Refine Films

Favorite Film Series [Wk:6]

2012-02-07T15:53:00.000-08:00

It's been a long hiatus, but finally decided to write something here again. And what better way for the first post to be about the "Favorite Film Series" here on Refine Films blog.

This week's film is a film that is indeed one of my favorites. Unfortunately, it is also a film that is quite difficult to find, which is rather surprising considering how well-received it was. I know I said I'd only put up films with decent distribution and accessibility, but that went out the window when [Wk:5] was City of Sadness. So, what the hey, I'll put this one up; maybe someday down the road, it will cross your path and you'll remember this.

A Stranger of Mine (2005) Dir. Kenji Uchida

Why this film: There are comedy films aplenty, but good comedy films? Now that is difficult. Comedy films are hard to do, any experienced filmmaker or cinephile knows this. When a good comedy film comes along, it deserves a closer look and deeper appreciation, which is why I've chosen this film. This film cuts against the grain because it isn't slapstick, but rather a "structural" comedy. In other words, it's humor is found in the film's structure and that should be evident for anyone who has a chance to watch this film. It was certainly evident enough to do quite well at Cannes a couple years ago, for whatever that is worth.

When I first saw this film at the San Diego Asian Film Festival a couple of years ago, like many commentators and reviewers, I was led to believe this was a romance film, about a nerdy, down-on-his-luck Takeshi (Yasuhi Nakamura) who falls in love with Maki (Reiki Kirishima), aided by Takeshi's best friend Yusuke (So Yamanaka). Well, let's just say, along with everybody else who watches the film for the first time, I was quite wrong. I won't delve into what the film is really about, because I'm hoping someday you'll get a chance to watch this.
What I can say is that I think this film, in a sea of today's slapstick, low-brow comedy, really stands out as brilliant, if only because Dir. Uchida stuck to his guns on this one. I don't know enough about Japanese culture to know what is considered funny, and comedy films often have difficulty translating overseas, but it certainly worked really well for an international audience. Be on the lookout for this film and I hope everyone gets a chance to watch it down the road.

Languages: Japanese

Availability (included additional sources)
Netflix: N/A
Amazon: N/A
UCSD: Available (Limited)
SDSU: N/A
SD Public Library: N/A
Play-Asia.com: Available (here)

"Red Wings" on Twitter!

2011-11-18T22:21:00.001-08:00

Red Wings is now on Twitter. Follow us during production with the latest news and exclusive first looks at the production set. Follow us here !!

"Red Wings," getting ready to take-off!

2011-11-15T22:40:00.000-08:00

It's the final week of preparations for the scheduled flight of Red Wings, a new short film written and directed by yours truly. In the last two weeks, our RW team has been building our production and diligently preparing for when the time comes to take flight!

The final week of pre-production means production week and the entire team is working frantically, taking care of logistical issues and planning the creative vision and we are excited what will is about the unfold this upcoming weekend. It's the final week for everything to come together and it is looking very good.

It's not too late to join us for the RW voyage! Remember, any contribution of $20 or more will reserve your copy of the Red Wings Exclusive DVD and a still-to-be-determined small gift. In addition, it will also give you access to the Red Baron Hanger, a members-only club that will give you behind the scenes access during production. It's like flying First Class!

You can make a contribution through our Paypal page here or clicking the button below. For offline contributions, please e-mail RedBaronHangerRW@gmail.com for more information!

Presenting "Red Wings", a new short film!

2011-11-03T13:00:00.000-07:00

Refine Films is excited to present Red Wings (working title), a new short film that we are producing this Fall 2011. I've teamed up with my colleague Jeff Gardiner and his production company, Madrid Rd Productions, whose recent film Love in The Time of Flannel played recently at the 2011 San Diego Asian Film Festival and Ventura Film Festival.

Red Wings is a story about a boy, his toy red plane, his imaginary world and how quickly that world can come crashing down. It is a fun, warm, adventurous, and simple story that highlights the humorous results when fantasy meets reality, especially for a young boy.

We are currently in pre-production, with production slated to begin November 2011. It is an active and busy time as we crew up, rehearse with our cast, and figure out logistics.

If you'd like to contribute to our project, it isn't too late to support us in creating a high-quality short. Any contribution of $20 or more will receive a Red Wings Deluxe DVD and a small, unique gift (TBD) when the film is completed (slated for early-2012).

To make a contribution, we have set-up a PayPal page to streamline the process or click the button above. If you'd like to send a check directly (after all, PayPal does take a cut), please contact Jeff Gardiner at jeff@madridrd.com for address.

We will be setting up an official website for the film soon. More updates to come!

(photo credit: Bryan Harrold)

Favorite Film Series [Wk:5]

2011-11-02T16:41:00.000-07:00

The 2011 12th Annual San Diego Film Festival just ended this past weekend and of all the films that the festival had in its line-up, I was really only excited about one. Lost in all the hubbub of all the latest and best in Asian-American cinema, was a retrospective screening of a film considered one of the greatest and most important Asian films ever created and it also happens to be one of my favorite films.

The problem with this film is that it's very difficult to find a copy, much less a copy with English subtitles. Up to this point, I've only put films on this series that are relatively available for you to find. But watching this film on the big screen, with a new 35mm print, was such a treat at the SDAFF, that I'm willing to include this film in the series. If you're fortunate enough to come across another film festival doing a retrospective and playing the new print (apparently, there are a few out there circulating the circuit), and if you're really want to be considered an even moderate cinephile, do yourself a favor and at least sit through this film.

Alright, that's enough of the gushing pretense and let's talk about it.

City of Sadness (1989). Dir. Hsiao-hsien Hou

Why this film: If you look at the film from a textual perspective, City of Sadness is set in one of the most pivotal and emotionally charged moments of Taiwanese-Chinese history; that is, the transition period where one colonizer (Japan) is exchanged with another colonizer (Chinese Nationalist) and the "228 incident". Many viewers who hold City of Sadness in high regard often do so because of the film's contextual importance, as Dir. Hou's film was the first in post-martial law Taiwan to address this period of the island's history.
Not to diminish the contextual importance, but as a filmmaker, the film is also superb in other ways. Firstly, the fact that the "228 incident" is viewed only in its periphery, not the actual massacre/clashes between native Taiwanese and Chinese Nationalist or the struggle in political arenas, already sets this historical period piece in contrast to others of the genre. While most historical period pieces nowadays are all about center-of-conflict action and accuracy, Dir. Hou's approach seems courageous by comparison. We don't see anything of the incident or massacre itself, we see none of the politicians involved, but what we do see is the affect of those central events and individuals on the lives of families and friendships. The drama of the incident is seen in how relationships are impacted and changed. In a sense, this emphasis opens the audience to learn more about the incident by watching its affects rather than the incident itself.
Finally, while being feted around the world as a bona-fide auteur, Dir. Hou has been known as a filmmaker of necessity, characterized by long takes, methodical, lingering camera, penchance for wide-shots, and all those characteristics combine to play out beautifully in this film. For example, the long takes allow real acting to take place, for actors to shine as they embody their characters, and the entire cast does so well in capturing the complex emotions as things spillover, out of their control. A young Tony Leung is brilliant playing the deaf brother Wen-ching, who, in typical Dir. Hou fashion, is deaf out of necessity (Leung couldn't speak Mandarin/Taiwanese effectively). Two side bits about the actors: 1) the best actor award goes to 3rd brother, who had to first play a crazy, shell-shocked war veteran, then a Shanghai-like gangster, and finally, a brain-dead brother. 2) My favorite actor goes to the grandfather, who is just adorably endearing and also plain hilarious the way he rides various people in the story.
A lot more can be said about this film, and there I'm certain there have been many articles and treatments have been written, but I'll stop here and hope you get a chance to watch this wonderful film.

