So, I've been to another film festival. One of the great things about this particular film festival is that it is walking distance from my house, making it a little easier to get to than, say, Palm Springs (for a festival back in June). Similar to the Palm Springs International Short Film Festival, LA Shorts is also a festival for short films.
This was a screening block whose theme was music. So, the question is, how many films about struggling musicians can be made? Well, a lot. But they're important films because they show the human side of the music industry; the level of passion and drive needed to succeed in such a cutthroat industry. This screening block included a number of short films, but also a few music videos, something I felt was quite refreshing. Here are some of my highlights.
Gatekeeper is a film about a young African American woman trying to make it as a singer. When she is invited to a party where a famous rapper is going to be, she becomes exposed to the darker side of the industry, the side that people often don't want to admit exists, but is present nonetheless. This will be a test as to how badly she wants to be a singer. Director Peter Huang depicts this story of innocence lost quite well. This is a girl who knows what is happening but is unsure as to how to come to terms with it and/or how to avoid it. By the end, she can no longer necessarily look at the future as innocently. Gatekeeper is thrilling and suspenseful, and a deeply meaningful film.
Da Capo is a film about a struggling classical pianist who has just about given up on her dreams. Penelope (Caroline Bloom) is selling her piano; a piano that has gone with her just about everywhere. She attended Juilliard with that piano and searched all over Los Angeles hoping someone would sign her a record deal with that piano. A man has come by her house to pick up the piano as she is selling it to him. While this film is short, these two characters learn much about each others' lives and how music has affected them. He gave up jazz piano because of an injury, and she has given up because she can't seem to make it. What's next for both of them is unknown, but this is a film that is reflective of the past. We see how the past has led these characters to this moment. These characters seem incredibly natural together on the screen and the chemistry among them makes for a lighthearted yet at some points dramatic conversation. Da Capo is an exquisite film.
The Neighbors is a short film that packs a powerful punch right to the feels. A widower lives in an apartment below an 8 year old girl who is learning to play the piano. The widower listens to a particular piano piece when he wants to remember his wife, but he has difficulty dealing with the piano playing upstairs. He is constantly banging on the ceiling to get her to stop playing or play more quietly. The relationship between her mother and the man downstairs becomes increasingly worse as he bangs on the ceiling more and more to get the girl to stop playing piano, until he hears her playing the piece that makes him think of his wife. The Neighbors reminds us of the neighbors many of us have had who live upstairs who love to move furniture at two or three in the morning while we are trying to sleep, but it also reminds us of the things that trigger memories of loved ones who have passed away. This is a short and sweet, but very powerful film.
DJs is a film about a man, Joss, who works for a big time music label. He and his boss try to sign a well known DJ while at a big awards festival. The deal they are trying to make will be huge, but after a short private conversation, things change for Joss, making him realize there is more going on than just this deal being signed. It's not clear there will be a part for Joss once the deal is finalized. This is a film that falls short on its potential. It shows the viewer how cutthroat the music industry is especially while trying to sign with a big label, but not perhaps to its fullest extent. It feels like the film ends rather abruptly after Joss is let go from the company. It's not totally clear what Joss will do next. Nor does it show the emotional shock that Joss experiences. This is the kind of film that seems like it would make a little more sense if it were a few minutes longer.
L.A. Fadeaway takes viewers back in time to Los Angeles in 1977. Drew (Lindsey Newell) is a female musician simply trying to find her voice. She works for a bar that has bands play live many times per week. After one performance, she sneaks into the green room for the band and picks up one of their guitars. One of the bandmates catches her and thinks she's pretty talented. It turns out they're looking for an opening act once they sign a record deal. Drew is willing to do whatever it takes to be that opening act as it is likely her ticket into the industry. Yes, this is another film about a struggling musician, but this time that seems to be the point. This is another film about innocence lost as well. The cinematography includes this shiny aura around many of the characters, especially Drew. This shiny aura around them can often be a bit distracting as it seems to blur some of the scenery around the character, but it adds to the effect of the appearance of innocence. As the film goes on, this aura disappears. The film is a perfect length and shows us an impactful story.
By the end of the screening block, I felt that I had seen a number of stories about struggling artists, but all were unique in their own way. This screening block tells all different stories about artists trying to break into the music world, and sometimes how they are taken advantage of, or even shut out of it completely. Through all of these films, there is a sense of passion among these characters for what they do. They feel their music is a gift to others, not simply a means to an end for themselves.
Image Source: LA Shorts Film Festival Website
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