This past weekend was another Film Festival winner, but not without its challenges. The French film “The Art of Love” arrived on-time, alas without sub-titles. Do the French really think that all Americans can understand… French? We are still working on English!
Saturday ended right as we had a nice dinner with Gaylen Ross and Rebecca Nelson from Caris’ Peace. As my counterpart Jewel reported, the story is truly inspiring. Gaylen is taking it to Film Festivals from Coast to Coast. Both ladies truly loves our Festival and has a heart for Cleveland ever since Killing Kasztner, her previous documentary, was shown at the Cedar Lee for 5 straight weeks.
Two films worth noting for very different reasons.
Pegasus is a film from Morocco that follows a troubled girl’s life from childhood to her unexplained pregnancy. Her father is so embarrassed to have here as a girl that he doesn’t want to see her and forces her to dress like a boy. This territory was covered in a far superior movie called “Osama”. There is a unique twist at the end but the journey to get to that point is so convoluted and unconvincing, that you are just happy it’s over.
Competency 1 1/2 * (out of 4). Compelling: 1 1/2 *. Monday 12:05 PM, Tuesday 6:35 PM
Come as You Are is a warm and often funny Belgian film that will certainly be an audience pleaser. It is about 3 men (two are wheel-chair bound, a third is blind) who go on vacation together to sow their oats (okay, get laid). Being that they take their cues from Hollywood, rest assured there will be jokes about the blind guy driving (about 3), someone will find love and that there will be a point halfway through the trip will they will want to turn around.
That said, it is a feel good film that doesn’t insult your intelligence. The actors do a great job and the scenery is decent. Who says all film festival movies must be so cerebral?
Competency 2 * (out of 4) Compelling: 3 1/2 * Tuesday 6:20 PM.
Another great day at the Festival I believe.
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