TWIS does SFF: Robin Punsalan's film picks

It's been a week since the 2013 Sarasota Film Festival (SFF) unveiled its line-up of films and events. The 15th annual festival takes place April 5 through 14. Tickets, now available at the downtown box office in Hollywood 20, went on sale on Friday, March 15, and we have 222 films to choose from. This will be my first time attending the festival; though I've been to one film festival before as an actress in a film being screened, this is a whole new ball game for me.

Each day I've been scrambling through SFF’s website menu of wonderfully diverse options, and my "watch" list kept changing. I've followed tweets, reviews, livefeeds and word of mouth from friends who attended other festivals, including Sundance. Did that help? It’s like walking into an art store with the intent of purchasing one tube of paint, and gazing upon 10 various hues to choose from---the "kid in the candy store" dilemma. What has kept me grounded and focused is the extraordinary work by passionate artists. Amid the multitudes of notes scribbled, posts saved and tweets "favorited," I’ve found a commonality in my choices. Filmmakers are responding to important societal, familial and cultural messages, and their cinematic palettes urge us as the audience to inquire the same.

SFF Board President Mark Famiglio stated in a press release, “As a leader in the cultural life of our community, The Sarasota Film Festival once again looks forward to introducing Sarasota to a new group of superlative films and artists. Our festivals continue to thrive in no small part because of the support of our patrons and sponsors, and I know they share our excitement for this year's event. "

Many of you may be familiar with the festival and this is probably not your first. Still new to Sarasota (from Vegas), I’m excited and have no idea what to expect. Yet I'm impressed with the quality discernment SFF Director Tom Hall exhibits in selecting exciting and diverse works that celebrate the art of filmmaking. Tickets are selling fast, so make sure you keep an eye on the SFF site and their Facebook page. Narrowing it down for this article took days, but here we go.

1. Blackfish

(Genre: Environmental Interest, Animal Welfare)

It's the SFF Opening Night Film on Friday, April 5 (7 p.m.). Gabriela Cowperthwaite's documentary will be introduced on the giant screen at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. Tom Hall also related to me that they've just confirmed Cowperthwaite and former whale trainers will be in attendance at the screening. We're all anticipating a very provocative Q&A session for this SFF selection.

Personally, I've been invested in this film more than others from the get-go. Cowperthwaite investigates the consequences of whale captivity after delving further into the 2010 attack and death of veteran SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau in Orlando. The film explores the conflict of the orca in captivity and exposes the harrowing truth within the entertainment show atmosphere. Focusing on Tilikum, a 12,000 pound bull orca who, over decades, was responsible for the deaths of three people (including Brancheau), Cowperthwaite asked questions and began filming. So, what goes on behind the set flats on those aquamarine-painted stages? Are we fully conscious that we’re contributing to that harrowing truth? Financially, we invest in marine parks such as SeaWorld to cheer for these glorious animals performing for us. And when tragedy strikes and we’re forced to look deeper, the TV is shut off. The news vanishes. We go about our day, reaching into the fridge that’s ornate with leaping Shamu magnets.  When I was a kid, I remember wanting be close up in the front rows to be splashed on. That was it. Such a minimal delight in retrospect, and I was far too young to fully deliberate upon the consequences. What's refreshing is this documentary exposes truth and merely asks us to investigate our behavior as consumers. Every decision and action isn't always well thought out and we contribute with a convenient click on a site to "purchase tickets."

The more I read about Blackfish, I take a bit more time in my daily choices and actions. I'm realistic enough to surrender to the fact that I can't change the world overnight. There are far too many causes, a great too many pains. Yes, I define myself as an animal lover. As an activist?  Not sure, but in researching this film and those supporting it, I have become active. This film may break my heart. Good. It should rattle me. Sometimes that startling wake-up call is necessary. I felt so compelled that I even shot off an email to Cowperthwaite. Not as a "press" person with TWIS, but as a woman who does the best she can to give back somehow. I donate and raise funds with my art to causes of all animals and convince myself it's gotta make a dent somehow. Where do I start? Somewhere.

Focus on the message in this documentary. That's what drives me to explore and write on any film. While I'm at it, yank that painting out of storage. Donate it to raise funds and participate in mending the damage out there, even if it’s a minimal start. I did. It took 10 minutes, less time than it takes to pull up a website and purchase tickets for a trip to watch whales dance under spotlights, corralled in dark tanks and paraded about for your cheers. I suggest you take a few minutes to consider the movement of your wallet and see this film. Take a few minutes and ask yourself how you are actively participating.

2. The Dirties

(Genre: Drama / Category: Independent Visions)

The Dirties caught my attention in a tweet that skipped along on my feed. (God, I love Twitter.) A fellow tweeter announced it as a controversial film that many will be talking about. Okay, now you’ve got my attention. Controversy breeds communication. That’s the beauty of driven artists in film. They provoke further communication in our societal climate. The new film from Matt Johnson won the Grand Jury Prize for Feature Narrative at Slamdance 2013. Xaque Gruber of the Huffington Post declared it “the most empathetic and human portrait of bullying, and its deadly consequences, ever put on film.”

