SXSW 2019 Day 6: Still Watching Movies, Still Maintaining a Semblance of Sanity

I've seen twenty films in six days.  I'm quickly losing the ability to differentiate between film and reality.  As I type this, I'm unsure whether I'm writing a SXSW blog or watching a documentary about someone writing a SXSW blog.  I guess I'll only learn the answer if there's a Q&A at the end of this thing.

Wednesday, March 13th, 2019

Films I Planned to See
Showtime     Title                            Location
1:45 PM          The Inventor            Alamo Lamar
5:00 PM         Alice                            Zach Theatre
8:00 PM         J.R. "Bob" Dobbs     Zach Theatre

Films I Actually Saw
Showtime     Title                            Location
2:00 PM         For Sama                   Zach Theatre
5:00 PM         Alice                            Zach Theatre
8:00 PM         J.R. "Bob" Dobbs     Zach Theatre

I was two for three in my attempted screenings today.  I missed out on The Inventor for the second time this week, so it looks like I'll have to catch up with that one after the festival.  However, that gave me the opportunity to see the Grand Jury Award winners for both the narrative and documentary competitions.

For Sama

The Grand Jury Award winner for Best Documentary Feature is a love letter from a mother to her infant daughter as she fights to survive military bombings in the besieged city of Aleppo.  Director Waad al-Kateab is a journalist documenting the war crimes of the Syrian and Russian governments as well as her chaotic family life in a makeshift hospital.  Waad's husband Hamza runs the hospital and treats hundreds of bombing victims each day.  Waad films as much as possible and posts the footage online with the hope that someone will come to their aid.

This is probably the most fucked up, moving thing I've ever seen.  Waad and Hamza know the rational move is to flee the country to protect themselves and their daughter Sama.  However, they feel a strong attachment to their city and an obligation to stay and help.  All eight of the other hospitals in Aleppo have been destroyed by aerial bombs, and there is no one else that can help the victims of Assad's attacks.

Dozens of people die on screen.  I've never seen so much blood.  One particular scene of doctors performing an emergency C-section on an injured mother will remain forever tattooed in my mind.  The film is a difficult watch, but the violence is not gratuitous.  It provides an incredibly personal insight into the evils committed by the Syrian government and the challenges faced by its victims.

Each time you think you can't handle any more, the film pivots to baby Sama, the one bright spot in Waad and Hamza's life that motivates them to keep fighting against all odds.  Waad narrates portions of the film, speaking directly to Sama in an attempt to explain her reasoning for staying in Aleppo.  At its core, the film is a story of this family and each member's struggle to balance their ideals with their desire to protect each other.  Hopefully, For Sama will gain traction and inspire western governments to rethink their treatment of Syrian refugees.

Alice

The Grand Jury Award winner for Best Narrative Feature is an analysis of the double standards for women and men in modern society.  Alice is happily married with a young son, but one day her husband doesn't return home from work.  The following morning, Alice receives an eviction notice and discovers that instead of paying the mortgage, her husband has spent all their money on high class prostitutes.  In a desperate attempt to make back-payments to the bank, Alice sees no other alternative than to go into prostitution herself.

Alice expects to feel guilty but comes to enjoy her new profession and the financial freedom that comes with it.  When her husband resurfaces and demands custody of their child, the film delves into societal stigmas around prostitution:  A man who hires prostitutes is a bad husband, but a woman who sells her body is a bad mother.  This double standard is particularly irrational in this situation as the husband is motivated by pleasure while Alice is just trying to keep a roof over her son's head.  The film attempts to present sex workers as respectable members of society and remove the stigma that they are less than the men who employ them.

J.R. "Bob" Dobbs and The Church of the SubGenius

Set in 1980s Fort Worth, Texas, this fascinating documentary tells the story of two men so fed up with organized religion that they decide to create their own.  The Church of the SubGenius has no real belief system, as evident in its mottos:  "Fuck em if they can't take a joke" and "Eternal salvation or triple your money back!"

Often incorrectly compared to cults such as Scientology, the church is merely a community for societal misfits who like making fun of religion.  Director Sandy K. Boone tracks the church's rise as it grows far beyond what its founders anticipated, attracting celebrities such as Richard Linklater, Nick Offerman, and Penn Jillette.  This hilarious, stranger-than-fiction story is one of the most fun documentaries I've seen.

That's a wrap on Day 6.  Can't believe I'm still blogging every day.  It's much easier when you only see three films.  Now on to the Q&A session.  Drop your Q's in the comments, and I'll hit you with some A's.


Michael Dixon is a mild mannered accountant by day and a mild mannered movie watcher by night.  He will not do your taxes for you.  He lives in Austin, Texas with his lovely television and collection of fine whiskies.  You can't purchase his book anywhere because it doesn't exist.