Languages: Mandarin, Taiwanese, Cantonese, Japanese (amongst others)

Availability
Netflix: Not Available
Amazon: Not Available
UCSD: Available (Limited)
SDSU: Not Available
San Diego Public Library: Not Available

(Check your local research-oriented, liberal-arts university library, they may have a copy)

RF Exclusive: Melissa Kosar | TVIFF 2011

2011-09-23T08:00:00.000-07:00

My final interview with a filmmaker was a pleasant surprise. I actually had an opportunity to screen her film during the submission process, and when I met her at the festival, she was more than gracious enough to sit down with me to talk about her film, Lex Talionis, which premiered at TVIFF this year.

Anthony Pang | Let's start with the film's title. Tell me about it.

Melissa Kosar | Lex Talionis is Latin for "eye for an eye." I didn't want to call it "Revenge" or "Retribution," I wanted to be creative and wanted to make people think when they read it.

AP | Well, it's a good title, definitely more attractive than "Revenge" or whatever. So, where did the film idea come from?

MK | I wanted to write a revenge story that revolved around a female lead with an alter ego. I love psychological-thrillers and wanted to do a half-psychological, half-heavy drama. The different elements came together and once they did, it just snowballed from there. I do a lot of writing at night because that is when I feel most creative. After I had my outline I began writing and four hours later I had Lex Talionis. It helps when you have different emotions and feelings helping to get the words onto the page.

AP | So, what did you learn during the filmmaking process and what would you do differently next time?

MK | I chose to do this film extremely late during my last year at graduate school as an independent study. I wrote the script in October of 2009, started pre-production in March of 2010 and shot it in April, one month before I graduated. It wasn’t a matter of needing credit, it was about having another opportunity to shoot a film before I graduated. There are always limitations doing a student film, especially that late into the curriculum. No matter what type of film you are making, a short, a feature or a documentary, there are many things to do and it can be stressful. Budget issues come up, time restraints, schedule conflicts, locations, permits, equipment, etc.
The one consistent thing I always learn from each film I do is to stress a little less the next time. Things have a way of working out, sometimes not exactly as planned but the job gets done. There is much to be said for a hard-working and talented crew as well. They are invaluable and it allowed me to focus on my responsibility as the director. Looking back now, it is hard to pinpoint one thing because you learn by doing. And you take each experience with you as you continue on your journey, and sometimes you can’t do anything but roll with it.

AP | Fair enough. You talked about shooting on film. Now, that medium presents its own challenges. Any thoughts on that experience?

MK | Yeah, again, being in school, the advantage we had was having the option to shoot on film. I knew I wanted to shoot it on film so we shot on Super 16 for this particular project. I didn't want to shoot this one digitally, I wanted keep it on film, just one more time before graduation. I knew it would be awhile before I would shoot on film again, so I figured, I might as well take advantage of this opportunity. Gail Duncan, our film rep from Kodak was so generous, she gave us a huge deal and helped us out tremendously with getting film stock and such.
There's nothing like shooting on film, even with the times changing to digital. I think there's something to be said for [shooting digital], but I think there are still films that should be shot on film. You just have to look and see what the story calls for.
Michael Mann is one director who I admire. For Collateral, he shot on both film and digital. You can't see the skyline at night if you shoot on film, it's too dark, so that is one example where he shot on digital. I didn't combine mediums on my film, but for me, it’s gaining knowledge and inspiration from other directors and other filmmakers that inspire me to do what I do and make the choices I make.

AP | Besides that, what was the most difficult challenge and how was that resolved?

MK | One particular challenge was trying to hit the budget to make the film. The amazing thing is that there were so many people that were willing to step up and support and be a part of this project, which I am truly thankful for. My cast were flexible with their schedules and my crew came on board knowing that this was not a “class project” or thesis film. I am always inspired to do better when those around me challenge me to do so. My brother, Anthony is a special FX artist and illustrator. He came out from Chicago to help and do all the special FX make-up for the film. Having him there gave me a sense of comfort and was a set of eyes I could trust. My brother and I are close and when things became intense from time to time, he was always there to reassure me, which definitely eased the load. There were a few people in particular who supported me throughout the entire process and words could never express my gratitude: of course my immediate family and Anthony, but also Bryan N., Mike V., and my school advisor on the project, James Gardner. When everyone else was telling me ‘no,’ they all said ‘yes.’

AP | Talk about your approach to the filmmaking process.

MK | I played basketball since I was five years old. I was recruited in undergrad to play ball and I was also a basketball coach. That helped me as a director because you have to delegate responsibility; you have to rely on a team to do what they do best. So, that whole aspect helped set me up as a director to get all those elements to work. I approach filmmaking as I do a coach. You have to know your cast and crew, the different personalities, being able to delegate responsibility, and being able to answer all the questions that come to you like rapid-fire. You can't shut down, you have keep the ball rolling. I attack it like a basketball game, everybody has their responsibility to make sure everyone is doing their job to their best potential, and you create that team to the unified outcome. And depending on what genre I'm shooting or depending on what the film is, of course, I'll take liberties with how I'll approach it. The main thing is keeping everybody on the same page. Making sure at the end of day the voice you want represented is heard and the story comes out the way you envisioned in your head.

AP | You're the second straight interviewee to answer with the sports team analogy, very interesting. Switching to your film, Lex Talionis, how has the response been so far?

MK | The response has been great. We got into three film festivals, so far, and we have a screening next month for the LA Femme Film Festival. I did show it to a couple people during the process just to get feedback. It is a heavy story with a lot of information in 15 minutes. People really dig the premise. My whole goal for my film is to extend it into a feature and use the short as a tool to show the tone and visual style. The screening in Temecula was our premiere, some of my cast and crew came out to see it for the first time in its completion. It was great to hear their positive response to the film. I not only had a composer score the film, but also had Michael Del Palazzo of The Wake Effect allow us to use a track for the film. It was the first time he was ever part of a film and he was excited to see the finished product and was very happy to have been part of it. It always makes you feel good as a filmmaker when people who were a part of the project or are seeing it for the first time respond enthusiastically. I am always open to critique, I like people telling me the truth, but the reality is you ask 10 people, 10 people will do it 10 different ways. The most important thing is that I am proud of the finished product and I’m excited to see where the film goes and the prospect of turning it into a feature.

AP | What kind of advice would you give to young, aspiring filmmakers? What's one thing you would say to them?

MK | The best advice I can give is that you really have to have a direction of where you want to go, really narrow it down, pick a field you want to get into and then go for it. A majority of the time it's a long, hard, difficult road. I'm the type that keeps fighting and never looks back, but that is what you have to do if you want it badly. You have to go out there and do it, get your hands dirty and make things happen on your own. The best thing anyone has ever told me was ‘no,’ it only made me work harder.

AP | What is one of your favorite films?

MK | There are so many films that I love and watch and get inspired by. There are two very specific favorite films, for two different reasons. First, Back to the Future II is one of my favorites and when I was in 7th grade I saw a behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of the film and that is what sparked my interest in film production. I thank my technology teacher for showing that in class or else I probably wouldn't be here today doing what I'm doing. David Fincher and Michael Mann are two directors I most admire for their style, storytelling ability and visual imagery. With that being said, Collateral is my favorite film. In my opinion, Mann hit that one out of the ballpark.

AP | One last question. On a lighter note, have you ever ran coffee for anyone?

MK | [laugh] You gotta pay your dues, you better believe I have.

AP | Who was the first person you ran coffee for?

MK | My mentor, Lee Shallat Chemel, is the first person I ever ran coffee for. She is a wonderful person and an extremely talented director who has been sharing her knowledge and craft with me over the last year. Lee actually came out to my screening over the weekend, which really meant a lot to me. I have nothing but respect and admiration for her and am happy to get her double decaf soy cappuccino whenever she wants! [laugh]

Here's to Dir. Melissa Kosar and the hope for her feature!

RF Exclusive: Andrew Erwin | TVIFF 2011

2011-09-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

My next interview is with Dir. Andrew Erwin. Andrew co-directed the film October Baby with his brother Jon (known as The Erwin Brothers), and I am honored to have a chance to talk more about this film with him. If you remember, October Baby was on my TVIFF 2011 "To-Watch List," and it was such a treat to watch it again on the big screen, where it was so much better than my puny TV. (By the way, audiences agreed with me, sending the film with a runner-up Audience Choice Award. Congrats!)