When I clicked on the trailer, I caught myself giggling and moments later a feeling of stark unease crept in. It stopped being funny. I found myself reviewing the trailer a second and even third time. Some interesting layers to this film are captured even in the 90 seconds of trailer. There’s a naturalism and almost amusing scene between two actors, then you feel your stomach punched with the horrific confrontation in a school hallway. The cast attended the school as students and produced some startling experiences. There’s an unwavering tension built in without losing fresh immediacy. The film addresses a terrifying escalation brewing and executes a message of great social importance. I’m ready and may need a seatbelt. Check out this interview with Matt Johnson and cast member Owen Williams.

3. The Rambler

(Genre: Horror / Category: Narrative Feature)

This one feels like it’s going to be a hell of a lot of fun. Calvin Lee Reeder’s The Rambler serves up quirky horror with a Tarantino-meets-David-Lynch funk that I’m digging. Can I get a side of slaw with my gunfight? It’s one man’s trek through the lonely backgrounds of America after his release from prison in the Southwest. The Rambler (Dermot Mulroney), outfitted in cowboy hat and shades, is headed to Oregon to visit his estranged brother on a horse ranch. Meeting a strange and quirky mix of characters on his trip, he stumbles upon The Girl (Lindsay Pulsipher), who is lassoed by the drifter’s charm. Trying to harness what I’ve read on it, it feels like it’s the perfect blend of mystery with lots of gore. Part bloodbath, part comedy, part romance, bang-bang and Mulroney in beaten leather … yep, this one looks like scrumptious, rambunctious danger. Something about this gritty tale of a lone man’s journey kicks up an old Western feel to me. We’ll see. If my list were a dining experience, this one may be the hot tamale that will drum up my Vegas days.

4. The Spectacular Now

(Genre: Drama, Romance / Category: Centerpiece)Chosen as this year's Centerpiece Film, James Ponsoldt's coming-of-age piece The Spectacular Now is another film that’s been on my radar since it premiered at Sundance. While working on an article featuring film composers, I’ve been researching the creation of the music behind this film, composed by Rob Simonsen. Working with his mentor, Michael Danna, Simonsen also contributed additional music for the Oscar-winning film score of Life of Pi.

Last month I wrote on The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and apparently my interest to high school coming-of-age films lingers. From what I’ve read, this film addresses the interior journey and battle inside the self. Written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, it follows Sutter (Miles Teller), an alcoholic high school senior who’s the life of the party. Living day by day with no future plans, he finds himself abruptly dumped by his girlfriend (Brie Larsen). After a night in a drunken stupor, he wakes up beside the sweet and shy Aimee (Shailene Woodley). Here he meets his opposite: a young woman with depth of intellect who forces him to take a hard look at his internal demons and struggles. There has been enormous praise for this film that refutes any attempt to pit it as another teenage drinking movie. Rather, it showcases how the unlikely blossoming relationship with Aimee forces Sutter to confront hefty and stark self-examination. It’s been compared to Say Anything, replacing the pen with a flask. So the buzz about this film has me curious. Banking on others' reviews is something I usually avoid. Though they do offer insight and whet our appetites, we bring our own "stories" into the theater with us when we experience a film. But the talk swirling around this one is far too tantalizing to ignore.

5. A Song Still Inside

(Genre: Drama / Category: Independent Visions)

With a world premiere at this year’s festival, A Song Still Inside, written and directed by Gregory Collins, is an intimate look at the reversal of roles in a marriage. Mike (Rodrigo Lopresti) is a young, unemployed father struggling with his wife’s (Susan Highsmith) success as he cares for their nine-month-old son. In today’s nuclear family, people have to readjust how they define themselves and find that flexible balance. I think many can identify with redefining that family dynamic in the world we live in today.

This film came out of nowhere for me, honestly. I started communicating with Gregory recently and immediately picked up on the the spirit behind the work. As a married woman with no children, I assumed I couldn’t connect. At times the role of breadwinning spouse in my household has shifted, and my husband and I painfully confronted some tough monsters. Yet I doubted this film would pull me in further. I was wrong. Like any form of art, a film can approach you in unexpected ways. They beg you delve further. How I love those happy accidents.

For those of you who have read my article on Skyfall cinematographer Roger Deakins, you’re familiar with how I favor great photographic language in film. Watching the trailer, my breath was taken away by the elegant and captivating work of cinematographer Eun-ah Lee. The crisp wide shots are stunning and beautifully composed. Intimate moments in closeups of Lopresti and Highsmith are lit with a soft warmth that masterfully pronounces their whispers in dialogue. Eun-ah has worked with Woody Allen, John Williams, Yo-Yo Ma and many more. Her impressive skill is intoxicating while she crafts this story through the lens. Readers, keep your eyes open for an interview with Gregory Collins from fellow TWIS writer Bonnie Greenball Silvestri in weeks ahead.

Narrowing down a list with such an array of great films has been daunting. Writing on films is still a new venture for me; I began doing so a year ago. Yet as an artist and former actress, when I approach the completion of this article I’m left with immense exhilaration. The enthusiasm I feel in celebrating and highlighting such impressive artistic works and the voices behind them is immeasurable. The festival hasn’t even started yet and still, while exploring the talent that’s been brought here by the Sarasota Film Festival, I’m so proud to call Sarasota home.

- For information on the full line-up of films, articles and how to purchase tickets, please visit sarasotafilmfestival.com.