IDFA 2016 - BEAUTIFUL STORIES IN FILM: PART 6

Here is our next batch of IDFA 2016 favorites. These films focus on the mind and body in a fascinating range of expressions.

1. LIFE ANIMATED

Owen Suskind’s life was saved by Disney cartoons. “Life Animated,” the award-winning documentary, directed by Roger Ross Williams, tells the amazing true story brilliantly and powerfully.

When he was just 3 years old, Suskind lost his ability to speak, and developed severe issues with motor skills. He was diagnosed with with a severe case of autism. Specialists thought he would never talk again.

But one day, he suddenly started speaking, in full sentences. It turns out that Aladdin, Bambi, and other Disney animated films had grabbed Suskind’s attention. He loved watching them over and over again. And, ironically, these fictional cartoons helped him to understand the real world.

Using impressive footage from the family archive and a series of wonderful animations based on drawings done by Suskind when he was a child, this film is a joy to watch. Touching, thoughtful, and heartwarming, the film is inspiring. Keep a box of tissues handy and then prepare to smile broadly.

Watch the trailer here.

2. BORROWED TIME

Ten minutes feel like eons when you’re holding your breath under water. Most people can only last for 1 or two minutes at a time, but freedivers can. They have developed exceptional lung volume and nerves of steel.

“Borrowed Time,” a new film directed by Semâ Bekirovic, focuses on Jorrit Bruinsma, one of the best freedivers in the Netherlands, as he attempts to break a breath record. We watch his face, close up, as he holds his breath underwater and experiences an increasing need for air. How many times will you breathe as you watch him?

Watch the trailer here.

3. BEAUTIES OF THE NIGHT

Showgirls, once regaled for their beauty, reveal the depth of their beautiful souls today in “Beauties of the Night,” a new film by first-time director Maria José Cuevas.

The film presents inspiring portraits of 5 elderly Mexican showgirls who were once big stars in the 1970s. Their stories are both powerful and touching. Their lives have not been easy but they’ve triumphed, sometimes still wearing their makeup, feathers and glitter.

Watch the trailer here.

4. CROWLEY - EVERY COWBOY NEEDS HIS HORSE

Lots of little boys dream of growing up and becoming cowboys, but only a few get to live the cowboy life.

In “Crowley -- Every Cowboy Needs His Horse,” a film directed by Andre Hörmann, we meet Crowley, an 11-year old cowboy wannabe, who is determined to show his parents that he can break a horse all by himself. He cares little about the rest of life, preferring to practice his rodeo and target shooting skills in the Wild West of Colorado.

5. CUCLI

Loneliness gets cured in the most unlikely beautiful way by the most unlikely hero, a bird. “Cucli,” a new film by Xavier Marrades, tells the story of a lonely truck driver named Ramon, who lives with his elderly parents following the death of his wife.

One day, Ramon finds an injured white dove in the cellar of his house. We watch as he cares for the bird, nursing it back to health. We watch as they become inseparable friends. Is it possible that the dove came into his life on purpose, to deliver a loving message from his wife?

Watch the trailer here.

6. THE FIRST MONDAY IN MAY

Here’s your chance to get an inside look at the famous Met Gala -- the annual fundraising event benefitting the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute in New York City. It marks the grand opening of the Costume Institute's annual fashion exhibit.

“The First Monday in May,” a new film directed by Andrew Rossi, follows the designers, organizers, and celebrities, behind the scenes during the 2015 event which coincided with the opening of “China: Through the Looking Glass,” a new fashion exhibition that illustrates Asia’s influence on Western haute couture.

Watch the trailer here.

7. HOW TO MEET A MERMAID

When someone you love disappears without a trace, it can haunt you forever. Filmmaker Coco Schrijber made it her mission to try to find her brother, Lex, who mysteriously vanished on a diving trip in Egypt in 2000. She documents her search in her film “How to Meet a Mermaid.” Beautifully shot seascapes and a lush soundtrack keep us entranced.

Watch the trailer here.

8. RIGHT SIDE OF CELLO

When an artist physically loses his or her ability to create or perform, it is especially heartbreaking. It happened to the critically acclaimed young Polish cellist Dominik Polonski, in 2004, when he learned he had a brain tumor.

