It’s rare to find a modern film festival that goes out of its way to celebrate the world of independent cinema and the filmmakers who make that world so thrilling. Over the its first 20 years, the Vail Film Festival has made this celebration one of its guiding ethos, along with a focus on works made by female filmmakers.
And aside from two decades in existence, the festival had something else to celebrate during this year’s run from Dec. 7 through 10 — the return of an in-person event for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The festival has always been about building community and fostering relationships, so we’re really excited to have the event in person again this year and to bring the event to the Vail community again,” said co-founder and executive director Sean Cross, in an email interview. “The 20-year milestone is a big one, and I think it really is due to the community support we’ve received from the very beginning, and the continued excitement from filmmakers to come to Vail and experience the beauty of this area.”
This year’s festival featured more than 70 film screenings from around the world, as well as two special presentations: actress Alicia Silverstone received the Excellence in Acting Award and Ava Acres received the Rising Star Award.
Of all those entries, I was able to see 15 films and as usual, was wildly impressed with their quality. You can’t go wrong with any of the 2023 movies, but here are five you should really keep an eye out for in the coming months.
‘All Happy Families’
For more information: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15388560/
“All Happy Families,” Haroula Rose’s return to the Vail Film Festival, centers on the Landrys, all of whom gather at the family home in Chicago to do some repair work in preparation for renting a room out. Brothers Graham and Will (Josh Radnor and Rob Huebel) are struggling over where they are in their careers, while their parents Sue and Roy (the always stellar Becky Ann Baker and John Ashton) are settling into post-retirement life. Or trying to.
The resulting story is funny and utterly human, full of recognizable and relatable characters. It’s the best kind of film — one full of people you want to spend time with.
‘Chasing Chasing Amy’
For more information: www.chasingamydoc.com
It’s difficult to imagine a more personal filmmaking project than Sav Rodgers’ funny and insightful documentary, “Chasing Chasing Amy.” The film tells the story of Rodgers’ obsession with Kevin Smith’s ’90s queer rom-com and how it provided a crucial lifeline to a young Kansas teen when it was needed most.
Rodgers artfully blends the historical, personal and political, exploring how and why the film was made, the ways it helped and further marginalized the LGBTQIA+ movement and how it inspired him on his own path to finding personal love and acceptance.
Anyone who has found hope and salvation in art will love the film, because it’s the best kind of cinematic love letter — one right from the heart.
‘Glue Trap’
For more information: www.instagram.com/gluetrapmovie/
In Justin Geldzahler’s slow burn horror film, “Glue Trap,” one couple learns all about the dangers of being stuck together.
Struggling pair KJ and Dan head off to a cabin in Virginia for a little badly needed reconnection time, but get more than they bargain for when a surprising guest arrives out of the blue.
As with all great horror experiences, the less said, the better. The film is deeply insightful and knows exactly which tools to use at the right time. It gets under your skin and stays there.
‘Golden Vanity’
For more information: www.facebook.com/goldenvanitymovie/
You don’t often get to see true feats of acting anymore, but that’s just what audiences are treated to by Melora Hardin in the hysterical and heartbreaking “Golden Vanity.”
A true one-woman feature film, the story is centered on Mabel Montgomery Mayflower (Hardin), a fading actress who has no interest in quietly leaving the stage. On one night in 1967 she records her memoirs as she grapples with what the Hollywood system has done to her and her life. There are moments of true hilarity, but Hardin is equally capable of breaking your heart as you see what life in the spotlight truly costs.
‘Heightened’
For more information: www.heightenedfilm.com
In Sara Friedman’s “Heightened” — which she wrote, directed and starred in — two characters struggling with anxiety form an unlikely bond in a surprising place.
The film focuses on Nora, a young woman on the cusp of becoming a lawyer when she has a nervous breakdown. She returns home to Maine to attempt to get better and is assigned to work park maintenance with ranger-in-training Dusty. As the two get to know each other better they find common ground in struggling with mental health and finding a way forward to the lives they actually want.
Friedman does great work in her triple role, realistically capturing the struggles of relating to a world where everything feels uncomfortable. I saw a lot of myself in it and I know I won’t be the only one.
Clarke Reader’s column on culture appears on a weekly basis. He can be reached at Clarke.Reader@hotmail.com.