Looking for “Movies that Inspire,” Under the Stars at 10th Maui Fest

Zooey Deschanel and fest head Barry Rivers at the Maui fest. Photo by Randall Michelson/Maui Film Festival

 
Maui’s environmental documentaries drew big crowds. This makes sense on an island with strained resources: a majority of the electricity on Maui is generated by petroleum shipped in on tankers; land and water are battlegrounds between locals and golf course and resort developers. Offering a global perspective on the water plight was “Blue Gold: World Water Wars” by Sam Bozzo, a wake-up call about the state of H2O from toxicity to corporate control to what you can do about it (including boycotting Nestle). Of the land, filmmakers Bill Benenson and Gene Rosow create a compelling reason why we need to pay better attention to the earth under our feet in “DIRT! The Movie.” (Stick with this doc; it’s prescriptive on the uptake, but it works itself out in the end). Barry Rivers’ investment in the environment goes beyond simply programming green films. This year, the festival was solar powered and saved “the equivalent of a 50 foot tree” by using Ebooks for festival programs.

A different kind of “green” film also had its world premiere at Maui: “Cash Crop,” Adam Ross’ exploration—road-trip style—into the world of pot harvesting in California. Noteworthy is the changing economic landscape of medical marijuana. And about marijuana, if you think that’s what defines “hippies,” you’ll want to drop into “Saint Misbehavin’: The Wavy Gravy Movie” for a new perspective. Director Michelle Esrick’s portrait of the 60s icon who has a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream flavor named after him is perfectly executed and hugely entertaining. Saint’s overall message? The times may have changed, but you can still make a positive difference in the world, and have fun doing it.
 
“Rock Prophecies,” John Chester’s ode to photographer Robert Knight that previously nabbed several audience awards, rocked Maui on the outdoor Celestial Cinema’s Dolby sound system. This doc has all the elements of great filmmaking: a compelling subject, a terrifically-crafted story, a superlative look, a killer soundtrack, and loads of heart. Another music-related doc, screening as a work-in-progress, was Art Officially Favored by Martin Yernazian, about ethereal Berkeley cymbalom master Michael Masley. “We experienced first hand the constructive feedback that Mauians readily offered,” said the Argentinean-born Yernazian, “It gave us a crucial new perspective on our film.”
Filmmakers exploring monetization strategies in the internet age take note: two Maui pics have noteworthy small screen lives. “Blue Gold”‘s director Sam Bozzo capitulated to piracy and worked with BitTorrent. “I decided to embrace the situation and contact the person who uploaded the film, asking him to put a message out with the Torrent to the internet community, inviting them to download the film but asking for a small donation if they like the film.” “Sita Sings the Blues,” an animated interpretation of the Indian epic the Ramayan by Nina Paley, is a case study in embracing change. Paley’s been sharing her film for free online (using the Creative Commons Share Alike License), with loads of copyright commentary, and to date has raised 38% of the $50,000 she needs “to get out of copyright jail,” based in donations. If you Googled “new media strategies” searching for ideas for your dissertation, and found this article, consider Sita and director Nina Paley. (Check out her website for more on the paradigm shift.)
 
Finally, two standout pics journeyed around the planet in search of a better world. In the world premiere of the super-refreshing “One Peace at a Time,” actor/writer/filmmaker Turk Pipkin continent-hops to look at solutions to the worst problems he can find. “I want people to see they really can make a difference—one child. one village, one ‘peace’ at a time,” says Pipkin, “Pick an issue. Take the first step.” If you’re a fan of One Giant Leap, Jamie Catto and Duncan Bridgeman’s consciousness-raising world-beat extravaganza, you’ll love their follow up, “What About Me?” This time the musician/filmmakers celebrate humanity with a bricolage of music, dance and spiritual commentary. Check out the website (www.whataboutme.tv) if you want a quick hit of their high-vibe soundtrack.

I’ve been covering Maui for three years and never devoted cyber-ink to Harriet Witt, whom Barry Rivers calls “the only official film festival astronomer in the known universe.” Harriet’s nightly pre-film stargazing shows embody the off-screen magic of the Maui Film Festival. Of course, Maui is about the movies; Rivers was into programming “enlightened entertainment” way before it was a trend. But Maui is also about an experience very much rooted in its community, and proves that even in challenging economic times, when you have your heart in the right place, film festival magic still happens.

Harriette Yahr is a writer and filmmaker (who loves warm climates). More at www.yahrfilms.com, www.miamifilmworkshops.com and www.how-to-write-screenplays.com. Join on Twitter (Miami Film Workshops, Harriette Yahr), LinkedIn, and Facebook.