In Defense of Indie (films)

I, friends, am an indie advocate in nearly all aspects-- especially music and movies (are there many other indie realms??).  Anywho, the whole "independent" genre is becoming increasingly difficult to truly deem "indie" as the forces of technology, communication, viral-ness, and speed of information surround and many times overtake, and submerge the independence of the artist.  And you never know who is actually backing your favorite "unknown" band or, no sé, production agency because record labels and film company's have become so interconnected and enredado that many receive cash flows from the same sources.  It's called conglomeracy amigos (may be a made up word, but you get the point).  And that's how the world is spinning these days.

But the whole point of this post to to tout the grandeur of the often un-noted, low budgeted, simple yet magically wondrous indie film.  Regressing in time, I think the first "indie" movie that sparked my fuego was Focus Features' Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, written and directed by Michael Gondry and Charlie Kaufman.  It was mesmerizing.  Four years after its release, the post-college doldrums rolled around and I found myself painfully addicted to Netflix and the endless world of films they have stocked in their inventory (they are #1 on my list of things most achingly longed for from the states for a reason, ppl).  I sat around for months pondering (fruitlessly, obviously) what the F to do with myself and, in the mean time, whisking myself away to France, Spain, India, etc via the endless supply of flicks provided by said company.  Bliss.

Since coming to Chile, I haven't been able to keep my indie boat as afloat because of 1) Netflixie doesn't exist, 2) seeing an "indie" flick requires going to the movies and lets all keep my PollyPockets in mind here, 3) buying crappy quality pirated movies on the street isn't my "thing."  BUT- there are a couple of decent Cinearte movie theaters here in Santiago, and a surprising amount of film festivals, usually taking place via the Universities.  If you find your self in a non-blockbusting bind, here are links to the theaters:

El Biografo -- very cool old theater, in a very cool old neighborhood
CineArte Normandie -- very old old theater, in a very old neighborhood
CineArte Alameda -- sometimes turns into a dance club
Cinearte Tobalaba -- never been

This post is going in a random direction...  What I really wanted to plug, al final, is the movie The Italian or Итальянец (cuz the film is, surprise!, in Russian).  The other weekend, LL and I went to see it and I, for one, had absolutely zero expectations.  I errantly assumed it would be some sort of It's a Wonderful Life type of movie, set in the Italian countryside....  Psych!  It is set in a desolate, frozen, harsh Russian village, in a boy's orphanage with a crazy, leopard-bra-wearing owner, and a grumbly semi-kind-souled headmaster.  Basically there is a little boy, Vanya, who is slated to get adopted by an Italian (thus the title) couple who is going to take him away to warmth and comfort and orange-eating-euphoria.  His amigos are über jealous, but poor little Vanya only wants to find his birth-mother after having a drunken encounter with a mom who gave her (already adopted) son up for adoption and returned to the orphanage in hope to repent her mistake.  Too late.  It's sad, yet touching and the thing is, is that you can tell that the budget for the film was probably less than (a high guess) $2 million US dollars.  But it was far better, far more thought-evoking. had more heart than (most) all of the multi-million blockbusters put together.  It was simple.  The filming was simple- there were no special effects, not really any magnificent lighting-- just as it would be as if you were really seeing it (cold, drab, painful Russian landscape) and it was perfect.  I wont ruin the ending, but I will say that it was one of the best that I've seen in quite some time.  Totally recommendable (but in a warmer theater, with a non-tilted screen).

Other favorite gems include: 

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (French)

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not (French)

Amores Perros (Mexican)

Persepolis (French)

The Motorcycle Diaries (Mexican? who cares if it has Gael Garcia Bernal...)

La Vie en Rose (French)

Lars and the Real Girl (USA)

Love Me if You Dare (French)

Y Tú Mama También (Mexican)

L'Auberge Espagnole (French)

Etc, etc, etc, etc,---------

And if you're in the Fort Collins, CO area.... dont miss Lyric Cinema Cafe- it's the best ever ever ever.