“Right Side of Cello,” a new film directed by Aleksandra Rek, follows Polonski through his multiple surgeries and rehabs. When he realizes that one arm will be permanently paralyzed, we watch Polonski rise up and face the challenge.

He continues to play his cello and care for it as best he can. He works through his emotions. And he gets creative. He starts to perform again, playing modern pieces written specially for him.

Watch the trailer here.

9. SACRED WATER

In many cultures female orgasm takes a back seat to male pleasure. In fact some cultures take surgical measures to ensure females don’t enjoy sex at all. But in Rwanda, women rock. “Sacred Water,” a film directed by Olivier Jourdain, explores the sexual traditions of the indigenous people, in which female orgasm is the holy grail.

Kunyaza, or “sacred water,” refers to female ejaculation, popularly known as the “squirting orgasm.” It is the ultimate prize. Tradition has it that this originates from a queen whose orgasmic flow was so copious that it formed the local Lake Kivu.

We follow Vestine who sets out to teach people about the sacred water and ensure that this sexual tradition is maintained. She also works to preserve the Gukuna ritual, in which young women prepare for sex using herbs and massage.

Check out the trailer here.

10. SIBERIAN LOVE

“If your husband hits you, take a frying pan and hit him right back,” an elderly woman advises. “If you give in once, he will always beat you.” This is just one of the bits of wisdom about love and marriage that gets passed down through generations in Siberia.

It sounds brutal, but “Siberian Love,” a new film directed by Olga Delane, shows us the warmth and tenderness of family life centered in the middle of this frozen landscape. Ironically, people seem happier here than in many other places.

Watch the trailer here.

Read more about IDFA 2016 film favorites inIDFA 2016 - Beautiful Stories in Film: Part 1, Beautiful Stories of the Great Animal Orchestra, IDFA 2016 - Beautiful Stories in Film: Part 3, IDFA 2016 - Beautiful Stories in Film: Part 4, and IDFA 2016 - Beautiful Stories in Film: Part 5.

And check out more beautiful things happening now in BN Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact Daily Fix posts.

IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: Courtesy of Motto Pictures. “Life, Animated.” Film directed by Roger Ross Williams.
2. Image: Courtesy of Motto Pictures. “Life, Animated.” Film directed by Roger Ross Williams.
3. Image: Courtesy of Motto Pictures. “Life, Animated.” Film directed by Roger Ross Williams.
4. Image: Courtesy of Semâ Bekirovic. “Borrowed Time.” Film directed by Semâ Bekirovic.
5. Image: Courtesy of Bella Productora. “Beauties of the Night.” Film directed by Maria José Cuevas.
6. Image: Courtesy of Telekult Film und Medienproduktion. “Crowley - Every Cowboy Needs His Horse.” Film directed by Andre Hörmann.
7. Image: Courtesy of Xavier Marrades.  “Cucli.” Film directed by Xavier Marrades.
8. Image: Courtesy of Conde Nast Entertainment. “The First Monday in May.” Film directed by Andrew Rossi.
9. Image: Courtesy of Conde Nast Entertainment. “The First Monday in May.” Film directed by Andrew Rossi.
10. Image: Courtesy of Zeppers Film & TV. “How to Meet a Mermaid.” Film directed by Coco Schrijber.
11. Image: Courtesy of Wajda Studio Sp. z o.o.. “Right Side of Cello.” Film directed by Aleksandra Rek.
12. Image: Courtesy of Wajda Studio Sp. z o.o.. “Right Side of Cello.” Film directed by Aleksandra Rek.
13. Image: Courtesy of Nameless Production. “Sacred Water.” Film directed by Olivier Jourdain.
14. Image: Courtesy of Nameless Production. “Sacred Water.” Film directed by Olivier Jourdain.
15. Image: Courtesy of Doppelplusultra. “Siberian Love.” Film directed by Olga Delane.
16. Image: Courtesy of Doppelplusultra. “Siberian Love.” Film directed by Olga Delane.
17. Image: Courtesy of Conde Nast Entertainment. “The First Monday in May.” Film directed by Andrew Rossi.
18. Image: Courtesy of Wajda Studio Sp. z o.o.. “Right Side of Cello.” Film directed by Aleksandra Rek.
19. Image: by BN App - Download now!
20. Image: Courtesy of Motto Pictures. “Life, Animated.” Film directed by Roger Ross Williams.