True/False Film Fest 2013

Posted by Porcshe N. Moran

I purchased this T/F Film Fest canvas tote bag to commemorate the event's 10th anniversary.

The 2013 edition of the True/False Film Fest wrapped up Sunday night in Columbia, Mo. after four days packed full of documentary films and live music from around the globe.  This was my fourth year attending the festival and, as always, it was a phenomenal experience. Here's my take on the weekend:

Films & Events

My Simple Pass and huge programming schedule for T/F 2013.

True/False is considered to be one of the world's premiere film festivals. Sandwiched in between Sundance and SXSW, it has become a coveted destination for directors on the festival circuit. This year, 42 films were screened in eight downtown Columbia venues. One of the highlights of seeing films at T/F is that the directors and often times the subjects of the documentaries are in attendance. You are able to ask them questions at the end of each screening or even bump into them at a coffee shop for a one-on-one chat. It is always a treat to be able to get a behind-the-scenes perspective of how each film was made straight from the people involved. 

I purchased a Simple Pass for the festival which allowed me to reserve up to 10 different films in advance.  The pass also gave me the ability to "Q" (stand in line and try to get into a film that is sold out) throughout the entire festival. I ended up getting tickets to seven films. My plan was to also "Q" for two films.  Due to my personal schedule, I wasn't able to follow my original plan, but here are the five films that I was able to watch: 

• "Crash Reel":  This documentary by two-time Academy Award nominee Lucy Walker follows the story of U.S. champion snowboarder Kevin Pearce who had an accident while preparing for the 2010 Winter Olympics. The accident resulted in massive head trauma. Luckily, Pearce survived the injury, but his life would never be the same again. I'm not big into sports, and I had never heard of Pearce before seeing the film, but it was easily my favorite screening of the festival. Walker had a great deal of access to Pearce and his inner circle of family and friends which allowed her to use his personal story to give an intimate look at the bigger picture of the dangers and high stakes associated with extreme sports. The film gives you a sense of what it would be like to have your life completely change in a matter of seconds and what it takes to rebuild. It was both a heart-wrenching and heart-warming account. Athletes and non-athletes alike are able to relate to the struggles and victories of Pearce and his family. I highly recommend seeing this documentary if you have the opportunity. 
• "Cutie and The Boxer": Artists Ushio and Noriko Shinohara are profiled in this charming portrait of a husband and wife who seek success in the same profession. The couple live and work in New York City and personify the cliche of starving artists. At 80 years old, Ushio is surprisingly agile and full of life. He continues to create his famous boxing action paintings as well as sculptures made from cardboard. Noriko is finally focusing on her own art work again after spending years as Ushio's assistant in addition to raising their child while Ushio struggled with alcoholism. She tells the story of their 40-year relationship through a cartoon she has drawn called "Cutie and the Boxer". One of the most touching moments of the film for me was when Noriko reveals that despite the suffering, heartache and disappointment that she has experienced in her marriage to Ushio she still loves him very much and would do it all over again. The love between this couple is strong and enduring, but not sugar-coated. Both the director and the Shinoharas attended the screening. On the final day of the festival, Ushio gave a live demonstration of how he creates his boxing paintings. "Cutie and the Boxer" was one of the most popular films among festival-goers. 
• The Machine Which Makes Everything Disappear: Filmmaker Tinatin Gurchiani wanted to make a film that explored the lives of youths in her home country of Georgia, and this was the end product. She set up casual casting calls for teens and 20-somethings to come in and reveal their hopes, dreams, struggles, fears etc. to the camera. She then went on to capture some of their stories further by following them into their worlds. I think the editing could have been a little tighter, but overall I loved the raw and honest interviews that the director was able to get with a diverse group of people about their individual lives. Also, the cinematography was stunning. 
• "No":  This film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 2013. I believe it was the only film at the festival that wasn't a documentary, but it still fits under the fest's umbrella of non-fiction filmmaking. It is about the advertising campaigns that were created during the 1988 plebiscite in Chile to decide whether or not to keep dictator Augusto Pinochet in power. The film is shown through the point of view of a fictional advertising professional name Rene played by Gael Garcia Benal. I liked the way that the film tied in real footage from the time throughout the scripted scenes, and the story was intriguing. 
• "Stories We Tell":  Oscar-nominated writer/director Sarah Polley reveals a personal secret through the recollections of her sisters, brothers, father and family friends in this documentary which premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in 2012. The film takes liberties with the documentary genre by seamlessly blending together fact and fiction. "Stories We Tell" was on the top of my list to see at the festival, but it was a let down for me in some ways. From a style perspective, I thought Polley did a great job of telling the story, and I applaud her vulnerability in revealing such a private part of her life. However, the story itself was underwhelming to me. In my opinion, what was supposed to be the "big, shocking" moment of the film didn't live up to the tremendous build-up that preceded it. My opinion of the film is in the minority though, as it has been applauded by critics and it was liked by many others at the festival. I'd recommend checking it out, but it just wasn't a favorite for me. Side note: A short by Oscar-winner Dan Lindsay called "My Favorite Picture of You" was played before the film. It was an absolutely beautiful collection of old photographs and personal video footage choreographed to audio of an elderly husband having a conversation with his wife about their life together as she is dying of cancer. Lindsay screened his film "Undefeated" at last year's festival just a week after it won the Academy Award for Best Documentary. If you haven't seen it yet, check it out on Netflix.  

