This year the festival isn’t screening as many films online as it usually does. I have embedded a few of the ones that are available below. You will also be able to see some of their documentary films through New York Times documentary film page. The short film awards will be held on Tuesday, January 23, 7:00 p.m. MT.
I had the pleasure of shooting several of the Q&As and panels at the New York Film Festival 2017. The first one I shot was for the critically acclaimed Argentinian film Zama with the film’s director Lucrecia Martel. The film is the official entry for Argentina for the Oscars and other awards. It is one of those strange films to describe. I am not sure I enjoyed it but as I told everyone after I watched . . . “It was great for my dreams.” The powerful images and strange juxtapositions stayed with me long after I watched the film. The Q&A was great.
So apparently time is still doing that stupid racing-at-the-speed-of-light trick that it does because just like that, 2017 is done and 2018 is upon us.
Here are some of the things I will be working on this year . . .
That went by way too quickly. I miss that tone in your voice, and knowing that your presence made it all better. I am still at it. Thank you for everything. ♥ always!
I went to a screening (and Q&A) this week of the amazing new film Columbus from Kogonada [IMDB] . The film’s buzz out of Sundance was the first time I had heard about it and was interested because John Cho was one of the film’s stars. All the hype though didn’t prepare me for how much I would love it.
The film is a confident and assured feature directorial debut by Kogonada (who I am embarrassed to say I had not heard about before my research for this.) Kogonada is known for film essays that explore the work of film legends to reveal patterns and parallels in their work for a greater appreciation of their work. One of the short films, Mirrors of Bergman (for Criterion Collection,) was shown at the screening and it was great preparation for what we were going to see.
Columbus is about two people, Jin and Casey, who cross paths at a critical point in both of their lives. Jin (John Cho) has to travel to Columbus, IN from South Korea because of a family emergency. Casey (Haley Lu Richardson) is from Columbus and is torn between the need to stay in her beloved city for her mother or to explore the world she longs to see.
When asked at the Q&A about how directing actors for the first time (!!!) was, Kogonada said that it was actually one of the easiest aspects of the process. The casting and directing is excellent. It is wonderful to see John Cho (who for many of us Gen-Xers is pot-head movie royalty) deliver such a nuanced grownup performance. Dude is a leading man. Haley Lu Richardson is the big revelation in this film. This film was the first film I had seen her and I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. She has that Michelle Pfeiffer quality that will break your heart when you least expect it. I look forward to seeing more of her in the future. The cast is rounded out by the always brilliant Parker Posey (who I didn’t recognize,) Michelle Forbes and Rory Culkin (who I remember from a memorable episode Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.)
Beauty and symmetry are two words that perfectly characterize this film. Cinematographer Elisha Christian had me gasping every few seconds with those stunning shots. One can clearly see that this is a film made by filmmakers who have thought deeply about the framing of film images and their power to move people. As structured as the film is, it is still shot and directed with lots of heart. The way buildings, spaces and faces are captured pull you further into this world and story. I especially loved the variations on the recurring shots throughout the film that seamlessly tie the characters and themes together.
One cannot talk about this film without mentioning the city’s famous modernist architecture which plays a huge role in both its plot and look. The architecture is treated so lovingly that I want to visit Columbus, IN. I do hope that they create some kind of study guide / cheat sheet of the buildings and architects in the film by the time the film streams or goes to DVD.
If you like your summer entertainment loud, fast paced and CGI/FX heavy, then this is not the film for you. Columbus is quiet, thoughtful, and beautiful while dealing with messy grownup issues in a fresh way. I hope this film is an indie box office success story. It comes out in movie theaters on August 4. I would so love to interview Kogonada when the publicity for the film calms down.
I was so inspired by the film that I ran around after the screening taking horrendous photos of building in The Village. I might share the Washington Square Park Arch photos (the only ones that came out halfway decent) this weekend. I am going to the special screening (and Q&A) of Kogonada’s short films next Monday (July 31) at IFC Center. See you there. Whether you go to the screening on Monday or not, go watch the film when it comes out in theaters next Friday.
This was the last image I look before we left the Water Island section of Fire Island on Sunday. I played around with the filters on the iPhone before I posted this to try to simulate the otherworldlyness of the day. I didn’t quite get it right because the colors pop a little too much. I liked this incarnation of Magic Land though. Feels like the last shot in a movie as a POV of the characters taking one last look at paradise. (Yeah Sheila, I know what you are saying! 🙄)
