I decided to resend this to address a few minor issues in what I wrote as
well as a couple of other things in my earlier e-mail. If you have already
responded to my earlier message, there really isn't any new information or
issues about making our decisions to consider. In my earlier e-mail I tried
to get cute with the format and indented several paragraphs while addressing
the MJFF films. Before I sent it, it looked just the way I wanted it to.
Unfortunately, once it was sent it had breaks that may have made it
difficult to understand. I took those out. Hopefully, that helps. The other
issue I wanted to address was the attachment. The films that are listed
first and in bold print are our first choice for that slot. I think they
should conform to the discussion in our e-mails over the last week or so. I
came up with a second choice contingency selection unique to each film so
that Ken wouldn't need to come back to us if the first choice was not
available or not available at a workable price. There is no particular
reason to fear that there will be a problem booking any of those films, but
I wanted to let you know why there were second choices that you may not have
expected to see on the list. I decided to separate "HALE COUNTY" from "ON
THE SEVENTH DAY" even though earlier I had both as possibilities for
2/2-3/19. My reasoning was that they were both from the same distributor and
if there was a problem booking one there might also be problems booking the
other film, too. Anyway, I hope that makes sense to you.
BTW, "HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING" has received a Best
Documentary nomination from the Independent Spirit Awards. If we book it,
that will be an extra feather to use in promoting it.
Joel
From: Joel Johnson <joel_johnson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, November 17, 2018 1:41 PM
To: cinemaexp@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: The Last Couple of Spots
The finish line is in sight, but there are a couple of spots for which we
need to make final decisions. Hopefully, the accompanying list does not have
any major surprises. I would like your input for the final two slots.
After contacting Barbara Merson of the MJFF I did come up with a handful of
films for us to consider including in our series. There seemed to be a
mutually beneficial relationship that developed last year with our
opportunity to show "1945" and a bump in the attendance of last year's MJFF
satellite screenings in Waterville. Unfortunately, we have not had a lot of
opportunity to discuss those films. Perhaps unfairly, I assumed that the
IMDb rating numbers and the status of being a Foreign-language Oscar
submission would make "THE WALDHEIM WALTZ" and "THE INTERPRETER" our best
options from that group of films and that everyone else on the team would
reach the same conclusion.
Bob-citing a comment by Abbott-quite explicitly challenged that thinking.
The revelation that the former UN Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim had a
history of involvement in the Nazi war effort while pursuing high political
office in Austria certainly does serve to remind us of current politics. Do
we-and by extension our potential audience-need or want that reminder?
Possibly not-at least, that seemed to be Bob and Abbott's thinking. While
the film no doubt offers a lot of granular details about the Nazi-Waldheim
connection and the ensuing controversy when it was exposed, this is not a
story with which "the usual suspects" in our audience would be unfamiliar.
Waldheim had been a world figure and this controversy was covered quite
extensively by American news media during the 1980's.
We have two films "THE INTERPRETER" (Slovakia) and "THE LAST SUIT"
(Argentina) that are basically road trips. Both have some picaresque
qualities to leaven the tragedy of men revisiting the horror and loss that
they experienced as victims of the Holocaust-"INTERPRETER" having a
surviving son looking for closure on the victimhood of his parents and "THE
LAST SUIT" being a valedictory pilgrimage by an old man to fulfill a promise
to someone who helped him survive the Holocaust. Reviews of both of
these films have generally been favorable, but not without some criticism.
"BUDAPEST NOIR" is a bit different in that it takes place before the war. As
noted there has been criticism of the film for its embrace of the film noir
genre. While last year's "1945" was set immediately post-war in a
rural village, "BUDAPEST NOIR" takes place in a bustling urban setting with
a seamy underbelly. I read all the critic and user reviews cited
on the IMDb webpage. While there were some issues raised by the critics,
there were almost always nuggets of lavish praise (music, performances, the
recreation of the 1930's period, etc.) there as well. The user reviews were
quite favorable. The war and the holocaust are certainly foreshadowed, but
perhaps not necessarily the center of the action. I know some of you have
mentioned this as your personal choice, but I'm much more on board with this
as perhaps our best option.
Were you wondering where "KLEZMER" went? I read the four reviews cited on
the film's IMDb webpage. While there seemed to be a recognition that it
represented an effort to contribute to the Polish reaction to the holocaust,
the film seemed to be found wanting and be disappointing. Barbara Merson in
discussing it with me labeled it as "grim." It, therefore, seemed like one
that we probably shouldn't waste much energy considering.
So what film would you like us to present in the fifth slot on 3/2-3/19?
For the final and sixth slot (3/16-17/19) I offer a choice between "ICEMAN,"
the doc "THE SEARCH FOR INGMAR BERGMAN," and the Jafar Panahi film "3
FACES." This e-mail is probably long enough without revisiting everything
presented in prior e-mails. Personally, I like "ICEMAN," but there are cases
to be made for each of the others. Perhaps ranked choice might be an option
here. My choices: 1. "ICEMAN" 2. "SEARCHING FOR INGMAR BERGMAN" 3. "3
FACES". Anyways, I hope we can have some clarity on this by the end of the
weekend.
Abbott did present a couple of older French films as possibilities in a
recent e-mail. I'm a little bit leery about having more than one older
classic film in our series for reasons I have previously stated. I'm
especially leery about putting something into consideration this late in the
process which has not previously been presented or discussed. Abbott, I hope
you will keep these films in your mind for next year. I (and I hope everyone
else) will try to do that as well.
Joel
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