The 53rd San Francisco International Film Festival is in full swing. And I haven't seen a single film.
I don't know what it is about BIG film festivals but I'm not really a fan. There's just too much going on for me to calm down and focus on a film in the manner to which I am accustomed. There are all sorts of schedules to follow, times to remember, and other logistical challenges that conspire to crush the spontaneity of film-going that I find appealing.
From what I understand, it is a very well run festival; respected and admired across the country as one of our best. Nevertheless, I'm steering clear and will follow-up when the films trickle into theaters over the coming months. Besides, it's not like anything at SFiFF has a freakin' PUPPET SHOW or anything.
Wait. Puppet Show?
Local filmmakers Josh Self, Orlando Rivera II and Derek Iaea (together as IFYW) are sceening their new film - GOODNIGHT HARVEY - at The Dark Room this Saturday, May 1st. And they are opening with a puppet show. Take that, SFIFF!
About the film:
"Sam, a puppet skinner's apprentice, must confront the realities of his profession when a puppet named Harvey wakes up on the cutting table. With a customer anxious to get Harvey's hide, Sam must choose whether to set him free, or finish the skinning that has already been started."
The trailer is pretty awesome and, really, isn't it time we addressed puppet-skinning in our culture? Besides, the film comes with a promise:
"IFYW gurantees (sic) lack of disappointment in this grand spectacle of stage and screen."
If this trailer doesn't get your puppet fingers all-a-twitchin', nothing will.
Ah! I've made a connection from this article to SFIFF thereby saving my journalistic career by keeping me just-barely-relevant to the primary film industry of the week! GOODNIGHT HARVEY was filmed in the dark and delicious bowles of The Armory - the same building in which parts of SFIFF favorite ALL ABOUT EVIL were filmed. (Ed. Also the site of the the famed skate spot, 3 Up - 3 Down)
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