It's officially autumn and as the leaves start to fall it means several things, but the most exciting in the hearts of cinephiles across the region is the return of our very own independent film festival, BendFilm. We were lucky enough to get a sneak peek at the festival's lineup, that this year features 88 total films and added screenings at The Oxford Hotel. Check out our early picks, sure to satisfy your cinematic hunger before the festival, which kicks off on October 7.
The Cow Who Wanted to be a Hamburger, animated short
This may be the best title
of any film at this year's festival. The Cow Who Wanted to be a Hamburger is a fable about the power of advertising, the meaning of life, and the test of a mother's love. What's not to love about that?
Dive!, conservation
Jeremy Seifert and his friends dumpster dive in the back alleys and gated garbage receptacles of L.A.'s supermarkets. They salvage thousands of dollars worth of good food and uncover a disturbing truth about waste in America. The crew seeks to discover why edible food is tossed out instead of given to those in need.
Brutal Beauty: Tales of the Rose City Rollers, documentary
Here in Bend we love roller derby, and nationwide, the hard knocking sport has seen a revival. Brutal Beauty follows Portland's Rose City Rollers for more than a year and a half with unlimited access to bouts, practices, and the players' personal lives. Enjoy the thrills of derby life and learn from the roller girls themselves how derby saved their souls.
Poligamy, feature
Sure, sometimes we wish we could wake up next to someone different, but for Andras it becomes a reality. Andras has been dating Lilla, but she wants marriage and children and he doesn't know what he wants. Soon after Lilla announces she's pregnant, Andras starts to experience a strange series of situations. He wakes up next to a new Lilla everyday and explores different phases of relationships with a variety of women. (the film is from Hungary with English subtitles).
3 Things, short
"Three things I can't live without: obese cats, buttermilk pancakes, and snow globes." Deep down, we all have a soft spot for stories about love, especially true love, whether we want to admit it or not. 3 Things tells the story of Oliver and Charlotte (Charlie), two twenty-somethings who meet at both the right and wrong moment in their lives. Oliver documents his life with a 16mm camera and after meeting Charlie realizes he must become more than a spectator in his own life.
Lemonade, short
What if you lost your job, what would you do? Many people have had to ask themselves this question in recent years. Lemonade is a story about reinvention that follows 16 advertising professionals who lost their jobs and found their true callings.