Even with big things in the works for the film (theatrical distribution!), Andrew was very approachable and graciously sat down with me after the festival.

Anthony Pang | First of all, where did the idea or the inspiration for October Baby come from?

Andrew Erwin | The inspiration came from a girl I heard speak, named Gianna Jessen, who had an incredible true story. As I heard her story, that really moved me as a filmmaker to explore it. I didn’t know there was an issue with abortion survivors. The movie is ultimately about forgiveness and a girl’s journey, Hannah, as she tries to find her birth mother. It was because of Gianna’s story, who's an abortion survivor herself and [who] also has cerebral palsy, that really moved me to explore the world of “October Baby.”

AP | Obviously, the topic is very sensitive and also very charged at times. What was your approach tackling such a subject?

AE | Well, the subtext of the film is “life is beautiful,” and it was an exploration of life and forgiveness. We wanted to take not a politically-charged look at it but an emotionally vulnerable look at it, “to be human is to be beautifully flawed,” as I've heard said. It’s a complicated issue that becomes easier to look at when you look at it through the eyes of complicated people. We tried to take more of a sensitive approach, so there are no villains in this story. It's more a look at a very important issue. There are heartbreaking elements, and then, there’s a coming-of-age love story at its core as this girl Hannah begins to find out who she is and comes to grips with it all.

AP | You guys just got distribution and October Baby will be seen by a lot of people, hopefully. But so far, showing the film a little at the film festivals, what has been the response to the film so far?

AE | I’ve been nervous about it. Anytime you put a film out there as a filmmaker, it’s highly intimate because it’s something you’ve invested at least a year of life into and it’s a story that’s become deeply personal. And because it's such a charged issue, it wouldn’t have been my first choice to take on, but it’s a story that found us as filmmakers that we just had to tell. So, I’ve been nervous as we presented it, because it’s so important to me that the issue is presented in a way that is genuine, humble and sensitive. I was nervous to put it out there and to see how it [would be] received, but in all respects, it’s been received extremely well, whether someone agreed with the premise movie or not.
What the movie was intended to do was to promote dialogue and help people discuss the issue. Paul Haggis, who did Crash, said “good films don’t give answers, they ask the right questions.” Hopefully, this movie asked the right questions. At the end of each screening, there has been a lot of talking and dialogue back and forth, and that’s very gratifying for me as a filmmaker.

AP | Let’s talk about some of the talent from the film. With great films, there’s definitely great talent behind it, whether in front or behind the camera. Talk about Rachel Hendrix, who played the lead role of Hannah, who I think the performance was fantastic. Give me some thoughts about her.

AE | Rachel Hendrix is a fresh face that a filmmaker friend of mine cast in a short film, and I saw her and thought she was phenomenal. She really has this quality that people fall in love with her when they see her on screen. She just has a genuine-ness and an honesty to her that is very much like a Natalie Portman or Keri Russell. I think she’s got a wonderful future. She was discovered, like I said, by my friend, and we put her in a few of our music videos and a TV series that was a pilot for a network. With [October Baby], we really felt with Hannah’s character, it was extremely important that you loved her and rooted for her. We wanted an actress that would make you break your heart for her. Rachel just became Hannah and she’s got a special future ahead of her.

AP | I think another major component that stands out is the music, which really helps underscore some of the tensions, the drama and the emotions of the film. Talk about that.

AE | The music is something that I’m passionate about. I love Cameron Crowe films, how the music is a character to the film, especially with the band music that he chooses and the fresh voices that you haven’t heard before. So, we tried to find fresh music that may not have been heard on film before, a lot of indie bands. My opinion is that music in a film shouldn’t tell you what to think but that it should really reinforce how you should feel. The music very well does that. And then the score, Paul Mills, my composer, came along side and wrote a very simplistic score that had a very minimalist undertone that went hand-in-glove with the bands that we chose.

AP | Let’s talk a little bit more about the filmmaking process. What was a difficult aspect of the process and how did you go about seeing it through?

AE | The writing process was very interesting. My brother and I, our background is music videos and documentary. With those things, the story sort of comes to you. Documentary is all about going out and finding the story.
With the writing process, if I had to do it again, I probably would’ve cut about 20 pages out of our script. [laugh] I found out the hard way that we really had to work to hone down the film to find out what was the story we really wanted to tell. They say when the Statue of David was carved, they chipped away until nothing was left but David and we kind of took that approach. We tried to just keep whittling down unnecessary things, good things, to get to things that were better, so that was the long part of the process.
And then, just the difficulty of the marathon that it is to make a feature film. It's a much longer process, and you have to pace yourselves. It was much longer that I anticipated.

AP | We’ve talked about some negatives, but now let’s talk about some positives. What was or has been the best part of the process so far?

AE | To see people emotionally engaged with what you’re putting out there. As a filmmaker, by the time you get done with a feature, especially since I'm also the editor, I’ve seen the film 100 times and by then, all I see are the mistakes. So, to be able to be in an audience and live vicariously in a fresh sense with people who are seeing it for the time, that’s a very satisfying. To hear them laughing at the right moments and crying at the right moments, to see people wiping away tears and at the end, see their emotional response to the issue and that they want to engage it and they want to talk about it, that's very satisfying to me.
And then, there’s been a healing aspect to the process, as well. So much of the time, as filmmakers, we get to deal with some very painful issues but in a way that is cathartic. Gianna Jessen, my friend that originally inspired us, she watched it and she said it was a very healing moment for her. Shari [Wiedman], who plays the birth mother in the [film], has a story very similar to the character she plays and to play it from the other side, to walk back, she said it was very healing for her to move on with her own story. That’s very satisfying, to see people emotionally engaged and to live vicariously through people who are watching it for the first time, let’s the movie be fresh for me again. That's a fun part of the process.

AP | We previously talked about faith and how faith is very central to your life. Talk about the mix of faith and filmmaking, where and how does it play in your process, because, obviously, it can be a very difficult place for faith to play out. Your thoughts on that.

AE | Yeah, I’m happy to speak to that. It’s a very important thing to me. I am a firm believer in Jesus Christ, I love the teachings of Jesus on forgiveness and redemption, and I hold those very, very personally. I feel like a lot of times in faith films, the way we present our message has lacked sensitivity to engaging culture in a way that they can hear us, not all the time, but sometimes. And sometimes, I feel like it’s lacked some art and craft to it, as well.
Jon and I really want our movies to be salt as we engage culture with the right questions. We look for stories that are redemptive at the core in a genuine, organic way, not forced, not fake, not disingenuous. Now, sometimes they may have overt faith message and sometimes they may not, but I feel like when we find a redemptive story, the Gospel shines through no matter what. And there have been movies that have that very, very well, like Chariots of Fire, one of my favorites, did that incredibly well and was recognized as Best Picture for that. We want the salt of the stories we tell to make people thirsty for the truth, truth that I feel is found in the freeing message of Jesus Christ. Hopefully, our films will ask the right questions to engage culture in this way.

AE | I think this film certainly does. Now, on a lighter note. Most recent film you saw and you liked.

AP | [thinking] I loved The Help. I watched it a couple weeks ago. Tate Taylor, the director of the film, he's from my neck of the woods. Heartbreaking look at a lot of the racist history of the South, but I liked it cause it was complex. You were able to empathize with both sides of the issue and where people were coming from back then. Just looking back at the history of that, it was heartbreaking but at the same time very healing. I [also] loved the look of that movie. I thought Emma Stone and Viola Davis were phenomenal in their respective roles.

AP | And just for fun, who was the first person you ran coffee for?

AE | [laugh] Ran coffee for… [laugh]

AP | [laugh] You’ve run coffee before, right?

AE | [laugh] Yeah, yeah, that’s the beauty of working with my brother. (Note: Andrew originally said “for” and then corrected himself) There’s a joke on set, that Jon, my brother, when he wants something, he’ll get snippy about it. So the running gag that my 1st AD says is “Les Grossman needs a Diet Coke,” from the movie Tropic Thunder and Tom Cruise’s character. So, my brother, I probably ran coffee for him and he’s picky about how he likes his coffee.

