CLEAN HANDS, a riveting documentary by director Michael Dominic, takes a close look into the lives of a poverty-stricken family from Central America as they are moved from a one-room shack to a farmhouse. Will the nurturing help from a philanthropist help them to thrive, or will the habits of their former lifestyle hold them back?
https://vimeo.com/284962411
I first saw CLEAN HANDS at the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival in May, where it won the Grand Jury Award for Best International Documentary, and it blew me away. Since then, the film has been traveling around the world through the festival circuit and has won several awards, including Best Documentary at HBO’s New York Latino Film Festival. Dominic shows respect for his subjects while still keeping distant so that his presence interferes as little as possible with their everyday life, which is just one of the reasons why this film is so compelling.
The film starts off following the Lopez family, comprised of Blanca (mother), Javier (father), their four children, and his mother as they navigate their way through La Chureca, the largest garbage dump in Central America (over 4 square miles). It is reported that 1,000 people currently live there, and 50% of them are under 18 years of age. The Lopez family uses the land, just as the others do, for food, clothing and other resources they need to survive. Their tiny shack is also made of trash from the land. The children are shown picking up leftover chicken off of the ground, plucking what remains off of the bones and eating it as they wade through the garbage.
Despite their living conditions, the children seem happy and upbeat. They have never attended school because their job is to scavenge for the family every day. What started as a film covering the lives and living conditions of this family soon evolved into another story thanks to American philanthropist Mary Ellen, and Dominic went along for the ride. He ended up filming the progression of the Lopez family for seven years.
Once Mary Ellen became privy of the family and their plight, she did what she could to help. She built them a small house in the country with plenty of land for the kids to play and the family to farm. The only condition was that the children must all attend school.
Interestingly, the film develops a nature vs. nurture theme. As the family adapts to their new home, Blanca finds it hard to change her old ways. After a horrific upbringing, her new life proves to be too much for her. The abuse towards her husband and children seems to escalate until she finally leaves. Zulemita, their only daughter, also finds her new life difficult as she struggles in school. Meanwhile, Javier and the three boys begin to thrive in their new environment. Capturing not only the evolution of their tale, but moments where they feel comfortable enough to share their thoughts and backstory help to connect some of the dots, and are a testament to the directors’ dedication and keen eye.
CLEAN HANDS is not an easy film to watch. As I mentioned earlier, Dominic did an incredible job of interfering as little as possible to capture the struggles and successes of the Lopez family. To be as true to the content as possible, unfortunately, that means letting the audience witness the full mess of drinking, abandonment, physical and mental abuse without putting the camera down and stepping in.
There are several things that the viewer can take away from this film, but instead of just focusing on the chaos of this family as they try to evolve, I beg you to dig deeper. Can an entire family change their way of life together? How can some thrive while others fall back into old habits? How does this relate to past traumas? Not to mention the films ability to spread awareness about how others live. Not many of us get the chance to be a fly on the wall and see just how others live. While most of us are reading (writing) this from the comfort of our homes or on our smartphones, others are living in/off of garbage dumps. Gives you a bit of perspective, huh?
OVERALL RATING: 5 out of 5 stars
To find out more about CLEAN HANDS or check for upcoming screenings in your area, click HERE.
One of my favorite films at the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival was LOVE, GILDA. Not only did it do an amazing job at capturing her spirit, but it is incredibly relatable… especially if you (like me) have ever fought an intense disease or illness.
In her own words, comedienne Gilda Radner looks back and reflects on her life and career. Weaving together recently discovered audiotapes, interviews with her friends, rare home movies and diaries read by modern-day comediennes inspired by Gilda (Amy Poehler, Maya Rudolph, Martin Short, Bill Hader and Cecily Strong), Love, Gilda offers a unique window into the honest and whimsical world of a beloved performer whose greatest role was sharing her story.
Produced and Directed by Lisa D’Apolito, LOVE, GILDA leaves viewers with an incredibly positive way to look at life… with laughter. Reading from her own words, Poehler, Rudolph, Hader, Strong and more learn more about one of their biggest inspirations. We learn about Radner’s feelings about herself, her weight, her rise to fame, romances and her battle with cancer through her own tapes.
It starts in the 1950’s, with home movies of a young Radner and her family. She describes her relationship with her father and mother, and the impacts that they had on her. She is quite candid, talking about the death of her father, and her mothers’ thoughts on her weight – including the time she gave Radner diet pills.
It’s apparent, instantly, in the home videos that Radner has an energy that is larger than life. We learn about her relationship with food due to an eating disorder and watch as she seamlessly rises to fame due to her electric personality and impeccable sense of humor. During this time she also went through a lot of boyfriends, including those that she worked with. The good news is that all of them seemed to remain friends, judging by the tone of the doc.
Behind all of the fame lived someone who was unhappy. Radner was her own worst critic. She was constantly looking for love and acceptance. She later found a life full of love with actor Gene Wilder. The film touches on her yearning to have a child, which was hindered by suddenly learning that she had ovarian cancer.
