TRAVEL WITH PERSPECTIVE
Santa Fe Independent Film Festival (Part 1)
Let the Film Fun Begin!
Days 1 and 2 of the Festival
First Day of Movies!!
The time has arrived for the main purpose of our time in Santa Fe. It is to participate (on a spectator level) in the viewing of new films being presented at the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival.
Our mission (which we were glad to accept!) was to connect with directors of the films that we liked and feel would potentially be good for showing in Lincoln at our local independent film theater, The Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center.
As volunteer emissaries for The Ross, we had a new purpose for movie watching!
This year the festival has a full array of foreign, Native American and main-stream films plus several categories of short films made by new film makers. There is literally something in every genre to fill out our schedule. The hard part is deciding which ones to see and balancing our time to make the most of our experience.
Opening night was highlighted by the movie ‘Just Mercy’ at the Violet Crown theater. This movie will probably make it to the main-stream theaters next year and it’s one you should definitely see.
Just Mercy (2019, 156 min.)
Director: Destin Daniel Cretton
Starring: Brie Larson, Michael B. Jordan, Tim Blake Nelson and Jamie Foxx
The Story: This movie is based on a true story. It is very moving in its depiction of an innocent man on death row. Regardless of your feelings of being pro or against the death penalty, the fact that this movie is based on a true facts about and innocent individual who is falsely accused, found guilty, imprisoned and placed on death row should move any person with an ounce of compassion. This issue impacts everyone in a civilized society. The cast includes Jamie Foxx (the accused), Michael B. Jordon (his attorney) and Brie Larson (Jordon’s impassioned law clerk). All deserve to be recognized for their outstanding performances.
Grade: A++
Second Day at the Movies!
Today we viewed 4 programs. Three foreign films and a collection of Comedy and Romance shorts. Just a quick word about foreign films. Since it probably involves more reading than enjoying the cinematic qualities of the movie, work on your fast reading skills and catch as much of the acting and scenery as possible between takes. Personally, I let the images do most of the story telling and on occasion rely on the dialogue (subtitled) to orient myself on the direction of the story. With practice, it seems to work most of the time.
Another piece of advice if you’re doing these marathon movie events. Go lite on the popcorn and soda—or in our case, water. Plan on when you are going to relax, eat lunch and dinner. And most importantly, drink caffeine (if that’s your stimulant of choice). The reward of seeing so many movies in such a short period of time is that you are exposed to so much new talent with very little effort. If you like movies, this is (for some of us) nirvana. Here’s what we saw:
Top End Wedding (2019, 113 min.)
Director: Wayne Blair
Starring: Brooklyn Doomadgee, Helena Johnson, Dan Collins
The story: This is a story set in Australia, about a young couple who decide to get married. She is a modern day aboriginal (native) successful business intern who works in a high stress job for a “Coretta DeVille-style” boss and he is your standard Caucasian (non-native) boy who is a lawyer but suddenly finds himself conflicted with his boss’s (and profession’s) lack of empathy toward people. He quits his job at the same moment that his girlfriend decides they should quickly get married to fit into her boss’s work schedule. Without telling her about his new unemployed status he agrees to get married in her home town of northeaster Australia with her parents present. There is only one problems…Her mother has gone missing (of her own accord) due to some marital issues of her own. The wedding cannot go on until they find her mother. In the ensuing chase around Australia to find her, we, the audience, get to see some spectacular images of Australia and its people.
The bottom line: The movie is enjoyable to watch. Funny and fast moving at times. The arch of the story is formulaic but still enjoyable to watch. The good part, no subtitles except for a few aboriginal phrases. And a happy ending!
Grade: B+
Anbessa (2019, Documentary, 85 minutes)
Director: Mo Scarpelli
Starring: Asalif Tewold, Alem Sebisibe Ayitenfsu, Abinet
The story: This is a tough one. Filmed in Ethiopia, I was mesmerized by the visual images of poverty and the harsh struggle to survive for a small young boy and his mother who find themselves living next to a new housing development. The modernization that was supposed to be improving their lives, though, only made it more difficult to assimilate and survive. It’s not explained but, for them, they will undoubtedly never benefit economically from the progress being made around them.
