SIFF opens officially tonight with an Opening Night screening and party, and then 8 screens starting Friday. Here's what I've seen this week at advance press screenings.
THE FARTHEST--Ireland--Beautiful photography explores the Voyager space missions that started in the mid 1970s (and are still going!!!), and the film shows the wonderful photographs of the planets that these aircraft captured. A fascinating, uplifting documentary of science and space exploration at its best. GRADE-----------A
THE PARIS OPERA--France--Not what I expected, but more of an impressionistic exploration of a season with stories of singers, dancers, technicians and executives, and always wonderful music in the background. A must see for lovers of music and dance. GRADE----------A
WEIRDOS---Canada--Charming and moving comedy-drama about a teenage boy who leaves his home to go stay with his mother over two hours away. He is accompanied by his girl friend, and the "spirit/ghost" of Andy Warhol. This little black and white coming of age gem was very well received by nearly the whole audience and received perhaps the biggest applause (which is rare) at any screening so far this year. GRADE-----------B+
CITY OF GHOSTS---USA---I didn't think I wanted to see this, but the well made film documents the efforts of a group of Syrians trying to resist the Isis takeover of Raqqa, from within the city and outside from other countries. The engrossing film is both informative and filled with dramatic tension. GRADE---------B+
FINDING KUKAN--USA---Engrossing mystery film about the "lost" winner of the 1941 Academy Award for documentary feature and how the filmmaker tries to piece together the puzzle of how that film got made. The provocative film which featured the "rape of Nanking" in China by the Japanese during WWII was photographed by a world famous camera man but the real "producer" was a dynamic American/Chinese woman called Li Ling-Ai, who had her hands in every aspect of the production. GRADE----------B+
THE MAN--Denmark--Possibly the most discussed and argued about film so far, this drama features a world famous artist who suddenly feels threatened by his up and coming artist son who specializes in urban street art. The father is a very selfish and unpleasant character, but vividly acted, and the twist ending got tongues wagging. GRADE--------B
THE GIRL WITHOUT HANDS--France--This lesser know fairy tale by the brothers Grimm gets a unique animated treatment in a spare, watercolor treatment that is very impressionist and sometimes difficult to watch, and especially not for young children. GRADE-------B
THE WINTER---Argentina--Sparse, tense drama about an older sheep ranch foreman who is being replaced at the end of the season by a much younger man. The younger man must live by him self during the long cold winter, dealing with some odd occurrences. Filmed in evocative Patagonia. Not the most dramatic film, but the characters are engrossing. GRADE------B
DIVINE DIVAS--Brazil--There's a very good documentary film struggling to get out of this historical drama stuffed with musical interludes about aging drag performers in Brazil who put on a 50 year anniversary show in an acclaimed "drag" theatre, but the film at 110 minutes needs to be edited to about 90 minutes, and some reshaping might help gain our sympathies earlier. GRADE --------- B-
500 YEARS---USA--A majorly frustrating historical documentary about the opposition to corruption and the genocide of the indigenous Mayan population in Guatemala. Many segments are informative and powerful, but the film feels like it was edited in a blender, by jumping back and forth and back and forth to different time periods, and often repeating information with many many shots of public demonstrations. However, the clothing worn by much of the indigenous population is beautiful to look at, and there is some good music in the foreground and back ground. GRADE---------C+
TEA PETS--China--The animating is colorful and smart, but the plot is mostly insipid rip-offs of better films (TOY STORY and others) and the 99 minute film goes on and on and on--it felt like 3 hours long. Occasionally amusing, but would mostly appeal to the under 12 crowd if they are patient. GRADE----------C
STRUGGLE FOR LIFE--Belgium--The first 15 minutes of this silly "comedy" are off puttingly amusing at times, but soon the plot dumbs down and becomes frantic without any laughs or common sense, and the actors play it as broadly as an ocean liner, to tiresome effect. GRADE----D+
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