‘Heartland Film Festival’ Wrap-Up #HIFF30

By James Lindorf

From October 7th through the 17th, Indianapolis residents, visitors, and film fanatics worldwide got to enjoy the 30th annual Heartland International Film Festival (HIFF). This year’s event consisted of 143 films from all genres. I was able to see 12 movies this year. These four documentaries and eight narrative productions will be coming to theaters soon or continuing their film festival trek around the world. This is part one of my HIFF review. Make sure to look for part two to learn about all the movies coming to theaters or streaming platforms in the next few months.

Kili Big:
The best and most motivating documentary playing at HIFF has to be “Kili Big” from director Ida Joglar. A group of plus-sized women from around the world looking to challenge society’s expectations attempt to climb the tallest peak in Africa, Mount Kilimanjaro. In 2019 the revenue for the U.S. weight loss and diet control market was 78 billion dollars. A group of women got together with one goal in mind. To show the world, they are capable of more than the world believes them to be. Getting to go that while hiking the largest mountain in Africa with 19 of your friends, well, that’s just a bonus. Mount Kilimanjaro is a volcano in Tanzania that tops out at just over 19,000 feet. Every year an estimated 35,000 people try to reach its summit in 6-10 excursions, but only 60% make it to the top. These women know they all will not make it, but they are determined to try, and will support each other along the way. “Kili Big” is a beautiful movie not just for the fantastic shots you can get of sunrises at 19,000 ft, but because of its message. The hardest part about losing weight or just being comfortable at your size is getting yourself to do what you need or always wanted to do. Working out is hard and painful. Traveling or going on adventures can be embarrassing. Still, these women are begging for you to fight through the pain, shrug off the embarrassment, live your best life, and love yourself.

The First Step:
Directed by Brandon Kramer, “The First Step” gives an inside look into the Van Jones led attempt to reach across the political divide. Jones is a progressive CNN correspondent who is always trying to work in the middle. In “The First Step,” he controversially crosses party lines to win bipartisan support for criminal justice reform and a more humane response to the addiction crisis. Kramer’s goal is to show that meaningful changes can be made even in an era of extreme political division. The final product is a blend of a vital illumination of the political process and shameless self-promotion for Van Jones. Jones comes off as a figure that needs acknowledgment from as many people as possible. He seems willing to change his approach and personality to try and win over people to his left or right politically. His fans will love “The First Step” and point to it as a reason people should appreciate him for how he works the system to improve lives. While his detractors will point to it as an example of why they believe he is a hypocrite or sell-out and that notoriety is the primary goal, not changing lives. Much like politics, the best interpretation isn’t in either extreme but somewhere in the middle. “The First Step” is a must-watch for anyone who wants to understand our current political climate better and then discuss the merits of the means versus the outcome.

Voodoo Macbeth:
“Voodoo Macbeth” was produced by the University of California School of Cinematic Arts and will challenge audiences’ notions of what a student film can be. In 1936 Harlem was a neighborhood battered by economic strife and hardship. Part of FDR’s New Deal provided funding to the arts, including the Federal Theatre Project’s Negro Unit, to bring jobs and joy to cities around the country. Director Rose McClendon convinced her co-director John Houseman to bring Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” to the Harlem community at the Lafayette Theater. They chose a gifted but untested 21-year-old director named Orson Welles to helm their groundbreaking production featuring an all-Black cast. Orson and his wife crafted a reimagined Haitian vision for the Scottish play as daring and fresh as the cast and crew themselves. With a runtime of 109 minutes, “Voodoo Macbeth” feels overstuffed. There are marriages in trouble, life-threatening illnesses, characters coming to terms with their sexuality, not to mention the racists that don’t want the play to go on. Each of the stories could use more time to be explored and developed. It would have added to the emotional quality of the film as well as helped the pacing. Even with its issues, the future of Hollywood looks to be in talented hands.