The bottom line: Beautifully photographed and acted (although as a documentary, it’s not clear if the acting was scripted or just edited to make it appear there was spontaneity in the line of the story). I don’t know that this film will be enjoyed by very many people, but it should. The reality of life in Ethiopia is something that should be known.
Grade: B
Il Traditore (The Traitor) (145 minutes)
Director: Marco Bellocchio
Starring: Pierfrancesco Favino, Luigi Lo Cascio, Fausto Russo Alesi
The story: Godfather it’s not. Reality, it’s probably very close. The (based on a true) story is about a Sicilian mafia soldier who sees his own life and his family’s lives going in the wrong direction and seeks out the safety of living anonymously as a government informant; much to the danger to his family he leaves behind. As a true story, beyond the graphic violence depicted throughout the movie, seeing the truth of historical reality is both shocking and important for understanding the violent world of the Costa Nosta which impacted many Italians during the 1980’s.
The bottom line: Very high production value. Very good acting. Editing would have made the story more contiguous to the overall story. (Some courtroom scenes were overly detailed and could have been efficiently edited out for the sake of the audience.)
Grade: B
A Few Thoughts
Our first couple of days at the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival were exactly what we had hoped for. Great venues, a diverse list of movies to see in a beautiful city.
Santa Fe held many attractions for us to take advantage of such as museums, art galleries, restaurants and shopping for all budgets! It will certainly be one of our “go-to” destination spots in the future.
Santa Fe Independent Film Festival (Part 2)
Final Two Days of Festivities!
Days 3 and 4
Our final two days of the festival were filled to the maximum. We attended five feature length films and a reception for VIP attendees (plus us!) at the New Mexico Governor’s Mansion in the hills above Santa Fe. More on that later!
So here are the films from Day 6 of our trip…Days 3 and 4 of the festival.
Aleksi (2018, 90 minutes)
Director: Barbara Vekaric
Starring: Tihana Lazovic, Goran Markovic, Leon Lucev
The Story: The main premise of the story is one that may be familiar to many families. “Failure-to-launch” coupled with adolescent empowerment has created a situation for a young Croatian woman who feels a need for artistic expression but isn’t accepted by her targets of growth. In other words, she is frustrated by the failure of others to accept her as herself. Her parents want the best for her but her father understands her artistic goals while her mother recognizes that her daughter needs the stability that her family business (wine production) can provide. Add to this the pangs of youthful sexuality and a very engaging story develops that is filled with humor, disappointment and reconciliation all set in a beautiful Croatian Mediterranean beach front environment. Subtitled in English but the visuals are universally translated into all languages.
The bottom line: All aspects of the film are top notch.
Grade: A
Building the American Dream (Documentary 73 minutes)
Director: Chelsea Hernandez
Cast: Three immigrant families
The Story: We have all seen it. Immigrant labor doing the work that many of us either choose to not do or cannot do for lack of skills. In the hot environments of the southern states—take Texas for example—the dangers of working outdoors are seen in the hospitals and morgues throughout. Dehydration is something very few (if not none) of us would accept for ourselves if we had to work under the conditions of 100+ degree heat as part of our jobs. The story is about how it took the collective action of the laborers and families of those that have been hospitalized or died to fight for legislation needed to force businesses under mandatory local law to provide two (yes only two) 10 minute breaks for every 4 hours of a work shift. Believe it or not, only two cities in the U.S. now have that requirement on their books—Dallas and Austin, Texas.
The bottom line: Beyond the technical, this empathetic documentary should be seen by anyone who has ever hired, relied on the labor of or knows someone who is an immigrant laborer.
Grade: A
Eliades Ochoa: From Cuba to the World (Documentary, 100 min.)
