As any international film demands, I will follow my instincts in order to grasp as much as possible of a great variety of films, shortfilms and master classes, this time conducted by two icons of contemporary filmmaking: Danny Boyle and Darren Aronofsky. So let´s start my personal journey reviewing the following films:
The Weight of Elephants (2013)
This is a touching and tender tale of losing the people we love and at the same time acquiring new ones. Set on a rural New Zealand, the film by dannish director Daniel Borgman follows the steps of Adrian, an introspective and sensitive teenager who lives with his granny and his mentally ill uncle whom he share an emotional yet ethereal bond. He´s constantly bulled at school and at the same time a new path on his life seem to blossom with Nicole his new neighbour. Most related with a chamber style cinema, this universal story of friendship, courage and the pain of growing up is a great movie to watch.
A short documentary directed by Douglas Sloan is built around great interviews and a great design of archival footage. The film drives us into the legacy of a powerful Vietnam War picture who transformed the life of photographer Eddie Adams. From the late 1960s and onwards, the famous photograph depicted the soul of the conflict, spanning divided positions on US Public Opinion and the Government. A real life meaning behind any giving war picture.