Documentary Insider

Movies that start late: Part 2

Films should not start late due to:

Bosnian Standard Time
Jewish Standard Time
Insert your favorite ethinicity/race/gender/religion here Standard Time

That is not an excuse to start a movie late – it is just bad taste.

Day 6 is the halfway point of the festival and I’ve seen 10 films so far.

Tuesday I squeezed in 3 docs. I started with Buckle Brothers. It’s the story of African American Southland cowboys who bullride. It was okay. (Not exactly a review you can put on a poster.) I wanted a little more depth from the film, a more personal story. And I got that in Back to Bosnia.

Back to Bosnia is the director, Sabina Vajraca’s story of returning to a war torn country to see the place she calls her home, Banja Luka, the second largest city in Bosnia. At age 14 Sabina was sent to live with her Aunt, her brother left with a family friend, her Mother eventually joined them and her Father stayed behind and joined a humanitarian effort, helping the displaced until one day the mosque where he worked was blown up. The family relocates to Florida leaving behind their friends, family and home full of their belongings. The film is heartbreaking and thought provoking, using the Vajraca’s family story to tell the story of all the families of Bosnia who lost their homes both physically and emotionally.

If I wasn’t jerked up enough after seeing Back to Bosnia, Factor 8: The Arkansas Prison Blood Scandal was there to upset me further. Natalie McMenemy, documentary programmer for AFI, introduced the film saying, ”this film will make you angry, and that’s a good thing.” From the gasps heard throughout the theater during the film I wasn’t alone in my outrage. Interestingly I was supposed to see Factor 8 at Slamdance in January 2004. But due to a court imposed injunction the film could not be shown. Kelly Duda’s investigative documentary explores the prison blood donor program in Arkansas. How did tainted blood get into a pharmaceutical for hemophiliacs in Canada infecting them with AIDS and Hepatitis C? Duda’s presence throughout the film reminds the viewer that he is just a citizen in his home state asking a few questions. But the roadblocks he hits along the way are truly disturbing. Factor 8 is an impressive work of investigative reporting, an important film and an insane example of what the media chooses to illuminate or ignore.

Answering your cell phone during a movie is not appropriate behavior.

Seat kickers!

Well…I missed Pablo – the Poet’s Lives. That means it will win something. It happens every festival I cover for IDA magazine, whatever film I miss that is IN competition is the one that will win making in nearly (but not totally) impossible to write about.

Day 6, tomorrow the halfway point, I’ll get up to speed seeing 3 more docs…hopefully.

People who check their mobile phones to get the time during the movie!

You’re watching the movie, you’re into it, in the zone and then out of the corner of your eye two rows up and to the left there is a bright green light that pops out of nowhere for a second and then goes away only to pop up again 20 minutes later.

I’ll admit, I am notorios for checking the time, but I would NEVER light up a phone in a screening. You’re in the movie, try to enjoy it.

After the impressive turnout of Burning Man-ites at the Friday night screening of Burning Man: Beyond Black Rock I thought I should arrive early on Saturday to ensure myself a seat. Saturday’s show didn’t sell out – but looked close to full. Producer Mike Wilson introduced the film saying, “We made the movie for the people that have never gone and probably will never go. So you can have some of the pride that this happens in America.”

I first became aware of Burning Man in 1994 when one of my friends was talking excitedly about attending. Over the past 5 years I think I’ve seen 4 or 5 documentaries about the annual desert art festival. And really, not a one was that great. So I think it’s safe to say this is the best documentary I have ever seen on the topic, but really, that’s not saying much. However, instead of just focusing on the attendees and their participation in Burning Man, Beyond Black Rock uses clever titles (364 Days Until the Man Burns), followed a few participating artists (David Best creates a new temple for the event every year and then burns it to the ground…whoa) and interviewed the creators and people that make the organization run year round. It does make the film more interesting to people who have never been, and according to Wilson, that’s the point, so it’s good. I guess I am always looking for a human-interest story and this just didn’t quite have it.

I always think it’s interesting what a festival catalog says about a film, what the reader (me) decides that means and then how that compares to actually seeing the film. Screaming Masterpiece (Gargandi Snilld) is a perfect example of how this works. The AFI Quick Guide said, “Iceland is a small country with a huge music scene: from Bjork to Sigur Ros, Mum, Bang Gang, Mugison, Minus and Slowblow, this amazing documentary uncovers a treasure chest of sound that is 1,000 years in the making.” Now having seen the film I think this description is pretty darn great. But, when I was reading the catalog I thought it sounded like a survey of Icelandic music and that if I missed it I wouldn’t be missing much. But, from the first scene of the film I knew I was in for a real treat. It was loud. And the music was amazing. The images were powerful and the sheer love these people have for their music is addictive.

At 88 minutes the film is a bit meandering, according to producer Sigurjon Sighvatsson this is about the 20th version of the film, so chances are more editing will come. The DVD and soundtrack are sure to be fleshed out and will pop up in the states sometime in 2006. Looking forward to it!! In the meantime the soundtrack is available on iTunes.

There were lines and people trying to get in. The thing was hoppin’!

I managed to see Pelé Forever, a documentary about Pelé and his career in professional futbol AKA soccer.

The 3 million dollar film was 5 years in the making and has been released in Brazil but is till seeking distribution in the US with hopes for a release to coincide with the 2006 World Cup.

Pelé Forever used 40 years of archival footage, plus new interviews with Pelé, his family, soccer pros, commentators and others to reconstruct Pelé’s life in soccer. While entertaining, pleasant even, the film lacks any depth about the guy. Kind of a bummer.

Still it was the perfect venue to see the film. The audience was hooting and applauding and really, re-living games and moments that they had seen before. Plus, Pelé was there with an entourage of state senators, the director/producer Anibal Massaini Neto and the like to introduce the film and accept a proclamation that November 4, 2005 was Pelé Day in the city of Los Angeles. He charmed the audience with words of love and peace.

I tried to see the Burning Man doc too – but it looked like a riot was about to ensue with costumed folks sporting day glow wings and wizard hats so I ducked into something else. Hope to fit it in today.

Movies that start late.

Going to see two docs tonight Pele Forever and Burning Man: Beyond Black Rock.

Saw the opening night film last night Walk the Line, not a documentary, a biopic, but still quite good.