What's up everyone? Osvaldo's will be screening at the 2009 Queens International Film Festival THIS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH AT 2PM at the Holiday Inn Manhattan View located on 39-05 29th Street in Long Island City in Queens. I apologize for such a late notice but I didn't get the screening information until recently. I hope some of you can make it out. Here is the link to buy tickets if you are interested: http://www.queensfilmfestival.com/films/detail.asp?fid=561 Thank you for all of the support so far for the film.
Osvaldo's in Boston Latino Film Festival
Osvaldo's is an official selection of the 2009 Boston Latino Film Festival! I am excited to be a part of the program and this makes the 6th out of 7th month that the film will be screening. This is our 8th festival so far. I am really humbled by the success and I hope there is more to come. If you are in the Boston area or know people in the boston area please come out. It will be screening on SATURDAY, DECEMBER 12TH AT 4:30 PM AT CAMBRIDGE COLLEGE LOCATED AT 1000 MASS AVE; STORE FRONT. I hope people can make it out. If there is more information I will pass it along. And just for the hell of it here is the trailer for the film: [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWqB7KYQH2M&w=600&h=338]
The Anniversary
One of my best friends was Timothy Ruiz. Tim was an intelligent, religious, compassionate and vibrant young man. He came from an outstanding family and was simply one of the best people that I have ever or will ever know. Sadly, Tim was taken away from us. My first year at NYU in 2005, I did a short documentary on Tim's family a year to the day of his passing. It is entitled "The Anniversary." I never did anything with this film. I showed it at school and to his family and that was it. It was too personal and hurtful for me to just push it out there. This is the first time that I am putting it out here publicly. I am very proud of this not necessarily for the filmmaking but because I knew it was something I had to do and I did it. It would not have been possible without his fantastic and amazing family who I need to do a much better job of keeping in touch with. They are the best. I also want to thank Daniel Patterson for shooting it and Darius Clark Monroe for doing sound. But I want to thank them even more for supporting me through that process. It meant a lot to me. Please watch it in its entirety. I am leaving out the details of his death because it is at the end of the film. Let me know what you think. Here goes...
[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/19183251 w=600&h=450]
The Anniversary from Randy Wilkins on Vimeo.
Say Grace Before Drowning
Nikaytu Jusu is a thesis candidate at the Tisch School of The Arts graduate film program. She is a schoolmate of mine and is a very talented director. She has enjoyed some nice success early on in her career. She is close to wrapping production on her new short "Say Grace Before Drowning" and she has just released a teaser for the film. It is shot by the very talented Daniel Patterson and I believe it is edited by the multi-talented Keith L. Davis. Check it out and please support Nikki's film when it drops in 2010. [youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTv3jiYPH2k&w=600&h=338]
P.S. I used the word "talent" three times so you know this is gonna be good.
P.S.S. Apologies to Nikki for using the youtube version but the vimeo embed code wasn't working on here for some reason.
UPDATE: If you want to know more about Nikki and her work please visit http://nikyatu.wordpress.com
Collapse...
Continuing in the movie a day challenge, I am going to give my impressions of the new documentary, "Collapse" by Chris Smith. Collapse features former LAPD cop turned investigative reporter, Michael Ruppert and his theories on the direction in which our global society is heading. He comes from a significant intelligence background with both of his parents working in some capacity with the CIA, and in fact since he was a teenager, Ruppert held above top-secret classification within the CIA. He has been following all forms of intelligence for over 30 years and paints a harrowing picture of our future. In its most simplest terms, Ruppert's premise is that when our natural resources eventually run out, our present global pardigm and system will collapse. This seems like a rather obvious statement to make but the film shows that this is way more complex than we imagine. "Collapse" goes into great detail to illustrate how oil lies at the foundation of everything that we do, spend, consume and expend. I think the film does a fantastic job of presenting Ruppert as an outsider character. The singular interview a la Errol Morris is a simple but wildly effective approach to letting the man use his own voice. I don't think there would be any other way to present Ruppert and his theories and capture the essence or danger of what they contain. There is an intensity, passion and sadness to the man that the film succeeds in capturing. The cinematography is beautiful for something that is so straightforward. It looks like an interrogation in a basement that looks like the Saw movies and there is a constant dolly shot that adds a creepiness and threat of danger throughout the piece. I think the film overall is great.
