#Cinequest Film Festival day eight
Wow! More than halfway through this film festival. Of twenty films only one disappointed me and even that one didn’t make we think about walking out before the end of the movie. This is a very different experience from last year.
Film #18: “Crescendo! The Power Of Music” tells how a music education program started in Venezuela in 1976 has affected the lives of USA students in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and New York, New York. This is similar to the move “One Day In April” that I wrote about on day six. Unlike that movie which failed to make you care about the characters this one succeeds in a glorious fashion. Specifically by focusing on three students and a handful of teachers and mentors. I was especially moved by the youngest student, Raven, who undergoes a massive transformation after finding that she has a gift for playing the violin. She is a young woman who clearly has the ability to change the world if she can manage to keep some perspective regarding her abilities. Sadly this was its last showing in the festival unless it gains a spot on the Sunday encore screening schedule. I rate this 5 of 5 stars.
Film #19: “Aspie Seeks Love” tells the story of a middle-age male (only a few years younger than myself) who has Aspergers syndrome (a relatively mild form of Autism) as he attempts to seek a soul-mate. It’s a touching and honest look at the challenges faced by all of us in finding someone to love and grow old with. That the protagonist has Aspergers simply allows a level of honesty not usually available when discussing this topic. I rate this 4 of 5 stars.
Film #20: “Shorts Program 7 – Something Funny” is a collection of comedic short films. Only one film was a disappointment that resulted in no applause: “The Lord of Catan”. Which isn’t fair since it was a pretty good short; just not a comedy. It really belongs in one of the other shorts collections. All of the other films were either good or excellent examples of comedic shorts. In particular the two shortest, “firstworldproblems” and “How Guys’ Thoughts Ruin Perfect Relationships”, at two minutes each garnered the greatest laughter and applause. I rate this 5 of 5 stars.