It’s Mountain Movie Time — Memorial Weekend Brings the 9th Annual Mammoth Lakes Film Festival to Screen

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What a great way to spend Memorial Weekend! May 24th through 28th, the Mammoth Lakes Film Festival will be debuting it’s 9th annual event.  Known for its eclectic and often cutting-edge mix of films, the fest offers a wide range of documentary and narrative features both domestic and international this year.

Held at three venues in the town of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., the festival is always warm and welcoming, offering inclusive and illuminative Q & A discussions, panels, and prizes. As always helmed by founder and festival director Shira Dubrovner, with programming director Paul Sbrizzi, subject matter on feature length films – the extensive shorts line-up has yet to be released – is both fresh and prescient.

According to Dubrovner, “It’s the artist’s responsibility to create change by holding up a mirror to society, inspiring audiences to self-reflection and taking action to better the world around us…”

Narrative features include a range of suspense, comedy, and dramas:

U.S. films include Free Time, focusing on a young man’s efforts to embrace life and actually find a life along the way; Pure Gesticulation, a mother/son story involving a mysterious new business begun by the son instructing strangers over the phone;   I Said Daddy I Said, which tells the story of LaLa, whoses plan to leave her abusive boyfriend Daddy crumbles when she realizes someone is watching her every move; and Love Dump, a quirky rom/com about an antique shop owner’s search for her
missing father, who falls for a determined dog lawyer along the way.  Viewers will also enjoy a highly inventive animated film, Unicorn Boy, in which a heartbroken young artist is sucked into a unicorn-run alternate dimension, and a mission to conquer a dark force in order to bring peace to the kingdom.

International Narrative Features include The Horse Tail (Poland), which details an aging sex worker’s return to a small and secretive town; Mad Cats (Japan), the story of a shiftless young man, his quirky new friend and an edgy, mysterious young girl, searching for his brother,  kidnapped by a pack of vicious monster cats determined to execute unscrupulous pet shop owners.  Nut Jobs (Canada), unfolds a far-fetched-sounding story told by a man to his ex-girlfriend about joining a leftist terrorist cell to
avenge her from being fired by an awful right-wing talk radio station.  The Serbian film Where the Road Leads, tells the story of a stranger’s arrival in an isolated village, the girl who falls in love with him, and her commitment to saving him when he is endangered by townspeople who suspect his involvement in constructing a nearby highway.

Starring Jerry as Himself, above; Mississippi River Styx, below

North American Documentary Features include A Still Small Voice, the story of an aspiring hospital chaplain’s yearlong residency in spiritual care; Mississippi River Styx, which depicts an enigmatic drifter with terminal cancer living his dream of
floating down the Mississippi River on a ramshackle houseboat — until locals start to question his story; and Name of the Game, which reveals the untold story of black male exotic dancing in south Los Angeles. In Starring Jerry as Himself , a family re-enacts the unbelievable, twisting true story of how their immigrant father Jerry, a recently divorced and retired Florida man, was unexpectedly recruited by the Chinese police as an undercover agent in an international money laundering investigation.

International feature docs include Destiny (Iran), which offers a poignant profile of a smart and gifted teenage girl who desperately wants to go to college but has to face hard choices in the wake of her mother’s death and her
father’s need for daily assistance;  Naked Israel (Israel), which offers an insightful look at Israeli masculinity through a series of interviews; and No Place For You In Our Town (Bulgaria), which depicts a soccer team’s success in a decaying ex-mining city in a changing world. From India, To Kill A Tiger presents the story of Ranjit, who takes on the fight of his life seeking justice for his 13-year old daughter, the victim of a gang rape.

Queendom, above

There are also three Spotlight presentation films which are not eligible for festival competition awards. The opening night film is from Russia: in Queendom, a queer Russian artist, stages radical performances in public that become a new form of art and activism—and put her life in danger. The festival’s closing film is Kokomo City , a U.S film in which four outspoken Black transgender sex workers explore the dichotomy between the Black community and themselves. The third spotlight presentation is a decidedly unconventional approach to musical film. In Burning Stone (U.S.), an ensemble of hypnotic instruments and choir weave together, intersect, and thread sonic and visual information.

The festival will also feature a Short Films Program of 38 Narrative Shorts, 24 documentary shorts and 17 animation shorts, as well as a program of music videos and a screenplay competition.

