LA MIRADA FILM FESTIVAL

 This is a great film festival I have been going to in dowtown Melbourne at the ACMI (Australian Center for the Moving Image).  I really love the building, what it's about and their variety of media.  I'm hoping to get more involved there, whether it be even just volunteering so hopefully I will have more to post about that later.  

Melbourne has been a living dream by the way.  If San Francisco and Europe had a baby, it would be Melbourne. 

So far I saw Gael García Bernal in 'También la lluvia' or 'Even the Rain' for you non-Spanish speakers.  It was a dramatic film showing a paradoxical story of a film crew determined to make a movie about Christopher Columbus amidst the 2000 Cochabamba water crisis in Bolivia.  As they strive to make this film using native actors, a parallel story of greed comes to surface practically comparing the filmmakers to Columbus and his immoral treatment of natives.  It was hard to watch because being a filmmaker myself, I know the feeling of "needing" to finish a film and wanting to do anything to make it happen.  But after repeatedly asking their actors to surrender themselves to the movie and not participate in protests initiated to protect their intrinsic human rights--one where their water supply was gravely in danger--they begin to realize that maybe the bigger picture was bigger than their picture.

 

I also saw 'Abel', the great actor Diego Luna's directorial debut.  I especially enjoyed this movie.  Always bordering between comedy and drama, it told a story about a troubled child who finally comes home after two years of being looked after in a hospital.  As he finally breaks out of his shell, he begins to take on the identity of a father figure--literally.  He begins to take on the mannerisms, dress, talk, and even take on responsibilities for his family way beyond his years.  Afraid to provoke another anxiety attack the family goes along with it.  Heartbreakingly funny, you begin to wonder where the line between identity and reality needs to draw itself.  Especially when the blurred line is the only thing bringing happiness and stability to the once chaotic and broken family.

The kid, Christopher Ruíz-Esparza is one to watch.  His performance makes you feel all fuzzy inside.  Seeing someone so young pull his own family together: tuck them in, worry about them, fix their problems, teach them--it's too much.  Identity fake or not, his role as a father becomes more than real.