This is the story of a vaudeville troupe trying to reassemble their stage act and put the Spanish civil war behind them. In the process, they adopt orphans, forge papers, and try to forget the loved ones they’ve lost. Your friends are sometimes your family. There is a plot twist that took me by surprise, and not everyone’s allegiances are what they appear.
‘Paper Birds’ won the Golden Space Needle Award for Best Film at the 2011 Seattle International Film Festival. We were fortunate enough to see it at the donor’s screening a few weeks before the festival officially started.
Venue: Seattle International Film Festival, 2011
Country: Spain
Language: Spanish
Genre: Drama
It was the 70’s, and the premise was simple. Raise and nurture a chimpanzee like a human child, teach it sign language, and then sit down over tea and have a civilized conversation. What could go wrong? First, let’s name the chimp ‘Nim Chimpsky’. Second, lets find a young, financially independent hippie mother who’s willing to breast feed the chimp and serve as its role model.
Since it’s the 70’s (and we all want to be free spirits), lets give the chimp some marijuana and a bottle of Jack Daniels. Since no one in his foster family even knows sign language, there’s really no reason to create a lesson plan or take any notes. The lack of forsight about how the chimp will mature and pose an increasing risk to his keepers’ safety is mind blowing. For all of you kids out there that want to grow-up and be scientists, this movie demonstrates how not to carry out an experiment. Nim’s story is fascinating in the same way a train wreck is.
This is the third film from director James Marsh I’ve sat through. The first was Man on a Wire, a documentary about tightrope walker Philippe Petit who crossed the distance between New York’s twin towers. The second was Red Riding: In the Year of Our Lord 1980, a mystery thriller about a serial killer. Both are worth seeing.
In all of his films, one thing seems constant. Whether documentary or historical fiction, Marsh likes to explore the interpersonal relationships of his actors no matter how dysfunctional or embarrassing they might be. What surprised me most was the high quality and volume of archival footage and stills used in this production.
Venue: Seattle International Film Festival, 2011
Country: USA
Language: English
Genre: Documentary
A young woman (25 yo) leaves a physically abusive husband in Turkey and returns to Germany with her young son in tow to live with her parents. Unfortunately, she is not out of danger. When she finally takes a new boyfriend, her family basically puts out a contract and instructs her brothers to assassinate her. Some cultures don’t afford much value to women and view them as possessions rather than people.
I wonder if the merging of two disparate cultures is possible without considerable conflict. In the case of this story, “Western” and “Turkish-Muslim” values aren’t compatible. In recent years, we’ve seen quite a few films that are a melds of German and Turkish at the festival. It’s an interesting combination and I’ve really enjoyed the stories.
The performances are competent and believable. The cinematography and general production quality is good. I liked how the choice of musical score, it nicely sets the cultural mood. There’s nothing original about the plot, but if you can get past your anger towards Umay’s neanderthal family, then it’s a compelling story worth seeing.
Venue: Seattle International Film Festival, 2010
Country: Germany
Language: German, Turkish
Genre: Drama
Want to learn how to freeload and eat semi-well by dating elderly women and filling a place setting at people’s dinner parties? Itching to try on some girl’s delicates because you like to cross dress? We follow the life of a very young, recently unemployed prep school English teacher as he moves to New York and takes up residence with one Kevin Kline. It’s the struggling writer scenario, taking place in present day Greenwich Village.
I’m really not sure what this film was trying to say. Maybe it was trying to teach us tolerance and kindness towards everyone, no matter how high their voice or how odd their disposition. I think it was supposed to be an off-beat comedy meant to shock everyone, but there was very little to laugh at (or be shocked by). Some of the characters were superfluous and uninteresting, such as Kevin Kline’s mechanic manservant friend.
Opening and closing night galas at SIFF often screen what I term “safe” films (ones with a couple of big name actors but very little artistic or thought provoking punch). An exception to this pattern was Miranda July’s You and Me and Everyone We Know a few years back. That was a truly good movie, and it had some really funny scenes.
Venue: Seattle International Film Festival, 2010
Country: France, USA
Language: English
Genre: Comedy, Drama
A pardoned, female convict named Leila moves in with an elderly, blind priest. She has been employed to read his letters, and to help him answer some of them (the rest she throws down a well), and to occasionally bully the postman when there is no mail. She once attempts suicide, considers stealing from the padre, and doesn’t talk much.
The cinematography is why you should see this film, so my giving away any of the plot is unimportant. Many films are too long, and some are too short (very few are too short). At 75 minutes running time, Father Jacob sounded more like a novella than a feature, but it’s just the right length. We were lucky enough to see this at one of the morning press screenings during the festival. I like press screenings because they’re quiet and make it easier to appreciate subtle art.
Venue: Seattle International Film Festival, 2010
Country: Finland
Language: Finnish
Genre: Drama
