Sundance

Sundance is such a fantastic event. We see 3-4 movies a day. Some will hit the big screen, others might just hit the airplane watch but being able to see the first run of most of these films, hear the directors, cast and actors/actresses speak about their work makes the experience unique.

We have seen a bunch of films but here were the faves. I hope others will see these sooner than later on the screen of your choice.

Summertime. Carlos Lopez Estrada, the director, saw a group of poets performing in LA. He created a film where the lives of 25 young Angelinos intersect with their own stories, their own neighborhoods, and their own words. It is an artistic film that is unique an definitely an ode to LA.

The Painter and the Thief. Two paintings are stolen from an Oslo art gallery. The painter befriends the thief after his time in jail. It is not only a story of forgiveness, connection, and friendship but also about coming to terms with your past. The treatment of incarcerated people in that part of the world is how people can be forgiven and given another chance of life. Such a good film.

Zola. What makes this story so crazy (and crazy on multiple levels) is that this was first chronicled in 144 tweets and also posted on Reddit. The director, Janicza Bravo, got the rights to the story, rewrote it for film and directed it.

Palm Springs Two people (Sarah and Nyles ) stuck on the same wedding day of Sarah’s sister’s wedding like Groundhog Day. Fantastic feature debut from Max Barbakow. Great comedic film script. We all walked out of there smiling.

Herself. Except for the music which did not seem to jibe with the scenes, Clare Dunne wrote a touching screenplay and acted as the main character. A young mother who escapes her abusive husband in Dublin, in a broken housing system wants to create a good life for her daughters and decides to build a house.

Farewell Amor. After 17 years, an Angolan immigrant father living in Brooklyn reunites with his wife and daughter when they finally get to the states. How do you connect with someone you have been disconnected from for 17 years? A beautiful film.

There were others but these are the ones that have stuck with me.