AFF 2010 Daily Dispatch: Day Seven
It was Ladies Night last night at Austin Film Festival. The most anticipated film of the festival, Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan, played to a packed house with several people giving standing ovations when the credits rolled, despite no guests being in attendance.
Well, that's not entirely true. Ballet Austin's Artistic Director Stephen Mills helped AFF Film Program Director Kelly Williams introduce the film about a ballerina living her dream as a nightmare. Black Swan is a powerful, haunting and incredibly beautiful film won the hearts of the entire audience, critics and fans alike. If you enjoyed the classic film The Red Shoes, you are going to love Black Swan.
A very different movie followed, but another all about the women. Made in Dagenham is the story of the 1968 Machinists strike in the UK when women at a Ford plant outside London got fed up with getting less than half the wages men would for the same job. It's typical UK feel-good fare of the kind that audiences will eat up even with a film that telegraphs every move, especially those of us at a certain age and the female persuasion. Sally Hawkins will get robbed if she doesn't at least get a BAFTA for her performance as the housewife/factory worker who finally stands up for herself. Hearing a couple of women in the bathroom crowing "We've come a long way baby," then suddenly realizing we're still not there yet, proved Made in Dagenham is a relevant film, and well as the adage that reminds us that well-behaved women rarely make history.
I've also caught up with some of the other films playing the festival. The screener for We are the Sea arrived from the most aptly named production company called Modest Films. We are the Sea is a very quiet, thoughtful film about a man who must find a way to pick up the pieces of his life when no one else realizes he's really hit rock bottom. It's a very quiet film, and not for everyone, but not one easy to forget. And it's playing again tonight, up at the Arbor. The bonus is the soundtrack is done by Iron and Wine, so if you want to have a low key and thoughtful end to your film fest, you're set. Now, I haven't seen Sons of Perdition by Tyler Measom and Jennilyn Merten -- it's a documentary about religious refugees who grew up in a polygamist cult. Seems like that would be a good pairing with the Austin Screens film Paradise Recovered.
I'm really tempted to hang out at the Texas Spirit Theater tonight. Miss Nobody is so good, I'd love to see it again. The delightful black comedy is about an invisible secretary who finds her talent lies in killing the competition, played with verve and charm by Leslie Bibb. Then you can stay for the late addition to the schedule, Rabbit Hole. They had me at John Cameron Mitchell (Short Bus, Hedwig and the Angry Inch) -- then added two of my favorite actors, Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart. The only problem is I know with Mitchell involved, I'm likely to find myself not in a partying mood, and I want to go to the Closing-Night Party at Frank.
I'm a little sad AFF's closing night has arrived so soon, and that ol' end-of-fest feeling is upon me. Tonight's tough choices don't help. Not only are the above-mentioned films playing, but I haven't caught any shorts, and two shorts programs including the shorts winners are playing at the Hideout, a perfect place for a funky Austin vibe. But maybe I'll just go to the closing-night film, Casino Jack, starring the always watchable Kevin Spacey as the real life schemer Jack Abrahamoff. Director George Hickenlooper and actor Jon Lovitz will be at the Paramount for the movie.
Decisions, decisions.