I met Christopher Llewellyn Reed at the 2008 festival, when he was standing behind me and reading my notes over my shoulder. He couldn't help but make a suggestion -- a very good one. And since it was a very long line, we had time to become friends.
Chris teaches film and video at Stevenson University. I'm posting a link to his review of two films I really wanted to see but couldn't make it to -- hard choices when so many films are showing simultaneously. Read his blog here.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Happy Mothers' Day for film-loving moms
This festival always falls on Mothers' Day weekend. There's good and bad in that, so embrace the good. The closing night film is Mother and Child, but that's sold out. I'm sure you'll have a chance to see it when it is released widely, which isn't the case for a lot of other films at this festival.
There are a few screenings here that you could take a child to, as long as you're not too uptight about the content. I could have taken my 12-year-old to the Animated Shorts program I saw last night, and it screens again today at 4 p.m. I would call it PG-13, although no films here are rated.
Music by Prudence, which won best documentary at this year's Academy Awards and has a strong local connection, shows at 5 p.m., but be prepared for that to be sold out.
(See the Film Guide for information on these films.)
Earthling would appeal to teens and moms who love alien body-invasion sci-fi. I got to see only the trailer, and it looks intense.
Putty Hill would appeal to anyone -- the multi-generational tale has 15-year-olds front and center, but the most moving moment in the film for me was between the mother and grandmother of the character whose death brings together his family and friends. I saw it Friday, and it was only the second film in 12 years of the festival that brought tears to my eyes.
I did, in fact, bring my son this morning to the Alloy Orchestra accompaniment to the 1927 silent film Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness. He grumbled, but I know he got a lot out of it. We sat right in front of the musicians so he could watch them play. Otherwise, it's easy to forget they're there playing along; the music so perfectly complements the film.
Michael Sragow, film critic for The Baltimore Sun, hosted the screening and gave some terrific background information on the film, which is a fictionalized depiction using the real jungle and wild animals. Filmmakers Merrian C. Cooper and Ernest Schoedsack made King Kong a few years later in 1933.
There are a few screenings here that you could take a child to, as long as you're not too uptight about the content. I could have taken my 12-year-old to the Animated Shorts program I saw last night, and it screens again today at 4 p.m. I would call it PG-13, although no films here are rated.
Music by Prudence, which won best documentary at this year's Academy Awards and has a strong local connection, shows at 5 p.m., but be prepared for that to be sold out.
(See the Film Guide for information on these films.)
Earthling would appeal to teens and moms who love alien body-invasion sci-fi. I got to see only the trailer, and it looks intense.
Putty Hill would appeal to anyone -- the multi-generational tale has 15-year-olds front and center, but the most moving moment in the film for me was between the mother and grandmother of the character whose death brings together his family and friends. I saw it Friday, and it was only the second film in 12 years of the festival that brought tears to my eyes.
I did, in fact, bring my son this morning to the Alloy Orchestra accompaniment to the 1927 silent film Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness. He grumbled, but I know he got a lot out of it. We sat right in front of the musicians so he could watch them play. Otherwise, it's easy to forget they're there playing along; the music so perfectly complements the film.
Michael Sragow, film critic for The Baltimore Sun, hosted the screening and gave some terrific background information on the film, which is a fictionalized depiction using the real jungle and wild animals. Filmmakers Merrian C. Cooper and Ernest Schoedsack made King Kong a few years later in 1933.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
"Gabi on the Roof in July" star and director in video interview
I had a chance to talk to the director/star and his co-star, who both describe a film with a complex sibling relationship.
See the short interview with Lawrence Michael Levine and Sophia Takal.
See the short interview with Lawrence Michael Levine and Sophia Takal.
Saw a lot on Saturday, ready for more on Sunday
The Maryland Film Festival always falls on Mothers' Day weekend, and I'll be trying to use this to convince my 12-year-old son to join me to see Chang: A Tale of the Wilderness, and old silent film with live accompaniment by the Alloy Orchestra.
Too tired to write much, I'll just say that I've loved almost everything I've seen since Friday, thanks to the MFF staff for a thorough program book with notes on each film -- even the individual shorts.
Here's what I've seen:
Putty Hill -- (Friday night) magnificent, and more coming on this later.
