VOX

I was at the opening festivities of the first Sundial Film Festival, and it was well worth the $30 for a three-day pass.

The opening film was the documentary, “Angle of Inspiration,” and it was fitting. I had seen this film before, on DVD, and sent it along as a Christmas gift to my dad. I need to trek over to Turtle Bay Gift Shop for another two or three….

“Pigeon Pilfer” was screened next, a clever and artfully executed stop-action short. Michael Stevenson (a former student of mine when he was at Shasta College) wowed us. He said, during his brief speech, that the film represented four solid months of work for the 1:30 run time.   But he packed a great deal of story into such a short format, and the humor was just terrific. He’s presently working on an animation project for a Brazilian firm, the result of contacts that came out of his college in San Francisco. I look to see great things from Michael. Check him at at www.mstevenson.net.

“The Legend of Buffalo Calf Girl,” a film by Rodger Slagle, offered breathtaking visuals and some tender, magical moments. I am fortunate enough to have an autographed program sitting in front of me, courtesy one of the festival’s youngest stars, Amande Slagel, aka Buffalo Calf Girl. What a delight. The great thing about a film festival such as this, too, is that you are able to see the producers, directors, writers, actors and cinematographers radiating joy as they share their triumph with people who care about film.  See Rodger Slagle’s web page at www.lassenwriter.com.

“Poor Thing” was next, a compelling and moving story offered by an experienced team. Lisa and Bill Collins. I don’t want to give the story away, but Lisa, during her introduction, noted that it was inspired by what happened when her family had to deal with the difficulty of Alzheimer’s Disease. The acting was excellent, and the story well-paced. A lot happens in such a short time. This film represents the Collin’s first project in film where they were producing/directing.  Lisa invited anyone interested in screenwriting to join in with their “last Saturday of the month” project out of www.westsideperforming.com. This group will read screenplays, or short stories, to allow writers to hear their work embodied by experienced performers. What a gift. I intend to check this out.

Chase Jensen introduced his offering by nothing the last film he had seen in the Cascade had been Matilda, and cautioned us that his film, “Bound,” was not going to make us laugh. Jensen was director of cinematography in this visually striking short, an apology for the world’s inaction during the Rwandan genocide. The opening one minute, featuring an anguished man being literally and physically tranquilized by drugs and the media, was one of the most thought-provoking pieces I’ve seen in a long time. I must admit to a certain amount of envy. How cool to have played a part in making such a powerul and aesthetically compelling statement. Moments like that help sustain an artist through the hours and weeks of headaches that go with any production.  I am eager to see Jensen’s next project.

The evening ended with a real crowd pleaser,  “Cart.” This work could have been titled: “The Secret Life of Shopping Carts,” but Jesse Rosten went for the more succinct and economical title, a wise move and one of many great choices in this bittersweet look at a shopping cart that tries to follow a family home. The film had some of the best production values of any we’d seen in the evening, and had delightful moments of landscapes and locations easily recognizable to anyone from Redding. But the ability to give a shopping cart a life, even a personality, is a neat accomplishment. Rosten and his crew have real talent, and it was neat to see how gracious he was in recognizing the contributions of the composer and musician who made tihs film such a success. Check him at at www.jesserosten.com.

I hope to see you at today’s screenings. If not, be sure to find out how to track these films down. They are “must see.”

Robb Lightfoot

Robb Film, People festival, Film, People, Redding, Shasta