Thursday 21 June 007
Solstice Day around the World, and the KwaCinema Project has arrived!!!
first screenings for DIFF007
Selection#1 - Radiant City -
a well told story of surburbia and the effects of modern life on the Moss Family in a town in America. Shaky cameras and straight face interviews give the documentary feel, while the narrative of the family delivers a realism. the tale eventually meanders into not much other than postulations and examinations of suburbia on the human psyche. there's a twist at the end, a smart one.
ultimately poor delivery of what could have been either funny, provoking, or insightful. the director/s seemed to try for all of the above, with expert opinions. they missed on all levels. the ending, meant to be a climatic 'Oohhhh....', turned out to be a 'OH?' and called to question the entire movie. worth watching if you got nothing else to do, and nowhere else to be.
Selection #2 - Shakti Timeless -
a DVD presentation of interviews and live performances from the legendary Shakti outfit. really frank words from Zakir Hussain and John Mc drove this stationary piece. for someone not interested in music, Indian music, Fusion/world music, this might have been a bit of a 'bore' compared to high action thriller releases.
for those that were present, it was a revealing insight into what probably is the first 'world-music' genre outfit. Exposing the manner of fusing Northern and Southern indain music, as well as its overall integration with western music,it was really great 2 hear from these pioneers.
the performances were also great, almost teasing the audience into buying tickets for a concert. a short and direct chat with the filmaker after the screening was also a treat, as he gave a brief rundown of his contact with the master musicians, and the contractual problems involved in dealing with universal Music, the distributors and owners of the copyright material.
Selection #3 - Me, Cyprien and the Others -
a short film about the 'coming out' of the cameraman, and his reluctance and hesitations in sharing his potential homosexuality to his friend Cyprien. this is juxtaposed sweetly with Cyprien's upcoming wedding. it's a very handheld feel, with the cameraman engaging directly with the subject and off scene with the audience. the buildup was pretty even, leaving the viewers wondering how Cyprien will react to the news, considering his homophobia. ultimately, the prizes of friendships and respect emerge, as Cyprien gets married.
highlights are of course, the Amelie theme music for the wedding sequence, and a Really funny 'first-toke' scene, rivalling the 'come-on' scene in human Traffic.
dont go out of your way to watch this 35 minute flick, but dont avoid it either. could be a useful pointer to local filmakers on how to engage with their subjects.
*************************************nd*********************************************
and as the wine and beer flowed after, and the sexy piano began to jive, the KwaCinema called curtains on the opening night. a relatively quiet night, thankfully. this weekend is a long production of very, very heavy documentaries, and the Wavescape weeknight screenings should be off the barometer.
i'm off to the Vega School 'Stop Animation' workshop Friday, and then it's Strange Culture time.
dont forget to check out the pictures at this operator is keeping those eyes peeled and camera clicking.
catch ya at the Kwa>>
increase the peace
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