La Pivellina -- a film that Fellini might have made if he had been a neorealist.
Faces -- an old John Cassevetes film that was bold for its time and which stars the lovely and talented Gena Rowlands, his wife. But I wasn't in the mood for its intensity and I left early. I think Woody Allen did a better job with Husbands and Wives.
12th & Delaware -- absolutely loved it and admire the fairness, boldness and intimacy. By the duo that made Boys of Baraka and Jesus Camp.
American Jihadist -- see earlier posts.
Animated Shorts -- this had the lovely effect of feeling like "dessert" after a long day at the movies. It was packed -- SRO and people sitting on the steps (I was one of them).
Too tired to write much, I'll just say that I've loved almost everything I've seen since Friday, thanks to the MFF staff for a thorough program book with notes on each film -- even the individual shorts.
Here's what I've seen:
Putty Hill -- (Friday night) magnificent, and more coming on this later.
La Pivellina -- a film that Fellini might have made if he had been a neorealist.
Faces -- an old John Cassevetes film that was bold for its time and which stars the lovely and talented Gena Rowlands, his wife. But I wasn't in the mood for its intensity and I left early. I think Woody Allen did a better job with Husbands and Wives.
12th & Delaware -- absolutely loved it and admire the fairness, boldness and intimacy. By the duo that made Boys of Baraka and Jesus Camp.
American Jihadist -- see earlier posts.
Animated Shorts -- this had the lovely effect of feeling like "dessert" after a long day at the movies. It was packed -- SRO and people sitting on the steps (I was one of them).
Mark Claywell and Ramona Diaz
Ramona Diaz, right, introduced Claywell's film at the Maryland Film Festival. Diaz is a Baltimore-based documentary filmmaker whose work includes Imelda, about Imelda Marcos. She is currently working on The Learning, about teachers hired from the Philippines to teach in Baltimore City Public Schools.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone
Interview with Director Mark Claywell
I had a chance to interview Mark Claywell after the last screening of his film, American Jihadist. Some context before viewing a short video of his comments:
The documentary is about Isa Abdullah Ali, an African-American man raised in Washington, DC, who came of age during the tumult of the 1960s. After coming home from service in Vietnam and facing racial injustice, he experienced a religious conversion to Islam and dedicated his life to going to wherever Muslims are under attack. He helped the Mujahadeen fight off the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and arrived in Bosnia with weapons and skills to train Muslims to defend themselves against Serb forces.
Isa Ali is not someone most viewers will like -- he is a killer, and hearing him talk about that is uncomfortable, especially when it's about his part in the civil war in Lebanon, my parents' homeland, on the side that I have always thought of as the enemy.
But if I were persecuted and powerless to defend myself and he came to help with grenades, guns and camo, I might want him on my side.
With terrorism and homeland security on everyone's mind, it is tempting to lump Isa Ali in with terrorists, but there is a difference. Ali does not target civilians. He shows up to help the Muslim civilians train to fight organized forces bearing down on them.
The documentary is about Isa Abdullah Ali, an African-American man raised in Washington, DC, who came of age during the tumult of the 1960s. After coming home from service in Vietnam and facing racial injustice, he experienced a religious conversion to Islam and dedicated his life to going to wherever Muslims are under attack. He helped the Mujahadeen fight off the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, and arrived in Bosnia with weapons and skills to train Muslims to defend themselves against Serb forces.
Isa Ali is not someone most viewers will like -- he is a killer, and hearing him talk about that is uncomfortable, especially when it's about his part in the civil war in Lebanon, my parents' homeland, on the side that I have always thought of as the enemy.
But if I were persecuted and powerless to defend myself and he came to help with grenades, guns and camo, I might want him on my side.
With terrorism and homeland security on everyone's mind, it is tempting to lump Isa Ali in with terrorists, but there is a difference. Ali does not target civilians. He shows up to help the Muslim civilians train to fight organized forces bearing down on them.
"American Jihadist" at 4 today
I was able to watch only the first 15 minutes yesterday of American Jihadist, a documentary by Mark Claywell. It was enough to confirm that I wanted to make time today for the whole film.
I interviewed Claywell on opening night about the role of the documentary as journalism in a time when the journalism industry is in such a state of flux, and focused more on profits than on paying what it takes to truly investigate a subject.
