Paper Mache
Are there any film fans out there? Do you anxiously await the announcement in February of the Academy Award nominees?
For years, I went out of my way to try and see all of the films nominated in the major categories including best picture and director, best actor and actress, best supporting actor and actress, best foreign film and best musical score and song. A daunting task to say the least, especially before streaming services made the obscure films a bit more accessible. My actor friends and I would gather and watch the annual Academy Awards program with all the “glamor” and spectacle and see how our predictions played out.
I am far from having achieved my goal of seeing all entries this year, but I do have a few favorites among the films I have been able to see. “Tar” with the great Cate Blanchett as Lydia Tar, the greatest composer/conductor of her day, is at the height of her career but struggles with the corrosive nature of power. “Nope” is Jordan Peale’s latest and this time he works in a science fiction/ mystery/horror mash up genre with a fine central performance by the always fascinating Daniel Kaluuya. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is an example of the rare film where you don’t have a clue what will happen from one shot to the next. It really keeps the audience guessing and actress Michelle Yeoh anchors the chaos along with a fun guest appearance by Jamie Lee Curtis. Then there is Steven Spielberg’s biopic origin story, “The Fabelmans,” the amazing Austin Butler as the young “Elvis,” and the Irish gem, “The Banshees of Inisherin.” So many films, so little time.
I bring all of this up because right here in Yuba-sutter, we have a thriving film community. In fact, this evening we are screening “Lyvia’s House,” a locally filmed and produced feature-length film.
After months on the film festival trail, the producer and director have come home for a gala screening. A true Yuba-sutter gem, most of the cast and crew are from around here and really help showcase what our region has to offer film production companies looking for diverse locations and local talent both in front of and behind the camera.
The event is sold out, but go to yubasutterarts.org to join the waiting list. We’ll contact you if we get any cancellations. Then, on Feb. 27, we’ll be hosting an informational meeting about this year’s Flash Film Festival. Filmmakers will have 48 hours to complete a 4- to 6-minute film based on a randomly picked subject. Last year’s event was a big success, so come out and be a part of this film festival for all who want to test their filmmaking skills.
Go to yubasutterarts.org or call 742-ARTS for more details.