Celebrating Creatives Film Track tells stories involving music, dance, theater, fine and decorative arts as well as culinary arts.
For more information, contact: heather @ portlandfilm . org

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ASSETS

IMAGES:

The Art of Rebellion
Clowning with Shakespeare
Materia
Stage Changers
Sorry, We’re Closed
Truly Texas Mexican
#HIPLET

Summaries:
The Art of Rebellion – We first encounter LA-based street artist, Lydia Emily, as she creates a large-scale mural of a Masai woman in a tunnel, 30-feet underground in Oakland, California. Not the typical profile of a street artist, Lydia is 40-something and single mother of two daughters, one of whom has autism. She is also afflicted with Multiple Sclerosis (MS), a debilitating disease that attacks the central nervous system and disrupts the flow of information to the brain. Lydia’s home is a haven for both her daughters. The youngest, Coco, is preoccupied with Russian geopolitics and editing Wikipedia, as autism expresses in surprising moments of genius. Dorothy navigates adolescence as she explores art and activism through collaborative works with Lydia.
New complications arise in Lydia’s health as her MS relapses begin to increase. Beset by intensifying symptoms, Lydia struggles to complete a series of paintings for a solo show that could help her pay mounting medical bills.
Just when things are at their worst, a seemingly noble, bearish man named Andy arrives in Lydia’s life and quickly finds a place in the family. Lydia and Andy’s swift romance yields a wedding and a move to Austin for job security. But not long after relocating, Andy’s temperament darkens and just nine months after their wedding, their marriage falls apart. The day Andy leaves Lydia, he empties their bank account, has the power turned off in their home, and cancels her health insurance.
Shocked, fearful, and alone, Lydia returns to California with her daughters to be closer to her mother and her friends and to return to the refuge of her art. And even as her disease progresses, Lydia persists, using shoelaces to secure paintbrushes to her hands as they lose their grip, declaring, “I dare you to make this my last year, I love my life – try and take it from me.” Documentary Feature. Directed by Libby Spears. 79 min. USA . West Coast Premiere

Clowning with Shakespeare – Rajat Kapoor, an Indian filmmaker & actor collaborates with fellow actors from Bollywood to put up a theatre play that turns Shakespearean stories into a modern tale with an unconventional twist. Rajat’s clowning act of interpreting Shakespearean classics makes for an unbelievably appealing storytelling. The creative exploration of Rajat and his team is discomforting, entertaining, and addictive at the same time. Documentary Feature. Directed by Siddhartha More. 59 min. India. North America Premiere

Materia – How and why are new objects created? What place does craftsmanship and
design have in a digital and global economy? Materia originates from the desire to tell the process of creation, from the conception to the realization of objects and their importance in society. The documentary sets out to discover laboratories, shops and artistic studios in the city of Rome, underlining the importance of these activities in the urban space. Silver, ceramic, formica, stones, bronze, paper and more are the materials that are molded to give shape to ideas. Where does the inspiration come from, how does a project develop, what are the difficulties encountered along the way? Through the stories of various characters who explain how all these issues are addressed, we set off on a journey into creativity. Documentary Feature. Directed by Catia Ott. 50 min. Italy. World Premiere

Stage Changers – Breakthrough theater company The Last Great Hunt chases the chance to take their award-winning storytelling to the world. Documentary. Directed by Ella Genevieve Wright. 60m. Australia. USA Premiere.

Sorry, We’re Closed – Famous chefs discuss the second largest employer in the US. (The restaurant industry.) Documentary. Directed by Pete Ferriero. 78m. USA. World Premiere.

Truly Texas Mexican (2021) – Delicious “Comida Casera,” (home cooking) of Texas Mexican American families, made famous in the late 1800s by indigenous businesswomen, chefs. Later dubbed “Chili Queens,” the innovative chefs were harassed and forced out of business, victims of racism. The road movie weaves through San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Brownsville and other Texas cities, naming the racism that erased Native American history. Intrepid women kept on cooking innovative dishes, culinary creations, and in the process, strengthened the community’s living memory and heritage. They build a table where ALL ARE WELCOME. Documentary Feature. Directed by Anibal Capoano. 90 min. USA.

#HIPLET – The story of inner-city dancers as they perform a fusion of hip-hop and ballet—balancing life and education in Chicago. Documentary. Directed by Sonia Machado-Hines & Terence Bernie Hines. 45m. USA. World Premiere.

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