One thing that I love about this film is Radners’ positive spirit as she fought this disease. Throughout her battle, she constantly tried to make people laugh. Her goal was to make cancer funny. Normally, a diagnosis like this would be enough to destroy someone’s spirit. Nor Radner. She was more worried about others, and living life to the fullest. During her struggle, Wilder was by her side. Their love for each other is inspiring.
Throughout the film, Radners’ courage and positive attitude shine through even the darkest of moments. LOVE, GILDA is sure to make audiences laugh and cry.
Another great year at the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival! Hey guys… long time no chat! Melissa here, and boy have I missed you! I was lucky enough to attend this years festival and as per usual, the programming exceeded expectations. Be sure to check out my reviews this week as I talk about some of the amazing films! Below, you can find a list of all of the winners. These are all films that you do not want to miss!
Winners Include “My Name is Myeisha,” “Tower. A Bright Day” and “White Tide”
The 4th AnnualMammoth Lakes Film Festival (MLFF) announced this year’s juried and audience award winners at the Closing Night Award Ceremony at the Sierra Event Center in Mammoth Lakes on Sunday, May 27, 2018. The festival, held from May 23-27, screened over 70 films, including 63 in MLFF’s competition categories. Each of the festival winners received an Orson the Bear Award, handcrafted by Josh Slater of Bear in Mind Carvings located in Mammoth Lakes.
“This year’s festival exceeded our expectations on many levels. We welcomed more filmmakers, audience members, and media than in any of our other three years,” said Festival Director Shira Dubrovner. “Against the backdrop of our beautiful city, we were honored to host such an artistic collection of films that continues our commitment of bringing dynamic storytelling to our appreciative community.”
“The number of attending filmmakers from all over the world and the quality of their work, combined with the involvement of the Mammoth Lakes community, brought to life a series of scintillating events and thought-provoking discussions at this year’s festival,” said Festival Programmer Paul Sbrizzi.
“It has been my privilege to be a part of the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival since it’s conception,” said Documentary Features jury member Allison Amon (EVP Sales & Development, Bullitt). “The festival continues to grow both in scope and reputation, and it is incredibly inspiring to be here in the most beautiful landscape and surrounded by the creativity the festival attracts.”
The full list of Juried and Audience Awards include:
Jury Award for Best Narrative Feature, with a $1,000 cash prize, $10,000 Panavision Camera Rental Grant and $10,000 Light Iron Post Production Package, goes to My Name Is Myeisha.
Jury Award for Best International Feature, with a $500 cash prize, goes to Tower. A Bright Day.
Special Mention goes to writer, director, actor Thomas Aske Berg for his performance in Vidar the Vampire.
Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature, with a $1,000 cash prize, goes to White Tide.
Special Mention goes to Buddha.mov.
Jury Award for Best Narrative Short, with a $500 cash prize and $5,000 VER Rental Grant, goes to Shadow Animals.
Special Mentions go to Babies…
… and In A Month.
Jury Award for Best Documentary Short, with a $500 cash prize, goes to David and The Kingdom.
Jury Award for Best Animation Short, with a $500 cash prize, goes to Cocoon, Cocoon.
Special Mention goes to Nevada.
Special Jury Award for Bravery, with a $500 cash prize, goes to Minding the Gap.
Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature, with a $1,000 cash prize and $5,000 Panavision Camera Rental Grant, goes to Rock Steady Row.
Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature, with $1,000 cash prize, goes to Crime + Punishment.
Narrative Features Jury: Tim Rhys (MovieMaker Magazine), Nicole Sperling (Vanity Fair) and Rachel Winter (Producer).
Documentary Features Jury: Allison Amon (EVP Sales & Development, Bullitt), Lindsey Bahr (Associated Press) and Peter Baxter (Filmmaker; President/Co-Founder, Slamdance).
International Features Jury: Shalini Dore (Variety), Alonso Duralde (TheWrap) and Vincent Spano (Actor).
Shorts Jury: Ana Souza (Sundance Film Festival) and Scenery Samundra (Tru Thoughts, NTS Radio).
For information for the 2019 festival slated for May 22-26, 2019, visit
The Mammoth Lakes Film Festival, held in the scenic and majestic setting of Mammoth Lakes in the Eastern Sierra region of California, brings together world-class cinema, emerging filmmakers, industry veterans, and audiences from around the world to celebrate films with thought-provoking stories. The Mammoth Lakes Film Festival is a DBA under Mammoth Lakes Foundation—the nonprofit founded in 1989 by Dave McCoy (who also founded Mammoth Mountain Ski Area in 1953). Dave McCoy turns 103 years old this August and is excited to be a part of the fourth annual Mammoth Lakes Film Festival. Visit www.MammothLakesFilmFestival.com for more information or connect on Facebook and Twitter.
2018 Mammoth Lakes Film Festival Sponsors include Honda, Panavision, Light Iron, VER, Town of Mammoth Lakes, Mono County, Tambour Foundation, Paul and Kathleen Rudder, Sierra Nevada Resort & Spa (preferred lodging partner), Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, Blue Moon, Black Box Wine, Chapman University and many others.