Director: Cynthia Biestek
Starring: Benicio Del Toro, Charlie Musselwhite, Eliades Ochoa
The Story: After the previous heavy documentary (above), we needed something uplifting to see. And we found it. This is the story of Eliades Ochoa and his journey to become the greatest Cuban guitarist of our time. His roots start with the encouragement his father (a talented musician of his era) after seeing his son’s desire and sparks of natural talent. He is probably most well known as a member of the legendary band ‘Buena Vista Social Club’ but his notoriety today is worldwide. If you are interested in knowing more about this iconic figure, find and watch this documentary. You won’t be able to keep your feet still!
The bottom line: Filled with many old images and film of early Cuban musicians that paved the way for Ochoa, this documentary expanded my appreciation for native Cuban music and also my appreciation for folk music in general.
Grade: A
Our third day of the festival was capped off with a reception at the New Mexico Governor’s mansion. The highlight of the reception was the recognition of Dan Ladely and the Mary Riepma Ross Media Center (Lincoln, Nebraska) as a major contributor and supporter of the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival going back many years. Gary Farmer (actor, director, musician and SFiFF chair) was on hand to present Dan the highly deserved award.
It Must Be Heaven (2019, 97 min.)
Director: Elia Suleiman
Starring: Gael García Bernal, Ali Suliman, Elia Suleiman
The story: The protagonist, Elia Suleiman, is an escapee from Palestine in search of a new home. His silence (no dialogue) becomes a pantomime of sorts in that he communicates through only his eyes and often times blank expression. (Think of Mr. Bean from 1970’s British TV.) (Actually, other characters speak throughout the movie but he speaks only three words toward the end of the 97 minutes which probably has some meaning but by then it’s not important.) This might sound like a set up for a really slow movie but here is an example of patience having its own reward. There are some very humorous experiences as he ventures around the world (Paris and New York City) in search of a place where he feels at home. Each place carries with it a certain stereotype that (to me) makes him question his own understanding of the world, which (again to me), was the point of the story. Stereotyping other places by only what we see in the media provides a shallow view of the world.
The bottom line: I think this might have been one of the better movies we saw at the festival. Primarily for its unique approach to storytelling and underlying message. French with English Subtitles.
Grade: A+
The Body Remembers When The World Broke Open (2019, 105 min.)
Directors: Kathleen Hepburn (co-director), Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers(co-director)
Starring: Violet Nelson, Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, Charlie Hannah
The story: Set in East Vancouver, British Columbia, over the course of a few hours…in the rain…the story is about a young, pregnant, abused, Native American woman who is befriended by a bystander during the woman’s escape from her abusive boyfriend. The bystander, also an indigenous woman but slightly more affluent, who immediately wants to help the victim find help. The story is about the fear and reluctance on the part of abused women to work their way out of abusive situations.
The bottom line: This was a truly interesting film from a technical standpoint, too. Shot in one continuous 105 minutes take with a hand-held camera, no sound technicians, no editing and probably limited rehearsal, the story flows like real life. The manor in which this film was shot takes on the feel of the real-life events that one of the two directors (Elle-Maija Tailfeathers) actually experienced and provides the basis for the story. The ending will leave you wondering.
Grade: A
Some Final Thoughts
As is typical for all of the film festivals we have been a part of, we only saw a fraction of the films offered for viewing. It’s not for lack of trying, though! The beauty of most film festivals is that there are usually dozens of movies for all interests so there are normally far more titles than can be seen in the time available.
However, there are always more movies that we wished we could have seen.
Hopefully in the future, we will see some of those at The Ross or through other resources that pick up the distribution rights such as Netflix, Amazon Prime or one of numerous other on-line venues.
Independent films are important to support for their artistic and cultural values and stretch our imaginations beyond normal Hollywood avenues.
A final word of advice: This is only the third festival of this type we have attended but we felt comfortable about how to approach scheduling and selecting a good cross section of movies to see. If you decide to attend a festival, do some homework on how the festival is organized and talk to people who have attended the one you are planning to attend. They are all a little different and takes some skill in planning ahead. (I would be happy to give you the benefit of our limited experience if you want to reach out to me.)
Greg and Shelley