Firebird:
Based on actual events depicted in Sergey Fetisov’s memoir “The Story of Roman,” “Firebird” is a touching love story set in the Soviet Air Force. At the height of the Cold War, Private Sergey Fetisov was counting down the days until the end of his required military service. Unsure of what will come next, Sergey bounces from one dream to another, with none of them taking a firm hold in his heart. When Roman, a daring fighter pilot, arrives at the base Sergey’s life is forever changed. Their attraction and curiosity drive the pair to blur the lines between friendship and romance in an era where homosexuality wasn’t just frowned upon but would lead to incarceration and often death. At the same time they live in secret, Roman begins a relationship with Luisa, the secretary to the Base Commander and Sergey’s friend. The relationship between Sergey and Roman will face threats to their freedom in the form of a dangerous love triangle and escalating KGB investigation. “Firebird” has all of the elements to be a heartwarming and tragic period romance. After a year and a half of isolation, lockdowns, and frustrations, it has the power to drive audiences to tears. For those that aren’t as desperate for human interaction, “Firebird” will come just a bit short of a textbook landing. Everything was polished to the point it lost all the texture that can grab and keep your attention. The Soviet uniforms look great, but they look like they are right off the rack. Jokes are made about the suffering of the citizens under the USSR, but that is never shown. Life seems pretty great outside of gay rights as people enjoy shopping trips, wild parties, and attending the theater. The high gloss finish extends beyond the look to the performances. Anything that would add depth or grit to the delivery has been polished away for something technically well done but lacking spirit.

Escape From Pretoria:
In 1978 two white South Africans were imprisoned for running covert operations for Nelson Mandela’s banned African National Congress. The pair was known for planting small bombs used to distribute hundreds of flyers with an anti-apartheid message. After their arrest, they were sentenced to Pretoria, the infamous prison that housed most white sympathizers. Their political stance made them among the most hated inmates and left them under the constant scrutiny of the guards. In this true story, two ordinary men unwilling to give up the fight or be jailed for doing the right thing plan an escape using breathtaking ingenuity. Daniel Radcliffe (Harry Potter) stars in Francis Annan’s gripping political thriller. If you didn’t know that actual events inspired this, you would never believe their method of escape. It is hard not to be motivated by their passion and dedication to the cause and their freedom. The most unusual thing about “Escape from Pretoria” is that Radcliffe probably said more words in voice-over than he did on set. The story is built around long quiet moments where the tension is constantly ratcheted up as they try and avoid detection while working out the details that will get them on the outside. This is the quite possibly best film set in a prison since “The Shawshank Redemption.”

The Electric Life of Louis Wain:
The eccentric British artist Louis Wain (Benedict Cumberbatch) is known for his whimsical and occasionally psychedelic drawings that helped transform the public’s perception of cats. After the death of his parents and because he was the oldest and most male member of the family, Lois found himself a patriarch, a task he was wholly unfit. Director Will Sharpe (Flowers), who also co-wrote along with Simon Stephenson (Luca), follows the incredible and true adventures of Louis from the late 1800s through the 1930s. Louis was obsessed with unlocking the mysteries of electricity. Not the kind that powers light bulbs but the kind that gives us life and makes life worth living. He pursues that mystery to better understand his own life and the profound love he shared with his wife, Emily Richardson (Claire Foy). “The Electric Life of Louis Wain” is carried not only by a great pair of leads in Cumberbatch and Foy but by their endearing chemistry. No one should be shocked to hear Cumberbatch’s name mentioned as a contender for the best acting Oscar in a few months. However, a couple of factors will turn off large swaths of general audiences. Sharpe’s desire to cover such a large portion of Louis’ life, often jumping in time with little explanation, make the film feel more like a collection of scenes and not a cohesive story. A second potential hurdle was the desire to incorporate Louis’ whimsy into the look of the film. Others will appreciate the occasionally colorful and often brutal description of mental illness that may have made Wain such a capable artist and eccentric figure.