or else the visions shown in this film will become a reality.
AZAD is a passion project through and through. This film was made with a shoe-string budget, and first time filmmaker Farasath Khan has made a film almost all on his own. The point here is for the artist to express himself, and express he does. It is often said that in tumultuous times, art becomes more powerful. Here, art becomes a compulsive necessity as Khan has clearly been inspired by resent events to pick-up a camera, grab his friends and make a film with whatever resources he has at hand in order to express his fears, anger, ideas and hopes. This is the work of a man who was compelled to tell a story, a man who wasn't a filmmaker but that by necessity simply became one. In this, his first film, Kahn directs, acts and performs a multitude of duties that turn him into an orchestra of a single player. While Khan is joined by a cast of supporting actors, he also plays a multitude of roles himself, if he couldn't find someone else who could play the role, he would do it on his own. To say that AZAD is an overtly ambitious first effort is an understatement; Khan makes what is basically a Muslim Jason Bourne political thriller with an impossibly prohibitive budget, and he still manages to convey his ideas clearly and with a clear vision of what he wanted to do. AZAD is not just ambitious in scope, but also in ideas. Khan uses his political thriller to tackle heavy themes such as religious hypocrisy, suppression of freedom of speech, racism, terrorism, the rise of the Alt-Right and new world order conspiracies that could become true one day. This is the work of a man possessed by the necessity to create. Art often comes from the most difficult and dark times, for a man who wasn't a filmmaker or that had formal film-making skills, he took a camera and told his story the way he meant to. It is also refreshing to see a political thriller from a Muslim point of view rather than the typical one-sided American narrative. A clear example that every story has different valid points of view. Overall, AZAD proves that it's not necessary to have a bloated budget to make a film, that it only takes drive and passion to express ideas through action on the screen.
The world is in constant change, we know this and have made our peace with this concept since the beginning. But after the presidential election of 2016, it seems as if something has truly broken after a man who ran a campaign based on bigotry and rampant nationalism won the election. There has always been racial and religious tensions in the US, it's the way things have always been, but there was always a sense that people were trying to move forward and not backwards, that there was a sense of trying to work things out and that eventually people would reach a common understanding. However, the new president has ensured that the country has moved backwards, and that behavior that was known to be abhorrent by the mainstream and the common person, is now accepted and even glorified. Hate groups that used to be hidden and speak in whispers are now openly in the out and brandishing their racial and nationalistic agendas. The president has emboldened these groups, and more so than the president himself is his chief strategist who has a clear vision for an America without minorities and closed borders. It's minorities such as Hispanics, Muslims and Blacks that have become the main targets of these groups and a hard-left that has tried to deny that there's such a things as "white privilege" or that preserving confederate monuments has anything to do with slavery, we live in a time when the news media is under attacked by being labeled as "fake news". Not to mention, the fear of being detained and deported (in the best of cases) or simply detained and be labeled as an enemy of the state without a fair trial and thrown into a triple-max prison somewhere. Such tensions are explored in AZAD (the Film) and expressed with genuine worry and concern for a world where white supremacy reigns unchecked and can operate without consequences or boundaries. It's not like we haven't seen the world fall into chaos before, but this chaos comes after a time when people believed there was a glimmer of hope, that people perhaps had left racism and bigotry behind after electing the first black president. Now, it seems as if all these things that belong in a sewer that contain the worst of humanity have come afloat and have taken over. The people who represent the "Alt-Right" show their faces in the mainstream media, they walk around without fear, they have modified their look to become more acceptable, and they are now invited to speak (although it is their constitutional right to do so) on TV and other media outlets, but they used to do so with a collective sense that this mentality was something to be ashamed of, now, it is something that is even welcomed or even justified by some. AZAD (the film) captures the inherent worries and fears that are present in our times, and presents a near future scenario that plays as a warning, for we can't permit the hatred to keep on growing or else the visions shown in this film will become a reality.
AZAD is a passion project through and through. This film was made with a shoe-string budget, and first time filmmaker Farasath Khan has made a film almost all on his own. The point here is for the artist to express himself, and express he does. It is often said that in tumultuous times, art becomes more powerful. Here, art becomes a compulsive necessity as Khan has clearly been inspired by resent events to pick-up a camera, grab his friends and make a film with whatever resources he has at hand in order to express his fears, anger, ideas and hopes. This is the work of a man who was compelled to tell a story, a man who wasn't a filmmaker but that by necessity simply became one. In this, his first film, Kahn directs, acts and performs a multitude of duties that turn him into an orchestra of a single player. While Khan is joined by a cast of supporting actors, he also plays a multitude of roles himself, if he couldn't find someone else who could play the role, he would do it on his own. To say that AZAD is an overtly ambitious first effort is an understatement; Khan makes what is basically a Muslim Jason Bourne political thriller with an impossibly prohibitive budget, and he still manages to convey his ideas clearly and with a clear vision of what he wanted to do. AZAD is not just ambitious in scope, but also in ideas. Khan uses his political thriller to tackle heavy themes such as religious hypocrisy, suppression of freedom of speech, racism, terrorism, the rise of the Alt-Right and new world order conspiracies that could become true one day. This is the work of a man possessed by the necessity to create. Art often comes from the most difficult and dark times, for a man who wasn't a filmmaker or that had formal film-making skills, he took a camera and told his story the way he meant to. It is also refreshing to see a political thriller from a Muslim point of view rather than the typical one-sided American narrative. A clear example that every story has different valid points of view. Overall, AZAD proves that it's not necessary to have a bloated budget to make a film, that it only takes drive and passion to express ideas through action on the screen.