DOCUTAH - Puts So. Utah on Map

DOCUTAH PUTS SOUTHERN UTAH ON THE CINEMATIC MAP! By Adam Mast

Docutah has come to an end and what a blast it was! While serving as a judge during this festival in its inaugural year was an absolute honor, it was also quite nerve wracking. Watching over twenty-five films in just over a week is a daunting task for even the biggest of movie fans. Thankfully, I was blessed enough to have gracious and equally passionate colleagues by my side. A special thanks to Jeff Ham, Lesley Mendenhall, and Bruce Bennett for making this experience and absolute joy. Further props to festival creator Phil Tuckett, Dixie State College and the entire Docutah team for putting together what will hopefully be an amazing cinematic event for years to come. There were a few bumps in the road, but what festival doesn't have a few bumps the first time out. It took Sundance years to become what it is today, and I suspect Docutah will grow in very much the same way. For whatever reason, documentary is a dirty word in some circles. It has a negative stigma attached to it. And that's a shame because documentaries have the ability to enlighten and entertain just as much as a fictional film. Documentarians like Michael Moore, Errol Morris, and Steve James have taken this art form to new heights, but documentaries are still not accepted by main stream audiences. We can only hope that Docutah will help change all that. How were the movies at the first ever Docutah film festival? In a nut shell, pretty damn special. I don't have the room to profile all the films, but here are a few highlights;

EVERYDAY SUNSHINE: THE STORY OF FISHBONE
You may be asking yourself; "Who the hell is Fishbone?" After watching this outstanding documentary, you'll have yourself a definitive answer. For those who are already familiar with Fishbone, trust me when I tell you--you'll enjoy the ride! I 've seen many amazing music related documentaries. Dig, Metallica: Some Kind of Monster, New York Doll, Wilco: I Am Trying to Break My Heart, etc. Everyday Sunshine stands up there with the best of them. This joyfully exuberant look into the genesis of L.A. based rock group Fishbone is much more than an expose on one of the most underappreciated bands in the history of rock. Its also an insightful look into the dynamics of family. Because after all, isn't that really what a band is? Through amazing candid coverage of the band both personally and professionally, interviews with iconic performers who were influenced by Fishbone, animated segments inspired by Fat Albert, and raw, unadulterated live Fishbone performances, film-makers Lev Anderson and Chris Metzler have fashioned an outstanding movie that will appeal to fans of the band and folks who don't even know who Fishbone is. To the band's great credit, they've allowed these film makers full access to their lives giving the audience a unique opportunity to see what its like to live the life of a rock star. WARTS AND ALL. What's more, Fishbone's career is made all the more interesting when taking into consideration that they never really enjoyed the same monumental success of their contemporaries (i.e. Red Hot Chili Peppers). And when the movie was over, my first question was, why? They had all the ingredients; An amazingly charismatic front man in Angelo Moore (who No Doubt's Gwen Stefani cops to stealing her fashion sense from), a stunning bassist in Norwood Fisher (who Chili Peppers band mate Flea admits to borrowing moves from), and a cast of passionate individuals who made up a democracy known as Fishbone. What's more, these guys are incredibly talented musicians and each band member brought something creative to the musical table. Rather than sky rocketing to fame though, Fishbone hit a certain plateau, stayed there for a while then just sort of slipped away from the consciousness of the mainstream. Its a shame too. They really are a sight to behold. In fact, I challenge anyone to see them play and not move to the music. This is quite simply a joyful film. Even when Everyday Sunshine (the title of the film is inspired by a tune that was expected to take Fishbone to the next level) is treading on desperate ground (this band goes through some crazy shit! Stuff I'd rather not spoil in this review.), you can feel the genuine love and camaraderie amongst these guys. Co-existing in a band is no easy task and while Fishbone have had their ups and downs (just like a lot of famous musicians), the core of the group have managed to hold it together. In fact, to put into perspective of just how special these guys are, they came out and played a show at The Electric Theater after a screening of the film. The general consensus amongst the relatively light crowd (there were less then 100 of us there) was that Fishbone would come in, do a forty-five minute set, then get the hell out of dodge. Oh how wrong we were. The band did a blistering one hour and forty-five minute set and they played the show like it was a sold out stadium. In my eighteen years of living in St. George, it was easily the most stunning local show I've ever been witness to (and I've seen a lot). In fact, forget local. It may very well be one of the most spectacular displays of showmanship I've ever seen at a rock show, period! U2...Oingo Boingo...Radiohead...Pearl Jam...Paul McCartney. Throw Fishbone right into the mix. It was that good. Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone was my pick for the best film at Docutah, and I firmly stand by that decision. Everyday Sunshine won Best Picture and Best Direction in the Feature Category. Here's are links to a large portion of the show. The sound is a little spotty because of the recording, but you'll definitely get a feel of what it was like to be there. Spectacular! See for yourself;

