International

I've been expanding my doc horizons over the past several months, catching a number of noteworthy international (sub-titled) films at various festivals and screenings. It beats airline travel these days.

Kings of Pastry screened over the summer at the LA Film Festival. For foodies and chefs, it is a gastronomic feast - documenting the rigorous Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (M.O.F.) competition among pastry chefs to attain the Best Craftsman in France designation. It is also an edge-of-your-seat nail-biter, I kid you not. The woman next to me jumped out of her seat more than a few times. The film explores the thrill of victory and agony of defeat - all wrapped up in phyllo dough and topped with creme anglaise. Pounds gained just by viewing: 10.

I checked out a recent German film festival screening of Autumn Gold a few weeks ago. What an inspirational and moving film. It follows five athletes competing at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Finland - which would seem rudimentary, except for the fact that all of these world-class athletes are between the ages of 80-100+!! Check out the trailer at the link above to put a smile on your face all day.

At Docu Weeks LA a few months ago, I caught an engrossing and intimate documentary about coming of age in the 1980s Soviet Union. My Perestroika follows several ordinary Russians as they reflect on growing up during an age of political and societal upheaval, and the state of post-Soviet Russia. For everyone who also grew up in the Reagan era when these changes were happening, it is fascinating to get some deep insight into the last generation brought up behind the Iron Curtain.

I'm also planning to check out Passione at an upcoming Italian Festival in town. Actor John Turturro explores the exciting music scene of Naples in this new film. The doc recently had its North American premiere at the Toronto Film Festival - on my list of festivals to check out when I feel like travelling again.

But with all of these wonderful docs, do I really need to? :)

Midnight Express

Do you remember that great line in the movie Airplane, where Peter Graves as Captain Oveur asks his young passenger, "Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?" So funny, right?

Yeah, well not if you're Billy Hayes. He's the subject of Nat Geo's new documentary "The Real Midnight Express", which is premiering next week as part of its new season of Locked Up Abroad. I screened the film last night at the Paley Center - one of my favorite venues in LA (and NY) to soak up media and pop culture.

You may remember Midnight Express, the Oscar®-winning movie from the late '70s starring Brad Davis and adapted by Oliver Stone from Hayes' book of the same name. The film dramatizes the story of Hayes' hashish drug arrest, imprisonment and daring escape from a brutual Turkish prison. It has been criticized over the years for its alteration of some events for dramatic effect and for its portrayal of the Turks, but remains a solid pick among prison films. Nat Geo is presenting the story as a documentary, anchored by an interview narration with Hayes and a dramatic re-enactment of his full story, which for the first time Hayes is able to share. He is past the point of being a wanted man in Turkey - as he noted in a Q&A last night, he was actually invited back there for an event not so long ago - but his story still fascinates. He was accompanied by attorney Dick Atkins, who worked on Hayes' case and has helped thousands of Americans since get out of legal trouble abroad (and is now going to be in my rolodex next time I venture outside of the U.S.!). Atkins' tip: buy low-cost travel insurance, which helps provide assistance with many international emergencies.

Or I say, just stay home and watch documentaries instead!

Fest Pt. 3 (International)

I've been trying to add more international doc films and festivals into my screening repertoire; luckily the Los Angeles area is chock full of opportunities to see fantastic documentaries from around the globe.

Recently, I attended the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival, where I screened Beijing Taxi, a documentary by Miao Wang. The film is a fascinating study of a city on the move, examined eloquently, intimately and metaphorically through the changing lives of three area taxi drivers. As Beijing prepared to host the 2008 Summer Olympics, it experienced not only a rapid rise in development and activity, but a society that was morphing from ancient to modern, an economy shifting from communist to capitalist, and a population that was struggling to adapt to it all against the global spotlight of the Olympic games. After seeing the Beijing Olympics successfully come to life (remember the pageantry of their opening and closing ceremonies), it was interesting to get a look at how transformational such an event can be.

I unfortunately missed Last Train Home at this festival and a few others recently, but also want to see this acclaimed doc on Chinese migrant workers' annual pilgrimages home for the Chinese New Year.

Finally, I am hoping to make my first trip to the Los Angeles Greek Film Festival next month for a dynamic line-up of films from this country. Like all of the other international doc festivals, I am sure it will make me even more eager to soak up the culture of other lands.

I've got the whole world in my (doc) hands.