Thank you so much to Andrew for his time. October Baby will be playing at Heartland Film Festival and Red Rock Film Festival this Fall 2011, so check it out if you have a chance! I'll definitely keep track of the film's journey and I hope everyone gets an opportunity to watch the film.

RF Exclusive: Kim Noonan | TVIFF 2011

2011-09-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend at the 2011 Temecula Valley International Film and Music Festival, I had an opportunity to sit down and talk with a number of filmmakers about their film and their work. This week, I'll be posting up my interviews with them, who touch upon not just their film, but also the filmmaking process, as well.

For my first interview, Dir. Kim Noonan, director of the short film Pepper, which played at TVIFF 2011. If you read my post last week before the festival, Pepper was one of the films I had put on my TVIFF 2011 "Watch List" and I am excited to have this opportunity to talk with Dir. Kim, who had a busy weekend with his film.

Anthony Pang | Where did the idea for the film come from?

Kim Noonan | Well, I lived in Echo Park. Everybody there, essentially, is single. It's LA, like everyone, not married, like me, single. Everyone who is single and live in LA, a lot of them have pets and they are mostly dogs. It seems like instead of being married, they're married to their pets and their dogs. They have this special relationship with their dogs. I remember walking and running a lot in Elysian Park, which is in that area, and seeing a lot of dogs, abandoned dogs, walking around on their own. A lot of them were hit and on the ground. I've always wondered what is the right thing to do in that situation, because if you hit a human being, you call 911. If you hit a dog, all the moral responsibility is on your shoulders, and that kind of sucks, to tell someone you hit their dog. I thought that might make for a compelling story.

AP | Have you ever hit a dog yourself or been in a similar situation?

KN | No, but my sister hit a cat when I was in high school and she nearly killed us after she hit it. I'll never forget it, she turned her head around and was not paying attention to the road, and I'm like "Go, it's just a cat!" And that was my whole thing about this film, it's just a dog. But is it really just a dog? Because these people have a special relationship with their dog. I don't get it, but they get it. And there is animal people that get animals and are into PETA and things like that. I don't get it, but they have this special connection with pets that I'll never know. That's one the things I wanted to explore. And also, explore my point of view that thinks it is just a dog or cat that you hit.

AP | Has any animal lovers responded to your film?

KN | No, believe it or not, surprisingly, a great deal of women have loved this film. It's so weird. Most of the women who have contacted me love this film because they get the girl's perspective and the guy's perspective. I think it has to do a lot with the good acting in it.

AP | Now, this is not your first film, right? [KN: No] What did you learn while making this film and what would you do different next time?

KN | Contracts. If you're a filmmaker, you gotta have more contracts. I kind of just put this together as a passion piece and we were just offered distribution by Shorts HD and iTunes. For some reason, and usually I'm responsible and organized, I forgot to do the contracts. That's one of the things I regret not doing.
The one thing I really learned was that you can't really take things personally. Whatever people say, you have to keep moving forward. You can't really think too much about what people say or think. If someone is trying to be a nuisance on your set, you can't give it any attention, you have to think 'this film can't suck.' Keep working on what's moving it forward and what is important.

AP | What was the most difficult challenge and how was it resolved?

KN | The most difficult challenge, so far, is in post. It's always going to be in your sound. An independent filmmaker, you don't have twenty-, fifty-, fifty-five thousand dollars to close off a whole block and tell everyone to be quiet. You're dealing with planes, helicopters, school buses driving by. I remember when I wrote my first short film, my producer said you're never going to get these locations. Be smart about your locations, make sure they are not filled with a lot of people, make sure they are small and intimate, and ask your friends to be extras. I'm like, wow, that's really smart and it made me think about it. If I would advise any filmmaker, it would be always just to simplify things.

AP | We've talked about the difficult stuff. Now, what about the best part of the process?

KN | The best part is that we've sold out our first three screenings, and we played at Holly Shorts and LA Shorts and just killed it. For some reason, probably because of the actors, people really empathize with their situation. And even though Chuck (plays Nate, the lead actor) is such a punk, who does everything wrong thing, people laugh at it. I feel like they would be doing the same thing if they saw this girl, who was distraught and so overwhelmed by her dead dog. And that's what has been so gratifying, honestly, that people got it and then are able to laugh about it. Taking a tragic situation and being able to laugh about it.

AP | Now that you've done a couple of films, what would you say is your approach to filmmaking is?

KN | There's never going to be a single approach. If anything I hate, I don't like drama freaks on the set. If there's going to be one drama freak, that would be me, and that is it. [laugh]
Really though, I equate it with sports. I've always been good at sports and I always think I know what is right for the team. I feel like I am just the head coach, and I have my DP, my sound people and everyone around me. They are my coaching staff, and my players are the actors. If we prepare hard enough and they believe in what I think can get them there, then we're golden. If they trust me, that we're going to prepare enough, and not worry about the win but just worry about the process, we'll do it. I spend 80% of my time with my actors and the story. I care about what things look like, but not as much as I care about what is honest and truthful. That's to God's truth, I care so much what my actors are doing, I love what they are doing.

AP | I liked the point about the football team, it's a good analogy. On a lighter note, what is the most recent film you saw and that you liked a lot?

KN | [Thinking] Hmm...Well, maybe I am prejudice, but I think, honestly, one of the films I've seen is Bridesmaids, because it hilarious and Dana Powell, who is in my film, plays a stewardess. It's not only that, but do you think Sandra Bullock or Kate Hudson is a comedic genius? No, you put really good women who do comedy in a movie and that was the coolest thing. You put real women who aren't that attractive but are funny and you just let them be unattractive and that was what was attractive. You let them show a little rib, be ugly, be vulnerable, be stupid, and that was funny. It was a well-written script and that was one of the funnier movies I've seen.

AP | Alright, last question, also on a lighter note. First person you ran coffee for?

KN | I've never ran coffee for anyone.

AP | Never?

KN | No, I haven't...

AP | Congratulations. [laugh]

KN | Yeah, haven't ran coffee. I've had people run coffee for me, unfortunately, but no, hopefully I'll never be in that position. BUT I'm always nice to person, though....

[laugh]

AP | That's good, that probably makes you a nice director to work with.

Favorite Film Series [Wk:4]

2011-09-13T12:35:00.000-07:00

It has been two weeks since I've done a FFS, but here I am again. Hopefully, you've had an opportunity to watch previous weeks' films.

This week's film will deviate in genre from previous weeks. There are good, quality comedy films, and they can indeed be genuinely funny, regardless of how formal film criticism tries to suck the life of them (if they address them at all). Nonetheless, comedy is a difficult genre to do well and most quality comedy films are complex structures. Unlike the dime-a-dozen forgettable slapstick comedy seen on most mainstream screens, quality comedy films have considerable depth and subtlety that requires an discerning audience.

Here is this week's film.

Big Shot's Funeral (2001) Dir. Xiaogang Feng

Why this film: Before Morgan Spurlock decided to sell-out, Xiaogang Fang's comedy film had already explored in narrative form the encroachment (or development, if you wish) of mass advertising and marketing campaigns on public life. While Spurlock's film exploits the question of entertainment-as-advertisement-vehicle when the question has already been answered in the public consciousness, Xiaogang Fang's film, made a decade earlier, explores the question through some extreme (and at the time, seemingly improbable) conclusions. Though I doubt anyone would say Fang's film is prophetic, though it must seem like that in retrospect, the film might be considered a marker from which we in the present can look back and trace how things have unfolded.
However, I digress because these are not the reasons I like this film. I like it because it is simply funny and ridiculous, but not in a slapstick, one-liner kind of way. I realize I also have a particular affinity for the film-within-a-film cinematic structure, kind of like the backstage musicals of the mid-20th century. The cast is well-chosen and their chemistry is strong. You Ge, Rosamund Kwan, Donald Sutherland, Da Ying, and Paul Mazursky all have strong and, dare I say, somewhat endearing peroformances.
Lastly, whenever you have a East-West-type cast or film, often it comes off stale, weird, or just plain insulting. I think there is a very good balance here, where the audience stays focus on the world playing out on screen.

