The Montclair Film Festival 2014

"It's  Sundance. Only Jersier."  That slogan represents both the attitude and the ambition of this local and highly enjoyable annual film festival.  This is the third year of the festival and over 90 films were shown between April 28 thru May 4 in several different theaters throughout Montclair.   I saw four films this weekend on a wide range of topics.  All were a hit with me!

On Friday, I saw "The Dog", a documentary about John Wojtowicz, the bank robber who tried to rob a bank to finance his lover's sex change operation and inspired the movie "Dog Day Afternoon". My friend, who was interested in seeing the movie, couldn't help but wonder why two young directors would want to spend 10 years gathering material for this film.  Wojtowicz had an unusual story to tell!

In complete contrast, on Saturday I saw "Advanced Style", a movie based on the photographs and blog of Ari Seth Cohen, who photographs women between the ages of 62-95 who exhibit a strong sense of style.  Seven of the women were highlighted in the film and two were in the audience!  An exceptionally fun film which played to a packed theater.  Check out his blog:advancedstyle.blogspot.com/

On a similar note, today I watched "Men of the Cloth", about the art of tailoring.  The film focused on three old tailors from Italy and one young apprentice.  (One still lives in Italy, one in NY and one outside of Philly.) The producer is a young female who was a men's fashion editor.  On her trips to Italy, she became fascinated by the men who were "behind the scenes" making the clothes.  The three men she highlighted, were not really "behind the scenes", but true artisans with very successful businesses and teaching careers.  One of the men was 90 and still working, though he died in 2011.  The scenes in Italy were breathtaking- another reason to visit!

So, two of the four films this weekend focused on fashion as art, beauty, and working into very old age.  

I ended the weekend with two other friends watching the closing film, "Wild Canaries", written and produced by a young married couple both from NJ, the wife from Montclair.  The film was a wild and crazy "whodunit" murder mystery/comedy/drama starring the married couple and other more well-known TV actors. The movie was fun and we all wish them the best of luck!

That's it for the 2014 festival.  Now, the volunteers get to rest, filmmakers take their films on tour, and the audience members go back to work, all invariably enriched by the shared experience. 

The Way You Look Tonight

The third Tuesday of each month brings the Silver Starlight Orchestra to an Italian restaurant in Hopatcong.  Last night was a special Tuesday,  since the evening's playlist was largely Frank Sinatra tunes.   A few years ago, I took private dance lessons to practice foxtrot, cha-cha and waltz. In all honesty, I just wanted to dance to Frank Sinatra's tune, "The Way You Look Tonight."  I love it- the big band sound, his voice, the words, the way you can foxtrot across the entire dance floor.    

The orchestra draws a mixed crowd of families, couples who eat dinner and sit through every song, and people who want to eat, drink and dance.  I have very happily joined the latter group, made up of an accomplished group of dancers with an enviable reputation at the restaurant.  The night is fun and lively, but also inspirational.  Always there are couples who are well into their 80's who spend most of the night on the dance floor.  

Last night I watched an elderly couple make their way to the dance floor from the bar area. They were dressed for a night out:  she in a black and white top, skirt, gold earrings; he in slacks, a sweater and blazer.  He moved slowly, with a slight limp.  Once on the dance floor, though, the limp seemed to vanish.  Song after song, they danced- jitterbug, swing, waltz- with enviable rhythm, connection, and ease.  While they were not fast, she could spin and he had cool moves of his own! Toward the end of the night when Ed, one of the fellows at our "dance table",  extended his compliments, he learned that the couple had danced together for 40 years, but never taken any formal lessons.  When I shared that information with Dave, he replied that it was because they lived through the "golden age of dance."  While I didn't leave through the "golden age big band era",  I want to be like that couple, dancing into my own golden age, Frank Sinatra playing as I foxtrot across the dance floor.