Frizzworld

on 2006. So this is what I came up with for my year in 24 words:

Techno leap. Braces. Finally a digital camera. Bad wrist; no exercise. Bleak House continued. Film zombie. An answer? New ancestry. Berlin. More grounded. Friends.

Just rereading it now I could start adding to it, but on the whole I think it sums up my year. The techno leap refers to all the stuff I’ve had to learn for Frizz, which has been a step into the complete unknown. The braces, well they are now a part of me and I flaunt them gleefully, I’m not sure me a year ago would have believed that, I was still so reticent about getting them. A digital camera has just been a joy, but the bad wrist has not. Eight years of yoga slowly going down the drain, I can feel the whole way I move is different. Bleak House might be ‘over’, I don’t want to go there until it’s in writing, it would be such a relief though. Film zombie is a reference to the film festival where I outdid myself, I’m still too embarrassed to say exactly how many films I saw and I never did do a best of, but I’ll mention them as and when they come out. Even though it got a bit much at the end (as it always does) I had a great time. An answer, well that’s something personal and not for here, at least not right now. I discovered that one branch (or at least one branch) of my family came from Portugal way back when and I’m now in contact with at least five new relations, some of them as close as second cousins and some as distant as sixth cousins. I finally made it to Germany as an adult and was moved and home and alienated and met one of the new relations and I’m still getting my head around it all. I do feel more grounded and if I’d had space I would have added that I’m learning to trust my instincts more as well. And friends, because they are wonderful and keep me sane.

Unfortunately none of my photo’s from the Festival came out very well. This is producer Christine Vachon in conversation with Festival director Sandra Hebron.

Peter Gantzler talking after a screening of Lars von Trier’s new film The Boss of It All, a very funny comedy along the lines of the Office, but not. They used a computer (automatic randomised camera), instead of a director of photography to work out where to put the camera, so there are some pretty odd shots, but it works.

The other Danish film I saw was Susanne Bier’s After the Wedding, I was really hoping it was going to be as amazing as Open Hearts, but sadly it’s not.

One of the most depressing things I saw was not a film in itself, but a clip within the film Bobby, of Robert Kennedy sitting in 1968 talking to a group of school children about the environmental problems facing the world, that’s almost 40 years ago and it could easily have been a politician speaking today.

It really seemed to be a good year for documentaries, one of the most powerful films I saw was Thin by photographer Lauren Greenfield. It follows a group of girls and women in an eating disorder programme, it’s beautifully made, very powerful and ought to be compulsory viewing for American insurance companies, who consistently and heartbreakingly cut funding before the women can have any real chance of recovery. Greenfield has also done an accompanying book of her photographs covering further stories with journal entries and artwork by the women and some essays by those working in the field. It’s been bought by Channel Four, so watch out for it next year.

I saw two really good films today Catch a Fire and Day Night Day Night. But really I’m all filmed out. Please let it end soon.

I’m going to do a round up of films at the end of the Festival, although I think I might be a bit embarrassed to count up the number I’ve seen.

Other than seeing films I’ve bumped into a colleague from years ago, I’ve met a guy who looked extremely familiar, but who ignored me when I asked where I might have known him from, twice. I’ve had an odd conversation where I semi lied about my work and didn’t defend blogs and I don’t know why. I’ve repeatedly sat next to a well-known director to the point where it’s becoming a bit farcical. I’ve discovered a great place for sushi and eaten tons of it (I’m a little worried about the Mercury count). I’ve drunk lots of hot chocolate and I’ve only walked out of one film.

I’ve lost count of the films; I’m a zombie with a spinning head. Too tired to write more – need to sleep.

It’s been an ‘I’m living in a channel five afternoon film’ week and I have to thank A who’s been wonderful. In between the melodrama I’ve been doing the festival. So far I’ve been surprised by the films I’ve seen. Stranger than Fiction was great, in that feel good sort of way – don’t read anything about it – just go and see it. The US Vs. Lennon, I saw by mistake and it turned out to be fascinating; I have a whole new respect for Lennon and Ono. I left the cinema thinking; where’s our Lennon? The Dixie Chicks certainly didn’t take up the baton. I didn’t get The Wedding Director, but I was very tired at that point. The Boss of it All is a laugh….

These are some that I’m thinking look interesting*: The Wedding Director, A Comedy of Power, The Boss of It All, The Ground Truth, Black Book, No. 2, Longing, Container, Wild Tigers I Have Known, The Caiman, Shortbus, Little Children, Half Nelson, After the Wedding, Dans Paris, Falling, Thin, Meanwhile, Beyond Hatred, The Year After, Bebel, Bobby, Breaking and Entering, Fast Food Nation, Stranger than Fiction, Catch a Fire, Close to Home.

* There is no order to this madness.