LITTLE SHOTS OF HAPPINESS
AT THE SOUTH BY SOUTHWEST FEST, AUSTIN, TX 1998
i
am currently reading this book (i mean currently, present tense, as in when
i am sending this to harry) called "the
altering eye," a book spanning international cinema and its
struggle with and against the hollywood system. i am right
now reading about neo-realism and the french new wave, and
it just seems so fitting that i now get to write about this film, little
shots of happiness. a color film
shot in 16mm in the tradition of godard and
other french new wavians. not because this is an avante garde film, instead
it is basic filmmaking used to tell a
great story.
this film does not need the glossiness or 35mm, nor does it need a good audio track because it has the actors and story to carry it a long way. it is shot as basic as basic could be, while still keeping the audience intrigue entertained, and emotional. the subject helps carry the film too. but since i saw this film without knowing much at all about it, i think that may have just added to the pleasantness of my surprise. this was another one of those films that a smile cracked on my face, and i said to myself "wow! and who made this? and who are these actors? and who wrote this? this is great, phenomenal" another shocking surprise given to me by sxsw. thank you. and this film also has to squeeze in there on my top 5 list (of the films screened at SXSW, which is about to burst at the seams. (Vertov)