Live Action
Ala Kachuu - Take and Run
In which first a wedding is planned and THEN a bride is kidnapped for the occasion. Then generations of the groom's female relatives try to convince her that they ALL got married against their will but in time you will stop being angry and find happiness, if you are a good wife/woman/human. This film reminds me that patriarchy is pervasive on this planet and destroys everyone it touches. Strong film making choices.
The Dress
In which a little person wishes to be seen as a real person and more specifically touched. She bravely reaches out to a suitor, only to be raped and treated like filth. This film also reminds me that patriarchy is pervasive on this planet and destroys everyone on a deep fundamental level. I like they way they shot this film, as if from the fringes.
The Long Goodbye
In which a family prepares for a wedding celebration only to be rounded up by authorities and either kidnapped or shot in the street. Riz Ahmed then performs a poem or spoken word piece while dying. This film reminds me that patriarchy is often linked with white supremacy which also destroys everything. The movie does a great job of transitioning you from family drama to the intense fear of barely getting by as part of a marginalized group, the fewer was real. The switch to a performance piece at the end was very jarring. The poem was beautiful but I may have missed some of its power because I was trying to fit it into the narrative rather than just listen.
On My Mind
In which a man wishes to sing one last karaoke song to his beloved. There is an unreasonably, grumpy, control freak of a man but I'll refrain from linking him to the patriarchy for now. With touches of magical realism this film was sweet but not entirely unpredictable.
Please Hold
In which a young man in a not too distant future is arrested, kidnapped and extorted by drones and automated phone systems, spending time in jail while barely ever speaking to a human. This film reminds me that patriarchy/white supremacy are supporting a prison system that is often based on profits and forever ruin a person's life, often when they haven't even done anything. I appreciated the heightened reality style of this film which effectively made the whole process seem quite absurd even though it is barely a metaphor.
Documentary
Audible
In which a deaf football team and their classmates experience their final homecoming in high school. The editing and sound work in this short film were masterful. It is primarily about how deaf kids play football (and dominate) but the film makers allowed it to expand. It is also about how parents handle their children's deafness, it is also about mental health, it is also about leaving your cocoon, it is also about gay kids' struggles and grieving. I love how the football team was a way in to showing this community as many, many things, even though you might think the most important thing is deaf.
Lead Me Home
In which we learn about homelessness through the unsheltered people of three major cities. I wanted this to be a full length documentary; there is so much to sig into and understand about this issue. What this doc achieved was perhaps the most important part: reframing people on the streets as actual human beings. Each one is an individual with a story and dreams and heartbreak; each one is deserving of something better and needs a unique form of help and support.
The Queen of Basketball
In which I learned that Lusia Harris was approached to be drafted into the NBA! WHAT??!! This is the story of the greatest female basketball player prior to the WNBA. She is a dynamic and infinitely charming character that tells her own story with grace, frankness and a hint of mischief that never leaves her. Very delightful.
Three Songs for Benazir
In which we follow the young marriage of two Afghani refugees living in a camp after their village was destroyed by war. The husband is sweetly devoted to his wife and she has an enchanting, uplifting giggle. Their delight in being together is the most astonishing reminder that humans are going to human, no matter the conditions. They are going to love and lust and procreate and strive even in situations where I think there would exist no hope or joy. It's uplifting in a sad way. The film barely holds together other than a quick character study. Filming here could not have been easy.
When We Were Bullies
In which a film maker revisits a time when he and his classmates bullied a kid in the 5th grade. This is the second film he has made about this event. I appreciate that this film acknowledges that patriarchy harms everyone; it's not a point you see made by people who grew up in the 1960s very often. The short is almost a mess - it's a stream of consciousness attempt to make sense of the event. There is a completely shocking synchronicity in finding a classmate, a bewilderment about their own behavior that they seem unable to explain at any point and a teacher that thinks the movie will be tedious! There is a lot of quirk here and ultimately no closure. They do not speak to the kid that they bullied. I struggled with this and the film maker did too. All the classmates gather on film to talk about the victim of their attack and why he stood out and what made him an outsider. It feels wrong not to get his perspective or allow him to speak. The film maker acknowledges that they are basically treating him the same way they did in school. On the other hand, this exploration is not really about making amends. It is about self examination and coming to terms with your own wrong doing. It is about seeing that sometimes you don't get closure and you have to make yourself a better person anyway. I still can't help but feeling if I were the bullied kid, I would hate that this movie was made.
Animated
Robin Robin
In which a robin is raised by mice and has to learn to use their own strengths in order to feel a sense of worth and belonging. Very cute animation style and adorable story. My favorite piece in this category.
Boxballet
In which a ballerina experiences sexual harassment, falls in love with a boxer and retires. I spent a lot of time worried about the ballerina because she was drawn so exceptionally frail and willowy that she appeared a potential victim from the start.
Affairs of the Art
In which a woman talks about her sister who liked dead things and taxidermy before talking about how she is recommitting to her art. Her art involves encouraging an old naked man to fall down the stairs, which is amusing but also weird.
Bestia
In which a woman has a dream about cutting off her dog's head and perhaps torturing prisoners before ultimately killing them and also having some kind of sexual relationship with her dog (which may have been a metaphor for a man?) Not my jam.
The Windshield Wiper
In which several not fully connected vignettes explore attraction and desire between men and women in today's world. Conversations are seemingly overheard and someone asks "what is love?" and I felt myself shut down because I figured the rest would be pretentious.