Sunday 8 Feb 15
The German word stille is
apparent this morning. A Sunday
morning in the middle of Berlin is stille as I ride through Mitte to the HKW for a 10am film, sunshine and blue
sky after a stormy night.
The Biggest House in the World, LA MAS GRANDE CASA DEL MUNDO
Two female co-directors and lead actress reflect the all
female focus on screen. “Where is
the papa?” a girl asks during Q&A.
It is explained this is normal to have grandmother, mother and daughter
since father is away working somewhere else. A knowing chortle ripples through
the crowd.
Beautiful high desert landscape with hills, sagebrushed
ravinesand rocky crags presented patiently as the young girl charged with
tending family sheep enter the frame.
Economic casting served the film, reflecting the sparse
population; three children, a mother, grandmother and an old medicine man lent
themselves gracefully to the camera in this rugged landscape.
The film had been work-shopped in five or more festivals
since 2009 a force of determination…and an encouragement for me and FINDING
FELIX.
Yesterday, I met Felix’s (Finding Felix) mother, Erica, as
it seems magically regular that I do at the beginning of each festival. Warmth and respect for her superceeded
my unfinished film sheepishness (pun intended) as I greeted her. She is an introverted mathematician who
loves international cinema; the only artform, she said in our 2011 interview,
that she likes.
I’ll go to the market to request a meeting at UniFrance…the
leader in European film export of films for young audiences to the U.S.
Later today, the Ukrainian film board will give a state of
their nation presentation at their market stall. I will attend.
The Americans at the IFP Stand gave an excellent panel on
documentary markets.
I’ll attend Kulinarishes Kino for Gary Meyer’s new Eat,
Drink, Films Festival. The Korean
film tonight is appropriately named OMNIVOROUS FAMILY.
Was happy to see Berkeley’s Alice Waters receive an award
recognizing her ten years of contribution to the Kulinarische Kino along with
Carlo Petrini. Waters in turn paid
tribute to Tom Luddy who introduced her to French Cinema and Marcel Pagnol for
whose film her Chez Panisse is named.
