This is it! The chashama Film Festival begins this week. Did you mark your calendar? Did you buy your tickets? Are you ready for the experience? Of course you are; I have been preparing you since August. And, though our time is ending together, I will not leave you hanging during the final hours. Today, I bring to you “Desert in the Coffeehouse,” “Dolly Belle,” “Echoes,” and “Empty House.”
While filming “Dreaming in Morocco,” Pamela Nice was confronted by eager young Moroccans who wanted to know American opinions about Arabs. She was unable to speak for all Americans, so the interesting questions inspired her next film “Desert in the Coffeehouse.” Although the film is intended for an Arab audience, I think Americans will find this film absolutely fascinating. The interviews will have you laughing, gasping and scolding.
Arming herself with a camera and the young Moroccans’ questions, Nice proceeds to raid coffee houses in America’s own “middle America,” the twin cities in Minnesota. She interrogates a wide variety of Americans, who had some shocking responses to the questions, “What are your images of the Middle East?” and “How do you think Arabs view the U.S.?” Some respond that the Middle East makes them think of silver Audi made out of actual silver, and the video game “Call of Duty.” Some believe Arabs look to America as having an exciting culture with bigger-than-life personalities and a pioneering mentality. I suggest watching the “Desert in the Coffeehouse” to hear the rest of the responses and questions.
Tajna Tanovic’s short film “Dolly Belle,” is filmed in black and white with touches of color here and there. For a good chunk of the film, you are wondering “is this woman running a marathon by herself?” Once you see the movie, you will understand my question, and you may just feel out of breath after watching it. There is barely any dialogue, but serious background music. Tanovic explains “The soundtrack played an important part as it had to carry the tension and lead up to the ending which is left bare and has no music. I wanted it to be simple yet strong.”
Tanovic incorporates all her skills from acting, the performing arts, singing and songwriting in her first film “Dolly Belle.” She plays the lead actress, the running woman. Her idea for the film was inspired by her “wish to show a girl running in a Renaissance gown through the streets of Brooklyn.” And, where is this running woman going? You’ll never guess until you see the end for yourself.
Before you see Cara Mumford’s “Echoes,” I suggest putting on a black turtleneck sweater, a beret and a pair of dark sunglasses. To go the extra mile, bring some bongos if you wish. “Echoes” has this edgy and underground appeal that makes you want to snap your fingers, not clap your hands, at the end of the movie. It is a short film blending contemporary ballet and spoken word into a visual poem. The images move with a rhythm.
Mumford includes graphic images of the World’s history into “Echoes.” It is her way of illustrating how echoes of past atrocities shape the world today and making a political statement. She is inspired by “the mythopoetic work of Maya Deren, the enigmatic storytelling of Darren Aronofsky and the beautiful cinematography found in the films of Luc Besson.”
“Empty House” is a more personal short film. Sean Christensen explores his parent’s divorce by fusing his perspective as a teenager with his reflection as an adult. The motivation behind the film comes from his desire “to tell genuinely human stories that are relatable on many different levels… I’m drawn to real stories, because I don’t feel that enough of them are shared with audiences as they should be.”
Watching “Empty House” is like viewing a slideshow and home videos on an old-school projector in a living room set in the 70’s. The idea behind using dollhouse miniatures in the film is to push the concept of substitution, “trying to compensate or make up for everything that you’ve lost in a tragedy,” says Christensen. “The dollhouse reminds you of home, but it’s not real, it’s made of paper and cardboard.”