Language: Mainly Mandarin, some English.

Availability
Netflix: Available
Amazon Instant Video: N/A
SDSU: Available
UCSD: Available
San Diego Circuit: Available
San Diego Public Library: N/A

2011 TVIFF "To Watch List"

2011-09-09T15:33:00.000-07:00

This is the 2nd year that I volunteered as a screener for the Temecula Valley International Film Festival. Below are a list of films that I came across that stood out as films worth watching either at the festival or at your local indie theatre or on Netflix. This list is not all-inclusive as I didn't have the opportunity (or would even have had the time) to watch every film that was submitted. I would say that most of the films on the program (listed here) have been well-vetted by a number of capable and critical screeners.

October Baby, Dir. The Erwin Brothers (Jon and Andrew) (2011) (IMDB)
This narrative drama by the Erwin Brothers, as a whole, is both engaging and beautiful. The story is not novel by any means, but nevertheless it is well-written, and from a well-written story was built a great film. Most, if not all, of the arcs all come around in the end and it is well-structured, which I'm sure audiences will appreciate. The cinematography is visually gorgeous as a combination of both great image selection and also great choice of location and geography. (Set in Alabama, I believe) Rachel Hendrix (Hannah) was fantastic playing the lead, a really strong performance. Up and down, the cast performed very well and their strong chemistry was evident on screen. Combine that with a strong, albeit emotional, score throughout the film, with a noticeably fresh soundtrack.
The film, for better or worse, plays it safe structurally. It seems a lot of films nowadays attempt challenging approaches, employing flashbacks, non-linear construction, etc. However, audiences won't find that kind of more challenging structure here; the film does mostly play by the rules and feels very mainstream. This isn't necessarily a knock on the film; if you have a strong story plus a strong cast, in my opinion, there's really no need to make it more complicated than that. "October Baby" certainly had those aspects and it showed.
The film isn't without its weaknesses, though, if you could even really call it that. For example, I didn't feel that the road-trip with the friends and the subsequent hate from Alanna (Colleen Trusler) toward Hannah was really necessary. The biggest strength of the film comes in the Hannah-Jason (Jason Burkey)-Hannah's parents relationship and, as a whole, the Hannah-Alanna arc didn't feel like it added much. In addition, it felt like there was an emotional over-pull during certain stretches of the film, whether through the score being over-the-top or some shots being too long.
Those minor points being said, as a whole, I think the Erwin Brothers should be proud of themselves. "October Baby" is well-envisioned and well-executed. Given the political landscape regarding the subject matter, it was handled deftly and effectively without being preachy or overbearing. Though some may object to the injecting of religious discussion toward the latter half of the film, I believe those who are able to look beyond politics will find a powerful film underscoring forgiveness and grace that can be found in human relationships, even in its complicated interactions and regrettable consequences. I found the film very compelling in both its construct and its narrative, and I do think that audience members that are willing to engage the Erwin Brother's characters will walk away very impressed.

5th and Alameda, Dir. Richard Friedman (2011) (IMDB)
Off the bat, this film is definitely violent and there is certainly some deep psychology involved. No one is spared, regardless of race, gender, profession. It is so equal-opportunity, in a sense, that I think it take considerable textual analysis by most audiences to a conclusion on the film's various social and cultural themes. Beyond the larger thematic arcs, some of the smaller arcs, though they reach their destination, feels underdeveloped; for example, the Detective Trevor (Mario Van Peebles, of all people, how awesome is that??) arc with his son. I felt that the film also got bogged down in some of the dialogue between Sara (Saye Yabandeh) and Derek (Corey Sevier) toward the latter portion of the film. And, yes, as some people have mentioned, it can be hard at times to follow the flashbacks and keep track of who is who and what is what. And yes, the end was not exactly a surprise.
All that being said, why do I think this film is worth watching? The one thing I commend Dir. Friedman on is that he is willing to take on such a complex and challenging style of filmmaking. Even after just two years of doing this screener thing, I've seen a number of filmmakers attempt this style of filmmaking and fail horribly. Few filmmakers attempt and succeed, either as a result of poor planning, poor visualization, or poor general vision. You can't just mash things up and hope it sticks. I don't know this for sure, obviously, but I imagine Dir. Friedman put in the necessary work for what I consider a well-executed film. Beyond just that, responding to the previous criticism, I don't fault him for the (seemingly) confusing flashbacks or non-linear storytelling. I admit it confused me a little bit, too, but I was able to puzzle it together. I think it is important to engage the audience and not just passively entertain them, and it speaks of Dir. Friedman's great confidence to trust that audiences will be able to decipher the film's construct. And considering the deep psychological themes involved, I think the piece-by-piece understanding/revealing is appropriate structurally. (Though, since I think it fades in intensity a little toward the latter half, I can't say much about its presence as a whole structure) Finally, Dir. Friedman does a very good job in character development, as Derek and Sara's (both potential and realized) keeps audiences engaged in a what-will-happen-next, what-will-she-do-next suspense.
All considered, I found it to be a very compelling film. It is intense and there isn't much of a break till the latter parts of the film.

Other Films of Note
Kings (Short), Dir. Barbara Mones. (2011)
The Conquest of High Passes, Dir. Wout Conijn. (2011)
East of Berlin (Short), Dir. Dean Yamada. (2011) (IMDB)
Lost Airmen of Buchenwald, Dir. Mike Dorsey. (2011) (IMDB)
Pepper (Short), Dir. Kim Noon. (2011)
The Man Who Knew How to Fly (Short), Dir. Robi Michael. (2010) (IMDB)

Hope people get a chance to go out and support some great films this year at TVIFF 2011. You can visit the website for more information here .

Favorite Film Series [Wk:3]

2011-08-23T14:56:00.000-07:00

This week's film is a documentary, one that I watched at the San Diego Film Festival in 2009. I found it very, very well done and also incredibly engaging.

Prince of Broadway (2008) Dir. Sean Baker

Why this film: Set in an urban, immigrant community in New York City, the film centers around Lucky (Prince Adu) and Prince (Aiden Noesi), the "son" Lucky wants nothing to do with. As a barely-aware infant, Prince's "performance" is both touching and heartbreaking, so much so that it is almost unbelievable that this film is fictional drama and not a documentary. Getting an infant like that to behave and perform in that way speaks of a director's ability to get it right and also speaks to the director's ability to be patient with his vision.
The relationships between characters in this film can probably be only characterized as brash and tolerating, but it is the relationship between Lucky and Prince that is probably the most engaging. It's a gut-wrenching story of hope and humanity, where the question about "What will happen to the child?" always looms in the audience's mind. But the film is also humorous in the painful kind of way, things that shouldn't be funny but it is.
If nothing else, I commend Dir. Baker on his approach to the film, rejecting the delineation between fiction and documentary. It is a difficult approach and I think he executes it very well. (With a little luck on his side, I'm sure)

Availability

Netflix: Available
Amazon.com Instant Video: Not Available
SDSU: Not Available
UCSD: Not Available
San Diego Public Library: Not Available

(Note: According to Amazon.com, this film is being released in October 2011. No idea why it is being released 3 years later. Anyway, I imagine with the pre-order pub for the film that it will eventually be available at the very least on Amazon Instant Video)

Favorite Film Series [Wk:2]

2011-08-16T17:20:00.000-07:00

Last week's Still Life by Dir. Zhang jia-ke might have been too slow or too subtle for some filmgoers and for others, social commentaries with narratives just don't tickle their fancy.

For this week's Favorite Film Series, we'll be going in a slightly different direction.

(Note: I'll try to post films that are available. Some favorite films of mine, I realize, are not as accessible, which obviously makes it hard to watch.)

In the Mood for Love (2000) Dir. Kar Wai Wong

Why this film: Dir. Kar Wai Wong has been around a long time and a number of his films have done well internationally. Besides the themes of love and loyalty, the film is crafted with very sensuous overtones. Heavy orchestral arrangement, drawn out scenes with slow motion, very dramatic photography all combine to give a seemingly overly romantic film. I don't think that is a problem actually, and I find the film very enjoyable at that level. Tony Leung (Chow Mo-wan) and Maggie Cheung (Mrs. Chan) both have exceptional performances. Maggie Cheung, in my opinion, not only has a great performance but the way she looks is also exceptional.
Some people might say the film drags, but I think considering the push-pull affair within the text, the film's pace is appropriate. And, for what it is worth, I think this is a perfect date film.

