A Place in the Field (2022) SBIFF 2022

A PLACE IN THE FIELD is the story of a vet who receives a package in the mail. It contains a letter, some money and the ashes of a fellow soldier he long ago promised to take a road trip with. The letter asks our hero to take the ashes and the money and make the trip. Roping in another fellow soldier they set off on the trip.

This film vexes me. Extremely well done on almost every level before and behind the camera it is a wonderful trip of a movie. It’s for the most part it’s good time with good people.

The problem is that as compelling as the people on  the screen are, the script doesn’t do anything special. Basically the film hits every expected note perfectly, which would be fine, but director --- and her cast have created such special characters that you don’t want to see them just take the same journey as everyone else.

I know that sounds like I don’t like the film, that’s not the case, rather it’s that I like what is here so much that I wanted to love it.

My  quibbles aside this film is worth a look.

Fresh to Frightening - The Sharon Green Story (2022) SBIFF 2022

The title of this portrait of racing yacht photographer Sharon Green refers to a change in weather that sometimes occurs out on the ocean. We learn that as Green talks about shooting races and having the weather change.

This is a visually overpowering film full of great images and great video of the yachts at sea.  The images, most of them shot by Green, are going to make you want to go out and try racing yourself. The images are magnificent and I found myself wishing I had seen this on a truly huge cinema screen, I was blown away.

While I am waxing poetic about the iages, Greens own story isn't bad either. She was a young woman who fell into photgraphy and manages to carve out a hell of a career.

If you love sports docs, this film is a must.

Havana Libre (2022) Santa Barbara Film Festival 2022

In Cuba surfers are arrested by the police. Officials in the country don’t see it as a sport or much of anything and take a dim view of anyone surfing. The new film Havana Libre tells the stories of a group of surfers  struggling to practice their sport and become recognized by the authorities so that they won’t get arrested every time they go out on the water.

While not filled with endless spectacular images of surfing the film is till filled with a mad passion for the sport as the film focuses on group of surfers talking about their love of sport and taking steps to get it recognized by Cuban authorities. This is a film where the love of the sport is revealed in ways that are not typical at least for a surfing film. 

It is also a look at Cuba that isn't typial. This isn't the way most other films portray the country. We are not just in the city but out in the wilds. We are focused on a small group doing what they love. The result, for those of us who know Cuba only through stories and movies, is a bigger country.

This is a really good film and whether you are a surfing fan or want to know more about Cuba then you owe it to yourself to see HAVANA LIBRE