The 11th edition of the
Method Festival Independent Film Festival begins its annual week-long run today in Calabasas, California and sports will play a prominent role in the screenings.
Robert Siegel, who wrote the screenplay for the Oscar-nominated picture, “The Wrestler” starring Mickey Rourke, makes his directorial debut in “Big Fan” which he also wrote.
The story centers on a hardcore New York Giants football fan (Patton Oswalt) who struggles to deal with the consequences after he is beaten up by his favorite player on the team he idolizes. “Big Fan” was also part of this year’s screenings at Sundance.
An appropriate location to make its west coast premier, based on the subject matter, is “Dropping In: The True Story of Don Wimmer”. This is a documentary film that follows a former CPA, who at the unlikely age of 42, gives up everything to pursue a long abandoned dream of becoming a professional skateboarder.
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Shot in British Columbia comes this love story using hockey as a backdrop. “Lovers in a Dangerous Time” features Mark Hug and May Charters (both also co-wrote and co-directed) as two former childhood friends sorting out life and still trying to make sense of adulthood after they are reunited at their ten year high school reunion.
Rounding out the sports-tinged offerings is a different perspective of the American Dream. “Sugar” follows the story of Miguel Santos, aka Sugar, a Dominican pitcher struggling to make it to the big leagues and pull himself and his family out of poverty. Playing professionally at a baseball academy in the Dominican Republic, Miguel finally gets a break at age 19 when he advances to the minor system in America; but when his performance on the mound deteriorates, he begins to question the single-mindedness of his life’s ambition.
Don Franken, the Executive Director of the festival, loves sports in the movies primarily because of its metaphorical potential in storytelling.
“The inevitable ups and downs and on-going struggle to achieve, sports parallels the drama of life. Right now in this current very strong recession, it takes a lot of hope and dreams with hard work and a positive attitude to succeed and that is what sports are all about.”
Named for the legendary, pervasive “method” acting technique championed by Konstantin Stanislavski, Stella Adler, Lee Strasberg and Uta Hage- Interesting concept to form a film festival around.
saw Lovers in a Dangerous Time, look forward to seeing it again
Tell the fat dude in “Big Fan” to get a life!
Anyone seen “Sugar”? seems like a common story since so many players come from there.
Loved “Sugar” -really is a different perspective on the American Dream.
Sounds like some promising films. “The Fan” is something I’d be interested in because there is something to be concerned about here, namely living vicariously through the exploits of sports stars. When does it become an obsession or a psychological condition? It seems similar to the condition that people who join cults experience.
The theme in “Sugar” is also one that needs exploring. It’s something kids need to see, not to spoil their dreams but to make them consider other possibilities in life.