Language: Cantonese, with English subtitles

Availability:
Netflix: Available
UCSD: Available (Limited)
SDSU: Available
San Diego Public Library: Available

Favorite Film Series

2011-08-09T12:03:00.001-07:00

People always ask me what my favorite film is. I generally dislike that question because 1) there are too many films to just pick one and 2) if I tell them what my favorite films are, they will stare at me blankly because they've never heard of the film, since most of them are foreign films.

Then, recently, I had this brilliant idea to use this blog to talk about my favorite films and give people reasons to watch them. I don't know why I didn't think about this before, but I tend to be late on a lot of things. Oh well.

So, I will begin a blog series, My Favorite Films Series. Most of these films are films that you've probably never heard of, which is all fine and good. It's always good to watch something different and unique, unlike most mainstream films that are mostly all the same.

Hopefully, I will be able to open you guys up to new films. And, if you do watch them, please let me know what you thought.

Okay, enough pretense. Here is the first film (in no particular order):

Still Life (2006) Dir. Zhang Ke Jia

Why this film: In my humble opinion, since I am no expert on foreign cinema, I believe that Director Zhang is the best and most important filmmaker out of China. A number of his films could probably be a part of this series. This film is essentially social commentary on modern China and the country's conflict of past and present. If you know anything about China, it's that things are changing very rapidly and Director Zhang film comments on its human impact. The danger of this approach, however, is that the film can become an overt, preachy, talking heads piece that takes the typical Western-model of Big Bad China vs. The Poor People. Rather, Director Zhang works in irony and subtlety with both the narrative and the images. Watching his films does take some patience for the Hollywood-raised audience, but if you're paying attention, you yourself may feel the conflict that is going on for both country and individual.
Both Tao Zhao (Shen Hong) and Zhou Lan (Huang Mao), who play two of the film's main protagonist, have great performances in working with the film's style and theme. If you have any interest in China, at all, "Still Life" is a must-watch.

(I'll limit my reviews, so I don't spoil it or talk it up too much and let the film speak for itself)

Language: Mandarin, with English subtitles

Availability (San Diego)
Netflix: Available
UCSD: Available
SDSU: Not Available
San Diego Circuit: Available (Limited)
San Diego Public Library: Available

When submitting: Not-to-do Checklist

2011-07-29T21:10:00.000-07:00

Being part of a group of film screeners for a mid-level film festival the last two years, I have observed a few tendencies of filmmmakers submitting their films. Some of these tendencies, in my opinion, can impact the chances your film gets to the next step. The impact might seem incremental, and in many respects, they are probably just that. However, with the probability of your film making it to the second round incredibly slim, avoiding negative points with the screeners might help in the end. At the very least, it'll leave the decision on your work, rather than how you submitted your film. At the very most, you'll have saved yourself time and effort on superfluous things.

Don't be pretentious or presumptuous
Assume that the screener knows how to operate a DVD menu. I saw one case where the DVD menu said "Use the remote to select play." Be careful how you list "cameo" or "special" appearances. It really cannot be either of those things unless they are even slightly well-known. It will just come off as silly.

Don't include anything but the film
This includes DVD jackets, DVD labels, booklet inserts, and letters/notes. DVD jackets, unless it is incredibly accurate and well-written, it can create false or misleading expectations when the film is actually watched. As for the other three, screeners generally don't have time to read them or they don't care to read them. In terms of data not to include, trailers, blooper reels, anything but the film itself. Just a waste of space, in my opinion. The screener, again, won't have to time to watch them. I say just keep it simple. The only exceptions are 1) if it is a working cut 2) it contains temp music/soundtrack, then a small note would be appropriate.

Don't allow corrupted screeners
This really goes without saying. Test your screeners. If it fails, guess what is the chance of acceptance?

Don't assume copyright clearance
If you have copyrighted songs or film clips in your film, listing them in the credits doesn't qualify as clearance. I know it works on YouTube sometimes, but if there is even a question of copyright violations, it won't make it to the second stage, even if your film is brilliant. Obviously, screeners don't know every copyrighted song or film in the history of music and film, but if it is popular enough or well-known enough, it will raise huge red flags. If you do have clearance to use "Saving Private Ryan" in your short, you'd better write a small note saying you do or make it clear in the credits "Used with permission."

None of this will matter, of course, if your film is no good or if your film is just absolutely brilliant. Since you probably don't think it is either, for better or worse, it is important to (or don't) do everything you can to help bump your chances. Remember, film festivals have a limited amount of slots and they are looking for every reason to say no. And lastly, remember screeners are people, too, and you just never know what makes them tick.

Things people hate/love to hear on set.

2010-10-06T22:17:00.000-07:00

There are certain things that people in certain positions or departments hate and love to hear when on a production set. I thought it'd be fun to list of some of these as I've been on both ends of these statements. Enjoy and feel free to add your own.

Hate

Things that a producer or AD hates to hear:

"One more"
"One more for safety"
"Last one......one more"
"That was great...one more"

What an AD hates to hear:

"She/he is still in make-up/wardrobe. 5 (more) minutes."
"I have no idea where they are."
"Actress/Actor isn't here yet."
"Waiting on audio"
"Audio no good"
"Boom in the shot"

What a crew hates to hear:

"We're out of food"
"There's no more coffee"
"Pizza is for lunch (for the 100th time)"

Love

What a crew loves to hear:

"Moving on (to the next shot)"
"Lunch time!"
"That's a wrap!"

What an AD loves to hear:

"We're cutting that shot"
"We did that shot already"
"You can wrap [fill in name]"
"Audio was good"
"Actress/Actor is ready"

Want to be a producer?

2010-09-02T23:50:00.000-07:00

Today I was asked by a colleague to part of his production team and one of the things the roles he mentioned was producing. I enjoy producing and I've come to like it a lot. It's been one of those things I didn't know much going into school and I have come to learn a lot about it.

Along the way, I have learned a couple of lessons about producing. Unfortunately, often times I learn these things too late and it's not a pleasant realization. Filmmaking is much like everything else: the foundation of the project must be set correctly or things may get out of control or out of hand really quickly.

When my colleague asked me today, a couple of questions came to my mind that I thought I'd share here. These are questions that should be asked to the filmmaker (usually the director):

1. When do you want to have a festival-ready cut ready for release?

This, of course, sets in motion all the other dates for pre-production, production and post-production.

2. Who is editing the film? And can he do the job within our time-frame?

I've come to realize this is important and you have to take this seriously. A super busy editor, even though he is good at what he does, may not be the best choice, depending on the time constraints.

3. What is the budget? Is anyone being paid?

Goes without saying. Having paid people changes a lot of things and opens up possibilities that having everyone do pro bono doesn't (duh!).

4. Where is this money coming from?

Again, goes without saying.

Lastly, and this is not a question, but YOU MUST READ THE SCRIPT before saying 'yes'. I know this sounds obvious, but working on a script you really don't dig will kill any gung-ho attitude you may have. You may do it anyways but at least know what you're going to do be dealing with.

Those are probably not all the questions and things you must think about when getting onto a project. It also may not be relevant for the higher level filmmaking, where some of these decisions may have already been made. At a low-level of independent filmmaking, though, you'll want to make sure you don't just take anything because that marks you prospective projects to come.

Till next time... (I know, I have yet to finish those LAFF reviews, I will get there soon)

2010 LAFF SRR: Street Days, dir. Levan Koguashvili

2010-06-29T23:24:00.000-07:00

2010 LAFF Screen Report and Reaction: Street Days, dir. Levan Koguashvili GEORGIA (warning: spoiler in the Reaction portion)

Screen Report

When I first saw on the official program a film from Georgia, I wondered when film festivals started listing the state in which the film was produced. It was shortly after Street Days began I learned that it was the country of Georgia from which this film came. I’m just kidding, of course, but I think most of the audience at the screener knew little about Georgia (minus that whole spat with Russia) and probably even fewer have been to Georgia or watched a film from there. That being said, I must’ve heard a couple of wow’s when the credits appeared in the very first frame, which was written in Kartuli, the native script of Georgians. It looked like something out of Lord of the Rings and right then and there most of the audience probably realized they were in for a voyage to a new world that seems as distant as Middle-Earth.