For most of us in the United States, Helmut Berger is not someone who we are very familiar with. In Europe, however, most people know if his work, and his reputation for being unpredictable. Director Andreas Horvath submerges himself into Berger’s world in order to show us an intimate, uncensored look at the present life of a wounded man who once seemed to have it all in HELMUT BERGER, ACTOR.
WARNING: Trailer is NSFW, and shouldn’t be viewed by children.
A little backstory to get you in the proper head space: Berger had it made in the 70’s and 80’s. He was given his first film role by director Luchino Visconti in 1967, and things took off from there. He was leading a luxurious lifestyle with his, now lover, Visconti. Berger became a man about town, enjoying the finer things in life. When his partner died in 1976, Berger spiraled out of control. He had attempted suicide, and his abuse of drugs and alcohol began to overshadow his acting career. Still, he continued to work. Relationships continued with both men and women (he is an open bisexual), but the substance abuse never really stopped.
That brings us to the documentary. The filmmaker catches up with Berger, who is now in his early seventies and living on the outskirts of his hometown (Salzburg, Austria) in a small, cluttered apartment. The apartment itself is adorned with a combination of worn, expensive furniture, photographs, pornography, and trash.
He has a cleaning lady, Viola, basically looks after him. She does his laundry, brings him food, and even set up a small kitchen for him when he ripped his out and could no longer afford the re-model. A lot of what she does for him seems to come out of her own pocket. Over the course of the film, they interview her while she is cleaning up after all of his clutter, and she tells stories of his relationship with his mother, and how withdrawn from society he has become. Unless he is working, or on a trip, he rarely leaves his home. She paints a picture of the friends that he lost when his money dried up, and just how lonely and isolating celebrity can be. Honestly, this was a brilliant way to navigate the story, and add a stable element. You really could tell just how much she adored him, and how protective she was of him. She almost takes on a motherly role. Unfortunately, at the Q&A following the film we were informed that she passed away before seeing the film. She was on her way to Berger’s apartment with his laundry when she suffered a heart attack.
Warning (Again): This film is not suitable for young audiences due to crude language and sexual acts performed on-screen without being censored. John Waters called this “Maybe the best motion picture of the year is also the worst?” of 2015, if that gives you any clues…
Horvath endured a lot while capturing the film. Berger’s mood swings are unpredictable, and he would often lash out suddenly, even hitting Horvath at one point, and then trying to have him arrested on the street by spinning the tale. Instead, the police just put Berger in the backseat, and either gave him a ride back to his hotel, or arrested him. That part wasn’t entirely clear. The two fight quite a bit as well. Horvath is not afraid to yell back at Berger, and Berger seems to respond well to this. There are points where it’s unclear if Berger is acting for the camera, or being his true self. I guess you’ll have to figure that one out for yourselves.
The music and weird nature cut away scenes are used to guide the viewer through the film, and aid to the odd directions that the narrative takes. I don’t think all of them are incredibly necessary because the viewer has enough substance to form their own opinions, and feel the chaos going on without having the added intense, strange musical inserts as a guide. At the same time, it doesn’t hurt the film. I just found a few of the cutaways a bit too long. Often, when we are listening to he voice messages that Berger left for Horvath, they do closeups on various objects in his house, from tiger paintings to empty vodka bottles. That seems to fit a lot better.
As the film goes on, it’s clear that Berger is desperate for attention and intimacy. He leaves ridiculous messages to Horvath, taunting him, and calling him names. He treats him as if he is a peasant beneath him, often referring to his own celebrity. In the same conversation Berger often then flips, asking to give Horvath a blow job, and announcing that he has fallen in love with him. Then, he watches tv as if nothing has happened. Remember those sex acts that I referred to earlier? Throughout the film, Berger, on several occasions, pulls out his penis and begins masturbating in front of the camera and filmmaker.
SPOILER ALERT: If you don’t want to know how the film ends, stop reading.
The final scene will most likely make you uncomfortable, as will certain other parts of this film. In the final scene, Horvath captures Berger in a dim room masturbating, as he begs for Horvath to join him, or to just let him “hold it.” This last scene is incredibly long, and after constant begging for Horvath to at least pull down his pants so that he can “see it,” the lights come one, comments that Burt Lancaster has a “similar one” before reaching orgasm. Yes, you see the entire thing. The only thing we done see is if Horvath actually took his pants down or not, though judging by Berger’s comment, and the lights being turned on, I would assume that he did.
You may be asking yourselves “Why would he do that?” Well, the only reason that I can think of is that Berger had finally let his guard down, and was in a vulnerable state, and Horvath decided to give him something in return… a piece of his vulnerability. It really was a natural way for the film to end. It’s the very first time you look into his eyes and know that he is being himself.
HELMUT BERGER, ACTOR is both interesting and uncomfortable to watch at the same time. Still, it’s worth checking out… if you are of age.
The MammothLakes Film festival concluded on Sunday, May 29th with the award-winning documentary SONITA, followed by a lively, music and fun-filled awards presentation at Sierra Events Center. Over 50 films were screened over the five day fest, including premieres, presentation of the first ever Sierra Spirit Award to legendary director Joe Dante, filmmaker bonding at screenings and events, including a film fest hosted trip to Bodie ghost town. Awards, detailed below, included the presentation of the physical Orson trophy, each one with its own personality, and all created by local artist Josh Slater.
