As I've done the past few years, I did a little work for the Oak Cliff Film Festival this past weekend. Not only did I get to hang out with some of my friends, but I also got to see some really spectacular films. This year was no exception.
The opening night film was Bad Reputation, a documentary about Joan Jett directed by music video master Kevin Kerslake. We got a chance to talk to Kevin about the film, his career, and the amazing musicians that he's gotten to work with over the years. The film was excellent, and reminded me about Jett, who doesn't always get the love that she should. I forgot about all the songs she has that are some of my favorites.
Friday was spent following the filmmakers around town, from Dot's Hop House to Bishop Cidercade to the Turner House VIP Happy Hour. We interviewed a number of filmmakers at the historic Turner House, then headed back to the Texas Theatre to see Meow Wolf : Origin Story, a documentary about the artist collective in Sante Fe. It was another fantastic and well done documentary, and definitely made me want to check out the permanent space the next time I'm in New Mexico.
Saturday was spent shooting more interviews with filmmakers, running up and down the stairs of the Texas Theatre, and eating nachos at Top Ten Records for another festival sponsored happy hour. I went back to the Texas Theatre and settled in to watch a film I hadn't heard much about, but needed to shoot the Q & A for. That movie was Skate Kitchen.
This film blew me away. I think it was probably one of my favorite films of the festival, and hope that everyone goes to see this film when it comes out in August. It gave me the same feeling that I had when I first saw Kids by Larry Clark, which was the first independent film that I saw in a theater.
But instead of dealing with the issues of sex and AIDS, this film focused solely on the young women of Skate Kitchen, and their lives and relationships and skating. Or boarding. Or skate-boarding...I don't know what the kids call it these days. The acting was raw and powerful, especially considering that most of the young people weren't actors before this film...they were found on the subway by the director, and had a hand in crafting the dialogue and story elements of the movie. It was an awesome experience and I'm glad I got to see it and tell the creators how much I enjoyed it.
The next film, however, was not so good. Damsel by the Zellmer brothers was a film that I kept expecting to get better, but it never did. I always like it when a filmmaker takes the piss out of the western genre (Rustler's Rhapsody is one of my favorite films) but this seemed like it was trying to be too many things at once, and it ended up just confusing me.
Sunday was the Awards Brunch at Small Brewpub, and then off to the Kessler Theater for the Documentary Shorts block and Birds Without Feathers, a film by Wendy McColm. This year's selection of documentary shorts was excellent, especially the film My Dead Dad's Porno Tapes. Though the title is a bit misleading, it's actually the story of the relationships between parents and their children, and the stuff you carry without, both physical and emotionally, throughout your life.
Back at the Texas Theatre, we sat down with Penelope Spheeris and Daniel Roebuck to hear about the making of Dudes, and then watched the film. I can understand why it was hard to market this film back in the 80s; it's a bit all over the place. Is it a punk rock movie or a western or a serious revenge tale? It's all of that and more! I liked it better when they remade it as The Wraith starring Charlie Sheen.
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After the screening of Dudes, they asked everyone to head outside so they could get ready for the closing night film, Never Goin' Back by Augustine Frizzell. There were hundreds of people lined up outside, and the line went all the way down Jefferson Avenue. The film was a semi-autobiographical comedy about growing up poor and young, and was fantastic...the buzz that preceded this movie was warranted. It was hilarious and touching and kinda eye-opening too...it never talked down to it's characters, even when they were doing something wrong.
Good times were had after the screening, with a Skype Q & A with the director, music and dancing in the lobby, and drinks from the VIP lounge. The quality of films and the atmosphere that the Oak Cliff Film Festival people curate make it one of the best film festivals in town!
