For some inexplicable reason, the likes of 13 Going On 30 or The Alamo may not be enough of a draw for some to venture down to good old Loews of K St. If this is the case, this spring’s crop of D.C. film festivals offers up a huge range of options to sate your cinematic cravings.
The season kicked off two weekends ago with the Fourth Annual Georgetown Student Film Festival. The festival was a pleasant surprise, showcasing a staggering amount of on-campus talent. One of the most impressive films on display, Luis Cerezo’s film (W)HOLE was a poetic, moving, beautifully directed tribute to his aunt and grandmother, both breast cancer survivors.
Bryan Madole and Grady McGahan presented several extraordinarily accomplished works, both looking quite dashing in matching velvet tuxedos. Their film Sherm turned the theme song from The Pink Panther into a sublime, anarchically gleeful dance number, while their Dognapped was named best picture over 10 minutes for its tight cinematography and disciplined, clearly experienced directing. For a school known for its lack of artistic resources, the Student Film Festival was a huge success, a celebratory testament to an often overlooked and underappreciated campus community.
For those who missed the Student Festival, Film Fest D.C. is into its second week and still going strong. This festival, which spreads its events over various theaters around the District, focuses this year on Argentinian cinema, but their Politics in Film series sports the choice flicks.
Super Size Me, a documentary about a man who eats nothing but McDonald’s food for an entire month, is rumored to be the crown jewel of this year’s selection. The film will close out the festival at 4:00 p.m. this Sunday at the Lincoln Theater, complete with a live band and an after-party. Looking for Fidel, a rare Oliver Stone documentary on the Cuban dictator, will be shown on Saturday at 6:00 in the AFI Silver Screen, followed up by the Argentinian masterwork Seaward Journey at 9:45.
For those planning to stick around a little longer after finals, the D.C. Underground Film Festival takes place on May 21 and 22. This festival takes a more vehement anti-Hollywood stance, which can be very refreshing. Look for the work of Roger Beebe and a documentary on the New York City art collective, ABC No Rio. Anyone in town that weekend should also check out the fantastic HFStival at RFK Stadium, featuring the Cure, Modest Mouse and a host of other excellent bands. After all, even the most fervent cinephile can get burnt out on documentaries.
www.filmfestdc.org
www.dcuff.org
