Travels to Mexico

Los Cabos

My first flight for the trip to Los Cabos left Brisbane at 7am, which meant I was up at 4am to be at the airport two hours before my flight. From Brisbane I flew to Sydney where I boarded my fourteen hour flight to LA for my second stopover. Now one would think at an international airport McDonalds would sell its entire menu all day given people are arriving from multiple time zones, but I was out of luck. Chips (fries) and ice cream were not being served until 10:30am and I arrived in LA at 7:30am. Luckily I had packaged food in my carry on left over from the flight. After a five hour stopover in LA I boarded my final flight that took me to Los Cabos where I arrived on the afternoon of Tuesday 13 November. I flew home on Sunday 18 and arrived back in Australia Tuesday 22. My flight from LA to Sydney was delayed an hour so I just made my connecting flight in Sydney, but on the plus side I had a spare seat beside me from LA so was able to sleep more on the flight home.

From the airport it was straight to the Sheraton Hacienda del Mar where I was staying. This hotel is simply stunning. The buildings are a gorgeous architecture, the colour scheme is very Mediterranean and the views overlooking the beach were sensational. Everywhere you looked was picture perfect. The staff at the Sheraton were amazing. All those I had the pleasure of dealing with were so friendly and helpful. People were remembering my name by the next day and recognising me at the restaurant where I ate every morning and evening. The shuttle driver for the festival taking care of the Sheraton was also wonderful. We had a number of conversations and he looked out for me, making sure that I always got back to the hotel ok regardless of what time an event finished.

On Wednesday, my first full day in Los Cabos, I took the hotel shuttle into town where I spent the day looking around and shopping. I was able to get three bags of amazing souvenirs and gifts in Mexico for about $300. Last time I was in the States I nearly maxed out my credit card! When I got back to the hotel I went for a swim in one of the various pools overlooking the ocean.

On the Sunday, which was my last morning, I spent it wondering around the hotel grounds taking some final photos and thanked the staff who had been so kind to me during my stay. Not once while I was away; be it at the hotel, in town or out at one of the festival’s event til late did I feel uncomfortable or unsafe. Between Los Cabos itself and attending the festival I had the best time and am so glad that I did it!

Baja Film Festival

First and foremost: to those of you hoping to hear all about my meeting Mark I'm afraid you're out of luck. He may make films for a living but he is still just a normal person like the rest of us and his privacy is not open for public discussion. I will not break the trust he has in me to satisfy your curiosity. This was never a bragging right for me. I would have attended the festival regardless to support FLO and the boys. It became the chance to meet someone whose work inspires me and that I have a great deal of respect for. Therefore what I will say is this: I got the opportunity to hang out with Mark at the festival Friday and Saturday and he is one of the nicest people I've ever met.

The opportunity to finally see FLO on the big screen was truly magical! The black and white is so perfect and with speaker sound I was able to pick up extra dialogue (which at this point in time escapes me, but I'm sure I'll remember next time). There were approximately forty people at the screening, all of whom stayed for what turned into a ten minute Q&A with Mark. There were a fair few technical questions but people also had nothing but praise for FLO. One guy commented on how much he'd enjoyed the film because it transported him into the story and it felt like he was a witness to their lives rather than just watching a film. I think that he perfectly described how many of us have felt watching FLO.

Throughout the three days of films I saw around fourteen short films and two features. I generally found these to be interesting and enjoyable with so many different types of stories and many unique concepts. Of course there were those that didn't overly appeal to me for whatever reason, but that is to be expected, and they were still generally well done. The Convention Centre, where the screenings were held, was an interesting building with plants covering the entire front wall of the outside as well as the length of one wall inside the building. Very artistic in itself and made for a great location to hold the festival screenings.

As it turns out I was the talk of the Sheraton festival shuttle. On Saturday before the FLO screening one of the other film-makers came over to talk to Mark and when he introduced me and told him that I was from Australia James (I believe his name was) asked if I was staying at the Sheraton. Apparently the shuttle driver and hotel volunteer had been talking about ‘the girl from Australia’ on the bus to and from event locations. One of the short film-makers also staying at the Sheraton was on the shuttle at the same time as me on a bunch of occasions and when she saw me sitting outside the screening rooms after her short was shown she came over and said she saw me in there and thanked me for watching her film.