Jury Award for Feature Narrative – BODKIN RAS, a first time feature by director Kaweh Modiri. This Dutch film, shot in the remote town of Forres Scotland, caught the Jury by surprise with its intriguing blend of documentary and fiction. Its lyrical images, Poetic construction and poignant performances have indelible haunting effects that stay with the viewer.
Awards:
$10K Camera package from Panavision
$10K Post production package from Light Iron
$1,000.00 cash
Orson trophy
Jury Award for Feature Documentary – SONITA by director Rokhsareh Ghaemmaghami. The film gave the Jury a personal connection to a small, talented and compelling young woman trying to bridge the gap between her seemingly impossible dreams and her suppressive culture. The filmmaker who brought this story took an untraditional role to change the course of the young woman’s path.
Awards:
Scarlett Red Digital Cinema Camera package
$1,000 dollars cash
Orson trophy
Special Mention Feature Documentary – UNDER THE SUN by director Vitaly Mansky. The MammothLakes Film Festival Documentary Award for Courage is given to a film that was incredibly compelling and beautifully crafted. The filmmaker undertook a project under challenging conditions and revealed to us a world rarely seen in the west.
Special Mention Feature Narrative – MAD by director Robert G. Putka. A beautifully written and realized film about mental illness, and the trickle-down effect it has upon a mother’s relationship with her two grown daughters, their relationship with each other, and the challenges of living the broken lives they’ve inherited from their mom.
Best Narrative Short – A NIGHT IN TOKORIKI by director Roxana Stroe. Without dialogue this film sets the scene for a night out that celebrates becoming an adult while forbidden love is revealed. From its first frame to the last, this film creates a world with passion and empathy for its characters, in a setting that captures the humor and sometimes danger of true love.
Awards:
GoPro Hero4 Black
$500.00 cash
Orson trophy
Honorable Mention Narrative Short – TISURE by director Adrian Geyer. Calm, deliberate and beautifully set, the jury would like to give an honorable mention to TISURE- a film that allows the viewer to become lost in a visual story that invokes awe and inspiration.
Best Doc/Animation Short – THE SECOND LIFE by director Eugene Pankov. This wonderfully honest, heartfelt and touching portrait of a woman’s love for her mother broaches on the point of obsession and the absurd, but actually forces the viewer to think about second chances. For wouldn’t we all want to get another chance at life?
Awards:
GoPro Hero4 Black
$500.00 cash
Orson trophy
Audience Award for Feature Narrative – BUDDYMOON by director Alex Simmons.
Awards:
GoPro Hero4 Black
Orson trophy
Audience Award for Feature Documentary – LEARNING TO SEE by director Jake Oelman.
Awards:
GoPro Hero4 Black
Orson trophy
The Festival would like to that their illustrious Jury Members: Narrative Features – John Fiedler, Kelly Leow, and John Wirth; Documentary Features: Allison Amon, John Scheinfeld, and Katherine Tulich; Shorts: Bojana Sandic and Amanda Salazar
Also their sponsors: Honda, Panavision, RED digital Cinema, Light Iron, Cineverse, Paul and Kathleen Rudder, MammothLakes Recreation Measure U, Mono County and Alicia Vennos, Sierra Nevada Resort, Eberle Winery, Blue Moon, Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, The Westin Monache Resort, The Obsidian, GoPro, Snowcreek Resort, Tim and Pam Bartley, Juliana Olinka-Jones, Sierra Wave Media, and the MammothLakes Lions club.
They would like to thank their team: Festival Manager Shaun Reitman; Matt Johnstone, Festival Publicist; Lead Projectionist Brian Moratoya; Venue Managers Kim Kittinger and Chuck Scatolini; the staff at the MammothLakes Film Festival; Our festival interns Gabe Gerson and Elise and Elisa Prepatit; and Jeff Frome for tending bar for the last 3 days, and all our volunteers. We could not do this festival without you.
And last, they thank the filmmakers; without you there is no festival.
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina has been a vacation destination for many over the years. Rather than focusing on the fantasy, directors Neil Rough and Michael Fuller want to tell a darker side to the fun-in-the-sun playground with their Mammoth Lakes Film Festival selected documentary, MYRTLE BEACH.
MYRTLE BEACH follows the lives of several residents living their lives in, mostly, solitude around the hustle and bustle of the tourist city. The filmmakers jump back and fourth amongst their all male subjects to weave together the common threads of loneliness, mental illness, and troubled pasts.
https://vimeo.com/149213335
We don’t really get to know them by their names, although a few do mention them. Instead, the filmmakers start by showing the characteristics of each individuals personality, and then slowly unravel the yarn to show the parallels of their lives.
The most important thing to take from this film is that mental illness is real, and it is incredibly isolating. None of these men speak of a family, other than in the past tense, and they show no signs of having friendships, other than a few with animals. The men all seem to have a common thread of spirituality, and lack of fear of death. The one man that does not speak of religion instead speaks of conspiracy theories and higher powers, which still ties into the spirituality that these men found amongst their mental and emotional pain. They all also seem to think that whatever they are doing in life, the goal is to do the right thing. They truly think that they are impacting society in a positive way… and you know what? Who’s to say that they aren’t?