Events

• The Creative Treatment of Reality: This was a panel discussion on reality television with Jonathan Murray, creator of The Real World, and SallyAnn Salsano, creator of The Jersey Shore.  I haven't watched the Real World in years, and I've never watched Jersey Shore, but I'm fascinated by the phenomenon of reality TV and how it relates to documentary film. Plus, both Murray and Salsano are graduates of my alma mater, the University of Missouri. The discussion was led by a moderator and then opened up for audience questions. It was enlightening and gave me a  fresh perspective on reality TV. 
• Third Coast International Audio Festival listening room: This free event, hosted by Chicago-based audio curators Third Coast, wasn't officially part of this year's festival, but it was one of the best things that I did all weekend. Third Coast artistic director Julie Shapiro played excerpts of the best radio documentaries from their extensive library and moderated discussion about them. It was a thought-provoking session. If it happens again next year, I'll definitely go back. 
• The @ction Party: On Friday night, my friends and I attended the big T/F dance party at a downtown nightclub. The celebration featured DJ MNDR and Washington, D.C.'s DJ Rat and the Underdog. It was a blast. Aside from the dancing, it was a chance to socialize with filmmakers and fellow fest attendees. 

The Music

Yes Ma'am! from New Orleans, my favorite of the bands I heard at the festival.

Beyond the films, T/F also puts a premium on showcasing music from various acts from across the country and around the world. Before each film, audience members are treated to a performance from one of nearly 40 solo and group buskers who are part of the festival. Throughout the weekend, musicians can be found playing on street corners and at parties and events. My favorite act at the festival was a string folk band from New Orleans called Yes Ma'am!. I heard them for the first time before the screening of Crash Reel and then later that night at the Toast/False Saturday Busker Showcase. Side Note: While they weren't officially tied to the festival, Columbia, Mo.-based band Jenny Teator and The Fevers played a show on the first night of True/False at a downtown venue. Their set was amazing, and I really hope that they can be incorporated into T/F next year. 

The Food & Drink

House salad and Focaccia bread at Uprise Bakery.

I consider myself to be a bit of a foodie, so what I eat during T/F weekend is as important to me as the films. Beforehand, I prepared a list of Columbia dining establishments that I wanted to try for the first time or revisit during the festival, and I was able to get to most of them. Several restaurants catered to movie-goers by providing discounts for pass holders and a selection of dishes that could be ordered quickly between screenings.  These are the restaurants that I visited during the festival:

• Bleu Restaurant & Wine Bar:  I've been a fan of Bleu since they opened, and they didn't disappoint at T/F. They offered a modified "Sip and Nosh" menu for the festival, but I ordered off the regular menu since I wasn't in a hurry to get to a film. I had their signature Bleu Burger, which had confit mushrooms, arugula, sun-dried tomatoes, caramelized onions and Swiss cheese, with a side of garlic and rosemary fries.
  
