Thursdays with the Film Society
Fall film series to feature an eclectic, inspiring selection
By Erik Hayden 09/10/2009
The Ventura Film Society begins its first fall screening series with the theme “Discover the World Around You.” The sentiment is appropriate for the series that will, over a span of eight weeks, present a diverse slate of 16 films, documentaries and shorts. But despite this variety, the scruffy charm, pluck and skill that each movie exhibits bind these selections together in a way that befits the newly minted film society, an extension of the annual Ventura Film Festival.
Sept. 10
Herb and Dorothy
One of the largest personal contemporary art collections in New York City belonged to an unassuming postal clerk and his wife, who quietly amassed the collection over decades. This is the rousing story of Herb and Dorothy, a couple whose affection for each other was complemented by their insatiable love for conceptual, minimal and other avant-garde art. Director Megumi Sasaki does an excellent job of capturing the essence of this slightly eccentric elderly couple that scours NYC for up-and-coming artists and new works. It certainly helps that the subjects, Herb and Dorothy, are blunt, candid and endlessly endearing. And the obvious love they share, after decades of marriage, is even more important than the art they collect — that’s the special part. Gallery owner and artist mentor Sylvia White will give a short talk following the screening.
Sept.17
Under My Garden
An ant slowly winds its way across the bend of a young boy’s hand as he kneels in the dirt. Marco loves ants. He reads about them with unbridled enthusiasm and tells anyone who will listen, including a neighborhood girl and his bemused father, about the inner workings of a colony. But the growing mound of ants in his backyard soon points him to a disturbing discovery: a dead body is buried under his garden. Directed by Andrea Lodovichetti, Under My Garden deftly balances curiosity and suspense throughout its 19-minute run time as it slowly unfurls a heartbreaking but hopeful conclusion. The short film is a testament to the appeal of a simple story brilliantly executed.
Sept. 24
Between the Lines
Not only is it a great time capsule for ’60s-era surfing, it’s one of the best Vietnam trauma documentaries out there. The film documents the dueling stories of two surfers caught in the grasp of the U.S. government’s full-scale involuntary draft. One man, Brant Page, chose to evade it and run to San Francisco and Hawaii. The other, Pat Farley, reluctantly joined and found himself in the chaotic jungle hellhole that was the war. Co-directors Ty Ponder, Scott Bass and Troy Page weave these two stories into a film that not only sheds light on a sliver of the Vietnam War, but documents the enduring psychological trauma that remains long after combat ends. It’s more than a Vietnam-surf flick — it’s essential viewing.
Oct. 1
World Without Walls
A “world without walls” was how Beryl Markham described the expanse of Africa, but the description could easily have applied to her impressive life story. As a young, white tomboy living among native tribes, she broke boundaries in her curiosity and respect for traditional African culture. She documented these observations, along with tales of her aviation and horse training, in the memoir West with the Wind, an account so brilliant that even Ernest Hemingway found it “marvelously well-written.” The documentary World Without Walls acts as a visual illustration of the memoir’s passages, often using the text as a narration during the 60-minute film. It’s a suitable starting point and tribute to the life and work of the ground breaking aviator.
Oct. 21
Los Zafiros: Music From the Edge of Time
Los Zafiros — The Sapphires. For Cubans, the name conjures up much more than the ubiquitous pop quartet. The group is a cultural touchstone, representing Cuban culture throughout the world and harkening back to a time where the charming Motown-influenced group could sing the troubles of the tumultuous ’60s away. In Lorenzo DeStefano’s deftly managed 2007 documentary, the two surviving members reminisce about, among other topics, music, love and wild nights in Havana. As they lovingly strum guitars in their old hangout bar and sing to a well-worn hit, it’s impossible to miss the twinkling in their eyes, cracked smile, on both their faces and the mild surprise as well as the amusement the younger patrons exhibit. Even after all these years, the legacy of the band, formerly as big as the Beatles in Cuba, resonates throughout Havana and the world. DeStefano is director of the Ventura Film Fesival.