Part 1; http://vimeo.com/15406528

Part 2; http://vimeo.com/15406583

THE LEGEND OF PANCHO BARNES
From the world of rock to the world of aviation. That's how diverse Docutah was. Just a wide range of films to chose from. The Legend of Pancho Barnes was one of the last films I saw at the festival, and it ended up being one of my very favorites. Florence "Pancho" Barnes has to be one of the most colorful historical figures of all time, and I'm still really surprised that I had never heard of her before seeing this wonderfully entertaining documentary. Barnes was one of the most celebrated pilots of her time. A time when women didn't have very many rights. The fact that Barnes wasn't a very attractive woman didn't make life much easier, but she took it all in stride, and if you talk to icons like astronaut Buzz Aldrin then you know this was a woman who was loved and respected by the majority of the aviation community. Through photos, stock footage, interviews with pilots from an era long since vanished, and wonderfully entertaining quotes recited by the gifted Kathy Bates, The Legend of Pancho Barnes tells the tale of a truly remarkable (and tenacious) woman in a most creative and engaging way. I really didn't want this movie to end. And the title of the film couldn't be anymore appropriate. A part of me really hopes that this is turned into a big Hollywood bio pic, because if handled by the right film makers, It could be an absolute winner. Until then, I have this stunning documentary to watch over and over again. The Legend of Pancho Barnes won Best Editing in the Feature Category.

FORGIVENESS
Helen Whitney has crafted a sprawling, thoughtful, and complex look at forgiveness from virtually every angle, and while this is an exhausting film, it is one of great beauty. The enormous trust Whitney earns amongst her subjects puts her in a league all her own. Just a spectacularly fascinating film I look forward to seeing again when it airs on PBS next year. Whitney's film was so deeply profound and so moving, that it prompted the folks behind Docutah to create the Helen Whitney Vanguard Award. Powerful stuff. I highly recommend it.

FIGHTING CHOLITA
An inspirational tale of an impoverished Bolivian woman who would turn to wrestling not only to provide for her family but because she truly loved doing it. In a mere thirty minutes we see how rough this woman has it. In a climate dominated by men, this amazing individual would rise above. Fighting Cholita is a wonderful tale about how the human spirit conquers all, and there are so many emotionally powerful moments in it, that it would be difficult to pick just one, but I'm particularly fond of a scene where our heroine if given a dress by the crew of the film as a gift. The look on this woman's face and the sense of gratitude from her family members was...well...I just get choked up thinking about it. Its also a gorgeous film to look at capturing the utmost beauty in areas you'd think would have no beauty to offer. Just a sincere, heartfelt film. I really wanted to jump into the screen and give this fiercely independent woman a great big hug. Fighting Cholita won Best Picture and Best Direction in the Shorts Category.

BYE BYE NOW
A whimsical Irish tale about phone boxes. Sounds like a weird subject for a documentary, I know. But I'll be damned if it didn't charm the pants off me. In this age of cell phones and computer technology, it was quite profound to see the individuals in this film fight for a little piece of history even if the phone boxes are virtually obsolete. There's this great moment in Bye Bye Now when this Irishman laughs hysterically while reminiscing about a time when he witnessed two overweight women getting stuck in a phone box. Simply hilarious. Funnier still, the Irish accents are so thick in this wonderful little short that director Aideen O'Sullivan decided to slap subtitles on the film. Just a lot of fun. Bye Bye Now won Best Editing in the Shorts Category.

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS; Exhaling Music (an outstanding look into composer Fred Jonny Berg's shot at the big time), Do It Again (about one man's effort to get the Kinks reunited), Ballhawks (the story of a group of determined men who stand outside Wrigley Field catching fly balls), Card Subject To Change (an insightful look into the world of wrestling), Bejing Punk (chronicles the lives of several punk bands in Japan and China), Gray Eagels (inspirational tale of an 87 year old pilot reuniting with the Mustang aircraft of his youth), Mezzanotte Obscura (intriguing look into the life of an eccentric man who expresses himself though art), and The Last Elephants of Thailand (explores the beautifully majestic creatures of Thailand and the folks trying to put a stop to their abuse).

A LIST OF THE AWARD WINNERS;

The Helen Whitney Vanguard Award; Forgivness

STUDENT FILMS (JURY);

Stuck in Traffick

HONORABLE MENTION;

Made in Makanda
Museum of Exhile
The Scavanger
Blackfire: A Modern Warcry
The Beat Goes On
Michael

AUDIENCE FAVORITE;

Bouncing Cats

SHORTS CATEGORY (JURY);

Best Music; Mezzanotte Obscura
Best Editing; Bye Bye Now
Best Cinematography; Gray Eagles
Best Director; Fighting Cholita
Best Film; Fighting Cholita

FEATURE CATEGORY (JURY);

Best Music; Exhaling Music
Best Editing; The Legend of Pancho Barnes
Best Cinematography; The Antarctica Challenge
Best Director(s); Everyday Sunshine: The Story of Fishbone
Best Picture; Everyday Sunshine; The Story of Fishbone

Docutah is here to stay! We'll see you again in September, 2011!

For a look at Docutah trailers, click on the link;

http://www.docutah.com/videos.htm