Now to the meat of this thing. I totally buy what Ruppert has to say. You can call me a conspiracy theorist or whatever but the man knows too much and analyzes the information too well for it to be dismissed. I wish I could go into detail but I don't want to ruin the film for those who haven't seen it. I will say that the issue is way more complex than just saying oil rules the world and Ruppert makes that abundantly clear. I do believe that we are running out of the one currency that makes this world go round and I do believe that we have to begin to figure out ways to adapt to this changing world. Collapse has definitely made me re-think a few things and I appreciate when a film can impact me in that way.
Here is the trailer:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJ3r93ELuB4&hl=en&fs=1&w=600&h=338]
A Film A Day Keeps the .... Away
So I have been told from two different prominent sources that filmmakers are supposed to watch films, like all the time. In order to improve your craft, you have to see the work from others and learn from them. As an up and coming director, I realized that this was a truism that I had to heed. I know this seems rather obvious but putting it into practice can be troublesome at times. I must admit I have not been doing a great job of this lately. A lot of it has to do with the Yankees winning the world series (which will be its own post soon) and actually working on a film. But I realized that I just used those things as an excuse. So I'm taking up what Spike has told me a couple times and that is to watch a film a day. With a little bit more free time coming my way I decided to spend part of it just watching movies. I started my challenge yesterday and I plan on writing about each film that I see here on the blog. Keep in mind that there is no preconceived criteria for what I am going to watch. It can be a blockbuster, a horror film, a short, a documentary, a neo-realist, a revenge flick, whatever. I just have to see one a day. I am not sure if I can keep it up but I am going to do my best to accomplish this. So like I said I started this up yesterday with "By The People." on HBO. If you don't know, this is the President Obama documentary. The one cool thing about this film is that I work with one of the editors, the amazing Geeta Ghandbhir. Actually, I had the pleasure of working with all the editors of By The People, Sam Pollard and Arielle Ansalem, on When The Levees Broke. So this was a nice way to start off the film a day thing. I knew going into the film that it wasn't about Obama per se. The larger focus of the film was on the actual campaign and the people behind it. This piqued my interest because I heard so much about the people who comprised the campaign that it was nice to actually see some faces. Long story short, I was disappointed. The film feels rushed to me. In an attempt to satisfy the timeline of events, I think the film falls short of getting into any depth about major moments that occurred. One topic that I wanted way more coverage of was the Sarah Palin choice. Ever since she was announced as the vice presidential candidate I was severely intrigued by how everyone in the Obama camp felt about it. The film skims over the reaction leaving us with sound bites from the campaign trail and not from inside the walls. Now I understand part of this may have been at the behest of the Obama people, but this is just one example in which we fly by landmark moments in the campaign without really gaining insight that the filmmakers access could have provided the audience. What was nice to see was the intense dedication that the workers and volunteers gave the campaign. It was inspiring to see such young, smart and innovative people not only commit to a historic process, but also be more than capable of accomplishing success. Despite its shortcomings, the opportunity to shed some light on these trailblazers makes the film worth your time to see. I'm sorry for such a quick write up of the film, but I'm pretty sleepy. It's been a long day.
I saw COLLAPSE tonight which has had a big initial impact on me so I will talk about this film in depth tomorrow.
