French documentary on the world of a brain-damaged, physically-handicapped child confined to a wheel chair, unable to speak but trying desperately to communicate with his nurse and the other children in the hospital. It chronicles his friendship with another youngster even more crippled than himself, their joy in being together, their little spats and, finally, the termination of their friendship by death. Directed by Pierre Jallaud, it is a remarkable achievement, treating its subject creatively yet with complete integrity. There is no commentary, no dialogue, only the natural sounds of the children and their environment.
rarefilmm | The Cave of Forgotten Films Posts
A fascinating insight into the life and works of photographer Imogen Cunningham. Coming into public attention around 1910, she was celebrated in the late sixties through awards, honorary degrees and exhibitions. Her photos are looked at from three focal points: nature, portraits and figure studies.
An English bookkeeper who works for a jeweler steals a priceless jewel, and kills a man in the process. He flees to the continent, where he embarks on the life of his dreams; spending lavishly and pursuing women. A detective tracking him soon discovers he’s not the only one searching for him, and begins to suspect there’s more to the case than just an ordinary jewel theft.
Coraje narrates the last years in the life of María Elena Moyano, a black leader from Villa El Salvador (Lima, Peru), organizer of the local feminist movement, who received the Prince of Asturias Award and who was assassinated by the Communist Party Sendero Luminoso in 1992.
Software programmer Ben Braden has it all: beautiful wife, cute kid, dream house, sports car, great job. Then one day the doorbell rings and he finds himself standing eye to eye with Alex Connelly, every inch his double and hell-bent on getting Ben’s material features as well…
Mark Rappaport completed his concise portrait of the legendary John Garfield in 2002, comprised (like much of his filmed essays) from existing film footage of the actor. Exceptionally engaging, Rappaport’s extraordinary short contains more insightful observations of its subject than many feature-length biographical documentaries.
Hani Susumu’s Inferno of First Love, is a brilliant, unforgettable, and sensitive film. Working from a script by playwright, and experimental filmmaker, Terayama Shuji, Hani’s film captures Shun, an orphan, who falls in love with a pretty young nude model named Nanami, with his sexual inadequacies, problem childhood, and coming of age. Examining Shun, we see the reality of child molestation, with deep scars that ripple into adulthood, exposing the twin monsters of repression and inadequacy looming overhead. Shun’s complex relationship with his parents, Nanami, and a young girl named Momi he befriends, eventually lead to disaster, as society closes in, so does fate.