TWIS does SFF: Anthony Paull's film picks

As an independent filmmaker I jump at the chance to see the work of others in the field. I prefer dark, quirky films that don’t have the financial potential for mainstream distribution, and that’s why I appreciate the advent of film festivals. They allow me to experience small-budget films with wayward characters and experimental story lines in movie theaters that would otherwise fail to screen such work.

The greatest thrill of film festivals is you never truly know what awaits you on the screen. A few select committee members determine the program and sometimes that results in a magnificent hidden gem or a cinematic turd. I’ve witnessed both at Sundance and SXSW and recently at the Sarasota Film Festival.My favorite SFF film last year was Superclásico. I took a chance, knowing little about the Danish comedy but ended up singing its praises for the last year. I also loved Frank and Robot and V/H/S, both wonderful examples of great characterization and storytelling. As for turds, I detested the documentary Dragonslayer, a hapless skater documentary that won a heap of praise at SXSW because the filmmaker caught footage on his iPhone. I also felt my heart die a few times during I Am a Good Person/I am a Bad Person, which opened with the agonizing "watch and hear me pee in the toilet" technique that was all the rage for indie filmmakers for a hot minute.

Still, I’m glad I took in 11 SFF films last year because even if there’s a doozy along the way, the program is proportionally stellar, competing with Sundance and SXSW for the best representation of emerging talent in film, thanks to Festival Director Tom Hall and Programmer Magida Diouri.

This year, here are my picks:

1. Laurence Anyways (*Top Pick)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwDzRzqFaIE

Canadian Director Xavier Dolan (I Killed My Mother) returns with his third film about a man who decides to become a transsexual woman, greatly affecting the lives of her family. A film dealing themes of prejudice in the pursuit of happiness and love, The Hollywood Reporter calls it Dolan's most "emotionally weighty film yet."

2. The Deflowering of Eva van End

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40Ug085dXC4

Deemed a tragicomedy, Deflowering depicts the crumbling of a perfect family after presented with actual perfection personified by a German exchange student.

3. Computer Chess

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dFG1d2Md1qc

SFF’s 2013 Visionary Award Winner, Computer Chess is a comedic narrative chronicling 1980s computer programmers competing in an electronic chess tournament. The Guardian calls it the "perfect rendering of the era you could ask for."

4. C.O.G.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BINmZ8FYBVA

Adapted from a David Sedaris essay, C.O.G. is the story of a cocky Ivy League graduate who attempts physical labor on a rural apple farm. Sedaris is the NY Best-Selling author of Me Talk Pretty One Day and Barrel Fever.

5. The Dirties

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYUkdYYy3-U

Grand Jury Narrative Feature Winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival, The Dirties is a realistic depiction of two high school misfits bullied by a group of classmates. The film is gaining a lot of buzz for its brutal honesty and leading performances.

2013 Sarasota Film Festival

April 5 - 14, 2013

Purchase tickets here or at the SFF box office located inside Hollywood 20 theaters.