THE END

I’m throwing out blog posts because I get back at 1:00 am tonight and start my two-day j-term break with my super friends, another way to refer to your friends.

Park City is BEAUTIFUL.  And today happened to be the day it snowed the most. For example, here’s a photo of us at the token Sundance sign outside the Egyptian theatre.

I’ve been talking with the group, and some of us definitely want to return after we graduate, either as volunteers or soon-to-be regulars.  I feel a strange connection to the films at Sundance, and feel like I’m magically friends with the filmmakers simply because I got to experience their premieres.

Sundance knows how to finish with a bang too.  A few of us went to the Sundance Awards afterparty where fat beats were dropped and coat check went for miles.  I saw people who I had seen throughout the week, and there was a sort of camaraderie.  We wanted more electronica, but that’s beside the point.

So I’m going to wrap up this Sundance experience with just a couple thoughts.

I think it’s awesome that culture-makers come together for a week in a totally random city in Utah every year.

I love that spirituality is in almost every film.  People are searching.

It’s so easy to talk to strangers at Sundance.  You can start up conversation without feeling intrusive just about all the time during the week.

If you stand around by a wall in a theatre people think you’re a volunteer and ask you questions.

Hot tubs are great. Staying at the Fultons, which was basically a ski lodge just for us, made the trip that much more pleasant.

I hope to make it back in the future! Maybe as a producer of a Sundance film?!

Blood Broz

One film that stood out to me was Blood Brother. It won the U.S. documentary grand jury prize and the audience award.  That’s a big deal.  And it thrills me because it means that many people will see this film.

It follows Rocky Anna, or at least that’s the name the orphans in India call him, meaning big brother Rocky.  His name is actually Robin, and his grandpa thought that was a girl’s name so he called him Rocky.  From the start this guy’s personality is addictive.  He’s awesome, hilarious, but most importantly passionate.  Passionate about orphans in India.

I’m not going to reveal any spoilers because I imagine most of the people who read this will see it eventually.  So not only does Rocky live in an Indian orphanage, but it’s specifically for orphans with HIV.  The film sheds a light on the stigma of HIV, but does so with a truth that is contagiously portrayed: life is about loving.

I felt connected with the diverse audience.  This film was a great example of how no matter if you are Christian or not, Jesus-like personality, action, and love are desired by all.  Everyone wants to be able to be like Jesus.  Seeing Rocky on the screen inspired everyone and brought everyone to tears.  The film at times shows very tragic situations, but most of the movie is spent shedding tears of happiness.  That is a very difficult feat, and such an amazing example of excellent filmmaking that uplifts yet is still culturally and worldly relevant.  What makes it worse is that it’s a documentary.  Rocky is real. And so are the dying HIV-stricken Indian children that are purely innocent and lovable.  What makes it better is that viewers now know loving is not impossible.  AIDS can be terrifying, but Rocky couldn’t live with himself if he let them suffer unnecessarily with him there.

It’s a visually beautiful film, with very original cinematography.  It was hip.  And it’s going to be seen by a lot of people who may be seeking beauty in life.  Maybe a good place to start is by loving.

http://www.bloodbrotherfilm.com/

CHINA at SUNDANCE

I am sitting at a layover in the Denver airport awaiting our flight to good ol’ Indianapolis.  Instead of writing about all of the films (there are too many!), I’m going to reflect on some of the films that I found especially entertaining, enlightening, or relatable.

Quick list of what I saw through the rest of the week:

Fallen City (World Documentary)

God Loves Uganda (U.S. Documentary)

What They Don’t Talk About When They Talk About Love (World Narrative)

Fruitvale (won grand jury prize for best U.S. Narrative!)

Blood Brother (won grand jury prize and audience award for U.S. Doc!)

Running from Crazy (U.S. Documentary)

This is Martin Bonner (U.S. Narrative)

Kill Your Darlings (U.S. Narrative)

Toy’s House (U.S. Narrative)

I was supposed to see the U.S. Narrative film Circles instead of Fallen City, but Fallen City was THE FILM I had to see at sundance. Luckily it worked out. Every day the box office releases a certain amount of tickets in the morning that are first come first serve, so my friend Nicole and I walked down the mountain from the house at 7:00 am and grabbed a bus to Main Street. We traded our Circles tickets for Fallen City for two bucks and felt super accomplished.

It was a film directed by a Chinese man named Zhao Qi who lives in Beijing.  It followed the stories of three families in the aftermath of the 2008 earthquake in Sichuan, China.  That’s the province my Chinese professor grew up in when I studied in Fujian.

It was one of the most fatal earthquakes in China, killing nearly 100,000 people.  Not only did the film give me a glimpse back into Chinese life, but it shared incredibly real stories with beautiful cinematography.  It helped that the director himself was Chinese.  It made the film heartfelt and gave context on how the Chinese react to devastation.

I was able to chat with Zhao Qi after the film and got his email.  I went ahead and threw myself out there and asked that if I was ever in Beijing, if we could meet up and chat about China and film. He responded so nicely and genuinely, so much like many conversations I had with other Chinese in China.  I also spoke to his executive producer who does work getting East Asian films in the limelight, simply because there aren’t as many avenues in that area as of now.  He’s actually Canadian, but whatever.

