As regular readers know, we are family of film buffs. We keep up with current movies, and we also like to go to film festivals. For many years we have been going to the Maine International Film Festival (MIFF), held in Waterville, Maine, about twenty-five miles away from where we live. Dee, from New York, usually joins us, and we have ten days of nonstop movies. When Mike and Shannon lived in Maine, they would also join us on the weekends.
This year, MIFF had to scale way back and hold the festival at a Drive-In that was fifty miles away from our home. Much as we like movies, a 100-mile round trip was too far for us. Also, the kids were not able to join us because of the traveling hazards associated with Covid-19.
Without MIFF and visits from the kids, our summer sure felt flat. What to do to perk things up at least a little? How about a virtual film festival, via Zoom? We would follow MIFF’s lead by starting on a Friday and ending ten days later on a Sunday.
Naturally, we couldn’t pack in the movies the way MIFF does. Shannon and Mike were still working, and so was I. (Books don’t write themselves). So here’s what we did: We each picked a movie, which we would watch one night and then discuss the next.
This worked like a charm. Or, as we in Maine might say, a chahm. What a fun week we had! We each chose five thought-provoking films, beginning with greed and ending with greed. (No, we did not plan it that way.) After watching each movie, I couldn’t wait to hear what the others thought.
Here was our line-up and a brief description about each movie:
Atlantics, 2019. Country of origin: Senegal. Directed by Mati Diop. Available on Netflix. English subtitles.
Atlantics is a moody exploration of love, gender, greed, and money. A wealthy developer, who is constructing a giant, looming tower, refuses to pay his workers. This sets in motion a migration that separates two lovers, Soulieman and Ada and leads to a startling conclusion. Atlantics has a slow beginning, but it isn’t long before the story snaps into an unexpected place.
Hoop Dreams, 1994. Country of origin: USA. Directed by Steve James. Available to rent on Prime Video.
This extraordinary three-hour documentary came out in 1994 and follows two young men in inner city Chicago through four years of high school as they try to realize their dreams to play professional basketball. But Hoop Dreams goes beyond sports to cast a piercing gaze on poverty, racism, money, and the willingness of some coaches to use and then discard young men. A seminal movie even twenty-six years later.
Transit, 2018. Filmed in France. Directed by Christian Petzold. Available on Prime Video, included with Prime. English subtitles.
Transit is about persecuted minorities fleeing occupied France. I don’t want to reveal too much about this unsettling film. It is best watched without any spoilers. Transit examines the notion of Fascism and how easily societies can succumb to this terrible, repressive ideology. At the same time, it is a deeply humane film as it focuses on how the main characters grapple with the terror of fleeing capture and death and then the tedium of waiting for transport that will take them to countries not in the grip of fascism. Finally, it is a haunting, touching love story.
Silent Running, 1972. Country of origin: USA. Directed by Douglas Trumbull. Available to rent on Prime Video.
Silent Running is a 1972 science-fiction tale that takes a stern environmental stance. Earth’s green and growing spaces are gone, and the last biomes are being stored in space on huge freighters. When an order comes to destroy the biomes, Bruce Dern’s Freeman takes matters into his own hands to try to save the last forest. The special effects are astonishing, given the time and the budget. The acting is over-the-top, but the environmental story still resonates today.
Jean de Florette, 1986. Country of origin: France. Directed by Claude Berri. Available to rent on Prime Video. English subtitles.
Jean de Florette is the first movie in a two-part series that concludes with Manon of the Spring. Jean de Florette takes greed and personalizes it with the excellent Yves Montand as Cesar, who yearns to own the land that the hunchback Jean de Florette has inherited. Cesar plots and connives to get that land from the stubborn, unsuspecting Jean, and there is nothing Cesar will not do to get what he wants. All the acting is excellent, but as my son-in-law Mike pointed out, Yves Montand is outstanding, showing how evil can be both banal and ruthless.
Notes From the Hinterland 
You watched an interesting variety of films, thanks for all the information.
My pleasure!
I’ve seen a few of these. I thought Hoop Dreams was outstanding. SOme of the others sound good. Thanks for the recommendations.
My pleasure!
Hi. Some years ago I saw Jean de Fleurette and Manon of the Spring. I thought that they were great. I’d like to see them again.
Worth watching again.
I must, as Allan has not seen them.
The first Tri-State Virtual Film Festival was quite the success – definitely perked up our week quite a bit! All interesting movies and some that I most likely wouldn’t have seen on my own! Thanks for organizing this! 🙂
Oh, my pleasure! So glad we could do this.
Thank you Laurie for the information! What a great Festival too.
It was great getting together with the family, even if it was virtually.
Good for you!!