The film is raw, and I get the impression that the filmmakers weren’t trying to paint their subjects in a negative light by picking the most eccentric of clips. They took care with the handling of this story, and I really respect them for that. Instead, the film reminds me a bit of the film GUMMO. There is definitely a correlation to income levels, economics, and general location that come into play. None of these men are well off. Instead, they all live in the solitude of a 72.3% white city where the average male median income is just under $27,000. It shows, since all but one of the men live in small apartments with no frills, or on the streets.
My only complaint about the film, and it’s a minor one, is that the narrative threads don’t start to come together until much later and the film, leaving the audience in the dark. The focus of MYRTLE BEACH is to show a real look at mental illness, and the filmmakers achieve that. After all, the audience is merely there to listen.
You can check out MYRTLE BEACH on their Facebook or Website.
The 2nd Annual Mammoth Lakes Film Festival is happening right now in beautiful Mammoth Lakes California, and their programming, yet again, is nothing short of spectacular (thanks to Festival Director Shira Dubrovner and Director of Programming Paul Sbrizzi).
One of the more powerful films that I have seen thus far is the feature film by director/writer Robert G. Putka, MAD. In this tragicomedy, daughters Connie (Jennifer Lafleur) and Casey (Eilis Cahill) are trying to navigate their own lives and relationships while also dealing with their mother, Mel’s (Maryann Plunkett) nervous breakdown after her recent divorce, on top of her bi-polar disorder. Mel finds herself abandoned in a psych ward after her daughters decide they would rather not deal with her, and is now faced with navigating through her mental health. Meanwhile, perfect daughter Connie and ‘fuck up’ Casey can’t seem to find a common thread other than verbally ripping each other’s throats out. The film is a hard hitting look at a family trying to cope with this thing called life.
https://vimeo.com/150977962
Putka uses crass, biting humor, to help navigate the intense pain that the characters go through, taking the audience on an emotional rollercoaster ride. Think ‘if Judd Apatow were to have written and directed REQUIEM FOR A DREAM.’ Almost every emotion is felt while watching MAD. Joy, fear, anger, desperation, loneliness, the search for oneself, humor, shock… For those of us that didn’t grow up under the warm rooftop of a 1950’s Cleaver type household, this film is incredibly relatable. You don’t have to be going through remotely the same circumstances as the three main characters to find some level of comradery.
The three main actors in this film are nothing short of incredible, with an impressive amount of credits under their sleeves. The chemistry between the three is nothing short of amazing. Adding an extra dose of humor and drama is Mark Reeb, who plays Jerry, a fellow patient at the psych ward with Mel. The director mentioned in a Q&A after the film (via speakerphone) that Reeb was dying to play the part, and that most of his lines were improvised. What we end up with is a passionate actor with the ability to let loose, and give a hilarious, emotional performance.
There is definitely a ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ element to the characters of Connie and Casey. Connie is the put together, sophisticated beauty with a perfect family, while Casey is struggling with finding her path in adulthood. Looks can be deceiving. This type of twist, when pulled off correctly, is one of my favorite scenarios to watch unfold on screen. It’s a very ‘don’t judge a book by it’s cover’ thread that never ceases to be relevant.
MAD is currently making it’s way around the festival circuit. To keep up with the film check out their Facebook, or their website.
The 2nd Annual MAMMOTH LAKES FILM FESTIVAL is underway here in beautiful, Mammoth Lakes, California, and this year, they continue to impress with an incredible film selection. They are also introducing the Sierra Spirit Award, which they are presenting to legendary filmmaker Joe Dante tomorrow night after they screen his hit comedy INNERSPACE. Robert Picardo will also be joining Dante in a Q&A following the film. I spoke with Mr. Dante on the phone earlier this week. Check it out below!
First off, I have to say that I covered the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival for their first year last year, and I was very excited to see that you were on the list this year.
JOE DANTE: What is it like? What should I expect?
Oh, it’s beautiful. The mountains are incredible, the people are beyond friendly, and the programming is amazing. I’m curious , how were you made aware of the festival?
JOE DANTE: Honestly, they simply sent me an email and said ‘we would like you to come to our festival one night.’ I’ll be honest and say that I was not particularly with the festival. I know Mammoth Lakes, but I haven’t been there in 20 years. People have told me that it hasn’t changed much… But they were very cordial and nice and I thought ‘Gee, I’d love to see Mammoth Lakes!’
Not too far back, I went to the Egyptian Theater to see their tribute to Dick Miller. He and Rick Baker did a Q&A, and they happened to show GREMLINS and GREMLINS 2: THE NEW BATCH. What has your experience been working with Dick Miller, since he has been in just about all of your films?
