Coverage of GIFF 2015
This year, the audience is invited to indulge in film as G.I.F.F. brings its unique blend of movies, panels and parties back to Tampa for another exquisite year of artistry.
There is no shortage of good movies for film-lovers of all ages. G.I.F.F. will even host a day of events at their Family Fun Day on Sunday March 29th.
by Paul Booth
Suncoast Credit Union 9th Annual Gasparilla International Film Festival
March 24th-29th, 2015
Tampa, Florida
Full Schedule: www.gasparillafilmfestival.com
There will be an abundance of network opportunities and chances to meet some of the filmmakers as G.I.F.F. will host parties every night, from opening night through closing night. A good film festival must also educate, so after you enjoy talking films over snacks, soda or your drink of choice, you can wake up to panels on Thursday and Saturday.
Check out this cornucopia of information
:
Thursday March 26th: For the Love of Films. Women in the Film Industry.
Saturday March 28th: There’s No Business Like Show Business. Breakdown Services: The Actor’s Resource and Film Financing for the 21st Century. Has this left you chompin’ at the bit for more info? Click here: www.gasparillafilmfestival.com
*****
Opening Night Film: The Surface
Director: Gil Cates, Jr.
Cast: Sean Astin, Chris Mulkey, and Mimi Rogers
Synopsis: Mitch (Sean Astin) is intent on suicide when he stumbles upon the debris from a crashed, small-engine floatplane where the survivor, Kelly (Chris Mulkey), is struggling to stay alive. Mitch is emotionally wounded and Kelly is physically wounded, and it’s during the course of Mitch trying to save Kelly’s life, and a dying Kelly trying to save Mitch’s life, that both lives are altered.
Review: Astin’s portrayal of Mitch, a man at the end of his tether, managed to find some unique nuances that made the character his own. Mitch’s intent on suicide over love, loss and life’s heartaches, could so easily have had Astin playing a woe is me sort of character. However, the script, helped along by director Cates, managed to avoid one of indie-cinema’s biggest acting pitfalls, … melodrama. This review does not take away from the gutsy, ambitious work of Gil Cates Jr., Sean Astin and Chris Mulkey in their worthy attempt at keeping an audience interested and focused while being stuck in a single location for a majority of the film. No easy task.
Paul’s Score: 8/10
Closing Night Film: Preggoland
Director: Jacob Tierney
Starring: Sonja Bennett, James Caan, Danny Trejo, Paul Campbell & Laura Harris.
Synopsis: A women fakes a pregnancy to fit in with her friends.
Review: This is a hilariously brilliant piece of independent cinema out of Vancouver. A well-crafted script about an all-too-relatable topic; the doom of being 35 and all your friends are “married with children.” We all love our friends, their families and their kids, but we sure miss hanging out. However, before you go thinking this is merely a “guys” film, about boys wanting to be boys, you’d be wrong. Moreover, Preggoland is written by Sonja Bennett, … a woman.
It examines the pressure put on women to become a mother and how everyone, from your friends, co-workers, siblings to even your own father hold you in a different light if you choose to remain single.
The movie does not fall under one genre. Preggoland has a delicate script, sure-handed direction and wonderful editing that creates a world for the character to be funny, sad and ultimately, poignant. The saving grace of this movie is that it’s foreign, sure Canada is only our neighbor to the North, but the sensibilities are different, and the motives for making a movie are to tell a good-story; not shatter box-office records.
Preggoland makes it into my top five festival favorites, since I began covering film fests in 2011.
Paul’s Score: 10/10
