MIAMI FILM FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE

By Gerardo Cruz

From a super-powered mom, the trials of living after a hurricane, to the problems that loom over an addiction to necrophilia. These were themes that were interwoven in this year’s Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Family Foundation Cinemaslam Competition. The 2019 edition of this South Florida student film competition was a special event programmed for the Miami Film Festival. The films were screened on March 2nd, 2019, at the Tower Theater situated in the heart of Miami.

The films were produced by students enrolled in South Florida schools and they competed for cash prizes, film category awards, and an audience award.

Nine films were showcased in the competition, beginning with Late Again Ana from The New York Film Academy and helmed by Anastasia Kochetkova, who was also in the titular role as Ana. The film follows a mom that goes to great lengths and uses super-powers to earn acceptance from her children. The comedic story and Ana’s fantasy powers channel what it is to be a super-mom every day despite deadlines and challenges. Ana’s acting performance is what truly moves the film forward. Through her dialogue and slapstick feats and super-power visual effects that are executed properly, the film maintains a funny, rather than action-packed sci-fi feel that any son, daughter, or mother can connect to.

Good People proceeded to showcase the darker side of domestic violence and returning to old dangerous ways. The Broward College production was directed by Michael Martinez. Themes of betrayal, domestic violence, and staying clean all work together in this drama-thriller film. Vivid makeup effects in the first few moments of the film reveal Lucy and provided subtext to her life with an abusive partner. Ricky who is living a life clean of crime needs quick money and meets with Lucy to discuss a heist. Eventually, Lucy is shown to be homing in on her own plan, that gets Ricky and her partner fatally wounded. Blues, and low-key lighting, along with prop weapons and blood go a long way to maximize the chasing, hiding, and killing that ensues.

Disassociated works on the movement and dynamism of montage to present the dizzying effects, and internal mental struggle of seeking help for feeling disconnected from the world. The film is directed by New World School of the Arts student, Eric Mendoza. A memorable push-out from a mirror reveals a kitten shower curtain and the queer Latino teenager who feels the disconnection from society. The production design element of the cat shower curtain established the teenager’s queer life, while the crumpled towels and extreme close-ups reveal the chaos is in a disconnected mind. Monochrome images and slushy sounds are juxtaposed through the tool of montage to create an abstract look at the mind of the film’s protagonist. While character arc is not the focus of the film, audiences can anticipate a sound and visual experience that leans into the abstract world.

Steve and the Dead Girl was the definitive horror film of the event that took audiences into the world of addiction to necrophilia. Directed by Katlyn Aviles, the University of Miami student film maintains low key-lighting throughout every act to underlie the dark emotion around necrophilia and the life of a mortician. Steve, portrayed by the lead actor, is the sick mortician. Other actors and actresses wore makeup to serve as the corpses. Second to Steve is the actress, who became his live romance and who still does not satisfy his lust for lifeless bodies. Eventually, Steve’s fellow mortician, who’s dialogue adds some comedy to the film, encountered Steve having sex with a new corpse. The acting propelled the film’s absurdity, along with the production design & lighting, maintaining a dark world with unsavable characters.

Happy to Be Nappy took audiences into a celebration of loving one’s natural beauty. The New York Film Academy produced short film gave viewers a look into African culture and beauty. Directed by Xiao Che, the film takes the form of a positive music video with messages of valuing yourself. The singer who provides vocals for the song is present throughout the film and her vocals create a multi-genre vibe that carries the images far. Filled with many smiling faces, and traditional clothing, and pictures of smiling people, the music video aims to bring the audience to the celebration. The film incorporated archival footage from the Lynn and Louis Wolfson II Media Center which won it a $5000 prize for its creative use of the footage.

The Chase took audiences away from the real world and brought them into an animated world. Directed by Chantal Gabriel, the University of Miami student film features a story of two characters who meet, yet one has a different form: a wolf boy. When the form is revealed, everyone in the town literally disappears in fear, and a chase ensues. The audience eventually finds out that the wolf boy was looking for love all along and that the chase was, in fact, a plan to reveal his love. The fluidity of the animation was unique,and the sound effects and music only serviced the story’s atypical end.

Escapé took viewers into the despair that rises from being married to someone for a long time and the boredom and lack of passion that creeps up throughout the years. Directed by Miami Dade College student, Mariana Serrano, the film follows Richard Green and how he brings back a spark to his life. Green’s performance dominates, while his wife, played by Paulina Galvez, perfectly conveys a person that is out of love. Her performance is what drives Green to react and seek love elsewhere, and it earned her a Best Actress Award during the competition. The story centers on him responding to a love ad in the newspaper. Green eventually realizes that his wife is everything he wanted all along and they have a date at a bar. Monotony eventually turns into rekindled passion as they share piña coladas. The films cinematography keeps both characters in softer light to keep the audience hoping for their spark to reignite.

The Skin of Yesterday brings to light the perils of surviving on an island, after a hurricane’s destruction. The Miami Dade College student film directed by Andrew Garcia, focused on the loss and dangers of living after a destructive storm. Taking place in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, the story centered around a widower, Randwin, looking for clean water to provide to his family. His family consists of his sister, his daughter Sandra, and his grandmother. The film used a bunny, that Sandra owns but has lost, as an allegory for the lost hope in the island. The film’s spectacular use of actors to simulate crowded lines, and props to simulate water scarcity, present real struggle. This was also the most serious film in highlighting the loss of life that comes with living without aid or access to resources.

Ajedrez provides insight into the world of class inequality in Cuba. Centered around Rey and Marcos in Havana, Cuba in the 90s, the film highlights inequality through a game of Chess. The film was directed by Miami Dade College student, Alejandro Gonzalez Valdes. Rey devotes his days to chess, while Marcos lives a more privileged life. The guys agree to chess game, with Rey taking Marco’s shoes (he has no shoes) if he wins, and Marco taking the chess board (he has shoes and privileged life) if he wins. During the match they snap back at each other with every move, using familiar Cuban phrases and names. They trade insults that go deep into the subtext of their lives and reveal the overall lack of resources in Cuba. Eventually, a fight ignites from the insults which is thwarted by Rey’s relative. The resolution is seen when Rey is wearing Marco’s shoes and they play another game of chess. The final scene is a flash-forward to current day where Rey and Marco are friends and still play chess. The performances of both actors, as teenagers, carries the simple format of the film where there performances alone are enough to reveal class differences without shifting to imagery of the rest of the island. This film won top accolades of Best Writing and Best Director that both went to Gonzalez Valdes.

Overall the films in Cinemaslam 2019 were more than just indie flick made by students. These films are truly independent marvels indicative of class differences, abnormal psychology, love, despair, and dealing with destruction and parenting. The films break into the psyche of audiences rather than just entertaining the viewers. I recommend this event to anyone working on a student film and to anyone wishing to submit a student film so as to take note of the caliber and performances that go into creating and screening thought-provoking, films.