Each year, Mary Rainwater, MHGS Library Specialist, attends the Seattle International Film Festival to watch some of the greatest movies you’ve never seen. She sent over this report:
Seattle’s 36th International Film Festival (SIFF) begins Thursday evening, May 20th and runs thru Sunday June 13th at multiple venues in and around Seattle. Documentary, narrative, animated and experimental films from the Northwest and around the world give you plenty of chances to try out something new – something you might never get the chance to see anywhere else. With literally hundreds of films to choose from, and little or no advanced reviews, it is a gamble – obviously every film is not to every taste. But, what you see will almost certainly be different than what is playing at your local cineplex.
I have been attending preview press screenings for the last 3 weeks and have seen about 35 films so far. Here are some of my favorites that I believe might be of interest to MHGS folks:
WINTER’S BONE – Grand Jury Prize winner at Sundance this year, this extraordinary film is set in the rural Ozarks of Missouri. This is a community of grinding poverty, fierce independence, simmering violence and complex blood ties. Ree is only 17 years old but doing her best to feed & care for her young siblings and ailing mother. When her meth-cooking dad posts bail using the family home as bond, she heads out to track him down to make sure he returns to stand trial. Problem is, nobody in the community (most of who are related to her) wants him found. This film is both bleakly beautiful and stunningly powerful with a heroine you will never forget.
HEDGEHOG – a delightful French film based on the best-selling novel “The Elegance of the Hedgehog.” Disenchanted with life’s hypocrisies, an 11-year old Parisian girl decides to end her life on her next birthday. However, in the intervening weeks she closely observes life in her apartment building and discovers unexpected new friendships that just might change her mind. (This is a French film however, so don’t expect too happy of an ending!)
RAPT – another French film – this one a thriller about a rich industrialist kidnapped for a huge ransom, but as facts about his life come to light, his family and his company begin to wonder how much he is really worth to them. (This one has an icky bit – about 30 seconds of his finger being cut off – but you can close your eyes).
LETTERS TO FATHER JACOB – a lovely Swedish film about tough and sullen Leila who is pardoned from a life-sentence in prison to work at a parsonage answering letters for the elderly and blind Father Jacob. This one is visually lush with a beautiful musical score and is a heart-felt and graceful tale of love and redemption.
NOWHERE BOY – an English film telling the story of John Lennon’s early years – it ends as the very young Beatles head off to Germany for the gig that started them on the road to fame. Young John had an interesting but difficult childhood with a strange (histrionic? bi- polar?) mother who turned him over to his aunt to raise, but still hovered around his life. As my friend Sally said, this would be a fascinating movie even if it wasn’t about someone who later became a Beatle.
Some practical SIFF advice:
- Pick up a schedule anywhere around town or visit the website (www.siff.net)
- Each film only shows a couple times so it is best to keep alert.
- Films with good word-of-mouth often sell out, so buying tickets in advance is good.
- Get to your theatre early and bring your patience. There will probably be massive lines and crowded theatres (but that can be part of the fun – everyone around you will want to talk about what they’ve seen and what they’ve heard is good).
- Be willing to experiment. If you have trouble choosing what you want to see, just pick something at random and try it out. Surprises abound.
Mary Rainwater is part of the MHGS Library staff and prolific movie watcher. When she’s not enjoying SIFF, Mary is in the library processing ILLs and offering students the best movie recommendations.
