Scenes from two movies have special resonance for me. Both scenes are poignant and especially cinematic, underlining the depth and range of program set out at the fifth Traverse City Film Festival.
In Jan Troll’s masterful “Everlasting Moments” we follow a woman as she picks up a camera and becomes empowered in unexpected ways. This poignant story has many special moments; my favorite has a young woman wiping away flowing water from a window so she and her boyfriend can more clearly see each other.
“The Chaser” follows a man as he desperately tries to save a woman from a serial killer. He takes into his care a young girl. As she sits in a car she reads the lips of this man and discerns that her mother is likely dead. We watch at a distance seeing but not hearing as she weeps uncontrollably as a downpour washes over the car.
It was my pleasure meet Thom Powers curator of nonfiction film for the Toronto Film Festival. His involvement was a welcome addition to the Festival giving boost to film introductions and Q & A’s at “Learning Gravity” with filmmaker Cathal Black and poet Thomas Lynch.
The screening of “Burma VJ” was greeted with a five minute standing ovation when Thom escorted VJ Aung Htun on to the stage for a Q & A. which ended with another standing ovation.

Aung Htun filming protesting monks
My viewing ranged from delightful “Sita Sings The Blues” to the scary Food Inc.. “Salt of the Sea” was poignant look at the Palestine side of the conflict with Israelis.
“The Rest Is Silence” was an epic look at silent film making in Bucharest circa 1911. The fiery death of young actress rivaled “The Chase” and “The Cove” for most brutal film scene of the festival. “In The Loop” was an English film that I missed a lot of the dialogue and would have appreciated it more if I had understood what was being said.
“Revanche” was an outstanding thriller that ended surprisingly softly. “Winnebago Man” the story of Jack Rebney’s unwanted fame on the internet was interesting and funny. “The Answer Man” was okay while “Registered Sex Offender” I found sophomoric and walked out of it before the half way point.
“Mike Surprise” treated us to work print of a trailer for his upcoming “Capitalism, A Love Story” and the first film he was involved in “Blood in the Face”. The Bijou Orchestra from Bay City, Michigan was commissioned to accompany Fritz Lang’s “Metropolis”. They were good but I prefer the Alloy Orchestra original music. “Herb & Dorothy” was a delightful art history lesson. Including “Azur and Asmar” I saw 18 films; The Michigan Film Commission was the one panel I attended.
Three films that I missed are slated to play The Bay Theatre: “Seraphine”, “The Lemon Tree” and “Waterlife”. Three others may also come to The Bay: “The Cove”, “Food Inc.” and “Departures”. I would have liked to have seen many more but as with life you have to make choices.