A lot of this comes down to money, and money was certainly a challenge -- American Jihadist was expensive to make because of the travel involved to Afghanistan, Lebanon, Bosnia and other places. How many filmmakers have to compute kidnap insurance in their expenses? But he and his producer and writer -- Jody Jenkins, a veteran journalist now working in Paris -- are pros. They raised the money it took to cover the subject.
This is one of at least two films at this year's festival that can broaden our understanding of the motivation behind people who fight for Islam, whether it's as the subject in this film -- a self-described professional soldier of Islam who travels to where Muslims are oppressed and will fight for them -- or the terrorists of al Qaeda. The subject of The Oath, by Laura Poitras, is a former bodyguard to Osama bin Laden, now living in Yemen and struggling with questions of faith and morals.
I interviewed Claywell on opening night about the role of the documentary as journalism in a time when the journalism industry is in such a state of flux, and focused more on profits than on paying what it takes to truly investigate a subject.
A lot of this comes down to money, and money was certainly a challenge -- American Jihadist was expensive to make because of the travel involved to Afghanistan, Lebanon, Bosnia and other places. How many filmmakers have to compute kidnap insurance in their expenses? But he and his producer and writer -- Jody Jenkins, a veteran journalist now working in Paris -- are pros. They raised the money it took to cover the subject.
This is one of at least two films at this year's festival that can broaden our understanding of the motivation behind people who fight for Islam, whether it's as the subject in this film -- a self-described professional soldier of Islam who travels to where Muslims are oppressed and will fight for them -- or the terrorists of al Qaeda. The subject of The Oath, by Laura Poitras, is a former bodyguard to Osama bin Laden, now living in Yemen and struggling with questions of faith and morals.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Filmmaker Steve Yeager and film student Daisy Hart at the tent village
Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone
Steve's recently completed film is Crystal Fog. His Divine Trash won Best Documentary at Sundance.
"Night Catches Us" by Tanya Hamilton
Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone
From left, Wendell Pierce (actor), Lynn French, Tanya Hamilton (director), Paul Coates and Marc Steiner
I had to sit on the floor.
But it was worth it. Standing room only doesn't exactly describe how full the house was for Tanya Hamilton's film Night Catches Us, with Kerry Washington, Anthony Mackie and Wendell Pierce. People were sitting on all the stairs up and down both aisles of the theater. I was sitting on the floor near the front. It actually was not a bad view at all, and I had a wall to lean on.
Before the film started, festival director Jed Dietz told the audience there would be another showing tomorrow, but no one wanted to leave. More on this film later when I have time, but I highly recommend going to see it tomorrow at 9:30 p.m. at Brown Center on the MICA campus. There will be a shuttle from the Charles Theatre to Brown.
I suggest buying tickets today and getting in line early tomorrow, for obvious reasons.
Before the film started, festival director Jed Dietz told the audience there would be another showing tomorrow, but no one wanted to leave. More on this film later when I have time, but I highly recommend going to see it tomorrow at 9:30 p.m. at Brown Center on the MICA campus. There will be a shuttle from the Charles Theatre to Brown.
I suggest buying tickets today and getting in line early tomorrow, for obvious reasons.
Standing room only for Night Catches Us
Above, Marc Steiner led the Q and A after the film.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless Phone
Film for Everyone
That's the slogan for this year's festival, which I'm happy to have introduced to George Scott, the Ehrlich technician who just left my house after a scheduled check-and-treat. Upon seeing my husband's rather extensive collection of CDs and LPs, Scottie mentioned that he was that way about movies.
"Well, then," I said.... and told him about the festival and gave him my extra program. He's a John Waters fan, so the showing tonight of United 93 is one he's considering so that he can hear Waters' insight on this unique film.
"Well, then," I said.... and told him about the festival and gave him my extra program. He's a John Waters fan, so the showing tonight of United 93 is one he's considering so that he can hear Waters' insight on this unique film.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Another thing -- chocolate
I would look so jaded not to mention that the food this year was also great -- marinated cold shrimp, veggies and dip and wonderful rosemary bread.
