A Seattle moviegoing lifestyle magazine
Movie Festivals around the world
Sarah is steeped in a world of scientific study and dissertations; that world suddenly stops with just a single phone call, her mother has died of a sudden aneurism. Not only has she lost someone dear to her but she’s thrown into the deep end of caring for her funeral arrangements, both American and Ghanaian. She’s much more familiar and comfortable with the former, but the culture and customs of her mother’s homeland go way over her head.
Two NIGHTSTREAM films exploring time travel in lightly sci-fi ways: one a fun Japanese comedy, and one a grief-infused Australian family drama.
Two films in this year’s virtual genre fest explore social paranoia, and that weirdo who throws off the vibe of a peaceful retreat.
Kenza is a headstrong, whip-smart young girl living on the island of Curaçao where, like any indigenous peoples lorded over by a colonial nation, is pulled in two directions. Her father, Ouira, wants to fit into the Dutch culture that has taken over the island, but her grandfather Weljo is steadfastly holding to their tribal traditions. Kenza feels pulled toward the mysticism and wonder of those traditions, especially the call of the dead after losing her mother at a very early age. Loss of land and culture is a constant undercurrent throughout the film, there’s a growing feeling of heartbreak in all three generations and in the end they find each other again through the love of family.
In a fantastical animated world where bears speak, are rarely interested in attacking humans and live for their fellows’ happiness is where we find ourselves in The Bears’ Famous Invasion. A story within a story, it unfolds with the city of Sicily coming under invasion by a mass of bears because their leader has lost his son and believes him to be taken into the city unwillingly by humans.
Jenn is diving in to the second-annual virtual genre festival, organized in part by the team behind the North Bend Film Fest!
Morgen is “headed” to the Mill Valley Film Festival (MVFF), virtually of course, and she couldn’t be more excited about adding a new festival to our growing roster here at The Sunbreak. It actually starts tomorrow 10/7 and runs through 10/17, so I highly recommend you check out their site and nab a virtual viewing ticket while the getting is good. Read on for more info and what’s to come at the festival!
Most people haven’t heard of the Storm Lake Times newspaper for the same reason they likely haven’t heard of the Nome (Alaska) Nugget or, say, the Daily World from my hometown of Aberdeen, WA. But the Storm Lakes Times fills an important role in informing the citizens of Buena Vista County, Iowa. Despite having a circulation not much over 3,000 for a bi-weekly, small-community newspaper, it won a Pulitzer Prize in 2017 for editorial writing and exposing corruption in the agriculture industry.
German forester Peter Wohlleben’s bestselling book becomes a documentary sharing his infectious passion for preservation and deeper understanding of our forests.
Two documentaries where the filmmaker’s identity comes into play in the telling of a larger story, streaming now at SIFF DocFest.
