Lens-Artist challenges us to go through our photos and share our favorites from 2020. Here’s a few I found.
It was a strange year with no travel since February and a lockdown.
You can see more favorite 2002 photos here.
Hoping for a better 2021.
Park City, Utah
The Which Way Challenge, that Cee began, has been picked up by the Alive and Trekking blogger. The beauty of it is that it’s free form. You can include images of doors, gates, roads, streets, exits, signs, paths, waterways, you name it.
See more Which Way photos by clicking here.
I don’t know the director’s intent, but Cuties, a French coming-of-age film, was sad and disturbing. The heroine, 11 year old Amy has come to Paris with her mom and two younger siblings. Her mother is devastated to learn that her husband, who’s still back in Senegal, has chosen a second wife. It hits Amy hard, but her reaction is far more self-destructive than she knows.
At her new school, Amy becomes obsessed with joining a mean girls clique, who’re preparing to dance in an upcoming competition. That sounds a bit harmless, though sacrificing your self-respect to befriend people who mock, humiliate and hit you, is not a good choice. I cringed when the girls kick out their lowest status member and Amy strives to get accepted by a group of misguided, powerful jerks.
Amy and her new “friends” get way over their heads in social media and sexy dancing. The camera draws the audiences’ attention to the girls’ bodies and movements that is gross and would only appeal to a pedophile. It’s really horrible and a far cry from a “feminist liberation” as the director claims. The director has recently claimed that the film is a critique on the exploitation of girls. I see it as more of a film about a degenerative society where parents neglect their children. The girls aren’t roped into anything, they just have no adult in their life who’s paying close attention to them.
SPOILER ALERT
After my long day shifts at Sundance, I had some days off (and nights on) when I could explore Park City’s Main Street where lots of the festival festivities are held. Without a doubt Chase Sapphire’s space with it’s sophisticated hygge vibe is my favorite. It’s got locked cubbies where you can charge your phone or tablet, panels with filmmakers in the basement. Midday there’s free tea, hot chocolate and appetizers. At 3:00pm there’s a whiskey tasting. It’s a great place to recharge or chat with fellow festival goers.
I got to see two film panels when filmmakers discuss their work. On Monday I heard the cast of Downhill starring Julia Louis Dreyfus and Will Farrell and Tuesday I heard the cast of Charm City Kings, a flick set in Baltimore that focuses on a teen who’s an expert in dirt bike racing.
I also loved the food and drinks offered each day and the opportunity to chat with other festival goers.
Some highlights of the Sundance Film Festival. I’m volunteering at Eccles Theater where Robert Redford gave a tribute to the Sundance Executive Director, who’s stepping back after this year’s festival.
I’m enjoying the festival, but the volunteer schedule has kept me hopping. Little time for blogging or sleep. So next week I’ll have more film reviews and descriptions of this amazing experience.
