devinjford

[devinjford]

Did I say I loved CIFF? Because I loved CIFF!

Again the festival was a great experience all in all. It was very nice to have access to all the parties and receptions so I could rub elbows with movie makers and randoms alike. The film making culture is truly a fascinating one, and has even more characters than the ones in front of the cameras. I like being around artsy folk like myself. In this context it was great because I had the opportunity to get my finger on the pulse of the documentary scene as it stands today. I also felt very fortunate to be able to speak with the director of Point and Shoot, Marshall Curry, who also filmed another one of my favorite documentaries When a Tree Falls. That wouldn't have happened if I wasn't given access to the after parties. If I could do it all again I would probably stuff my face with more food and move around a bit slower so I could take the whole scene in, rather than run like a mad man from one film to the other.

[devinjford]

I loved CIFF!

The Camden International Film Festival was an all around excellent experience for me. The films were great, even though I didn't get to see all the documentaries I wanted to see. Some films were a bit odd, but hell, oddities make for some good art. The free food was excellent as well. As a poor college student free food is a quick way to my heart. My top three favorite films were Point and Shoot, Wild Home, and Tomorrow We Disappear. They were all deeply moving and inspirational films I would love to watch again. 

[devinjford]

Hearts as big as their zoo.

Wild Home is a documentary about Bob and Julia Miner and their home, which over the course of many years has been turned into a wildly successful, as well as healing, zoo. The characters are incredibly funny and do a spectacular job of telling their stories and experiences of meeting one another and creating their unique home in the forests of Maine. The zoo is filled with over 200 species of animals, including: bears, lions, tigers, hyenas, monkeys, and kangaroos. The struggle that Bob experienced being  war veteran is a wonderful dynamic to show the power of what can happen when people do what they love to heal past wounds. This is a must see documentary for Mainers, animal lovers, and comedians alike.

[devinjford]

The surprise isn't in the disappearing, it's in the coming back.

Tomorrow We Disappear is a heartwarming film about a colony of artist living in the slums of India. There are puppeteers, magicians, painters, acrobats, and many more in this inspiring bastion of art and passion. The main characters struggle to keep their homes in the face of corporate developers who want to kick them from their land and build large high rises for the Indian elite. The stories of the individuals in this movie are deeply moving, you are brought in close to see these people for who they really are. They care very much for one another and it is hard at times to watch them argue over the fate of their home and of their futures. The struggle theses individuals fight in the film still rages on today. They are willing to fight to keep their rare artistic traditions and maintain their creative and loving way of life.  

[devinjford]

Tso Delicious

The Search for General Tso really surprised me. I didn't know what to think going into a movie about General Tso's chicken, but it was actually a really good film. The only negative I could say is that I felt really hungry the whole time and I wanted to stuff my face full of the yummy orange chicken, even though I know it's incredibly unhealthy. I was very cool how the director went to China and taught us about the history of who the general was, and then also went on to tell us the completely different story of how the delicious dish came to be. If you are a foodie this film is certainly for you. It is an enlightening look into the truth behind real General Tso's chicken and American General Tso's chicken. In the process of showing those differences it tells the tale of the beginning and evolution of Asian immigration and culture within the U.S. I would love to see it again with a big bin of the gooey sweet and sour stuff.

[devinjford]

A Real Life Heroes Journey

Point and Shoot was the best movie I saw at CIFF. It is the story of Matt VanDyke, a 26 year old man with OCD who left his home in search of becoming a man. He certainly succeeded in my opinion. His adventure begins with motorcycling across the northern coast of Africa. In Libya he befriends a local man and they become very close, Matt considers him his closest friend. Matt returns to the U.S. feeling accomplished in his mission, but when he hears of the upheaval in Libya, he decides to go back and help his Libyan brothers. So he flies back to Africa and sneaks into Libya to help fight the revolution with his friends. I couldn't say enough good things about this movie, and a tumblr post just doesn't do it any justice. It is a must see film for anyone who enjoys incredible true life journeys.

[devinjford]

...But that ending though.

The Overnighters was a compelling look into the life of a pastor who is trying to help homeless job seekers by letting them sleep in his church. The job seekers are men who are coming from all around the country to seek work in the new fracking fields of North Dakota. The struggle comes in when the members of the church and community oppose letting large numbers of homeless men sleep in the church. Some of the vagabonds are felons and sexual offenders, which sparks a huge upheaval from the people of the town. The journey leaves you sympathetic to the main character's struggle between faith and ego... but that ending though! The movie drops a huge bomb on you with 10 minutes left to go. It left me thinking why the hell the director would end it like that rather than about the story as a whole. All in all an interesting flick, but I wouldn't watch it again.  

[devinjford]

The Wonderful World's of Trains

The Iron Ministry is a brilliant look at the passengers, on many trains, over the course of 4 years in China. While the pacing could have sped up a bit, especially when it was just showing b-roll, it was great at syncing in with the human dimension. The people were genuine and had small interesting truths to share about their lives and their perceptions of the changes in the country around them. It was very eye opening for someone like me who doesn't know much about modern Chinese culture from the inside. From people piling into the cars trying to sell meat to conversations on political control of the population, this movie is a must see for any culture junkie.     

[devinjford]

Wait... What?!

The documentary Bugarach is the only movie that I saw at CIFF that left me wondering what was going on. I think I struggle to tell what was real or not. I couldn't tell what was a dramatization and what was occurring live on the camera. It all seemed very scripted, but maybe it was supposed to be. I just was left very unsure of what I had seen. What I did see, though, was the story of a small town being taken over by outsiders due to a rumor that the town was the only place that could survive the end of the world that was supposed to occur December 21, 2012. In my opinion it was kind of awkward and seemed like people were acting, when I expected people just being people, but it was an interesting watch. I can't say I didn't enjoy it. 

