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Double Exposure Film Festival: The First Wave

Directed by Matthew Heineman, The First Wave chronicles the early days of the pandemic with a focus on Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens. New York was one of the hardest hit during the first wave and became the epicenter of this deadly pandemic. This documentary shows ER doctors and nurses in action, trying to save lives, trying to rehabilitate or trying to let go when all other options were exhausted. Two particularly bad COVID cases, that of Ahmed and Brussels, are spotlighted giving viewers painful but necessary insight into what critical COVID patients face in the ICU.

I’ve watched a lot of news coverage and plenty of documentaries about the disastrous effects COVID-19 had on our nation and on the world. None of that prepared me for The First Wave which left me an emotional wreck. I was particularly struck with Ahmed’s story and was rooting for him every step of the way. I can see this film being screened for the public with audience members crying and applauding at different poignant moments. The documentary also touches upon the murder of George Floyd, the subsequent protests and also includes footage of then New York governor Cuomo.

This is an emotional film that serves as a reminder just how truly awful those first months of the pandemic truly were.

The First Wave was part of the 2021 Double Exposure Film Festival.

The First Wave is distributed by Neon.

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Double Exposure FIlm Festival: Unrelinquished

Directed by Amina Waheed, Unrelinquished investigates how a lax justice system allows for perpetrators of domestic violence to carry otherwise illegal weapons. In 2018,  22 year Jazmine Willock was found dead in her Tucson, Arizona home. She was the victim of a murder-suicide enacted by her abusive boyfriend. Jazmine is one of many domestic violence victims that die by armed abusers. Waheed’s short documentary examines Jazmine’s case and how others like her are caught in a system that doesn’t fully protect them. The film includes conversations with Jazmine’s mother and sister, a spotlight on another similar case and breaks down the flaws in the justice system. In a time when Gabby Petito’s murde,  and the domestic violence that led to it, has caught national attention, Unrelinquished serves an important role in shedding light on how the system continues to fail these women.

Trigger warning: this film includes crime scene photos, descriptions of domestic violence and audio of Jazmine recounting her boyfriend’s abuse to the police.

Unrelinquished was part of the 2021 Double Exposure Film Festival’s Short Cuts program.

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TIFF: Oscar Peterson: Black + White

Director Barry Avirch’s Oscar Peterson: Black + White is a tribute to the legendary Canadian jazz pianist. The story of Oscar Peterson is told through archival photos, performances and interview footage along with present day interviews with musicians, historians, as well as Peterson’s wife Kelly. Talking heads include Billy Joel, Quincy Jones, Jon Batiste and more.

Avrich refers to the film as a “docuconcert” because throughout jazz musicians perform Peterson’s best known work, including Hymn to Freedom and Orange Colored Sky. The musical arrangements match the trio or quartet structure Peterson played from and the piano used is Peterson’s own. The documentary chronicles Peterson’s rise to fame, his extraordinary skill, his mentorship of other musicians, his devotion to his home country of Canada and personal struggles he faced including failed marriages and racism.

While Avrich’s film is informative it’s also heavily biased. At times the film felt like an advertisement more than a well-rounded documentary. With that said, I really enjoy Avrich’s documentaries, particularly Prosecuting Evil and Blurred Lines. There is so much detail and so much research that goes into his documentaries and it truly shows. The documentary-concert hybrid style adds to the enjoyment of the film.

Oscar Peterson: Black + White had its world premiere at the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival.

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Fantasia Festival: Indemnity

Cape Town firefighter Theo (Jarrid Geduld) is suffering from PTSD after a particularly deadly fire killed his fellow fighters and left him sidelined. He’s put into psychotherapy and on psychotropics to deal with his persistent nightmares and in hopes that he may get back on his feet. His journalist wife Angela (Nicole Fortuin) is contacted by  Sam Isaacs (Abduragman Adams) a whistleblower who is determined against all odds to uncover a political conspiracy that seeks to take over all the governments in Africa. Theo is on the books as a potential pawn for these conspirators. Soon Theo finds himself on the run from the police for a murder he’s positive he didn’t commit. Was he framed? Or did one of his violent nightmares cause him to do something he didn’t mean to do?

Written and directed by Travis Taute, Indemnity is an edge-of-your-seat thriller that puts the effects of trauma front and center. It offers psychological drama  coupled with some great action sequences. Jarrid Geduld offers a multi-dimensional performance offering the audience a damaged and empathetic hero that we can easily root for.

As someone who suffers from PTSD, I was intrigued by how Taute presented  the disorder throughout the story. It’s consistently part of Theo’s story and becomes a critical plot point in the climax of the film. It’s unclear if the movie is criticizing psychotherapy or  using it simply as a plot device. That’s up to the audience to decide.

Indemnity had its world premiere at the 2021 Fantasia Film Festival.

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Fantasia Festival: Dreams on Fire

“I want to become a dancer… I will become a dancer.”

Yume

 Have you ever felt that life was just a series of roadblocks getting in the way of your most cherished dream? For Yume (Bambi Naka), the road to becoming a dancer is littered with obstacles and disappointments. Despite her father’s disapproval, Yume leaves her small town and ventures to Tokyo where she’s determined to make it as a professional dancer. Yume takes a free hip-hop class at a local dance studio and is immediately hooked. To pay for her micro apartment, her expenses and  her dance classes, Yume becomes a costume hostess. With her job and other hustles she pursues along the way, the threat of crossing over to sex work and getting away from the dance world lingers. Yume perseveres, taking classes, entering competitions and participating in auditions. With each new venture comes plaguing self-doubt and a heaping dose of bad luck but some new friends are there to give her the emotional boost she needs.

Written and directed by Philippe McKie, Dreams on Fire pulsates with life and sheer joy despite the major hurdles the protagonist faces. Bambi Naka leads this coming-of-age story with passion and grace. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this intense of an emotional bond with a fictional character. This speaks to the brilliant story and its charismatic star. There are plenty of dance numbers, shots of Tokyo streets and extreme angles that showcase the city skyline which add visual delights to this already endearing film. A must watch.

Dreams on Fire had its North American premiere at the 2021 Fantasia Film Festival. Visit the film’s official website for more information.

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