Flesh Eaters, Floods, and Foreign War... Just a Typical Day at Sundance

"Under the Bombs" is part of this year's World Cinema Dramatic Competition. Director Philippe Aractingi has written and directed a poignant and succinct script dealing with the effects of war and the struggles to survive and recover. Coming from a Documentary Filmmaking background, the director carefully scripted this wonderful cinematic gem, complete with news reel footage of the war in Lebanon. Intercutting news reel and live action footage of the bombing crusades, with a tale of despair, this film cuts to the heart of the matter... the human effect. Following Zeina and her taxi escort Tony through the towns and villages ravaged by bombs and war in general. The cinematography was boldly honest, beautifully shot, and revealing. The casting was superb and in the end it certainly grabs and pulls at the heart strings. See this film!

After the screening we rushed back to the house so Mel could take an afternoon meeting. I decided to take the afternoon to catch up on e-mails, go for a run, and take an hour nap. As my evening's activites approached I arranged to meet up with my friend Alisa, a Salt Lake resident I met when I was here in Oct. '06, attending a FilmTreks Filmmaking Workshop. We met up at her new office space where I got the tour, and then grabbed a quick dinner at a little Mexican restaurant across the street. Soon it was time to head out for tonight's films at the Broadway Cinema in Salt Lake.

I met up with Mel at the Broadway for our 7:30 screening of "Trouble the Waters", a tale of the devastation from Hurricane Katrina. Shot with digital cameras, we get a glimpse inside the lives of a young couple, Scott and Kim Roberts, as they dealt with the impending storm, flood waters, and eventual evacuation.  Some of the film utilizes consumer-grade, hand-held footage shot by Mrs. Roberts, mixed with other footage shot by the filmmakers, Tia Lessin and Carl Deal. The film is raw and organic, with a fresh viewpoint of the devastation caused by the storm and the pathetic reaction by FEMA and our Government in general. Kim's footage followed the days leading to the storm, and the days during the storm, when the family finally moved into the rafters of the single-story home. We follow the family's eventual move from Louisiana, and in the end, their return to the place they had called "home". This film dealt with the human factor and the filmmaker kept it organic without getting preachy, but the message was clear... the U.S. government failed these people. Imagine that, George Bush's Administration failed.. who would have thought. This is a "must-see" film, but unfortunately for alot of the reasons I loved this film, I also think it will not gain a wide distribution.

After the film I introduced myself to the filmmakers and Mr. Roberts, and discussed my desire to bring this film to our audiences at SouthSie Film Festival in June. Keeping my fingers crossed. My next film was in the same theater at the Broadway, so I just killed a bit of time outside the theater, eventually finding a buyer for my extra ticket. It was time to stand in line for the next film "Otto: or, Up With Dead People".

With the promise of Zombies, I couldn't resist, as we at SouthSide have screened numerous Zombie films over the past 3 years. If you're not a fan of Horror films.. this isn't a film for you. If you're a homophobe... this is not your film. If you're not into blood and guts on screen... this is not for you. And if you're shy about seeing men having deviate sexual intercourse with other men... this is NOT a film for you. However, if you're open-minded, and none of these things disturb you... by all means see this film. Bruce LaBruce, best known for his more pornagraphic films, has created this tongue-in cheek film within a film about Zombies, flesh-eating, and fornication. The story follows Otto, a Zombie trying to find his place in this World, wandering the countryside around Berlin. Otto's craving is for flesh, but not the sexual kind, he merely wants to eat people, but struggles in a World of non-Zombies. Until he finds a poster for a casting call for a Zombie film, where he can blend into the backdrop of the film without being recognized as a real Zombie. The film within this film, "Up With Dead People", is directed by a domineering, death-obsessed lesbian named Medea, who simply thinks Otto is a "method" actor, never giving into the possibility that Otto may actually be a Zombie. Jay Crisfar plays this Zombie to perfection (or at least to the stereotyped expectations of a Zombie's behavior). Medea's character has dialog filled with speeches laced with angst, struggle, and that classic filmmaker aura of "God". One of my favorites Medea lines brought back memories of Robert Duvall in "Apocalypse NOW": "I love the smell of graveyards in the afternoon". Medea's girlfriend, who is also one of the stars of her film within the film, is comically portrayed onscreen as an image from a B/W Silent film. In the end... shit, I can't tell you the ending, but you must see this film for yourself, in all its flesh-eating glory.

Another day bites the dust here at Sundance. More tomorrow.

In the meantime... butter up the popcorn, turn down the lights, and crank up the projector. The evening's show is about to begin.