Day of Rest
BY CYNDI GREENING, PHOENIX, AZ, USA - Sunday is my day to blog. At our "campfire" meeting, Pamela assigned everyone a day to write to keep information flowing on the project. Some crew members have been quite diligent about doing their duty. Others, well, there always has to be the flip side of the coin. Since I've been posting podcasts all week, it seemed foolish for me to post again. But, I decided to write this entry instead of speaking it, so perhaps it won't seem redundant.
Life has been a little rugged of late. I think I'm experiencing the general malaise of the entire U.S. with the spectre of civil war in Iraq, the flat U.S. economy, the declining housing market and the holiday season bearing down on us like a Mack truck. It's just a poo-poo time. So, yesterday, I was totally shocked, surprised and happy to get a my own South Park character in my email. Alec also included himself as a South Park character. Using Adobe Illustrator, he's been rendering us as South Parkies. Of course, I love the irreverent series (probably in part because it made its debut as an animated short at the Sundance Film Festival). There's a film festival episode that is to die for! And, Mr. Garrison, the art teacher is simply fabulous (since I am an art teacher and one of my fellow art faculty is named Mr. Garrison ... and, anyone who know my Mr. Garrison is shocked at the eerie similarity with South Park's Mr. Garrison). Anyway, it gave me a laugh and a half.
I've been inspired to write a great deal of late. I'm ready, eager and willing to take on new projects. I've started a new script and a new novel. The novel is coming along better than the script at this point. Frustrating because I really want to shoot another project. Ah, well, the muse does as the muse does.
Last week, a friend recommended that I watch the South African film YESTERDAY. I must say it is one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen. The cinematography is amazing and I would grab this cinematographer, Michael Brierly, as fast as possible. His credit list on IMDB is just long enough to let you know he's going to break out soon. Regarding the story, it's about a woman named Yesterday who is taken ill (yes, you know where this is going) and struggles to survive long enough to make sure her daughter, Beauty, gets into school. One of the best parts of the film is that it shows how difficult it is because of the ignorance and fear of the other members of the community. The film was phenomenally depressing and moved a bit slow ... but it was beautiful. It is the film I wish we had shot in Zambia. It was gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous. It has been nominated for the best foreign language film. Someone said it was the first film in Zulu but I haven't been able to confirm that.
As for South African films, I have mentioned previously that I really liked TSOTSI. It won best foreign language film last year. So, you might want to check both of these films out.