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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 17, 2016)
Page 20 Black History Month February 17, 2016 Strong Start for International Film Fest C ontinued from p Age 9 all the heavy lifting that keeps the family in the horse-milk trade, and her in-laws fear the attention of a local meteorologist who is clearly sweet on their daughter-in- law. Her older son visits on holi- day from his education in the city and, though the family way of life is prized by all, it seems unlikely to that he will return. This is an occasion to sink into a beautiful and unfamiliar world feeling the encroachment of change. Plays again on Feb. 20. “April and the Extraordinary World,” based on a graphic novel, is a science iction story set in an alternative reality, in which human technological progress is halted with the steam engine. Its main character is an orphan who comes from a long line of scientists who sought to formulate a serum that would perpetuate forms of life; her great grandfather only got so far as to make animals talk, which is how she came by a very charm- ing talking cat. It’s an extraordi- narily inventive premise rendered in charming, hand-drawn anima- tion -- and if the plot bogs down in over-complication at times, it is in most ways a real treat. Its Ameri- can theatrical release will likely be dubbed in English; I much prefer seeing ilms in the original lan- guage, and this subtitled French version including Marion Cotil- lard in the title role makes its al- ternative-Paris setting come alive. Plays again on Feb. 17. “Landill Harmonic” isn’t necessarily a great ilm (though it’s a perfectly ine one), but it is deinitely a great story. A gentle and unassuming environmental engineer, Favio Chavz, went to work in a huge landill in the capi- tal of Paraguay, and was struck by the thousands of poor families who eke out a living sorting through the garbage for recyclable materi- “Heavenly Nomadic” a dramatic ilm about a horse-herding family in Kyrgyzstan. als that they can resell. Children in these families, he saw, lacked the means to dream -- and he relected on the role that music had played in opening his own soul. Chavez began teaching music to the local kids, but lacked suficient instru- ments -- and in truth, a violin costs more than a typical house for this population. Then his genius led him to another gentle and unas- suming local man with a talent for building things, and that man (also possessed of a dogged de- termination) found ways to build quite usable instruments out of scraps from the landill. Thus was born a quite talented children’s or- chestra that eventually caught the attention of the world media and the band Megadeth, and gained opportunities to tour around the world. A more humbling and in- spiring story would be hard to come by. Plays again on Feb. 20 and 21. “Above and Below” takes as its premise that there are people among us who are already, in a sense, living in a post-apocalyp- tic world. It follows a handful of them -- a military vet participating in an experiment to simulate life on Mars in a remote part of Utah; a man who lives alone in an aban- doned military bunker in Arizona; and a couple who take shelter in Las Vegas storm drains, a necessar- ily temporary existence that lasts only between rains. The director of this documentary takes a hands-off view of his subjects, mostly allow- ing them to talk about their day-to- day experience -- and I’m not sure the ilm adds much in the way of insight. Still, sitting with some- one’s story always has a purpose, and these folks on the fringes don’t readily ind an audience otherwise. Plays again on Feb. 24. Darleen Ortega is a judge on the Oregon Court of Appeals and the irst woman of color to serve in that capacity. Her movie review column Opinionated Judge ap- pears regularly in The Portland Observer. Find her movie blog at opinionatedjudge.blogspot.com. Sweet Street Food Cart on the corner of 15th and Alberta call 503-995-6150 to place order Monday - Friday, 11:00am - 7:00pm Sweet Street Barbecue for Black History Month Buy one chicken dinner get 1 free chicken sandwich (With this coupon -- Expires February 29, 2016)