• Uncle Tusk's BBQ: This wasn't on my original food list, but I'm glad I stumbled upon it. Uncle Tusk's BBQ was serving outside of The Bridge concert venue as part of a non-festival show that a friend and I attended on Thursday night. We sampled the maple and brown sugar barbecued wings, and they were incredible. The sauce was perfect and the meat fell off the bones. 
• Uprise Bakery: This eatery is located inside of the Ragtag Cinema which houses two of the festival's venues making it extremely crowded and chaotic. Surprisingly, the service was pretty fast, and I didn't have to rush to finish my house salad and slice of Focaccia bread pizza before my next film. I didn't try it, but I heard raves from people who ordered their Bahn Mi sandwich which consists of pulled pork, kimchi, sriracha aioli, cilantro, mint and cucumbers served on a baguette.
• U Kneed Sweets:  This small bakery was a delight.  The proprietor offers a mix of Asian, American, Italian and French pastries and desserts. I sampled one of their hazelnut macaroons, and it was perfection. 
• Broadway Brewery & Restaurant: To end the festival, my friends and I decided to have Sunday brunch at this downtown brewpub that specializes in creative beers and meals made with fresh, local produce.  I ordered the French toast, house bacon, cheesy grits and a mimosa. I really enjoyed the cheesy grits, and the fresh-squeezed orange juice was the best I've ever tasted. Unfortunately,  their delicious pear ale, which I fell in love with during a previous festival, wasn't on tap. 
• Pizza Tree: I'd been hearing rave review about this new artisan pizza place for awhile, and I was anxious to try it out. They had a discount on their Detroit-style slices for pass holders, and I wasn't super hungry, so I went for a slice of pepperoni. It was good, but what really intrigues me is their "Pizza Art" like The Fortnight which includes Ezzo pepperoni, bacon, ground sirloin, Italian sausage, red onion, kalamata olive, mushrooms and fried green peppers. Another example is the truffled crimini with tomato and Gouda cheese. I look forward to going back and trying these. At next year's fest, Pizza Tree will likely have a food truck roaming the streets. 
• Yogoluv: There was no line here when I stopped in after a film to get my froyo fix despite it being right next to one of the festival's biggest venues.  They change the flavors regularly and have a large selection of toppings to choose from. The price is determined by the weight of your concoction. I tried a satisfying blend of the cinnamon bun and dulce de leche yogurts topped with fresh fruit and almonds. 
• Kaldi's Coffee: I don't drink coffee, but Kaldi's is regularly named as the best place for a cup of Joe in Columbia. I opted for their Italian salami sandwich, chips and a slice of gooey butter cake. It is always crowded during the festival, but service is fairly fast, and the food is good. 
• Lakota Coffee Company & Roasters: I really like the rustic decor of this coffee shop, and it wasn't as crowded as Kaldi's. I had one of their refreshing mango and banana smoothies while I worked on some writing between films. 
• CJ's: My vote for the best buffalo wings in Columbia goes to CJ's hands down. We ordered ahead and our wings were ready for us when we arrived,  which gave us plenty of time to enjoy our meal before our next film. 
• Tropical Liquers:  Trops, as it is known to Columbia's residents, is a beloved establishment that serves up a variety of frozen specialty cocktails. The weather was chilly during the festival and there was snow on the ground, but this place was still packed. 
• Top Ten Wines: This upscale wine shop has a small bar, a couple of ping pong tables and window seating that provides a great view for people watching. We stopped in for a glass of sangria after a day of films. They also sell cheese plates for a light snack. I'd recommend this for anyone looking for a relaxed yet sophisticated environment. 
• El Rancho: There are better Mexican restaurants in the city, but this one benefits from being in the heart of downtown and staying open into the early morning hours. When the bars close, it is not surprising to find a line here that goes out the door. I had the ground beef nachos, which weren't anything special, but took care of my hunger at 3 a.m. when not much else was open. 

To see more of my photos from the T/F Film Fest follow PNM Media on Instagram (@PNMMedia). For more information about the T/F Film Festival go to www.truefalse.org