JOE DANTE: I would have been there, but I was out of town. Dick is someone who… I won’t say I grew up watching… but I was certainly a lot younger when I saw him in the Roger Corman movies. He was always a favorite actor of mine, so when I came out to Hollywood and I worked with Roger Corman, I determined that I would make a film with Dick Miller in it. So, I wrote a part for him in my first picture. We hit it off so well that I thought ‘here’s a guy that I just like to see on screen. So, if I’m going to get more jobs, and make more movies, I’d like to see more of Dick!’ I basically put him in every picture that I made. There was one movie that he got cut out of, [laughs] but otherwise, he’s like my talisman! [Laughs]
It’s amazing to see the amount of credits he has under his belt!
JOE DANTE: Well, you know… You gotta keep working! You gotta feed your kids! [laughs]
Speaking of Roger Corman you don’t see the types of relationships where a producer takes on a director the way Corman did with you, and so many others. Would you ever consider mentoring someone in a more indie fashion, the way Corman did with you?
JOE DANTE: I have considered it, and have done it on occasion. I have a film that just came out called DARK by director Nick Basile, which I am an executive producer on because I wanted to see him get the picture made. That does happen, but the opportunities are limited because of the way the business is. When I was working with Corman, there was a non-stop flow of movies that were at the drive-in, so they’re a lot more opportunities to mentor young people. We were cheap to hire, and we really didn’t know what we were doing, so we would look to him. He was the professional. He would help us, and guide us so that we could get the movie finished.
There was a revolving door at Cormans, with many different people who got their first breaks working for him. Unfortunately, that spicket his turned off. There is certainly no one like him anymore, and there’s no business like that anymore. There is no flow of movies going to drive-ins anymore. Even, really, to theaters. Independent films now almost always bypass theaters and go straight to video on-demand. It’s a whole different paradigm. You just really don’t have a lot of opportunities for mentoring.
I kind of feel as though the middle budget films have it the hardest right now, because it seems like studios are gravitating to the independent film that will gain them an award, or the big summer blockbuster. That being said, there are so many options for distribution now. You have theaters, Hulu Netflix, iTunes… Television has even become a major competitor. Has the evolution of the market changed how you approach the market, and do you have a preference?
JOE DANTE: Feature people used to look down on television because it was a lesser medium, they thought. It was a small screen, and they had certain restrictions on how they shot because the screen was so small. That’s all gone now, obviously. Some people have home theater systems that are better than their local theater. There’s really no difference in the aesthetic anymore. What’s happened in the last decade is the rise of the mini-series, and they have allowed people to do the whole book… and not have to cut it down to just 90 minutes. They can now develop sub-plots for all these characters. That’s why a lot of directors are gravitating towards television now as a storytelling medium… and now the theatrical has become a spectacle business. People go because they want to see stories on big screens… superheroes, and movies with 12 climaxes… with special-effects, and all that that’s one kind of movie. It used to be one of many kinds of movies, but now it’s the kind of movie that only gets made for theaters. Of course you have your dramas, and your romantic movies… your thrillers… but they just don’t do that well theatrically. There’s no market anymore. it’s syndication. They used to show a lot more on local stations, but now it’s all infomercials. Your revenue streams cut off. The idea of making an independent film and having it be seen. There might be more places for independent films to be seen, but not paying. If you want to put it out on VOD, like my last movie… if I type in the title the first five sites to come up are pirate site so people can watch your movies for free. The chances of people making money by putting their films on video on demand is greatly deduced.
One of the things that I really respect is the amount of practical effects that you’ve used over the years. It’s sad to see practical effects being used less and less with the rise of CGI quality.
JOE DANTE: I was brought up on practical effects, because that’s what was state-of-the-art when I was working. And also because you’re doing it on the set and you have something for the actors to relate to instead of telling them to stare into the corner and pretend that there’s a monster there. CGI has taken over to a degree that most people don’t even understand. When they go to see a movie like GRAVITY they don’t realize that besides the actors faces there was nothing to photograph. There are a few practical scenes, but for the most part it’s all done on computer, and very cleverly done. It’s very convincing. All the beautiful, mundane things like the sky, or the mountains in a shot are manipulated somehow. It’s far beyond any photographic manipulation that we could ever do. We had a hard time trying to move the TV Ariel out of the shot in a period piece because there was nothing we could really do to erase it without scratching the movie and then you have to figure out a way to try and de-scratch it. We had very limited tools and now you can push a button and do just about anything. Literally anything you could think of to do you can do. It really is great, but I do think that there is something to be said about the old way of doing it… of the practical effects that are actually photographed and in the scene with the people. They’re not standing on a green screen. They’re standing on a set. They know where the chairs are. They know where the other actors are. I’m old-fashioned I guess, but I prefer that. There’s no way were going to be able to turn our back on the computer generated stuff. It’s the future, and I think that once the virtual reality stuff comes in the play, which I think is right around the corner, it’s almost all gonna be virtual reality.
Speaking of practical effects I was reading somewhere that you have kept props from a lot of your movies. What are some of your more prized pieces?
JOE DANTE: I don’t know about prized, because they’re from my own movies. I have a Rosebud sled, original… that I take pride in, because it’s a great movie. Mostly I have all of the inventions from GREMLINS, the spaceships from EXPLORERS, miniatures from INNERSPACE…things like that that are dotted around my house in various places. It’s not exactly a museum.
