Brooklyn Film Festival 2021

I have returned. After a wild 2020 and a quiet first half of 2021 I have finally re-entered the film festival season. I may have missed out on Tribeca 2021 but it's okay now everything opening and moving 2022 is the goal. For now I must start with what I have in front of me and it's this year's edition of the Brooklyn Film Festival. I did not catch the opening ceremony which is okay but I was able to catch the movies that everyone was talking about and wanted to see badly. Before I forget the festival was showcasing films at Windmill Studios in Greenpoint, Brooklyn and of course like everything else these days there was virtual showings too. With COVID-19 being at the forefront of most events opening up it was fitting that the theme for this year was" If last year was a film it would be played at the Brooklyn Film Festival". I could not think of a better slogan.

Since we are still in the COVID-19 era I did not travel to much of the festivities and whenever I did go it was a awkward feeling. I have not been to any movie screening since 2019 and the same goes for a theater as well. Much to my surprise when I did show is the amount of people that was around. All masked up and just thinking "Wow this is completely what I didn't expect" It was strange but the most important part was that we was were enjoying what we love: movies. The first movie that I seen live in Windmill Studios was Life & Life. A brilliant documentary about a talented pianist named Reggie Austin who served 35 years in prison for murder and the effects that imprisonment, the prison system and self doubt that do to a individual. The documentary chronicles from the time which the horrific crime that was committed up to multiple parole hearings and the event that lead to his release from prison. Along the way you hear different people from Reggie's life who continue to wait for his release including some of his children and grandchildren who been affected by his imprisonment. NC Heinlen who directed the documentary guides the audience through San Quentin and Reggie's life with every twist you could think of or couldn't imagined.

I will discuss more about Life and Life in my next post but I must continue with the other movies that I have witnessed. The Wisdom of Trauma which is another documentary feature but this one was focused on the health profession and primarily society's effects on one's body. Dr. Gabor Mate, a renown speaker and author breaks down the effects of trauma from parenting to school to even how doctors treat can affect a human body physically along with psychologically. Dr. Mate throughout the documentary talks about the invisible effect of trauma and how society plays a role in creating and causing it. A well detailed film in which after watching you realize how important self care is needed in these times. I was able to see the crowd reaction to his assesments of modern medicine as it pertain to treatment. Traveling back and forth to Windmill Studios did wonders as I walk through Greenpoint and see the effects of COVID-19 in the neighborhood. As New York City prepares to open up we must not forget what was once there and now forgotten.

I watched different movies throughout the couple of days I have to enjoy the festival. I was happy to back outside and doing what I do best: write about movies. In previous years it was taken for granted for going to these film festivals and now I cherish and feel honored to document these events. I will do my best to bring more content going forward this year.