The Ventura Film Society Fall Screening Series,Thursdays at 7 p.m., Sept. 10-Oct. 29. The Lodge, 11 S. Ash St. Ventura. $10 suggested donation. For more information, call 641-3845 or visit venturafilmsociety.com.
Series Highlights
Sept. 10
Herb and Dorothy
One of the largest personal contemporary art collections in New York City belonged to an unassuming postal clerk and his wife, who quietly amassed the collection over decades. This is the rousing story of Herb and Dorothy, a couple whose affection for each other was complemented by their insatiable love for conceptual, minimal and other avant-garde art. Director Megumi Sasaki does an excellent job of capturing the essence of this slightly eccentric elderly couple that scours NYC for up-and-coming artists and new works. It certainly helps that the subjects, Herb and Dorothy, are blunt, candid and endlessly endearing. And the obvious love they share, after decades of marriage, is even more important than the art they collect — that’s the special part. Gallery owner and artist mentor Sylvia White will give a short talk following the screening.
Sept.17
Under My Garden
An ant slowly winds its way across the bend of a young boy’s hand as he kneels in the dirt. Marco loves ants. He reads about them with unbridled enthusiasm and tells anyone who will listen, including a neighborhood girl and his bemused father, about the inner workings of a colony. But the growing mound of ants in his backyard soon points him to a disturbing discovery: a dead body is buried under his garden. Directed by Andrea Lodovichetti, Under My Garden deftly balances curiosity and suspense throughout its 19-minute run time as it slowly unfurls a heartbreaking but hopeful conclusion. The short film is a testament to the appeal of a simple story brilliantly executed.
Sept. 24
Between the Lines
Not only is it a great time capsule for ’60s-era surfing, it’s one of the best Vietnam trauma documentaries out there. The film documents the dueling stories of two surfers caught in the grasp of the U.S. government’s full-scale involuntary draft. One man, Brant Page, chose to evade it and run to San Francisco and Hawaii. The other, Pat Farley, reluctantly joined and found himself in the chaotic jungle hellhole that was the war. Co-directors Ty Ponder, Scott Bass and Troy Page weave these two stories into a film that not only sheds light on a sliver of the Vietnam War, but documents the enduring psychological trauma that remains long after combat ends. It’s more than a Vietnam-surf flick — it’s essential viewing.
Oct. 1
World Without Walls
A “world without walls” was how Beryl Markham described the expanse of Africa, but the description could easily have applied to her impressive life story. As a young, white tomboy living among native tribes, she broke boundaries in her curiosity and respect for traditional African culture. She documented these observations, along with tales of her aviation and horse training, in the memoir West with the Wind, an account so brilliant that even Ernest Hemingway found it “marvelously well-written.” The documentary World Without Walls acts as a visual illustration of the memoir’s passages, often using the text as a narration during the 60-minute film. It’s a suitable starting point and tribute to the life and work of the ground breaking aviator.
Oct. 21
Los Zafiros: Music From the Edge of Time
Los Zafiros — The Sapphires. For Cubans, the name conjures up much more than the ubiquitous pop quartet. The group is a cultural touchstone, representing Cuban culture throughout the world and harkening back to a time where the charming Motown-influenced group could sing the troubles of the tumultuous ’60s away. In Lorenzo DeStefano’s deftly managed 2007 documentary, the two surviving members reminisce about, among other topics, music, love and wild nights in Havana. As they lovingly strum guitars in their old hangout bar and sing to a well-worn hit, it’s impossible to miss the twinkling in their eyes, cracked smile, on both their faces and the mild surprise as well as the amusement the younger patrons exhibit. Even after all these years, the legacy of the band, formerly as big as the Beatles in Cuba, resonates throughout Havana and the world. DeStefano is director of the Ventura Film Fesival.
The Ventura Film Society Fall Screening Series,Thursdays at 7 p.m., Sept. 10-Oct. 29. The Lodge, 11 S. Ash St. Ventura. $10 suggested donation. For more information, call 641-3845 or visit venturafilmsociety.com.
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