Eagle Hunter's Son

I am a judge for the Indianapolis-based Heartland Film Festival. This feature film is a Crystal Heart Award Winner and is eligible to be the Grand Prize Winner in October of 2009. The Heartland Film Festival is a non-profit that honors Truly Moving Pictures. A Truly Moving Picture “…explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life.”

Tarek is an enigmatic and brooding young Arab man who has chosen to be a suicide bomber attacking Tel Aviv. But there has been a malfunction of his explosive equipment and he has to spend a weekend in Tel Aviv waiting until his problem is fixed.

While trying to fix his deadly gear, he makes Jewish people connections. They include an elder couple who welcome him to their home and feed him and confide in him. Tarek also meets a young attractive Jewish shopkeeper who is harassed by young conservative Jews who dislike her modern and stylish ways.

Now Tarek has a dilemma. It was easier to randomly kill via a terrorism act when you don’t know your enemy well. It is another matter to know the type of people you are about to kill or injure or psychologically scar. What will Tarek ultimately decide to do?

This is a taut and compelling tale rolling to its inexorable ending that is both anticipated and unanticipated. The Jewish friends show their humanity to their enemy (?) by giving up their prejudices and acting kindly to Tarek. Tarek shows his humanity in an unusual but altruistic and compassionate and courageous way. You begin to understand why the Arab-Israeli conflict is so hard to unravel and negotiate.

FYI – There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past Truly Moving Picture Award winners that are now either at the theater or available on video.

For My Father

I am a judge for the Indianapolis-based Heartland Film Festival. This feature film is a Crystal Heart Award Winner and is eligible to be the Grand Prize Winner in October of 2009. The Heartland Film Festival is a non-profit that honors Truly Moving Pictures. A Truly Moving Picture “…explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life.”

Tarek is an enigmatic and brooding young Arab man who has chosen to be a suicide bomber attacking Tel Aviv. But there has been a malfunction of his explosive equipment and he has to spend a weekend in Tel Aviv waiting until his problem is fixed.

While trying to fix his deadly gear, he makes Jewish people connections. They include an elder couple who welcome him to their home and feed him and confide in him. Tarek also meets a young attractive Jewish shopkeeper who is harassed by young conservative Jews who dislike her modern and stylish ways.

Now Tarek has a dilemma. It was easier to randomly kill via a terrorism act when you don’t know your enemy well. It is another matter to know the type of people you are about to kill or injure or psychologically scar. What will Tarek ultimately decide to do?

This is a taut and compelling tale rolling to its inexorable ending that is both anticipated and unanticipated. The Jewish friends show their humanity to their enemy (?) by giving up their prejudices and acting kindly to Tarek. Tarek shows his humanity in an unusual but altruistic and compassionate and courageous way. You begin to understand why the Arab-Israeli conflict is so hard to unravel and negotiate.

FYI – There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past Truly Moving Picture Award winners that are now either at the theater or available on video.

Seven Minutes In Heaven

I am a judge for the Indianapolis-based Heartland Film Festival. This feature film is a Crystal Heart Award Winner and is eligible to be the Grand Prize Winner in October of 2009. The Heartland Film Festival is a non-profit that honors Truly Moving Pictures. A Truly Moving Picture “…explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life.”

Galia is a young woman who was a victim of a terrorist attack on a bus one year ago. Her boyfriend, Oren, was on the bus also and was in a coma and then died. Galia is suffering from painful burns on her back, but even worse, is suffering psychological trauma and guilt and hallucinations. And she doesn’t know why she is getting hallucinations.

This is a quiet story of her trying to start up her life again with the help of a mysterious and almost-saintly stranger named Boaz. Why is he helping her? What is in it for him?

Is she being stalked or is she being merely hit on or hs she met an incredible altruistic human being?

This is a quiet movie that progresses inexorably to answer these questions. It is a story of nuances. The subtle facial expressions of the two main characters reveal much.

Galia is a woman with great honesty and wants to know the truth no matter where that leads her. She shows grace and spirit on her difficult journey.

FYI – There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past Truly Moving Picture Award winners that are now either at the theater or available on video.

Entre Nos

I am a judge for the Indianapolis-based Heartland Film Festival. This feature film is a Crystal Heart Award Winner and is eligible to be the Grand Prize Winner in October of 2009. The Heartland Film Festival is a non-profit that honors Truly Moving Pictures. A Truly Moving Picture “…explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life.”

A Latino mother and her two children are stranded in Queens when their philandering, irresponsible father deserts them. There English is almost nil and now they must support themselves asap. First the wife tries selling homemade Espanadas on the street. Then she tries getting day labor by standing on Latino labor street corners. And finally ends up collecting cans for their deposits with her young son and daughter beside her. They are barely making it when they get evicted from their apartment. And then they become homeless and have to sleep outdoors.

What keeps them going under these awful circumstances? Their closeness and love for each other sees them through these difficult times. Also,they are helped by sympathetic strangers who see their heart-wrenching plight.

Through it all they never lose their dignity or morality. They always act honorably and treat others with respect. Their sacrifices and courage and desperate situation make them more appealing as time goes on. The viewer is filled with admiration for what the human spirit can endure and still not be broken.

The story is wonderfully told. It is realistic and understated and believable. You are often moved deeply as the story unfolds.

FYI – There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past Truly Moving Picture Award winners that are now either at the theater or available on video.

Welcome

I am a judge for the Indianapolis-based Heartland Film Festival. This feature film is a Crystal Heart Award Winner and is eligible to be the Grand Prize Winner in October of 2009. The Heartland Film Festival is a non-profit that honors Truly Moving Pictures. A Truly Moving Picture “…explores the human journey by artistically expressing hope and respect for the positive values of life.”

Bilal is a 17 year-old Kurdish boy from Iraq, who has just taken an arduous, three-month journey to Calais in France desperately trying to get to his girlfriend/fiancée in London. But in Calais he becomes stuck with many other clandestines or illegal immigrants. These are people without a country. The French won’t send them back to the Mid-East because there is a war going on. But they are not welcomed in France because they are clearly illegals. Even the local French people will violate French law if they help these clandestines.

With this backdrop, Bilal comes up with the idea that he can swim the English Channel to get to his girlfriend. There is only one problem. He can’t swim. He goes to a middle-aged French swim instructor, Simon, who not only teaches him how to swim, but also befriends him. Simon has his own problems. He is divorcing his wife and is terribly lonely. Bilal and Simon need each other and form a strangely beautiful symbiotic relationship.

This is a quiet and powerful statement on the individual courage and sacrifice of normal human beings. Bilal and Simon are single-minded in trying to do the right thing and will not be put off their objective. This is a very moving film that haunts you afterwards. It does not take a stand on legal or illegal immigration. It merely shows that these clandestines are human like the rest of us and have their own stories.

FYI – There is a Truly Moving Pictures web site where there is a listing of past Truly Moving Picture Award winners that are now either at the theater or available on video.