You do something often enough and people start to anticipate it. That’s the kind of buzz Filmfest has generated. Filmfest is D.C.’s largest international festival. There are people who say “What about Silver Docs” at the AFI Silver Theatre. Well, that’s a subway ride to Silver Spring, but it’s still Maryland. Filmfest is D.C.’s born and bred. For 10 days, the world of film comes to Washington.
When international films were in little movie art houses long gone from the D.C. scene today, Filmfest pumped up the volume bringing in features and documentaries from countries that were part of the old “axis of evil” guard like propaganda films from Vietnam. Filmfest is in its 23rd year, still under the direction of Anthony Gittens.
This year’s opening night film is “Departures” by Yojiro Takita of Japan (which is also playing in the Tribeca Festival in NYC). “Departures” won an Academy Award for best foreign language film of 2008. This is one of several films from Japan, one of the regional focuses of this year’s festival as well as Eastern Europe.
Music is a theme emerging. There are two documentaries about two Cuban legends, Celia Cruz (“Celia the Queen“) and Bebo Valdez (“Old Man Bebo“) under a Global Rhythms banner. Seniors get a shout out as well as “Views from the News” featuring films that explore the role of government in daily life.
Unlike most festivals, Filmfest is not a market. It doesn’t court the Hollywood players. It courts audiences, and many of its events sell out. It also connects with D.C.’s diplomatic community. The embassy community has been one of the festival’s biggest supporters.
Like most festivals Filmsfest does give out audience awards and this year introduces a new Signis festival award presented to the film judged by the Signis jury to best illuminate and celebrate what it means to be human in a diverse and challenging world.
Filmfest runs through April 26. For a full schedule visit www.filmfestdc.org.
The headline across the top of today’s Op-Ed page in the WSJ reads “Tax Day Becomes Protest Day.” The op-ed piece notes how the Tea Parties could change American politics.
My protest was to call up and cancel my 28-year subscription to the WSJ.
– Philip G. Baker – expert in new product development and market development for large and small companies. He has held senior product development and marketing positions with Apple, Polaroid, Seiko, Proxima, Atari, Polycom, and Think Outside.
When Richard Wright came to Chicago from the South, he worked as a postman just before his first book was published.
JaBen Early plays Bigger Thomas in Richard Wright’s adaptation of his first novel Native Son for the The American Century Theatre directed by Bob Bartlett. “Native Son” opens tonight, April 14th (Arlington, VA). Rising from the Shreds
Easter Sunday, mezzo soprano Denyce Graves wore a dress given to her by the contralto Marian Anderson as she performed Anderson’s historic 1939 concert on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. Two days before the event, Graves put Anderson’s dress into the dry cleaners for special handling and cleaning. It was returned in shreds. Fortunately this wardrobe malfunction happened under the counter. Like Cinderella’s fairy godmother, the costume teacher from the Duke Ellington School for the Arts and the crew from the Washington National Opera reconstructed the dress overnight before Sunday’s event. Ellington’s Beverly Johnson took a bow. Over 2,000 people showed up for the free concert which was followed by a ceremony for new citizens taking the oath of citizenship. A great day.
President Barack Obama Eases Some Travel Restrictions to Cuba
The embargo’s still on, but Cuban Americans don’t have to wait years to see their families, and some U.S. telecoms will be able to drop calls on the island. Only AT&T had service when I visited in 2000. The visit picked up for me once I got out of the tourist areas and into the neighborhoods. That’s how I met a photographer named Leslie Sinclair. Anyone with any interest in art, culture, jazz and getting around like a true native eventually hooked up with Leslie. He now lives in Switzerland with his wife and daughter. Below is a photo from Leslie’s portfolio. I’m still on the look-out for an exhibit space here in the U.S. to display his work. Click herefor a 4.4 MB PDF sample (note: pdf quality does not accurately refelct photo quality).
Tax day is tomorrow – April 15
Sandra Cisneros’ The House On Mango Street turns 25!
25 years already??!! This is one of my favorite books. It’s a collection of short stories, actually vignettes about a young girl, Esperanza Cordera, growing up in Chicago. One of the vignettes is titled “Hips.”
One day you wake up and they are there. Ready and waiting like a new Buick with the keyes in the ignition. Ready to take you where?
One Book, One Chicago is celebrating with a city read of The House On Mango Street. Cisneros has a schedule of readings starting this month to mark the anniversary. Check out her website – www.sandracisneros.com.
Neverland Gets a Grown Up Dose of Today’s Reality
Maybe Peter Pan has joined the Navy SEALs, but Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch is being downsized and its contents auctioned. The wake “viewing” is today at the old Robinsons-May building. Admission is $20. Bids are already being taken at juliens-auctions.com. Expectations are high for a single glove to rake in $10,000 (minimum bid). Jackson’s debt is estimated at approximately $24 million.
The exhibition is loosely organized into three categories — stage wear and music memorabilia, toys and Disneyana, and furniture and decorative arts. There are numerous music honors — awards from People’s Choice, Billboard, the NAACP, MTV and more — record displays, a Madame Tussauds wax figure of the star and a letter from President Reagan. A ceremonial crown, scepter and faux ermine cape, cropped military jackets and costume brooches are reminders of Jackson’s 1980s fashion icon status.
As far as I’m concerned, this man-child Michael is still missing.
Update: Apparently the King of Pop gets to keep his treasures. Juliens Auction House has been told to “beat it” after reaching a settlement. But the “viewing” still goes on. It is now a “promotional exhibit.” Hmmm, I sense a little PR chain yanking here.
Okay, it’s official for those who caught this on the web days ago. Bo, a Portuguese water dog and gift from Senator Edward Kennedy (who owns a few), is to be the Obama family’s dog inside the White House. Bo hails from a kennel in Texas – a return. Oops was that from the unofficial firstdogcharlie.com website? Bo was front-page news (above the fold) in today’s Washington Post. You’d think the Post would have better things to put on the front page like…. The Third annual Washington Post Peeps Show Contest!!!
Update: (photo) The winning Peeps diorama is by Melissa Harvey of Arlington. “Night Peeps” is inspired by Edward Hopper’s (get it? “Hopper”) “Nighthawks.”
“We’re all in this together” continues….The President’s message for the high holy days with a slide show recap of his travels abroad for the G20 Summit.