That’s wonderful! I actually have a life-sized Gremlin in my house…
JOE DANTE: Really? Where did you get that?
There’s a company called Neca that makes…
JOE DANTE: Oh, Neca! They do great stuff!
Yeah, he’s pretty neat. They’re made from the original stunt puppets so I have a Flasher Gremlin just hanging around, amongst other things… He definitely gets a look whenever I have people over!
JOE DANTE: [Laughs]
Check out A NIGHT WITH JOE DANTE : Centerpiece Sierra Spirit Award Presentation and screening of INNERSPACE Saturday Night, May 28th, at the U.S. Forrest Service Theater in Mammoth Lakes, California. You can buy your tickets before they sell out HERE.
Have you ever wanted to go back and revisit a moment in time where everything seemed like it came together? Or maybe it was a passion project that didn’t quite go as far as you would have liked? Well, get ready for a trip back to the 90’s with Jerry White Jr. and Jeremy Royce in their documentary 20 YEARS OF MADNESS.
In 20 YEARS OF MADNESS, we follow Jerry White Jr., a recent film school graduate who has always wondered ‘what if’ about his old show ’30 Minutes of Madness.’ The 90’s show, put together largely by White, and starring his friends, aired on public access television in Michigan. For 30 minutes, the teens would perform wacky skits, stunts, and sing songs. Unfortunately, White and his friends had a falling out, and the show was left in the dust.
20 years later, White decides to head back to Michigan, rent a house for one month, and reconnect with his former friends to produce a new episode of ’30 Minutes of Madness.’ Along the way he find out just how much some of his friends are struggling, and that this show means something to all of them. Friendships are repaired, and madness has brought happiness to all of their lives once again.
Director Jeremy Royce does a wonderful job of capturing the spirit of just what this show means to the group. Most audience members will be unfamiliar with the small town public access spot, but Royce makes sure to take the time to introduce us. There is a very strange inception type thing happening, since Royce is filming White and his friends while they are filming, but don’t worry… it’s not as confusing as it sounds.
White seems to go through a bit of self discovery of his own, and the film sheds just as much of a focus on him repairing his friendship with his former best friend, Joe Hornacek. Joe seems to have really remained stagnant since high school, expressing difficulties with his health, and his lack of enthusiasm for his job. The show really breaths some life back into him.
I continue to be impressed by the programming here at the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival, and AUTISM IN LOVE falls under the ‘impressive’ category.
This incredible documentary follows four bright adults of different ages and circumstances as they discover, long for, manage, or lose love in their lives. This film questions just what love truly means, and how important it is, for all of us.
Lindsay and Dave, who are both autistic, happened to meet at a convention for autism in 2005, and at the time of filming, had been together for 8 years and questioning the subject of marriage. Although the two are both diagnosed as autistic, they are very different in their behaviors and thinking patterns. Lindsay is a creative type, whereas Dave is a scientist. Still, the two manage to compliment each other, and have found a way for their love to work.
Stephen, from St. Paul, MN is highly intelligent, but his social skills are a bit farther removed than the rest of the subjects of the film. He had been married to a lovely woman named Guita for over twenty years, but at the time of the initial shooting, she was living somewhere else and fighting ovarian cancer. She later passed away. Stephen talks to the camera about his love for Guita, and was hopeful that she would get better, but later explained that once she had passed away, he stopped loving her. He had to stop loving her, because she was dead.
The person experiencing the hardest time in the film was Lenny, a twenty-something kid from Los Angeles, CA who has yet to come to terms with his autism. Throughout the film we see Lenny repeatedly tell the interviewer how he longed to just be a normal kid. Lenny wears his heart on his sleeve, and his struggle is rather difficult to watch. Not only is he uncomfortable with himself, but he is convinced that the only way that he will get a girlfriend is if he has money, a job, and a car. Towards the end of the film Lenny finally does get a job, but it doesn’t really help much on his quest for happiness and self-acceptance.
Director Matt Fuller does an incredible job of getting these amazing people to open up on camera, and I later found out that he actually projected his face onto a mirror in front of the lens so that everyone would know where to look. What he captured is a humane, heart filled tale of universal love and heartache. This film is a journey for the soul.
It was reported after the film that PBS saw the film at the Tribeca Film Festival, and has now bought the rights. AUTISM IN LOVE should be aired or screened widely (hopefully) sometime soon. If you get the chance to see this film, do it!
Today, I kicked off my visit to the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival in Mammoth Lakes, CA with their first film screening of the day, SHORTS BLOCK I. Below you can find the films that screened, and just what I thought of them. Check it out now!
