PFF & Cinefest09 – Last Day

One day 11, I saw Surveillance (USA,Germany) A Jennifer Lynch film (Boxing Helena and daughter of David Lynch –Mulholland Drive, Twin Peaks) it features Bill Pullman (Jeff Daniel’s clone) & Julia Ormond as Scully and Mulder types.

It’s such a bloody, twisted, crime thriller, you forget to take note of much else. And the final twist totally came at me with surprise, although my friend Diane figured it out early on, and said she still felt engrossed. – Rating: Pretty Middle Toe

And I saw, Sita Sings the Blues, a magnificently original animated film created, animated, written, produced, funded etc… by newcomer, Nina Paley. She weaves a respectfully, irreverent telling of an ancient India folktale, “Ramayana”, based on two lovers, Rama & Sita, into her own “He’s just not that into you” tale of heartbreak.

The results are a spectacle of animation styles, color, humor, and wimsey. Oddly enough the most fabulous part is the music, there’s a singing version of Sita, that only warbles old, late 1920’s chanteuse blues ballads. It should be terribly incongruous to the Indian culture, but somehow it’s anything but! Unfortunately, I understand she’s having difficulties in obtaining distribution for the film, due to copyright infringements.

Hopefully, she can take comfort in having won “The Archie Award”, The Philadelphia Film Festival’s prestigious award given to the best first time director. Rating: Pretty Index Toe

For a list of all the other winners click HERE

I did attend the Closing night film LymeLife, of which I intend to give an in depth review, after my class finals, so be sure to check back!