SoCal Film Festival turns 10!
The SoCal Film Festival takes place in the picturesque screening room (theater) at the beautiful Huntington Beach Library (Talbert ave. branch). Every year for a decade now, the festival has delivered music videos, short films, animation, features and documentaries. This event is the perfect combination of good people, good films, great filmmakers and fantastic staff, coming together to celebrate independent artists through film. This year, get ready, as always there is a buffet of superb films.
For full festival details visit www.socalfilmfestival.com
Mecca II 45 min. (Feature)
An interesting art-house style surf film. It ignores the normal conversational introduction of each surfer and just shows them doing something that is their personality outside surfing. The high point of this film after the excellent editing, wonderful cinematography and super operation of the camera, is the fact this film captured the spirit and essence of surfing. The essence from San Diego to Huntington Beach, Mavericks in Northern California to Waimea Bay in Hawaii and all around the world, is “to be one with yourself” and “one with the ocean.” Time could be spent on the wave sizes, the details of the beaches, but in reality, like surfing, all that matters was were the waves good? As the perfect analogy, if the waves are symbolic of the movie, the answer is the waves are great!
Restoration of Paradise (49 min.) Feature Documentary
This film is a wonderful documentary about the Bolsa Chica Wetlans (Wild-life) sanctuary located in Bolsa Chica, just 30-miles south of Los Angeles. Yes, the film will hold be more special for Orange County resides, but the filmmakers managed to lay out a perfectly balanced movie about animals, people and the Politics of saving and preserving nature. The film tells the story of the beginnings of how this land was used. It is no surprise development of homes and the fact oil companies tried to take it over threatened all forms of insects and animals in the name of the almighty dollar. Multiple groups (do not want to spoil too much) spent decades fighting for the preservation of these lands. The area houses rare birds, fish, endangered species, insects, snakes, lizards and the occasional mammal (dolphins) come into the wetlands via the inlet from the Pacific Ocean. As someone who drives by this area of the Pacific Coast highway nearly every weekend, I was astounded to learn of its history.
The history included an exclusive club (off one of the train stops, where you needed a special pass) that clubs members? Among many rich oil men, Babe Ruth and even Teddy Roosevelt. Brilliant documentary, do not miss it.
*****
Life Under the Bridge (9 min.) Short
The old saying goes “never judge a book by its cover.” This film tells the simple story of a man who lives under the famous bridges that run into downtown Los Angeles. The film has a great subtext about appreciating who we are, where we come from and (even if homeless), happiness is a possibility. The man nicknamed “Pepper” is even living with two terminal disease and as he shows us his neighborhood, with the same pride a wealthy person does, well heart-warming is the only word. If you want (or need) some perspective on life, come see this short film.
Shadow (30 Min.) Short
A surfing champion falls down on his luck after a life-altering, career-ending injury. In this painstakingly authentic portrayal of what a human goes through after losing their way of life and dreams, was almost scary. Shadow had to be a personal film or the writer knew someone who experienced it. The writing was too nuanced and the story far too authentic to be made up. This film managed to do in 30 minutes, what many feature-length films can’t do and that is teach us something about ourselves. If you have ever been through a life-altering accident, be prepared, this movie hits the nail on the head. However, this is the point of cinema, to reach the human soul. I loved this film.
Run Out (5 min.) Short
Superb with a capital S is the only word I have for Run Out. It follows all the basic rules of film, it keeps it simple, tells a good story and does not rely on any cheap tricks. The ending is indescribable, by no means joyous or good, but poignant and important. This film is one we should “never forget”, do not miss your chance to see it as SoCal F.F. or in the online screening room.
Breaking the Spectrum 15 min. (Short Doc)
An important short documentary that examines autism. The film concentrates on the inspiring side of autism, those who maintain jobs and fight to live a normal life. This movie was captivating and gave hope for a world where autism is better understood and those with it are not judged. This is a film, that 15 minutes simply wets the appetite, an hour would have been nice.
Take it Like a Man 7 min. ( Short)
The old saying goes “everything has been done in film at least once.” Sure, the concept of Take it Like a Man has been done, but in theory and in other instances was completely cheapened for laughs. The film on a subtextual level asks us, how far would we go for the women we love? Or the one who got away? Big laughs (with a purpose), excellent performances and the director behind this film is one I hope continues to bring this unique style of filmmaking to more and more short films.
Nose Hair and Peanuts 17 min. (Short)
Brilliant, suspenseful and achieves two spectacular goals; one it keeps you interested even though you think you know the ending and secondly, it breaks all clichés. Highly original, enjoyable, great writing, ingenious concept and no doubt a film that should begin a run on the festival circuit. Nose Hair and Peanuts is even tied into the dialogue (something only very well written television shows manage to do with purpose). Enjoyable from start to finish, one of the best short films this movie-lover as seen in five years writing about short films.
by Paul Booth