Randy v. Randy The Black Filmmaker
I must concede that as I write this I am both sleepy and tired. I want to go back to bed but I can't and I am tired from all this legal, festival and assistant editor stuff that I have been dealing with over the last couple weeks. So that may be the reason why I feel the way I do at this particular moment about being a filmmaker and more specifically a black filmmaker. Now, this subject has been discussed ad nauseum for decades. I'm not gonna get into the whole "am I a filmmaker or a black filmmaker" debate. I'm a black guy who makes films. That pretty much ends that discussion. But I do think about the burden of representation that is often times brought upon by a third-party. Is it unfair for a black artist (or any other artist of color) to simultaneously create high quality, engaging art while also making a social statement EVERY time they make something? I used to think the answer was yes but now I'm changing my mind. Of course there are times when you have to be conscious of the images you are creating and how they will be received. I am and will never be an advocate of making or supporting caricatures. But are there moments where we can just be artists? Where we can be free of social implication and simply make something because we like the story we want to tell or paint a picture because it looks nice or choreograph a dance out of sheer personal expression? I just feel that at times the social responsibility is overwhelming and quite honestly not the primary reason I wanted to be a filmmaker. I want to tell stories that everyone can connect with and not just my people. I would like some criticism or discussion to center around the actual integrity of the work and not what it means in the grand scheme of life. Again, I'm tired and may just be blabbing nonsense but there are days when I would like to be judged as Randy and not as a black guy who makes films.
Osvaldo's News
So I have a couple updates for all of you regarding Osvaldo's. The momentum is increasing and the exposure is expanding. So the updated news is:
- The film is an official selection of the Mid-Atlantic Black Film Festival in Norfolk, Virginia from September 16-19. I don't have word yet on the screening time yet but I will let you all know shortly.
- The film will be AVAILABLE IN ITS ENTIRETY ON BET.COM STARTING NEXT WEEK. Osvaldo's is one of ten films being featured by the Urbanworld Film Festival on the popular website. So if you aren't able to visit the festivals to see it on the big screen you can see it on your computer from next week on through december. This is a great opportunity for the film and everyone involved and I am humbled that Urbanworld and BET thought enough of it to be showcased in this manner. Its pretty exciting.
- I'm being featured on Spike Lee's production company's website www.40acres.com in the "featured filmmaker" section. Stop by there and check it out. Its exciting to be a part of it and I would like to thank Spike, Jason, Eden, Earl and everyone else over at 40 for giving me some shine. Sign up as a member so you can get updates on what Spike is doing.
- Finally, Osvaldo's will be a part of SHORTS PROGRAM 3 AT THE ORLANDO HISPANIC FILM FESTIVAL. For more information on that screening block visit www.ohfilmfestival.com. I will have the links to this festival, the mid-atlantic film festival and 40 acres' website in the links section so it is easier for you guys to check everything out.
Peace out.
Another Fantastic Screening of Osvaldo's
So yesterday was the encore screening of Osvaldo's at the HBO Latino International Film Festival. I have to say that it was a great success. The theater was almost filled to capacity and there were a lot of people on hand to show support. I had mentioned this before but I was really excited about this particular screening because I knew some of the cast and crew members were going to be in attendance to see how all of their hard work had paid off. It felt really good to see how proud and happy they all were when they finally saw the final piece. We all went through a lot to get it done and everyone involved did it out of support of my vision and their passion for film making. I was really happy to share it with them. We recevied a lot of positive feedback as well. Its always a little nerve racking when you are screening your work to people you don't know or people who have no idea what you do all day when you tell them you're a filmmaker. But in all honesty, I'm very confident in Osvaldo's and I know its a strong film so the nerves dissipate once the film begins. Its reassuring to know that you can make a strong film about a family and their trials and tribulations and people respond to it and appreciate it. I'm not big on gimmicky films or sensational kind of films. I just like to tell honest, emotional stories about everyday people. Its nice to see that audiences can connect to that and enjoy themselves at the same time. Things are looking up and I hope they continue that way.
Now let's hope we win an award tonight!
