The last two days I have seen films that are so out of the ordinary and enjoyable. Yesterday was 'Sosua.' Liz Swados (the brilliant choreographer/playwright of RUNAWAYS) takes a group of Dominican and Jewish teens and produces a theatrical piece about the history of 800 German Jews being saved by the D.R. dictator Trujillo from Hitler's Germany. The teens live in this culturally divided community in Washington Heights and come together at the YM-YWHA but don't interact much. Liz helps form these kids into a community and they produce a heartfelt self written musical theater piece about two cultures meeting, relating, helping and becoming strengthened by their co-existence.
Then 'Colegas' the most unusual film I have ever seen. Three young adults with Down Syndrome live in an institution in Brazil and work in the video library. They steal a car and go off on a journey of a lifetime imitating the movies they have come to love. They are stick-up guys and a gal; experience being circus performers, marry, have sex, dance, get drunk, and fly. This is such an unusual and happy film with such comfortable performances by the three main actors.
Tonight I had the good fortune to watch the final film '7 Cajas' with UT RTF soon to graduate Malina Panovich, a filmmaker whose Route 22 was a short in this festival. We both loved this film made in Paraguay. This is an action thriller that had the audience hooked. Cinematography, music,and story had the audience applauding for ages at the end. A 17 y.o. wheelbarrow driver is asked to deliver 7 boxes to an unknown destination and his desire for a cellphone costing $100 takes him on an adventure that is packed with humor, close calls, violence, a girl who loves him and life threatening escapades. A great way to end this wonderful film festival.
This sounds so, so good!
ReplyDeletePam