Used to covering music I went to the Eighth Annual Santa Fe Film Festival looking for a music angle and came away a huge fan of independent film. The festival was such a great ground floor opportunity for both attendees and film makers. This year’s edition picked up huge sponsorship from CBS, National Geographic and Heineken. Also adding to the prestige of the event was a new partnership with The New York Jewish Film Festival. Over 20,000 seats were sold for the showings.
New Mexico has become an important shooting location in recent years and by happenstance the new version of Brothers was shooting and Toby Maguire of Spider-Man fame was in town as well as Superbad star Aviva who hails from Santa Fe. I did get to see a few music related films. Chief among them was Anton Corbijns Control. I went away a huge fan of Joy Division and bought every cd I could get my hands on after the show. Having come from the 70’s and 80’s generation the only explanation for me not being a fan sooner was that they never played in the US. I also caught Zach Condons film on his band Beirut called Cheap Magic and a film about the Silver Jews band touring Israel and reconnecting with their faith. .
Several documentaries really moved me. One was about revenge killings that occured after 9/11 called A Dream In Doubt. Another was Damned to Heaven: Escape From Polygamy. A Canadian film, Richard Cardinal: Cry From a Diary of a Metis Child chronicled the failure of the system to protect a native foster child ultimately resulting in the child’s suicide. Hearts of Desire was an extremely well done story about a singer/songwriter trying to make it and how the loss of his child inspired him. The Jackleg Testament was an animated film done with woodcuts. It was bizarre yet hypnotic.
On the lighter side was a film about the swinging Las Vegas oldsters scene called Off The Rocker. The afternoon happy hours were great opportunities to meet actors and film makers as well as composers seeking films to use their compositions for soundtracks. Night parties were great! Sometimes one had to make hard choices between the screenings and the parties. I missed American Meth and Redacted thanks to parties. I got to meet Alan Cumming (a giant of a talent) as well as see his directorial debut that he also stared in called Suffering Mans Charity. It was disturbing as well as entertaining. There were several local films that I enjoyed such as Bump In The Night and Lives of Angels. It was amazing to be able to hang with board members and stars like Raoul Trujillo, Wes Studi and Jerry Angelo. There was no pretentious behavior. Everyone were equals here. I cant wait for next year! If Sundance is out of your league then Santa Fe is the next best thing. Here are the winners of the film awards this year:
THE 2007 MILAGRO AWARD WINNERS ARE:
1. Best Documentary presented by Kirk Ellis : Kieran Fitzgeralds BALLAD OF ESEQUIEL HERNANDEZ winner of $1,000 software bundle from Entertainment Partners
Best Short Presented by Gary Farmer: CROCODILE DREAMING by Australian filmmaker Darlene Johnson winner of $1,000 software bundle from Entertainment Partners
Best Animation presented by Maura Dhu Studi: : Jay Bolotins THE JACKLEG TESTAMENT: PART ONE, JACK AND EVE
Suzanne Pettit Memorial Award for Best Editing presented by Michael Pettit: Hans Vermy for THE REPLACEMENT CHILD.
Best Creative Spirit presented by Jihmi Kennedy: FINDING KRAFTLAND, Richard Kraft and Adam Shell winner of $1,000 software bundle from Entertainment Partners
Tamalewood Studios Award for Best New Mexico Film presented by Val DeVargas: Albuquerque filmmaker Billy Garberinas NECROVILLE winner of $1,000 software bundle from Entertainment Partners
Best Southwest presented by Alan Arkin: : OFF THE GRID: LIFE ON THE MESA, Jeremy and Randy Stulberg winner of $1,000 software bundle from Entertainment Partners
Best Latino presented by Wes Studi:Gabriela Bohms THE LONGING: FORGOTTEN JEWS OF SOUTH AMERICA winner of $1,000 software bundle from Entertainment Partners
Best Independent Spirit presented by Jon Bowman and Stephen Rubin: D.B. Sweeneys raucous road movie TWO TICKETS TO PARADISE winner of $1,000 software bundle from Entertainment Partners
Audience Choice presented by Mayor David Coss: JUMP!, Helen Hood Scheer winner of $1,000 software bundle from Entertainment Partners
Best of Fest presented by Aviva: : PERSEPOLIS, co-directed by Vincent Paronnaud and Marjane Satrapi
Best Indigenous Film Presented by Francene Blythe: MISS NAVAJO, Billy Luther
Luminaria Awards for Lifetime Acheviment in Film were given to:
John Bailey and Carol Littleton presented by Alan Cumming
Marina Goldavskaya presented by Francesca Ursone
Alanis Obomsawin presented by the Canadian Consulate
Tributee Maverick Award to Alan Cumming presented by Lynn Stalmaster
NM Film Office awarded its 3 Governor’s Cup Films
NM Women in Film gave the Sage Award to Shirley MacLaine