Another Big Day for Osvaldo's
So the NYC premiere of Osvaldo's went real well. To my surprise, there was a very good crowd there given the fact that we were screening at 3:30 on a thursday afternoon. There were about 6 or 7 films that screened in the block and Osvaldo's screened second to last which I think is always a good thing because I have this belief that many festival programmers will put what they believe to be stronger films towards the end of a screening block. In any case, the film was well received and people were definitely into it.
Today is the encore screening of the film and I can't front I'm real excited about it. I have a feeling a lot of people are going to come out and support the film. Its always great to have your film screen in front of a diverse audience who has no idea what they're getting into when the film first starts but by the end you've engaged them with your story. I'm expecting a lot of NYC love today and I can't wait. If you're reading this and you want to come through the screening is at CHELSEA CINEMAS ON 23RD STREET BETWEEN 7TH & 8TH AVENUES. The screening begins at 3:30p. You can purchase tickets at the ticket window. Check out the trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cWqB7KYQH2M
I'll be back later with how everything went today.
The Oscars: A Night of Bollywood and Political Mayhem
I know that I am a couple weeks late with this particular topic, but since I started this blog literally last night I felt like that would give me a little leeway on discussing a subject that may be out of some people's minds at this point. To be honest, I didn't watch the entire event. I had grown weary of the Oscars over the last couple years because it appears to be more of a celebration of box office numbers and popularity contests than of artistic excellence. Unfortunately, I went against my instinct and tuned in for the last 45 minutes and decided that I won't watch the bullshit anymore (unless I'm invited and they recognize me for my own artistic excellence, which in that case I will feel compelled to play the role of hypocrite, grab my statue and bring it home to the Bronx.) I arrived at this decision after being a non-willing voyeur to the orgy of bullshit that was thrown in the direction of Slumdog Millionaire. Before someone yells at me and says, "but that movie is so good. Why don't you like it?" I would just like to say that I love the movie and found it very entertaining. Do I think it deserved best movie, best director, best sound and an onslaught of American- based Bollywood remixes all night? Absolutely not. I felt that the entire night was one big marketing campaign that was practically begging Bollywood to do business with a Hollywood establishment that doesn't know its head from its ass right now. This is even more apparent after I found out that Reliance, an Indian entertainment powerhouse, funded Dreamworks to the tune of $500 million. Slumdog lacks a dramatic depth that in my mind denies it from being considered a best movie candidate. If the award was most entertaining then it wins hands down. But best film? I'll pass on that. By the way, The Wrestler was the best movie of the year in my opinion and the Most Disappointing Randy Award goes to "Doubt." Its a whole bunch of yapping about nothing.
My other issue with the Oscars was the veiled political statement that the academy made in their decision to pick Sean Penn as best actor for his wonderful portrayal of Harvey Milk. Sean Penn was fantastic as was Josh Brolin, Emil Hirsch and James Franco. In fact, the whole cast was strong and the movie was great. I'm a huge Sean Penn fan and it bothers me that I have to disagree with the choice. I don't find it coincidental that in a state that is fighting over Prop 8 that the award was given to a performance that has gay rights issues at the forefront of the story. I don't want anyone to misconstrue this as an attack against gay rights. That is anything but the truth. I am sticking to performances alone. You can't tell me that Mickey Rourke wasn't the best actor of the year. His portrayal of Randy "The Ram" Robinson was honest, vulnerable, charming, engaging, physical and tragic. Penn's portrayal of Milk, while fantastic, did not offer the variety or complexity that Rourke's did of The Ram. Part of the allure of Milk is the battle that he fought and not necessarily the person that he is (according to the film. Its obvious he was a great man by real life standards). I just found the decision a clear attempt by the academy to voice their political opinion behind their own award. I think that is distasteful and does a disservice to fans of cinema. Just pick the best performance.
What do you guys think? Am I a disgruntled film student or do i make an ok case? I would love to know how you feel because clearly I feel pretty passionate about it. Thanks for reading.
