Movie Treasure Hunters

They have little interest in writing the next mind-bending screenplay, cutting an action sequence, or lighting a moody, noir-like set. Instead, Frank and Patrice Galterio would rather channel their crush on filmmaking into a hunt to uncover those digital diamonds in the rough by the next generation of independent directors. For the past four years, the Kent Film Festival, the non- profit which they launched with the help of volunteers and generous town support, has quietly grown and is impacting the state’s filmmaking scene.

Recent recipients of a Governor’s Distinguished Advocate's Award for their on-going efforts, not only have Frank and Patrice given local filmmakers a chance to showcase their work, they've premiered films from across the country and around the world. In the process, their obsession with finding the next cinematic gem has also provided Connecticut film-goers a chance to experience what a "festival" atmosphere is all about: a place where both amazing stories emerge and works-in-progress get a chance. KFF may not be Sundance or even Tribecca, but its laid back, affordable, and gets you out of the local Cineplex… and sometimes beyond your comfort zone.

This past March more than one hundred films were screened over four days in categories that include shorts, documentaries, student works, and feature films. Two new documentaries, both by female directors and featured at the festival, are worth talking about.

Grammercy Stories, by Connecticut’s own Joyce Chopra  brings you inside the walls of a group home that provides a safe haven for 25 gay and trans gender teens. The backdrop is New York City, and they've arrived having experienced violence at home and in the streets. Told straight up with a sense of dignity and truthfulness, Chopra aims to connect closely us to several particular residents trying to remake their lives. Carlos's story is especially compelling. A reunion with his mother draws us in. It's a moment of private understanding; a fragile relationship with a deep past. There’s something undeniably real—both comforting and uncomfortable--captured by their relationship, and is testament to the emotional texture of the entire film. Through a steady camera, a moody mix of shadow and light, and close ups that reach into soulful eyes of both mother and son, Chopra let's us know that Gramercy can't completely dispel the pain or fix the problems.

On Paper Wings is a poetic documentary by Ilana Sol. She began with a little research in her home state of Oregon, and her effort grew into a five year project. Through a series of touching interviews both here and in Japan, combined with historic documentary footage, Sol uncovers a story beneath the surface of those affected by a 1945 balloon bomb that claimed the lives of the only people killed on the continental US as the result of enemy action during World War II. Forty years later, the decision to fold a thousand paper cranes would unite Japanese and American civilians whose lives intersected as a result of those events. The film is evidence to these people and their lives, and provides notice to a simple yet powerful gesture of forgiveness. Sol makes history personal, weaving together the past and present with impressions of lives changed forever as a result of war; and showing us how an act of bravery can transcend the ugly feelings when you're made to believe your the enemy.