Having attended MLFF many times since its inception, one thing is sure: viewers will experience unique, exciting film at its best, in a wonderful environment where audience members can interact with filmmakers and explore ideas that will enrich, confound, involve and celebrate the human condition.

Get your tickets and passes here!

And note, this year, there will be an as-yet-unscheduled Best of the Fest series of screenings here in LA. But why wait? MLFF offers what just may be your best Memorial Weekend yet, movie-style.

  • Genie Davis; images courtesy filmmakers and MLFF

 

 

Pioneertown Motel Ain’t Like It Used to Be — Your New Desert Destination

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Long ago and far away, I stayed in a quaint little motel with shabby antiques and a kind of creepy kitchenette. It had benefits: good star gazing and walking distance from Pappy and Harriet’s, where I’d gone to see one concert or another.

That used to be the Pioneertown Motel. But, times, and motel rooms, have changed. Now showing off a sleek but mellow modern desert chic vibe, the stars are still there for the watching – along with the perfect viewing spot, a bright stone outdoor fireplace to keep you warm, and you’re still walking distance to music and the desert version nightlife.

Today’s Pioneertown Motel is welcoming, warm, and western in style – the motel office is a dusty looking little miner’s shack, the rooms feature touches like cowhide on the floor and wagon wheel lamps on the ceiling. The rooms are spacious, artistically simple, and include touches of western art and artifacts along with location-themed art and plants. Furniture maker Dan Anderson has created comfortable, versatile, aesthetically fitting furnishings – think wood and leather.

A big game room, called the Canteen, has outdoor and indoor tables, and houses a fridge for cold beverages, as well as offering a nice stash of games and books and magazines.

The Red Dog Saloon, from the same affable and stylish owners as the motel, is a short stroll away, and offers tacos and brews and whiskeys in a comfortably clubby room just steps from that outdoor fireplace, should you be able to tear yourself away.  it’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner – try the mushroom taco and the Rajas Quesadilla with smoky pasilla peppers.  And, the aforementioned Pappy and Harriet’s still serves up BBQ and music just a few steps further on.

When we stayed at the motel we had a unique experience which made us love it even more: PG&E was doing line repair work, and power was out for a few hours. It was just us, the firelight, the stars, and the sound of the desert wind. While you probably won’t have that experience, the desert’s drama and magic is still right outside the door. The Pioneer Mountains Reserve is a great spot for hiking or horseback riding, and of course you’re also a short drive from Joshua Tree National Park.

So giddyup partner, and head on out to Pioneertown, where the motel is now blissfully luxe – but not pretentious, no siree; the view as pristine as ever; the stars just as bright.

  • Genie Davis; photos by Genie Davis

 

 

Desert X 2023 – Both Desert and Art Take Center Stage

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I’ve been attending Desert X since it’s inception, and while my favorite years in terms of pure innovation and aesthetics may have been the first two iterations, the every-other-year, art in the desert sculptural excursions are still a don’t-miss for me.

It is perhaps the desert setting itself that makes the art “work,” albeit in varying degrees; sculpture in situ, a new way of looking at nature itself, that miraculous moment when light and sky and cloud and sculptures merge into one big, dimensional landscape.

Favorites: Lauren Bon and Metabolic Studios’ evening performance work with a literal beating heart pumping away to clean water from the Salton Sea – a literally alchemic exhibition, “The Smallest Sea with the Largest Heart”; Matt Johnson’s massive containers shaping a human “Sleeping Figure,” seemingly crash-landed in the desert, a giant among giant mountains; Mario Garcia Torres’ humming, reflective “herd” of mechanically moving art, “Searching for the Sky,” which literally reveals the desert horizon from all angles; and the playfully interactive, if very different works of Torkwase Dyson and Rana Begum, the first, a stunning, solemn black form, water descended from an alien world, “Liquid A Place,” while the second is a maze like interaction “#1225 Chain Link.”

A side note: we had the pleasure of running into the Roofless Painters who were creating plein air takes on the Desert X art at Tschabalala Self’s greaceful Pioneer, an equestrian statue that honors too-often-ignored birthright. Look for their depictions of Desert X in art exhibits based in the desert and in LA.

Here’s a quick look:

Desert X is up until May 7th, and it is more than worth the drive. And while you’re in the greater Palm Springs area, you might want to check out an entirely different dimension of light and color, the Phillip K. Smith exhibition, Light + Change at the Palm Springs Museum of Art. This exhibition is also up until the 7th of May.

