So much news it's difficult to know where to begin. Deb's latest animated SF short continues to rack up the prizes. Still a few festivals to hear from, too. Her latest win comes from Italy's "8 1/2 Film Festival." That group also has set up a booth at Cannes, and will be featuring Deb's film.
In ship watching news, I watch 5 ships on a regular basis through a live shipping website. Four of them are on the Great Lakes, and the other one travels the world, occasionally passing our house on the Detroit River. One of the Great Lakes ships recently had some electronic problems and ended up grounded off Belle Isle in Detroit. Though they are unstuck now, they are currently dead in the water while repairs are made. Their cargo is salt.
In other news, I am committed to a hiking journey to New Mexico this fall. My main goal (subject to change without notice) is to make a 2nd attempt at climbing Jicarita Peak. Our first attempt was thwarted by a mismatched water purification bottle. The mountain is southeast of Taos, atop one of the finest and most scenic ranges in the whole state. A few other major hikes are planned alongside this one.
In music news, the next piano get together is in two weeks. It sounds as if six members will be in attendance. Practicing here at the Homestead goes on (and on). I'm still hoping to trade in the piano I now have for a Yamaha keyboard, deluxe model. Watch here for details.
So far this session I have had four clear nights (make that five), but smoke from Alberta wildfires has been milking up our sky. One of those nights I stayed home; the other time I went out but should have stayed home. It's supposed to be clear tonight, but smoke is forecast. Tomorrow looks better. If I get a fifth outing I will be very happy, though it really cuts into my evening reading time.
Now on to movie news. We wrapped up the final 2 episodes of the French TV series The Middleman. I can report that the fish had a happy ending. The series mostly takes place in a run down Parisian apartment building, and the hero (with the possible aid of the fish) travels between the present and a time in the past when he was a child. It is an amusing series, and well worth catching.
We also watched another incredible Seijun Suzuki yakuza film, Branded To Kill from 1967. This is one of the best 60s films I have ever seen, though it makes little sense and has very little plot to it. The director was reportedly fired after this film came out, and went on to do TV work before returning to films more than a decade later. In this very watchable but screwy film about a hired killer, things get really weird when he becomes the hunted. More gunfights then the average western. Starring our favourite chipmunk-cheeked hero, Joe Shishido.
Deb chose a documentary called Spettacolo, from 2017. It follows the population of a small town in Tuscany as they try to mount their latest annual theatrical presentation. With the young people no longer present in great numbers, more and more work falls upon the aging population. Viewers wonder why they are continuing to torment themselves in this way. Give it a rest, or perhaps consider doing things every two years. Preparations for the spectacle begin in the winter, with discussion about what the topic will be for the performance this year. Spring and summer show the readings, rehearsals, staging, etc., until opening night finally arrives. The festival has a huge following in Italy. However, the amount of volunteer labour involved is quite ridiculous. Not always riveting cinema, it does show the dedication of several people taken to extreme lengths. The project began as a way to socialize in the summer evenings, and to tackle subjects important to the people of the village. I strongly suspect that it won't carry on for much longer, however.
Mapman Mike
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