Hustler of Culture
Using Sched.org, I’ve logged a complete schedule of the movies I’d like to see at this year’s San Francisco International Film Festival.
What looks good to you? Sched.org is free so put together your own calendar so we can compare.
Ice People will be playing April 26, 28, and 30 at the Kabuki Theater.
Forgot to mention that, continuing on a theme, I’m really looking forward to seeing Latent Argentina, a documentary the festival describes as such…
When most people think of Argentina, they think of the inflation,
poverty and helplessness that plagued the country in the wake of the
financial crises of recent years. Actually, argues [filmmaker] Fernando Solanas,
Argentina is one of the richest countries in the world. Argentines don’t know that they are the owners of this enormous innate wealth is the result of “mental colonialism.”
Now that sounds interesting. Especially following up on The Take, a fascinating documentary I caught a few months ago, about the "recovered factories movement" in Argentina where workers reclaim shuttered bankrupted factories and attempt to get them back into business under newer, more enlightened management principles.
Seeing the workers of an old factory reopen it, proud of their work and implementing policies like paid maternity and paternity leave is indescribably moving, like the school nerd becoming principal and outlawing bullying in the halls.
Highly recommend and not just for the angry liberal in your life. Latent Argentina will make a fine follow-up this coming week. The Take is available via netflix and at fine video stores near you.
The 51st San Francisco International Film Festival begins this week (Thursday) and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve been part of the press corps covering the festival since 2006 which means I get to see a ton of great movies for free and write about them right here. Oh and go to the fancy pants press conference where the festival committee talks about the movies they’re most excited about. That’s like listening to the waiter at the French Laundry read you the menu.
In year’s past, I’ve done a series of first impression just-got-out-of-the-screening audio posts (sample using the magic of hipcast). I’ll probably do some of that and maybe some writing as well. Since the Kabuki theater, where the majority of screenings are held, is now the Sundance Kabuki with a bar/kitchen/somesuchthing, I may bring my laptop, sit and write between showtimes.
What do I want to see? Since I’m a big ole’ documentary ho, I’m easy to please at most film festivals. The last few SFIFF’s, I’ve seen 10-12 films per festival and maybe 80% were non-fiction. I told myself this year I’d try and branch out but no promises. With 250 movies to choose from, I usually choose based on what won’t be coming to a theater near me (because if its getting released next month, what’s the hurry?), what’s in English and under 120 minutes. I’m not so proud of the last 2 but with this bounty, you’ve got to start drawing X’s somewhere.
Enough explaining.
Documentaries: I’m all over Ask Not, a look at the military’s "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" policy 15 years after its installation (Castro, 4/26, 12:00 PM, Kabuki, 5/5 12:00 PM), Glass: A Portrait of Philip Glass in Twelve Parts (Kabuki, 4/26, 8:30 and 4/30, 3 PM)), 1000 Journals about the 1000 Journals Project (Kabuki, 4/26 1:30 PM and 4/28 9 PM)and Dust, about, well dust, which my buddy Dave saw at the Philadelphia Film Festival (Kabuki, 5/5, 6:15 PM and 5/7, 4:15 PM).
Stranded, Umbrella and Faubourg Treme (about black New Orleans) all look real good, too.
Features: Sign me up for Ballast (PFA, 5/2, 6:30, 54, 12:45 PM) which looks an awful lot like George Washington only one of my favorite movies ever. Also The Toe Tactic which I missed at SXSW (Kabuki, 4/26, 3:45 PM, 5/3, 6:45 PM). Vasermil (Kabuki, 5/4, 1 PM, 5/5 6:45 PM) is supposed to be "An Israeli Mean Streets" which is enough to get me there. Touching Home is one everyone seems to be talking about (Kabuki 4/26 5 PM, 4/29 12:30 PM).
The Wackness I’ll go to just for the title (Kabuki, 5/3, 7 PM).
That’s all I’ve had a chance to explore thus far. But over the next few days, I’ll be cycling between the festival program and sched.org who’s got the entire schedule online and downloadable via iCal to your cell phone or iPod.
SFIFF 51, bring it on. Come Thursday, I’ll be ready for you.
The Business of Being Born (2008): "The inevitable result of valuing efficiency above all else who eventually make its way to something as fundamental as the creation of life."
Notes: Thrilling, terrifying documentary about the birth industry in America which has an infant and mother natal injury rate comparable to third world countries. Gives big props to midwifery and contains some squeamish scenes of actual births. Produced by Ricki Lake (that RIcki Lake) and Netflix’s Red Envelope Entertainment.
Chalk (2006): "Teaching will bring out the best and worst of you but you get to decide which"
Notes: A fascinating film shot documentary style but fictional about 3 young teachers in a middle class high school. Recommended by Dave Thomas, acquired via Netflix.
Wherein we discuss all the cinematic goodies from this year’s festival. Set to drop April 24th!
No Country for Old Men (2007): "The essential American soul is hard, isolate, stoic, a killer" —D.H. Lawrence
Be Kind Rewind (2008): "The town that makes movies together, stays together."
Seen: At the brand new Alamo Drafthouse in Austin.
Freeway Philharmonic (2008): "To sacrifice in the name of something you love is a question of degree"
Notes: Cariwyl had an advanced copy of this one (advantages to dating a classical musician!) so we saw it right before I left for Austin. Very interesting documentary about freelance classical musicians in the Bay Area who drive thousands of miles every year and play in multiple orchestras, ensembles and schools in order to make their living as classical musicians. Filmmaker Tal Skloot does not answer what I thought were two crucial questions (1. Does this phenomenon exist outside the Bay Area? and 2. What does this say about the economics of classical music in the modern world) but that might have been a lot to ask of a one hour documentary on public TV (it’s part of KQED’s Truly California series) but for what it is this is great documentary making.
And it’s available on DVD for $25.