MULIGNANS – Director : Shaka King / USA / 5 min
MULIGNANS is a play on the Italian-American slang for a black man, which is based on the Italian word for “eggplant.” This comedic film reverses roles, and puts African-Americans in the role of Italian Gangsters, much like any mob movie that you’ve ever seen. Not only is this film funny, but it’s also a big of an eye opener, with caucasian hipsters being the underdogs. 5 stars
UNA NIT – Director : Marta Bayarri / Spain / 17 min
Boy meets girl. Girl goes back to his place. Girl finds out he’s completely nuts! UNA NIT follows two frisky individuals looking to have some fun. When the girl decides to ask too many questions his behavior starts to change, leaving us with an open ending as to her fate. This film is intense and uncomfortable… and reminds us that stranger danger is still something that all of us should look out for! 3 stars
JAM – Director : Brett Fleisher / USA / 8 min
Director Brett Fleisher was inspired to write JAM after sitting in traffic in LA for far too long. The short takes us through various cars stuck in a ridiculously long traffic jam. We end up visiting different characters as they try to cope with their predicament, as they journey to the front of the jam and find out exactly how/why they are there. This film jumps around from comedic, to honest and intense, and holds the interest of the viewer. 4 stars
T’ES PAS GAME – Director : Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers / Canada / 12 min
David and Margot are a happy couple that likes to have fun. They’re spontaneous, and aren’t afraid to make complete fools out of themselves for a laugh. After accidentally locking themselves in the bedroom, the two are forced to check back into reality and have a serious discussion. The actors have a great deal of chemistry, and the subject matter is incredibly relatable for most couples today. This film is charming, with a message that isn’t discussed in many films. 4 stars
UPON THE ROCK – Director : James Bascara / 9 min
UPON THE ROCK is an animated short that tells the story of a man stuck in a rut. One day, after seeing an image of an island, his entire life changes. He drops everything and goes on a life-long quest to find his dream island. The animation in this film is beautiful, but the way it transforms into a mythological story might be confusing for some viewers. I heard the guys behind me stating that they didn’t get it, ‘but it looked cool.’ It’s strange, but if you like interpreting imagery then you will enjoy it. 3 stars
FORCER BABY – Director : Spencer Showalter / USA / 14 min
FORCER BABY tells the tale of Spook, a greaser kid on a mission to avenge his father by taking out the man who killed him, Sheriff Jones. The only way to do that is to find his fathers secret weapon, The Enforcer, a steam punk later gun that’s said to be the ultimate weapon. This film is a spaghetti western mixed with steam punk (or as the director calls it, ‘syrup punk’) and sci-fi. You can really see the 80’s, sci-fi and adventure film influence. FORCER BABY is cheesy, but it’s a ton of fun! 5 stars
LAY IN WAIT – Director : Jonathan Ade / USA / 25 min
File this under the category ‘Do Not See With Spouse!” because LAY IN WAIT is a bit uncomfortable. Maggie goes into the woods to meet with her secret lover while her husband is at home. While on the trip she loses her wedding ring, and is on a mission to find it before she returns home. Maggie is faced with ultimately choosing her lover or her husband, and it’s all decided by whether she stays to look for her ring, or returns to town with her boyfriend. The director does a great job of capturing the emotions of the actors, who are absolutely terrific, and showing Maggie as both empowered and vulnerable. 4 stars
If you’re in the area, SHORTS BLOCK II will screen tomorrow (Friday) at 2:30pm at the Edison Theater in Mammoth Lakes, CA, and SHORTS BLOCK III will screen at 10:00am Saturday Morning at the same theater. For More Info : mammothlakesfilmfestival.com
OMO CHILD: THE RIVER AND THE BUSH follows the story of Lale Labuko, a member of the Kara tribe and his journey to stop one of their oldest traditions – the slaughtering of children deemed cursed.
This heartwarming documentary infiltrates one of the oldest, and seemingly well-preserved tribes in Ethiopia (although westernization has started to show itself through clothing and education), and uncovers one of their biggest secrets known as ‘mingi.’Mingi is a curse that affects children, and it presents itself to the tribe in three ways: Woman, Girl, or Teeth. Woman Mingi is when a child is born with no elder blessing. Girl Mingi are children born to unwed mothers. Teeth Mingi are children, around the age of two, whose teeth start to come in from the top, rather than the bottom. Three different ways two show the curse, but for all they had the same outcome… they were to be killed by the women of the tribe.Thousands of children, since the beginning of the tribe, were slaughtered due to mingi. As a boy of around fifteen, Lale learned if this ancient tradition and knew that he had to do something to stop it.
The filmmakers spent around five years working on this project, following Lale as he began his mission to save the mingi children before they were put to death. What started as an impossible mission turned into the building of a sanctuary called ‘Omo Child’ where mingi children were taken in and given the chance to live their lives. Eventualy, the Kara people vowed to abolish the mingi tradition. That being said, there are still thousands of tribes that still practice this ancient belief. Children are still being killed every day, and director John Rowe did a fantastic job of getting this message across.
This documentary is extraordinary! Director John Rowe and his son, Producer Tyler Rowe spoke with many of the elders, and handled this subject matter delicately, and with ease. It would have been easy to paint this tribe as archaic and menacing, but instead, they went into depth as to why the Kara people were scared of the curse, and their fears of death and devastation if they ended the tradition that goes back to their beginning.
OMO CHILD : THE RIVER AND THE BUSH is an important piece of documentary filmmaking. It speaks a message of hope, and change. If you have the chance, please go see this film!