What a great idea! So fun, thanks for sharing 😊
My pleasure!
I like to watch the short video programs.
I’m not much of a film buff, but you certainly came up with a creative way to maintain your tradition. I did happen to see Hoop Dreams years ago, and it was quite good. Strange (or not!) how contemporary it still feels.
Yes, “Hoop Dreams” feel all too relevant even now.
I’ve been waiting for this post, Laurie. It did not disappoint! I love how your family created its own (pandemic) Film Fest and adjusted the ‘rules’ to work for all involved. I haven’t seen any of the films that you’ve listed. I love the variety covered. I’d love to hear more about major points of agreement (as well as disagreement). Also, is there anything that you would do differently if holding this again?
Many thanks! Actually, there were only minor points of disagreement. Each film was well received by all of us. Can’t think of anything different we would do. It all went pretty smoothly.
What an excellent idea! And an eclectic mix of films too as you would find at a film festival.
Yes, yes. Part of the fun was having such an eclectic mix.
I love this what makes me happy series. And movies … movies is something we all have in common.
Many thanks! And what better time to watch movies?
For sure!
Thanks for the interesting range of movies you have given us… I think there is one in there for everyone in our family .. and I love knowing a bit about a movie before I start. Great family idea! 👏👏
My pleasure! It felt, a little, like we were actually getting together as a family, which we won’t really be doing until there a safe and effective vaccine.
Great Film Festival taking you round the world and through the ages. Thank you for the reviews.
I watched the two French films years ago and loved the atmosphere created in them – another classic is ‘Babette’s Feast’, which I have watched several times as I have the DVD. I’m sure you will have seen that.
I have the DVD of “Babette’s Feast,” too. One of my favorite movies.
It’s a classic!
Applause to your family for finding such a creative and wonderful way to stay connected, and I love the mugs. 🙂
We had a lot of fun.
An excellent plan. I enjoyed Jean de Florette some time ago
Even though it was made in 1986, Jean de Florette has held up well.
That’s good.
What an interesting variety of films! We have attended CIFF (the Cleveland International Film Festival) multiple times. It was on the list of possibilities this year until the pandemic came along. (They did do a virtual showing of the films, but our internet service is not up to streaming.) I love the mugs, too. Glad you were able to do something with your family. 🙂
Thanks so much! It really perked up our summer.
What a great idea! I love how we’ve all had to become more creative in these unusual times. Sounds like you all had a barrel of fun and I’ve got several new film suggestions to follow up!
We had a great time. Spiced up our rather dull summer, that’s for sure.
I’ve just had a big clearout of my DVDs and kept only a few. Amongst those few are ‘Jean de Florette’ and ‘Manon de Source’ because I remember loving them when I first watched them and should really watch them again.
Still such a good movie.
Good for you! Takes a bit of organizing but it’s obviously worth it. Would the family agree on a favorite you could recommend? I’m interested. Last night we saw “Marley.” We thought it was wonderful.
The general consensus was “Atlantics” with “Transit” being a close second.
I’m not a film buff but I do admire your creativity and determination to still have the best of what is missing from life at present|!
Unusual times call for unusual measures.
Great way for family bonding and I love the mug.
Such a wonderful idea to create your own family film festival Laurie and great to hear you all enjoyed it 💚
It really perked up what was a very dull summer for all of us.
The mugs are great, and I enjoyed reading about your film selections, Laurie. Good to hear from you!
Thanks, Lavinia!
Best to be flexible in adapting our routines… how else did the Native Americans and settlers survive without all of our modern methods of controlling nature? And, if you think about it, are not many of our conflicts and miseries self-made because of rigid thinking and demanding actions? – Oscar
Yes, rigid as well as narrow and without empathy.
Love your fabulous idea of a virtual film festival and the wonderful mugs by Clif!! I’m glad your local community was still able to offer a drive-in version of the festival, but yours sounded like an excellent choice. Interesting selection of movies that I will be adding to my watchlist (including watching Jean de Florette again).
We had such a good time watching and then discussing.
I’ve seen the last two, and will be sure to watch Atlantics, because we have Netflix (but not Prime yet). Have you seen movies by Ken Loach? He is big on working class travails.
A friend in Seattle was very sad that her yearly ritual of attending many films at the Seattle International Film Festival was not to be in 2020. She’s arranged a zoom film viewing every Friday evening with online friends. It’s still gardening daylight time for me and her taste runs more to campy horror films, but what a nice idea.
Lots of wonderful things have been canceled. A safe, effective vaccine can’t come fast enough.
I enjoyed visiting your blog. Very nice information.
Thanks for stopping by. I only occasionally write about movies, but I sure watch a lot of them. And who knows? There might be a second tri-state virtual film festival. 😉