The Sedona International Film Festival celebrated a milestone year in 2019 -- its 25th anniversary. What started as a 3-day festival back in 1995 has flourished into a 9-day festival offering more than 170 films from around the world.
The 2019 festival lineup offered thought-provoking, eye-opening, inspiring, moving and truly entertaining films. We visited the festival for the first time and were genuinely delighted by not only how well put together the festival was but its caliber of films.
Here is a quick hit of the films we saw and our thoughts on each.
The Drummer and the Keeper
Gabriel, a rebellious young drummer, is diagnosed with Bipolar disorder and hurting those around him with his erratic behavior. His bandmates give him an ultimatum - get help now. His therapist urges him to join a mixed-ability football(soccer) team. Gabriel meets goalkeeper Christopher, an institutionalized teen with Asperger's Syndrome. Christopher quickly latches on to Gabriel and his bandmates find Christopher’s meticulous attention to detail ideal for roadie work. While Christopher learns to be more social, Gabriel deals with the mind-numbing effects for his new drugs. Through their difference, they find out they may be each other's missing puzzle piece.
Kaely: From the get-go, this film immediately hooks you. The relationship between Gabriel and Christopher is both poignant and funny. Much of the humor comes out as their personalities and their respective mental differences clash. But both of their mental abilities are treated with respect and not once was there a sense of poking fun at them. If there is any criticism of this film, it would be that neither of the actors has the mental conditions their characters do.
Kaely: A+
Tuesday: Initially, I was worried this would fall into a corny, buddy-buddy movie. Luckily, it was a refreshing take on a familiar story. With the sensitive subject of mental health on the table, the entire production delivers a respectful outlook on the real struggles of these illnesses. This was truly a laugh-out-loud film that will make you think twice about how you define friendship.
Tuesday: A
Hear our full review below
The 2019 festival lineup offered thought-provoking, eye-opening, inspiring, moving and truly entertaining films. We visited the festival for the first time and were genuinely delighted by not only how well put together the festival was but its caliber of films.
Here is a quick hit of the films we saw and our thoughts on each.
The Drummer and the Keeper
Gabriel, a rebellious young drummer, is diagnosed with Bipolar disorder and hurting those around him with his erratic behavior. His bandmates give him an ultimatum - get help now. His therapist urges him to join a mixed-ability football(soccer) team. Gabriel meets goalkeeper Christopher, an institutionalized teen with Asperger's Syndrome. Christopher quickly latches on to Gabriel and his bandmates find Christopher’s meticulous attention to detail ideal for roadie work. While Christopher learns to be more social, Gabriel deals with the mind-numbing effects for his new drugs. Through their difference, they find out they may be each other's missing puzzle piece.
Kaely: From the get-go, this film immediately hooks you. The relationship between Gabriel and Christopher is both poignant and funny. Much of the humor comes out as their personalities and their respective mental differences clash. But both of their mental abilities are treated with respect and not once was there a sense of poking fun at them. If there is any criticism of this film, it would be that neither of the actors has the mental conditions their characters do.
Kaely: A+
Tuesday: Initially, I was worried this would fall into a corny, buddy-buddy movie. Luckily, it was a refreshing take on a familiar story. With the sensitive subject of mental health on the table, the entire production delivers a respectful outlook on the real struggles of these illnesses. This was truly a laugh-out-loud film that will make you think twice about how you define friendship.
Tuesday: A
Hear our full review below
Nigerian Prince
We begin the film following Eze, a young Nigerian American visiting his family, specifically his aunt Grace, in Nigeria. Eze’s mother hopes her spoiled son will connect with his roots although he was raised in the US. Eze visits on the promise he will only be there for a short period of time. When he realizes the luxuries of home are not the same in Nigeria, where power goes in and out and the food is anything but a cheeseburger, he begs his mom to go home sooner. What Eze doesn’t know is his mother and aunt have set him up to be there for an indefinitely amount of time -- like ‘enrolling him in school’ long time. He meets his cousin, Pius, -- the Nigerian Prince, if you will, and a scam artist. He takes Eze under his wing and starts teaching him how to scam so Eze can get enough money to buy a plane ticket home.
Kaely: The overall cinematic experience of this film was stellar. While there are humorous elements the story takes a far more dramatic turn than expected, given that the trailer opens with Pius typing a scam email. The in-depth exploration of human desires -- Eze’s desire to return to the US, Pius’ desire to have a better more wealthy life -- is fantastically executed. This was one of the better films we saw at SIFF.
