I caught three of the five short Documentary Nominees this morning.
Kings Pointe - This one is about one of those quintessential retirement communities in Florida. Some couples go and live out the last thirty years of their lives in what seems, to most of the inhabitants, a sort of sad and empty existence. They play bridge or mah jongg, visit the malls, learn a social dance or two and sit by a pool. It feels more like a waiting room to the afterlife than a life of any substance. The film itself meandered a bit. It was hard to care about subjects who appeared so numb themselves.
Mondays at Racine - Two sisters on Long Island open their beauty salon one Monday a month to cancer patients. They help women reclaim their bodies, pamper themselves, embrace their journey and feel beautiful again. Several of their clients are followed through portions of their treatment. At one point this was so painful to watch, I was kicking the back of the seat in front of me to try and distract myself from the agony. Sometimes I find myself thinking, "I hope I get a really curable cancer," instead of "I hope I never get cancer." It just feels inevitable sometimes. A very powerful documentary about amazing women.
Inocente - Inocente is a fifteen year old homeless girl with an unbelievably tragic past, difficult life and irrepressible spirit. She is a bright and talented artist who leans heavily on her dreams to carry her forward, from a bleak past to an uncertain future filled with precarious potential. We watch her first art show and hope beyond hope she finds her ticket out. This was a unique story with a dynamic subject and a topical political issue. This appears to be the front runner.
The other two nominees are screening tomorrow but I will miss them, as I will be at a bowling alley birthday party with seven and eight year-olds. Jealous?
Yes, I am in fact jealous.
ReplyDelete