Standing on the steps in front of BAM yesterday afternoon, I was reminded of why I love CinemaFEST so much. As things wind down on this last weekend of its 10-day run, a small crowd which had gathered to get in to see the 4:15 showing of Eleanor Burke & Ron Eyal’s film, “Stranger Things” was not allowed to enter. Turns out there was some smoke or gas detector that had gone off and alerted the fire department. But, hey, the sun was shining and everyone was in good humor. Photographer David Godlis took the opportunity to photograph the co-directors in front of one of the fire engines (pictured here).
After a short time we all filed in and were then treated to the lovely film “Stranger Things” which is about a young English woman who returns home to her recently deceased mother’s house and finds a homeless squatter who has taken up residence. The movie stars two relative unknowns, Bridget Collins and Adeel Akhtar (“4 Lions”). Their chemistry has both a sincerity and integrity to it, lending the film a somber and touching mood. Afterward the filmmakers took the stage along with Akhtar, who was in New York filming another project, and some of the crew.
Earlier in the day I had been fortunate to have seen a screening of Anne Buford’s “Elevate“, a documentary which follows the paths of 4 young Senegalese basketball players on the quest for the NBA. Truthfully, that description is more the publicity sound bite. It’s really about these young men getting this amazing opportunity for a full life including a chance to live in the U.S. and get a real education. They see that only too clearly. The transition is both exhilarating and terrifying for these guys. They are placed in different prep schools though two of them wind up at Kent Prep School in Kent, Connecticut. They all do end up reuniting at a tournament and stay in very close contact through the internet and mobile phones. It’s a terrific documentary and Ms. Buford, a Kansan, is one to watch for.
Lastly, I stuck around for the early evening screening of Mike Cahill’s “Another Earth“, a science fiction drama which already had quite a buzz about it. It had all the tell-tale signs of a great indie film and, sure enough, it didn’t let me down. The prologue of the film is centered on a tragedy that forms the lives of those who survive. One of those survivors is Rhoda Williams (Brit Marling) who has always had the dream of space travel. The discovery of a parallel Earth like planet that, over the course of the film, emerges from out of nowhere, gives Rhoda that opportunity. Through circumstances that will go undescibed here, Rhoda forms an emotional connection with a composer who lives a solitary existence. The two come together and form an unlikely romance. I can’t say enough about this film which in all honesty has little to do about science fiction and everything to do with redemption, forgiveness and looking into the blackness of one’s soul. Yes, it is not a laugh-aloud film if that’s what you are looking for. For that I direct you to “Bad Teacher”, “Horrible Bosses”, “Lousy Ombudsman”, “Crummy Landlord” or what have you.
My gratitude to both Ron Eyal and Mike Cahill for making such brilliant and moving films, and for providing me with tickets. Neither film had a press screening and screeners were not provided. I can only hope to have an opportunity to screen either of their films under the filmwax aegis. Even though there was more programming following those films, including Alison Ellwood & Alex Gibney’s “Magic Trip” that night as well as a Charlie Ahearn’s “Jamel Shabazz Street Photographer” and a program of shorts on Sunday, I was happy to walk away from BAM feel very sated. It’s been a while since I saw so many wonderful films, docs and narratives both, in such a concentrated amount of time. Perhaps at New Directors/New Films or The New York Film Festival. But these are part of a new wave of filmmaking right here in our own backyard. It’s quite exciting. Kudos again to Azazel Jacobs, Alex Perry Ross, Sophia Takal, Michael Tully and Todd Rohal for their amazing narrative films. Also, thanks to Charlie Ahearn, Heather Courtney, Alison Ellwood and Marshall Curry for giving me such great interviews for P.O.V. All these filmmakers have been supportive of one another, showing up for each other’s screenings when possible and making themselves available to folks like me who are writing about film or trying to put together their own thing.
