Hearts

I have recently screened a trio of fine films this summer that each chronicle the intersection of two hearts. These range from a purely fictional story of a year-long-and-then-some romance, a quasi-documentary briefly following a "is it real or not" romance, and an amazing true documentary of a romance that grew out of the harshest of historical circumstances to last over half a century.

A few weeks ago, I went to see the delightfully charming and inventive fictional film, 500 Days of Summer. It's a post-modern, straight-shooter of a (sort-of) love story, with an engaging pair of leads in Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I hope they pair up again on film.

One of the trailers before that movie was for Paper Heart, a quasi-documentary starring Charlene Yi and Michael Cera, members of the Judd Apatow cinematic troupe. I had regretfully missed a screening of the film at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June, so was quite happy to see it picked up for release this month. The film details non-believer Yi's quest to uncover whether true love really exists. Along the way, she meets Cera and they embark on a romance that may or may not be real. Mixing documentary with storytelling, the film is a sweet offering of love in many forms.

Steal a Pencil For Me, is an enthralling documentary adaptation of the book of the same name. The film, which aired on PBS Independent Lens earlier this year, chronicles the incredible true love story of two Dutch Holocaust survivors. Jack (Jaap) Polak and Ina Soep fall in love in a concentration camp, but must carry on their love affair through heart-wrenching letters as they struggle to survive and stay connected. It's a poignant reminder that the power of true love between two hearts is often the strongest power of all.

I heart film.