Article: Coverage of ND's 2014 Film Festival
By Cole Pollyea
It's a privilege to have a local college, the successful and well known Notre Dame University, devoted to encouraging, motivating and exposing young, avid filmmakers and their productions. Their education, creativity, and passion for film are three elements that drove their short movies out of nowhere and onto the screen of the beautiful DeBartolo Performing Arts Center on the cold, wintry evenings of January 23rd, 24th, and 25th.
Before entering this building on Friday night, I had only been to the Performing Arts Center once, this being on that very same afternoon around 1:00. My film-loving uncle and I, so incredibly hyped to be covering our first major film event as critics, made the drive to the Notre Dame campus five hours early to observe where we'd be attending that night. We trekked through the blizzard-like weather and burst through the door, becoming instantly immersed in a clearly well kept, educational environment. But alas, there was a catch: no one was there. We looked around for awhile, eventually locating Browning Cinema, the theater in which the films were going to be shown. It was an odd thing to be in such a vast building alone in the middle of the day, and out of courtesy, we began to leave. On our way out, we were warmly greeted by a member of the Arts Center, who offered us a free tour of where this event was to be held. We were led through the spectacular, graciously funded, and masterfully designed building and introduced to the exquisite interior structure and state-of-the-art technology that made it such a well-functioning place.
With the introduction of the venue out of the way, my uncle and I ventured into the Arts Center for the second time that day. We were eager to witness these student-made films, and possibly engage in a discussion with any other aficionado willing to converse about film (as we were looking for some exposure for our websites). After pictures and brief conversations were taken care of, the films began.
Having fourteen projects in all (with each one ranging anywhere from three to sixteen minutes long), the program began with a seven minute film called "Chicks", a movie about a "poultry prank" on a farm that surely makes the antagonist regret the actions he took. This, along with five others being "Ash", "Lilith's Game", "Discordance", "Dinner For None", and "My Neighbor Ned", were all fictional projects that I saw to be very nicely edited. It was clear, though, that this was not all these talented filmmakers were capable of, as the program was not done. Shortly following "Ash" came an effective, thought provoking documentary-like film called "Gimp", based on Toronto writer Aaron Broverman, an individual with a disability who wants to change the world's perception of disabled persons. One of the films that followed was a delightful Coen Brother's spoof called "Rice Bag" wherein a man found in the middle of the dunes (shot in St. Joseph, Michigan) becomes the center of a very confusing—and very funny—debacle.
Along the lines of channeling famous feature films from the past was an extremely short, metaphoric (?) film called "A Quiet Day At The Park". It chronicles a woman's horror-filled, yet seemingly playful afternoon in the park. As it comes off feeling like a theater piece and also has a wildly frolicsome theme song playing over, I could see its resemblance to something that Charlie Chaplin would have made. Moreover, near the end of the program was a student film called "The Wormhole", a movie that, in some minor respects, channels 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Near the end of the program was a silent, hauntingly powerful slice of life concerning two parents whose worst fear became a reality. Without being cliche, overdramatic, or dull, "Unearthed" moved me without trying too hard. It kept me guessing, and exercised its lack of dialogue to its best interest. I was left clapping heartily and saying, "well done".
However, the two longest and possibly most memorable short films were the documentaries entitled "The Suicide Disease" and "The Last Free Place". "The Suicide Disease" is the heart-wrenching real-life story of Frances Shavers, a woman who is victim to a horrifying disease, one that impaired her ability to continue her profession at Notre Dame. Having personally known her as a wonderful woman, I was completely engrossed with what was on screen (though I would have been even without knowing her). As far as my level of involvement goes, the same is true of the other remaining documentary, "The Last Free Place", a film that exposed a small, dirty, unnoticed aspect of life—in "Slab City". Considering that both movies felt professionally filmed, I wasn't shocked to hear that "The Suicide Disease" won the festival's award for best student movie.
Having witnessed a good amount of well filmed, sharp-looking student movies in a pristine, top-notch theater, I can wholeheartedly state that I am looking forward to coming back next year. I'm not sure what I thought of Notre Dame's film program before venturing out on the frigid evening of the festival, but after viewing how solid their film department is, I can honestly say that my eyes are far more open than they previously were.