Best of all -- Albert Kirchmyr himself was giving out his hand-crafted and otherwise very expensive chocolate truffles and infused chocolate candies. I had two on my plate when filmmaker Lawrence Michael Levine (Gabi on the Roof in July) saw them and asked where to get them. No sooner had I pointed him in the direction of the great chocolatier when Matt Porterfield (Putty Hill) asked me the same question.
Also serving food was Sofi's crepes, which is next door to the Charles Theater, where most of the films in the festival will be shown.
Best of all -- Albert Kirchmyr himself was giving out his hand-crafted and otherwise very expensive chocolate truffles and infused chocolate candies. I had two on my plate when filmmaker Lawrence Michael Levine (Gabi on the Roof in July) saw them and asked where to get them. No sooner had I pointed him in the direction of the great chocolatier when Matt Porterfield (Putty Hill) asked me the same question.
Also serving food was Sofi's crepes, which is next door to the Charles Theater, where most of the films in the festival will be shown.
Opening Night Short Films and Party
Md Film Fest programmers Eric Allen Hatch and J. Scott Braid put together a selection of seven short films that were so good that I regret to tell you that you won't get a chance to see most of them. One that you can see is Junko's Shamisen, which will be part of the "Animated Shorts" program that looks like it has at least one more winner, Pigeon: Impossible.
Junko's Shamisen is an artful and modern combination of live action and animation. Director Sol Friedman puts the translation of what the Japanese narrator is saying in comic-book style white boxes with text, avoiding the more pedestrian subtitles and adding to, rather than distracting from, the beauty and mystery of the images.
And I absolutely loved The Late Mr. Mokun Williams, which has a keen sense of balance and humor. It will resonate with anyone who has gotten one of those e-mails from the orphan/widow of someone who has thousands of dollars in an offshore bank that must be transferred to your savings account so please give the account number.
This film was so popular with the crowd that one man hated to see it end so much that he asked director Kenneth Price if he was planning a sequel and my husband said he thought the concept could even hold up for a feature-length film.
Also loved the collage-1050s look of Voice on the Line by Kelly Sears, the only woman among the filmmakers of the opening night programs. I'm wondering why I don't see more women directors.
To choose short films for the festival from among the submissions, Hatch said he and Braid will typically spend 9 hours a day watching 50 to 60 short films to select the ones to show. I didn't get the sense he was complaining, though.
Junko's Shamisen is an artful and modern combination of live action and animation. Director Sol Friedman puts the translation of what the Japanese narrator is saying in comic-book style white boxes with text, avoiding the more pedestrian subtitles and adding to, rather than distracting from, the beauty and mystery of the images.
And I absolutely loved The Late Mr. Mokun Williams, which has a keen sense of balance and humor. It will resonate with anyone who has gotten one of those e-mails from the orphan/widow of someone who has thousands of dollars in an offshore bank that must be transferred to your savings account so please give the account number.
This film was so popular with the crowd that one man hated to see it end so much that he asked director Kenneth Price if he was planning a sequel and my husband said he thought the concept could even hold up for a feature-length film.
Also loved the collage-1050s look of Voice on the Line by Kelly Sears, the only woman among the filmmakers of the opening night programs. I'm wondering why I don't see more women directors.
To choose short films for the festival from among the submissions, Hatch said he and Braid will typically spend 9 hours a day watching 50 to 60 short films to select the ones to show. I didn't get the sense he was complaining, though.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
What do you want to see?
It's the question I've been asked a lot this week. I wanted to look at the schedule to map out what I can see -- many tough decisions await me once I consult the grid, which I can download as a PDF this year rather than wait until opening night. Then I'll sit down with a pen and highlighter in full geek mode to see what is possible.
Until then, I made a wish list list based on the trailers, film guide and Festival Director Jed Dietz's favorites.
Dogtooth
La Pivellina
Putty Hill
Night Catches Us
Music by Prudence
Mars
12th & Delaware
The Oath
American Jihadist
Family Affair
Casino Jack and the United States of Money
Pidgeon: Impossible (animated, looks hilarious)
Cyrus
Mother and Child (closing night film)
Gabi on the Roof in July
Chang: A Drama of the Wilderness (with live accompaniment by the Alloy Orchestra)
Quick Gun Murugun
A Small Act
Tiny Furniture
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