That journey that transpired on the screen was much less a drive through the countryside and more of a roller coaster of emotions, varying with unexpected speed and intensity. It is a style that is reflected throughout the film, with (dark) humor quickly turning into tragedy and prodding conversation flipping at once to physical violence. We see this as well in the film’s bigger picture, as dir. Koguashvili guides us through this small corner of the world called Georgia, two thoughts become apparent: This is a film where the nuances and sensibilities of both culture and language, of history and perspective, will make it hard for audiences to fully understand. That was certainly a prevailing thought as I watched this film, that I’m missing the subtleties that someone familiar with Georgia or is Georgian would understand. Far from being a deterrent to the film, though, I found this handicap rather as a point of positive engagement and watched with a genuine curiosity much like an outsider looking in. This film isn’t entirely indecipherable, however. The social issues and consequences of drugs, gangs, corruption and social stagnation that travels along with our main protagonist Checkie (Guga Kotetishvili) are certainly understandable and digestible. In addition, the film is interesting for the mere fact that, in my opinion, even the well-versed Western film critic becomes a typical tourist; in other words, it’s a pioneering journey of a new experience for all who wish to travel, leaving behind any preconceived notion (if there could be any) of a world like this.

On screen, Street Days is inherently bleak and almost every way depressing. Soviet-era architecture and design are evident in the buildings but there is nothing redeeming either in the building or in the street. The dilapidated roads, sidewalks and walls are pock-marked and the trees that line the roads are stripped of any signs of life. Add these drab images with the winter-clothed characters of the film and the screen image might as well have been monochrome instead of Technicolor. The characters themselves, of course, are a reflection of their surrounding aesthetics, middle-aged men hanging around, in front of the school no less, all day long jonesing for a hit of heroine. It is indeed a sad picture and certainly mirrors the image of Russia’s “lost generation” as we witness this slice of life in a former Soviet-bloc member.

One can’t help reacting to the film with sad and solemn feelings, a heavy heart that wonders how a world wrapped in that kind of social turmoil can find hope. In the ending scene with Checkie and Ika (Irakli Ramishvili), Dir. Koguashvili gives us a glimmer of hope, a small notion that there still exists goodness and a moral conscience, embodied within our main protagonist. However, this is not without a great price and a sobering realization that any hope is still not within the realistic imagination. As the film ends, dir. Koguashvili brings us to the classroom of singing children, prodding audiences to take note of the next generation and to ask the question “who is next?” Is there hope or will the vicious cycle continue?

Screen Reaction

Heard around the theater: "great, liked it"..."interesting character with moral conscience"..."didn't understand whether that school was a good school...why was the wealthy son at that school? and what about the rich girl?"..."bleak scenery but there were moments of compassion"..."slow in the beginning but picked up in the middle"..."when the father jumped out, very powerful and there was a run of emotions in that moment"

2010 LAFF SRR: Judge (Touxi), dir. Jie Liu

2010-06-29T13:32:00.000-07:00

2010 LAFF Screen Report and Reaction: Judge (Touxi), dir. Jie Liu CHINA (warning: there may be spoilers)

Screen Report

At first glance, it would be easy for Western audiences watching a film about China and its wrestling of jurisprudence and say that the means to the end were obviously justified. Judge is, after all, more a film of social commentary; pure entertainment it was not. Even as someone who has some sense of Chinese sensibilities, I found myself surprised at how formally Chinese law was being acknowledged (at least in the way it was being presented), having been inundated my entire life about China's corruption and the wide-spread fraud in the legal system. And certainly that is somewhat on display here in this film, with the lawyer of a wealthy businessman dealing in the illegal transaction of human organs for money. However, this film is far more complicated and complex than meets the eye, reflecting Chinese society and its tension for place in a modern world and the perspective in which the world views China.

The mise-en-scène and the way cinematographer Ryuji Otsuka shot the film reflected this tension. Most of the film was shot in the shadows, with Director Jie Liu perfectly fine with characters moving in and out of it. Most of the light came from the natural motivation of windows and there was very little attempt to light specifically for the faces, with the noticeable exception of the vignette involving the wealthy businessman. This was especially affective in the hallways that the judges walked and the prison cell where inmates shuffled, exemplifying the tension of law and corruption, light and shadow, as the characters move in and out of visibility. In addition, the general bluish/greyish-hue of the frame created a drab and somewhat dreary picture that certainly helped underline the emotions of each vignette. The visual impact is further underscored by the audio choices that were made, namely the lack of musical score and presence of ambient noise/silence. The decision not have a music score is in line with other Chinese films of this type (e.g. "Still Life", dir. Zhang Ke Jia CHINA) and it certainly is a good decision. In it's place is the shifting between bleak silence to piercing noise; the most poignant being the ankle chains of the main inmate (Dao Qi), shuffling along the cell floor, reminding the audience of the dreadfulness of his circumstance and the harshness of a legal system being obeyed.

Outside of the film's main arc are some well-versed moral concerns and tragedy, identifiable to the outside world: the judge (Dahong Ni) losing his one child and coming home to a distant wife, the judge losing his cat (alluding to his remaining "child") to a benign law and the frustration of being given a taste of his own medicine by the local policeman, the pain of the wealthy businessman and his girlfriend frantically looking for a kidney transplant. It's a hodgepodge of concerns both old and new and their connection to each other again reflects the complexity of the law and the human life which they are set up against. Ultimately, in a progressive way and a perhaps a giving in to a mainstream audience's desire for proper resolution, director Jie Liu ends up giving the audience most of what it wants.

However, when the inmate is taken out to the field to receive his sentence of execution by firing squad, the hope of progression is still in serious doubt. In the moment of truth, the shot in the field is powerful and well-composed: a long and wide shot of the field and hill of the execution "stage", all the players are shown, the prisoner in the foreground, knelt down, while all around the shallow hill are officials of law, an ambulance with nurses ready to transport the body to the hospital for transplant, and our judge who the audience is looking to be the hero. All of this, in a scene that is finally out in the light, is the final culmination of that that has occurred in the shadows and this extended cut captures the whole sense of Chinese society and law; there is progress before us but not without tension. The pay-off is in this scene and it is powerfully played, but even as we come to the film's narrative resolution, the film returns to the shadows and drab and once again reminds the (Western) audience about the pace of progress here in the East.

Overall, Judge is a solid look into China and the issues it faces. It isn't much for entertainment or even the (sometimes humorous) irony in the work of Zhang Ke Jia, but in it's own right should suffice as good study in East Asian film studies and Chinese-West discourse.

Screen Reaction

Heard around the theater: "plot and acting good"..."slow progress, but well-conveyed and good interaction with faces"..."liked it, needed to be slow because the guy was depressed"..."good energy, progress, life was restored [at the end]"...

A Review: 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival

2010-06-28T14:44:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Los Angeles Film Festival is now over and done with, so now it is appropriate to take a look back on the event. I see that indieWire News already wrote a overview piece here, but having talked to about a dozen or more festival goers in some detail, I hope that I can give a more ground up perspective/review regarding the festival. I will review the films as I write them this week, however, this post will be just the festival in general. (Note: Unless an official website is available, the following links are links to IMDB by default)

An Overview
In general, I really enjoyed my time at the 2010 LAFF. It was my first time spending any extended length of time in downtown LA and it was surprisingly a lively and fun experience. It definitely helped that I stayed nearby and that my naturally curious mind helped me explore downtown LA a little bit more. The staff and volunteers were very nice and helpful in general. The only real issue I noticed was that early in the week there seemed to be some confusion and mild frustration regarding the ticketing process. I myself had to go between the ticketing tent at the parking lot and the ticketing counter at Regal Cinemas a number of times to clear up an issue I had with my film pass. I also witnessed a number of festival-goers express some frustration at both the ticketing tent and the Regal counters, having been told they were in the wrong location. However, it seemed as the week went by things got a little bit smoother. I think this issue may be attributed to being at LA downtown for the first year, with many operational kinks still being discovered with a new location.