[devinjford]

Shorts First: 2- Murder, Huntington's Disease, and Alzheimer's

The three films that touched me the most were The Murder Ballad of James Jones, The Lion's Mouth Opens, and A Marriage to Remember. The first movie is an account of a man who murdered a rival blues player, told by the murderer himself. The pacing is very good and the narrator was a wonderful storyteller. It was as enjoyable as it was brief. The Lion's Mouth Opens is a story of a young woman who's family has a history of Huntington's Disease. Huntington's is a rare degenerative disease that takes an individuals control of mental and bodily functions. The main character is waiting for test results to see if she is a carrier of the gene that is responsible for the disease. It is a sobering look into the struggles involved with awaiting life changing information. Lastly, A Marriage to Remember is a solemn look into the dynamics of a couple and how it changes when a disease like Alzheimer's gets in the way. It is a powerful observation of the strength that love has when two people really care for one another. 

[devinjford]

Shorts First:1 - Short, Sweet, and Wildly Good.

                      (The relatively uninhabited city of Ordos)

Okay, not all of the shorts were quite to my liking, but I will not talk about those here. I would love to talk about the shorts that I liked very much, the top three to be precise. Those shorts are Cathedrals, Vegas, and 3 Acres in Detroit. The first is a very creative narrative about the dogmatic faith that modern humans have in money and economic systems. The film visually makes its way through the Chinese city of Ordos. One of many cities in China that were developed based on wild real estate speculations, that are full of large high rises and generally devoid of  life. The audio is a narrator telling the fictional story of a city of people who are constructing a building out of money and burning candles. An outsider tries to stop them from their foolish acts and pays a terrible price for his heresy against the almighty dollar. Cathedrals is a wonderful allegory for the economic times we find ourselves in today. Vegas is a story of the facade that the city of Las Vegas puts up to attract people to it's slot machines, nightly shows, and cheap strip clubs. It shows the city for what it really is, a heaping pile of homelessness, evicted tenants, and crushed dreams; using three different people to show the sad reality hiding beneath the lights and noise of the party capital of the U.S. The last film I would like to talk about is 3 Acres in Detroit. This documentary follows one Detroit residents struggle to expand his garden indoors by buying an abandoned building and renovating it into a grow house. His determination to supply the people of his city with healthy food is inspiring to say the least.

[devinjford]

Sometimes, You Get What You Don't Pay For

Bidder 70 is a documentary directed by Beth and George Gage. It follows the story of Tim Dechristopher after his blocking of a land auction by the Bureau of Land Management. The land was coveted by oil and gas companies for its rich amount of natural resources, but the land was also loved by those who enjoy its beautiful scenery and hiking trails. Dechristopher got into the auction and in the spur of the moment, began to bid for the land he cared so dearly for, with no intention to pay for it. He was arrested on charges of financial fraud and after years of delaying his trial was finally convicted guilty and sentenced to two years in jail. The film follows Tim  from the time he was arrested to when he was convicted. It shows his active life in advocacy for the environment as well as the shifty moves the Judicial system pulled to ensure his punishment.

Here is a link to trailer of Bidder 70 

[devinjford]

Your Favorite Food is Giving you Cancer?!

Forks Over Knives is a documentary which is written, directed, and starring Lee Fulkerson. It centers around the unhealthy eating habits of the world today. It makes claims that animal proteins help feed into cancer cell growth, and presents a deliciously sound solution of an all plant based diet to attain peak health. It denounces use of medication to help treat and prevent heart illnesses, showing that a consistent proper diet is all that is needed to be salubrious.

The film does not just show Lee's progression to health, it shows a whole cast of people who have benefited from the switch to an all plant diet. The documentary also has discussions with doctors who have made careers of proving the dangers that large amounts of animal proteins have towards humans, along with the treatment of hundreds of patients with proper plant diets. This movie is a wonderful but weary eye opener for anyone who eats large amounts of animal protein daily, and helps call into question what is really the foundation for a healthy diet. 

[devinjford]

Solutions Sink While Sea Levels Rise

Shored Up is a gripping film directed by Ben Kalina, which was created to show the affects of rising sea on the eastern coast of the United States. The film includes before and after footage of Hurricane Sandy as well as a bastion of knowledge of how the rise of the sea level is going to be detrimental to the coast. 

Ben doesn't just give the audience the numbers behind the change in sea level, he fills the movie with narratives from people on both sides of the argument. The argument being whether rapid sea level rise even exists. He interviews scientists, legislators, mayors, and townspeople to show the perceptions of the people who feel the pain that comes with an issue as big as this. The story telling techniques are as brilliant as the cinematography in this eye opening film.

This documentary is a must see for anyone living on the eastern sea board. It is a true life portrayal of how theses issues are addressed on the architectural, financial, and governmental level. The film may surprise some it's viewers on the inadequate perception that people in power have of such a serious topic. Ben Kalina's movie is shockingly and only moves to enlighten anyone willing to watch.      

[devinjford]

Uranium Mill Meltdown

Uranium Drive-In is a surprisingly non-biased look into a sensitive and volatile situation in southwestern Colorado. The people of Naturita, Colorado are in hard times, their town is slowly dying from loss of jobs and businesses. Many stores and even their elementary school are left closed due to lack of income. An opportunity comes along to open a uranium mill near the town, which many towns people support because of the jobs it will bring in. A local activist group, the Sheep Mountain Association, does all it can to stop the creation of the mill because of the high potential for uranium contamination in the water.

The documentary is beautifully shot, the director did a wonderful job with lighting and shot angles. She does a great job of getting both sides of the story thoroughly covered. The movie stands out because it doesn't push any specific message. It gives the stories and experiences of both sides of an argument, and allows the viewer to make their own judgement call.