 

Hurry up and go – you might see some wildflowers while you’re exploring the blossoming art.

  • Genie Davis; photos by Genie Davis

Catalina Dreamin’

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If you’re longing for an island getaway, without the flight to Hawaii, Catalina Island is a great choice. With spring weather finally showing up for SoCal, taking a smooth and quick Catalina Express boat from Long Beach, San Pedro, or Newport Beach will land you in Avalon Harbor in just over an hour (a bit longer from the OC).

We stayed in the Hotel Atwater, which has been beautifully refurbished, from the elegant, art deco lobby – replete with a harp, to the tasteful, plush rooms, blissfully quiet rooms, too. Done in understated creams and pastels, the rooms exude a hushed but unpretentious elegance. Adjoining the lobby, guests can easily pass into a covered shopping area that includes a coffee bar that makes a nice stop for a morning bagel and of course, a cup of your favorite a.m. beverage.

For lunch or dinner, try the perfect bluewater view at, naturally the Bluewater Grill. Fresh fish, views for miles, an airy, maritime-themed dining room, and a capacious patio, plus terrific cocktails make this a must-stop. And of course, their renowned fresh baked sourdough bread. The buttery sauteed sand dabs with capers were perfect in a light, refreshin lemon buere blanc. Served with decadently rich scalloped potatoes and flavorful well-prepared spinach, it was a classic dish that tasted freshly caught. The same freshness was more than evident in the Black & Blue Ahi, served two ways: blackened and seared rare with a slightly spicy, delicious wakame seaweed salad, wasabi cream, coconut ginger rice, and broccolini. For dessert, a smooth, fluffy key lime pie. My cocktail was a well-seasoned meal in itself. The Fisherman’s Mary was made with Blue Ice Vodka, housemade Bloody Mary mix, and served with bamboo skewered shrimp, pimento stuffed olive, lime and a tasty pickled green bean. My partner went for the Serrano Margarita, made the way he likes it – hot. The drink featured Cuervo Tradicional Silver Tequila, De Kuyper Triple Sec, freshlime juice, a splash of fresh orange, organic agave nectar, and his favorite – hand-crushed fresh serrano chili with a requested extra application.

Along with strolling the streets and browsing the shops of Avalon,  must-do sfor any visitor to the island include a stop to see the latest exhibitions at the Catalina Museum for Art and History – see our earlier article on the Tiki Tales exhibition, running through September, and the recent, but now-closed, perfectly curated CROSSING WATERS: CONTEMPORARY TONGVA ARTISTS CARRYING PIMUGNA, both discussed in two earlier articles in this publication.

And, whatever you do, you can’t miss the Behind the Scenes tour at the Casino. Yes, there’s a considerably shorter tour that gives you just a glimpse of this beautiful building, but the 90 minute Behind the Scenes is the way to go, to explore the private screening room, sit down and watch the lights dim in the stunning theater, learn about murals, dressing rooms, the ballroom, and take in the views from the balcony.

Our guide was well-versed in the history of this palatial structure, which opened May 29, 2029, and served as a major achievement for the island’s then-estate holder, William Wrigley Jr. His vision to create a welcoming “playground for all” on the island included the casino theater and ballroom. The theater was among the first to screen a “talking picture.” The ballroom hosted all night dances that brought revelers on steamships to the island to swirl along to Big Band sounds, while partaking of non-alcoholic beverages in the undersea-themed lounges.

Another recommended dining experience is the Naughty Fox, a relative newcomer to Catalina’s cuisine. Here we enjoyed a lovely version of a classic Mai Tai – Vic’s features Don Q silver, Mysters dark rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, and orgeat syrup. My partner’s margarita with tajin rim was refreshing and bright. Our meal: a rich, dreamy  platter of elevated macaroni and cheese; and a trio of fresh-from-the-sea shrimp tacos, simple, and simply delightful. The meal is served with a street and bay view either at a hip bar with chartreuse seats or outdoors on a triangular patio.

And of course for tiki drinks, decor, and yummy sea-centric bar bites, the place to go is Luau Larry’s, a bit farther down Crescent Street, and open late, mentioned in last week’s look at Catalina Island.

So — what are you waiting for? Go ahead, enjoy an island getaway – without the hassles of TSA and a long flight.

  • Genie Davis; photos by Genie Davis and Jack Burke