I don't know if this is related since I haven't been to previous year's LAFF but I was a little bit surprised by the emptiness of some of the screenings and relatively small crowd. I estimate maybe 40-50 for the first 4 films I saw, 3 of which were on the weekend. For "Marwencol" and "Dog Sweat", perhaps having caught some quick buzz, had significantly more and filled out the theater a little better. Honestly, I thought it was okay, as someone else noted, since it helped with what could've been potential crowding at the theater. I was also a little bit disappointed I didn't have any Q&A's till the last day I was there with "Marwencol" and "Dog Sweat"...however, I considered my last day my lucky day since I did get two Q&A's. I thought it was pretty cool that they opened their Live.Create Zone Perfect Lounge to the public during the day (before 4pm) for people to escape the heat, enjoy some live music, do some communal painting, surf the web and chat with other film-goers.

Overall, the festival seemed well-run and organized, minus the ticketing issues. I think having a year under their belt at this venue will help with the flow of things in years to come.

Films I saw: Orly, dir. Angela Schanelec FRANCE; Judge (Touxi), dir. Jie Liu CHINA; Street Days, dir. Levan Koguashvili GEORGIA; Café Noir, dir. Jung Sung-il S. KOREA; Dog Sweat dir. Hossein Keshavarz IRAN; Marwencol dir. Jeff Malmberg USA.

Films I wished I saw: Mr. Okra, dir. T.G. Herrington (Short), Parade, dir. Isao Yukisada JAPAN; Four Lions dir. Christopher Morris UK; Centurion, dir. Neil Marshall UK; and the premiere of Despicable Me (Ok, so that's not an indie film but oh well)

Stand-out survey (panel of 12): Greg and Cindy from Minnesota gave big props to "Animal Kingdom" and also commended "The New Year" and "The Kids Are Alright"... Tina and Greg, who claimed to have watched about 3 films/day at 2010 LAFF had much praise for "Marwencol", "Hello, Lonesome" and "Madagascar" (Short), which appeared before "Camera, Camera"... Ed claimed his favorite was "Parade" (in japanese), which Tina had said she also liked.... Mindy and Steve (avid cinephiles) from LA gave big props to "Waiting for Superman" and "A Family"... Other individuals didn't specify anything that stood out... I had asked Tina if she had caught any "uplifting" films (since I didn't in my choices), she said "no" in general, but said "New Year" had the "possibility of hope" but that it wasn't "necessarily uplifting".

Festival takes: Tina said "it works well logistically", claiming the parking is better and the central location of the screenings helped in comparison with Westwood (the previous location), she said, however, there wasn't much food for the budget-conscious and she started packing her own lunch (which I think is smart, regardless)... Greg and Cindy said that they've so far enjoyed their experience (and first time in California) and that "everyone [was] very nice" at the festival... Mindy said the festival was less "intensive" since she is not traveling to the festival but she did mention that parking is expensive downtown... one other individual I didn't get the name of who went to previous LAFF's stated the new location made it somewhat difficult since he now had to travel to this new location... One individual had told me he though the festival seemed well-run, he was thoroughly "disappointed" by the quality of the films in this year's festival...There seems to have been some pointed discussion regarding attaching both the premiere of "Twilight: Eclipse" and "Despicable Me" to the official festival program, one side which says it helps draw new audiences that would've not known about LAFF otherwise and one side which says it muddles the festival's identity as a voice for indie film (as FIND is a LAFF supporter)...

Film Reviews: I will be writing a number of reviews of the films I watched during the 2010 LAFF. In addition, I will hope to incorporate the opinions and reactions of the audiences at the screening, giving a multi-layered perspective to the review. They will be coming out in the days and weeks to come (hopefully not too many weeks). I look forward to reading your responses to these films as well.

Stay Tuned! Thanks for reading this!

LAFF FMkers Interview: Hannah Sullivan, Future FMker Showcase

2010-06-23T15:23:00.000-07:00

(note: I wanted to get this out before the other reviews because on the off chance someone is reading this, they might still get a chance to watch the final screening on Saturday June 26th @ 3:00pm of Hannah Sullivan’s Love…Forever & Always)

My first interview on this blog and it’s a good one. No, this is not the director of any of the feature films I wanted to interview but (probably) one of the youngest filmmaker’s with a film here at the festival.

Before I go on, I must make a disclaimer. This wasn’t a great interview. It was my first one and I was kind of nervous. I didn’t stick with the questions I had written beforehand or they turned out to be not so good questions. I think if I had another go around I would’ve asked different questions. So this is my bad. If you’re (or your family is) reading this Hannah, I apologize for my poor journalistic skills. I’m a rookie.

That being said, let me introduce to you Hannah Sullivan. She hails from Pacific Coast HS in Tustin, CA and just finished her freshman year there. This film, called Love…Forever & Always, was a product of her own undertaking, and was filmed at her home. Her family also played a role in the production of the film, with her brother and future DP, Spencer Sullivan, as, well, the DP. In addition to directing the film, Hannah also edited it and was one of the two actresses in the film (with her cousin Alison Dubbert being the other), an impressive feat, dare I say.

Unfortunately, I won’t do the synopsis justice here as my notes are incomplete at best, but at 4 minutes, it just needs to be watched and not described. I will note that this is a family-inspired (surprise!) story, with the relationship between her mother and her mother’s sister as the central focus.

I asked her what was one of the things she learned making this (her first) film. She said that she learned about the interesting dynamic of directing and acting in the same film and how they are so much “separate worlds,” and it is something she will bring into her next film. (She did a great job plugging “the next film.” Very well played.) She seems bright and positive and I sense great things for this young filmmaker for years to come.

Also unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to watch this film and will not be able to, unless she wants to send me a screener. I am definitely curious about it as it has gotten into a number of film festivals worldwide, which is quite the achievement. For those of you who are not at the LAFF or didn’t have the chance to catch this film (like me), Love… will also being playing at the Santa Cruz Film Festival, Method Fest, and Sydney Youth Film Festival.

Once again, Love… will be playing one last time at the 2010 LAFF at the downtown Regal Cinemas this Saturday June 26th at 3pm in the LAFF Future Filmmaker Showcase, High School Program 1. Tickets are $5 at the door and I’m sure there will be plenty of tickets left. Come out and support future filmmakers!

Also once again, I apologize to Hannah and co. that my interview here is not as thorough as it could’ve been. I will make sure to improve next time!

Okay, sorry

2010-06-16T18:08:00.001-07:00

I tried to export from one e-mail account to another, but unfortunately my previous e-mail account has the domain "refinefilms" so I have to wait 3 months before it clears Google's systems. This will be the temporary address until I can get that one back.

Thanks. I look forward to updating this throughout LA Film Festival.

I RSVP'd to Shorts Program 3 (esp. "Mr. Okra") and Judge (CHN, Jie Liu), and I'm still deciding the schedule for the other films. Maybe I'll score an interview! I will be there Friday and Saturday all day, not sure about the other days. Trying to maximize the time there so I don't have to buy too many parking passes.

Anyways, a lot of things to prepare before I go to LA.

See ya soon!

Welcome to the Refine Films Blog!

2010-06-14T23:03:00.000-07:00

This Thursday I will be heading off to the LA Film Festival and I figured it was a good excuse to start a film-related blog for all my film-related activities and thoughts. This was one of those good suggestions that was relayed to me as I start this thing called my "film career," so here I am.

Hopefully, I can score some interviews with some people this week as I hang around LA and create some buzz with this blog for other filmmakers, in addition to reviews of the films I'll be watching.

Is there a film worth watching at this festival? Well, I looked through the program and got a list of the films I'd like to watch. I don't think I can watch all of them ($12 a pop!) but hopefully I'll get a couple of features and some short programs under my belt.