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Q: What is a movie you love that depicts a community rocked by changes in the world?

A: The Civilization of Maxwell Bright is a profoundly moving portrayal of how a man raised to embrace modern "western" ideals finds true peace and happiness only when he turns to deeper "eastern" philosophies and practices. Although this movie is the story of just one man's journey, it comes at a time when we're realizing what our American worship of materialization has done to us as a society, and how destructive it will be if we don't learn from cultures much older and wiser than ours. I believe that change to society on a larger scale only happens when people start embracing change on an individual level first.
- Jill Emmerich, Behavior Analyst, Naples, FL

Q: Where were you when Osama bin Ladin's death was reported?

A: I was in Long Island with a friend, when Obama made a huge deal, saying there was some big news. We got together with some other friends and gathered around a TV. Everyone was on their phones trying to find out what it could be. A social network friend was looking at tweets to find out. I think there was so much going on and so much hype that Twitter crashed that day, waiting for Obama's BIG NEWS. Then, when he finally announced it, everyone was cheering. A friend of mine went downtown and was cheering with a lot of other New Yorkers, people were climbing street poles.... It was a very exciting day.
- Elizabeth Tedesco, Student, Rockland, NY

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of Bryant Park

From 1853-2009, Bryant Park

Transformed from Potter's Field in the late 1700's to a man-made, four-acre lake that was considered one of the greatest engineering triumphs ever almost two centuries later, the area that is now Bryant Park had already experienced remarkable development even before New York City began work on the Crystal Palace around 1851. The glass and metal structure, inspired by a hall in London, hosted 4,000 exhibitors of industrial wares, consumer goods, and artwork, as well as the largest crocodile ever caught. Bryant Park was officially born in 1884, named for the poet, New York Evening Post editor, and civic reformer William Cullen Bryant. The New York Public Library was completed at its eastern side in 1911. Robert Moses, then Parks Commissioner, oversaw a redesign of the park in 1934 that introduced the classical scheme of a large central lawn with formal pathways. By the late 1970's, when the park seemed abandoned to the criminal element, restoration groups stepped in to revitalize the space with lush gardens, restaurants, and events. Bryant Park continues to attract crowds—even without the lure of a giant crocodile.

The Festival Comes Together

With more than 300 productions submitted for consideration, cFF staff are now at work completing our review of the wide range of remarkable films that came to our offices. They're the work of artists from more than 100 countries, including Mozambique, Denmark, Australia, Egypt, Singapore, Tanzania, Brazil, Serbia, and Norway, and explore this year's theme through such formats as documentary, short narrative, experimental, and feature-length film. The productions are distinguished for the sheer range of voices, ideas, and perspectives they represent. It's going to be a challenge for our panel of judges to choose among them for presentation at cFF in November.

Lessons Learned from the Summer Movie Season

The end of blockbuster season always comes as a bit of a relief to many filmgoers. By Labor Day, even the most macho have had their share of high-octane explosions, the frivolous have tired of flavorless rom-coms, and most audiences are just plain bored with what’s filled the theaters for the past few months. For this reason, the summer movie season never ends with quite the bang it started with. The average film buff typically uses this time to salivate at offerings making their way into theaters from the festival circuit, and maybe get a jump-start on Oscar consideration. Every summer brings its own cinematic lessons, however, and even the most elitist of film connoisseurs would do well to reflect on what this summer had to teach us.

Although hardly a revelation, it was clear this summer that if a producer wanted a movie to make money, his best shot was to churn out a sequel, no matter how unnecessary or unwanted. Even putting aside the unique cultural phenomenon behind the final Harry Potter film, the list of highest-grossing films this summer is filled with serial installments. Nobody was heaping praise on the latest Transformers or Pirates of the Caribbean flicks, but poor reviews aren’t even speed bumps to the unquestionable success of marketing and brand recognition in Hollywood. With these revenues, it certainly couldn’t have surprised many that material that once was refreshingly original got rehashed, with Kung Fu Panda 2, Cars 2, and The Hangover Part II. The only question is whether we’ll have to wait one summer or two for the next Bridesmaids.

But this summer’s batch of blockbusters wasn't only stagnated trends. This was the year when comic book movies differentiated themselves from typical summer action films and moved into a competitive arena of their own. While none of the main four superhero offerings (Thor, X-Men: First Class, Green Lantern, and Captain America) were particularly groundbreaking, they established a clear arena for the typical DC-versus-Marvel duel, with an even clearer victor. Marvel and DC have decided to approach their film enterprises completely differently. Marvel has sought to produce as many films as possible to create a film equivalent of their comic book canon, churning out mass-produced and surface-deep popcorn flicks by the handful. DC, on the other hand, seems to be intent on quality over quantity, as Nolan’s take on the Batman franchise was supposed to indicate.

With the failure of Green Lantern this summer, DC could very well be unable to compete with Marvel once the Batman trilogy is wrapped up next summer. The Dark Knight Rises will surely enjoy substantial success then, while Marvel’s grand scheme will be put to the test with The Avengers. Whether DC will remain competitive could be decided in 2013, when they’ll hope the Superman reboot will be able to fill Batman’s shoes. With Iron Man 3 and Thor 2 slated for the same summer, however, DC should be praying that 2013 is not a repeat of 2011.

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September 14, 2011

Interview with Koji Masutani

What do you do in film? "I am primarily a director, and I directed a film entitled Virtual JFK: Vietnam If Kennedy Had Lived. Yet my formal background in International Relations attracted my attention to JFK's presidency--particularly within the framework of foreign policy issues." Why do you make films? "Filmmaking can be the enjoyable process of investigating a subject matter and presenting it to a broad audience. I think everyone needs a medium or outlet for creative or political expression, and I found my outlet in filmmaking." What is the most important thing you've learned by making films? "As a young filmmaker who is constantly setting foot on new terrain (by default), I learned early on that I require--without exception--a highly experienced producer. As in any industry with more than one member, when newcomers arrive they are bound to encounter an infinite array of personalities, conduct, and intellect. So being able to find and connect with a producer who demonstrates first-rate efficiency, responsibility, and perceptiveness has been critical to my learning curve. The task of delivering the film to an audience would have been a wildly different and impossible operation without a producer." Anything else you'd like to share? "I still have a great deal to learn, but one thought I confidently remind myself is that film is the medium for content, investigation, and expression. At least with my own projects to date, I feel that form and function need to be identified as separate from one another."