Kaely - A
Tuesday: Who is the man behind the scam? Living in America, we don’t necessarily know what it’s like to grow up on the streets of Africa. This is not a film to watch lightly as it looks at complex struggles and real-life issues. While the movie is speckled with humor, twists make you question if justice will ever prevail. An interesting storyline and new perspective.
Tuesday: B+
Hear our full review below
We begin the film following Eze, a young Nigerian American visiting his family, specifically his aunt Grace, in Nigeria. Eze’s mother hopes her spoiled son will connect with his roots although he was raised in the US. Eze visits on the promise he will only be there for a short period of time. When he realizes the luxuries of home are not the same in Nigeria, where power goes in and out and the food is anything but a cheeseburger, he begs his mom to go home sooner. What Eze doesn’t know is his mother and aunt have set him up to be there for an indefinitely amount of time -- like ‘enrolling him in school’ long time. He meets his cousin, Pius, -- the Nigerian Prince, if you will, and a scam artist. He takes Eze under his wing and starts teaching him how to scam so Eze can get enough money to buy a plane ticket home.
Kaely: The overall cinematic experience of this film was stellar. While there are humorous elements the story takes a far more dramatic turn than expected, given that the trailer opens with Pius typing a scam email. The in-depth exploration of human desires -- Eze’s desire to return to the US, Pius’ desire to have a better more wealthy life -- is fantastically executed. This was one of the better films we saw at SIFF.
Kaely - A
Tuesday: Who is the man behind the scam? Living in America, we don’t necessarily know what it’s like to grow up on the streets of Africa. This is not a film to watch lightly as it looks at complex struggles and real-life issues. While the movie is speckled with humor, twists make you question if justice will ever prevail. An interesting storyline and new perspective.
Tuesday: B+
Hear our full review below
The Gift of Love
Based on North Korean reality, The Gift of Love is a story based on true events that took place in the province of North Hwanghae. Lee Sojung is the wife of a disabled war veteran who alone struggles to support his family. Forced to sell her body secretly, Sojung has a great sense of guilt and sadness. Eventually, prostitution is no longer an option because of the regime's repression, making their situation even more unsustainable. While the lies continue, Kangho's suspicions continue to grow, until Sojung tells of meeting Kim Jong Un and having received "love gifts" from the Dear Leader, a lie that will make the family spend a joyful and happy evening with tragic implications.
Kaely: Words are hardly adequate to describe just how moving and heart wrenching this film is. It’s not an easy film to watch by any means, but it provides a unique glimpse of what the director, who is a North Korean defector, both experienced and heard about as a child and young man. Being able to see how the poorest of the poor live and contrasting that with how the higher-ups get away with outrageous luxuries, it’s both infuriating and tragic. The undying loyalty to the dictator is juxtaposed to how that loyalty is not repaid. And the ultimate tragedy of people taking rat poison to escape and no longer be a burden on their families -- it’s incredibly difficult to watch but so worthy of seeing. As the director said, he wants to wake people up to the realities of how the North Koreans are suffering -- to remind the international community that something should be done.
Kaely - A+
Tuesday: The price of loyalty and love. A perspective hardly seen outside of North Korea, this director tackles the true story behind the wall. A scary tale of the haves and havenots, all-consuming support and lies within a family. Tears come to my eyes to watch what a mother will do to keep food on the table for her family. Not an easy movie to watch, but a true reminder of those suffering under communist regimes.
Tuesday: A+
Dogman
Revenge is unleashed in this gritty and violent Italian drama. Mild and caring Marcello is a divorced dog groomer making an honest living caring for pooches of all shapes and sizes. He also makes some cash in a not so honest way by the form of petty crimes like selling drugs. When a former boxer begins terrorizing the neighborhood, Marcello is unable to escape the bullish Simoncino who physical and verbal bullies him into doing what he wants, but to the point of going to jail on Simoncino’s behalf. Reaching his breaking point, the vicious side of Marcello comes out like a small dog bearing its teeth. The revenge reminds us that even small dogs can have devastating bites.
Kaely: Despite the parade of adorable dogs and the goodness that gleams in Marcello, we see what happens when a coward is pushed beyond his limits. Director Matteo Garrone doesn’t pull back from the violence but rather dives in, but always with an intent. Marcello Fonte not so much plays Marcello but truly inhabits the character. So much of this film is physical and Fonte effortlessly assumes the timid Marcello and really brings him to life. Dogman is a challenging watch but well worth the time.
Kaely: B+
Tuesday: I went in praying no dogs were killed during the film. While I was fortunate in that respect, it wasn’t easy to watch the gruesome and bloody fighting that occurred amongst humans. Marcello Fonte’s acting was exceptional and deserved Cannes Best Actor Award. Worth the watch but keep the kids in the other room.
Tuesday: B