Whenever Fallen City shows up, check it out!

I watched more up-and-comings for a class.

As I’m trying to blog, I’m on a giant comfortable couch with Nicole and Adara as we laugh at Jack who is pretending to go down an elevator behind the couch.  This represents a lot of my Sundance experience. 

This is one reason why I’m really behind on writing about the films! I’m not complaining. The people you're with make Sundance.  Although I really do like that I have this means to help me remember films I saw.

I saw three documentaries on Tuesday called When I walk, Cutie & the Boxer, and Salma.

When I Walk is about a filmmaker who decides to document his life as he develops Multiple Sclerosis, or MS.   Something I love about Sundance is the fact cast members and crew show up for the showings and discussion after the movie.  Being able to see this inspiring man that started the documentary fully walking to an end where he’s unable to feed himself was tough.  His wife came to the showing as well and I got to chat with her afterwards.  A good reminder of what many people take for granted – simple movement.

Salma followed a woman who lives in a small village in India. In her village, women are “locked away” in their houses after reaching puberty and can’t show themselves until they’re married. It was an interesting look into aspects of cultural and religious tradition in secluded parts of India.  Salma became famous for her poetry while she was locked away, and totally broke the mold of the injustices going on. Salma was in the theatre at the end of the show, with a translator, to answer questions.  That definitely made the crowd excited.

My favorite film of the day was Cutie & the Boxer.  It followed an old Japanese couple that are both struggling artists living in New York.  It was an unconventional love story with beautiful cinematography and emotional moments that make you question what love is.  They were easy to fall in love with as a result of the film and being able to talk with them after the show.  Ushio Shinohara even did a live painting after the film. Here’s some video I took, which totally hints at the title of the film.  Personal favorite so far.

Something I’m looking forward to is sharing with friends and family what films to anticipate, especially since independent films can really be incredible but typically lack publicity of Hollywood films.

Me Rambling About Films

It’s been a while since I slept so well.  I slept peacefully, knowing I had a whole day of successful traveling and orientation to Park City on Sunday.  It’s wealthy from the ski industry and beautiful due to mountains.  The three documentaries and two short films I saw today have left me winded and inspired.

I saw The Square, Life According to Sam, The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear, Head over Heels, and Buzkashi Boys. All had Q&As with the filmmakers, crew, and sometimes actors.

The Square was my favorite of the day.  It was a documentary that followed the events of the Egyptian protests from the fall of Mubarak to current day.  What I appreciated most about this film was the fact that it was information disseminated through a different gatekeeper than an American news corporation.  Besides that, for being a doc, it had many qualities reminiscent of a narrative film.  It had an incredible story, it followed a few protagonists, and was beautifully directed for needing to be on the fly with a lot of shots.  I love when a documentary can have beautiful cinematography without the sacrifice of reality.  It didn’t feel superficial or staged despite being so pretty.  The cast and crew all found each other at “the square” where the protests played out.  That attests to the passion the filmmakers had for the story of the Egyptian protests that are still going on today. I got a photo with Khalid Abdalla. Super inspiring guy.

Life According to Sam followed 13-year-old Sam who has an extremely rare disease called Progeria.  It makes children age at an accelerated rate, leading to death before age 20 due to complications akin of elderly, like stroke or heart attack.  A beautiful and inspiring film, given the fact Sam has an amazing outlook and personality.  He left a recorded message for the audience saying thanks!

The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear gives an incredible view into life in Georgia, the country in Eastern Europe.  It gathers stories from individuals through an interview format as if the people in the documentary are being interviewed to become actors in a film.  The interviews themselves become the film, and then the viewer is given a quick peek into each of their lives.  By the end, I felt like I could grasp life in this country having originally known absolutely nothing about Georgia.

Watching three really emotional films in one day that all follow real people and real events is difficult! I love Sundance.

Sundance Some Chance

I name this blog Sundance Some Chance because I would never have seen myself doing anything film or media related in my life three years ago.   So much has changed in these years at Taylor.  As I write this, watching episodes of Arrested Development with friends, it reminds me of the fact that I watched these long ago with no goal of creating similar media.  It astounds me how much I was supposed to go to Taylor.  It had to happen.  Only through the certain circumstances throughout my time here have I found such confidence in what I’m studying, living, contemplating…

This week, I will spend a little over a week at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah.  I’ll be with nine other students, all passionate about excellence in storytelling and the intersection of faith & culture.  They’re also hysterical. Joining us are the Bruners, the department heads and absolute inspirers.

I’ll be watching independent film all week.  About 16 total, along with any we wait list.  We’re told we’ll be going through a rollercoaster of emotions. One film will challenge, then within an hour, the next film will inspire, then make us laugh, then inform – the list goes on as we watch three or four films in a day.

I hope to be able to find time this week to share thoughts on my experience living with thousands of filmmakers and enthusiasts for a week.  I hope to write out my thoughts on films and hopefully that moment I meet Joseph Gordon Levitt and become his best friend.  I’ll need something to help process Sundance, which I’m told is a surreal experience.

Feel free to leave comments or send me emails at kevboct30@gmail.com. I’d love to share my experience further if you’re interested!

Kevin