Thursday night’s event was the Film-makers' Reception held at Witikuta Jardin de Cactus. There they held a screening of a very interesting and informative documentary on the history of Mexican society/culture and their hopes for the future. But what made the night all the more intriguing is that we were in the middle of a cactus garden. The place was so surreal and beautiful; with the gardens lit in various coloured lights.  

Friday night’s event was an art walk and open air concert held at the Marina. The concert hosted an array of singers/bands. It was a great atmosphere and wonderful evening.

Saturday night was the closing ceremony, awards presentation and cocktail party, which was held at the Convention Centre. Here I got to briefly meet Virginia Madsen, who was lovely as well as a couple of other film-makers and one of Mark’s industry friends who was great fun. She was on my flight back to LA and recognised me at baggage claim so came over to say hello.

The organisers of the Baja Film Festival did a fantastic job for their first event. The locations were amazing, the evening events were great fun and the screenings were well run. 

Thank you Star Trek

As Star Trek celebrates its 50^th anniversary I have to say thank you for all it has given me; I will be forever grateful. Gene Roddenberry was a visionary and his belief in a better future shaped my world. Star Trek is the first non-children’s program I ever remember watching. I was born and raised a Trekkie; it is in my blood and has always been there for me.

People’s beliefs and morals are shaped by many things, but along with my parents I believe that Star Trek played a huge part in who I am today and how I see the world. Equality has always been important to me. Individuality has always been a necessity to me. Discrimination has always confounded me. Imposing ones views and way of living onto others has always disturbed me. All these things and more can be traced back to watching Star Trek.

Star Trek as a franchise is based around the United Federation of Planets which is governed by the Prime Directive. In the world of Star Trek not only are different cultures represented but an array of alien species all with their own histories, belief systems and ways of life. Accept people’s differences, they are what make us unique. We see not only interracial relationships, but interspecies ones. Between two consenting adults, love is love. The Prime Directive dictates that there is to be no interference with the internal development, be that social or technological, of an alien civilisation. We may have our own beliefs, but it is not up to us to impose them on others.

Star Trek: The Original Series [TOS] was the first show to not only have a black female in a high powered role but also to show an interracial relationship. Nichelle Nichols’ Uhura paved the way for women in entertainment and showed that gender and race are not to be ignored. TOS also had a cast of actors from various cultural backgrounds; all of whom played an important role in the running of the Enterprise. Discrimination did not exist in Gene Roddenberry’s casting. From Vulcans, in particular Spock, we learnt that emotion can often blind us to truth and logic; that sometimes we need to step back and consider things before jumping headlong into them. Spock represents my spirtit race and it is because of him that I first knew I wasn't alone in my quest and desire for logic. TOS also touched on the importance of protecting our wildlife and the role animals play in our environment.

Star Trek: The Next Generation [TNG] furthered the issues of equality and introduced the concept of individuality. It is through Data, a humanoid android, that the issues of what constitutes life and the rights that come with that were addressed. The right to choose our own destiny and what it means to be human are important lessons to learn. The introduction of the Borg dealt with the importance of individuality. As a collective the Borg are all linked and share a consciousness. They work as one and have no sense of self. They are all cogs in a giant wheel. As Geordi says in ‘I, Borg’ “All right, think of it this way. Every time you talk about yourself, you use the word we. We want this, we want that. You don’t even know how to think of yourself as a single individual. You don’t say, I want this, or I am Hugh. We are all separate individuals. I am Geordi. I choose what I want to do with my life. I make decisions for myself. For somebody like me, losing that sense of individuality is almost worse than dying.” Who I am is important to me; it is what makes me unique.

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine [DS9] saw the introduction of a black captain. There was never any question that Sisko could run the station, he was the captain, not the black captain. In Star Trek it wasn’t about pointing out people’s differences but about accepting people for who they are. Sisko was also a single dad and not the incompetent stereotype society often tries to portray. The Trill are a symbiotic lifeform that live in a humanoid host. The host lives with the memories of all those who came before them. They symbolise living harmoniously with others, regardless of similarities or differences. The Dominion war was a reminder that there will always be conflicting points of view, that not everyone will get along, but that ultimately we are all in this together and have to learn to share the planet (or universe).

Star Trek: Voyager saw the introduction of a female captain, but like Sisko before her she was just the captain. It wasn’t about gender, it was about expertise. People didn’t question her authority because she was a women, Janeway was a strong and compassionate leader who garnered respect. Sexism had no place in Starfleet. The Holographic doctor furthered the question of what makes someone ‘human’. What gives them the right to choose their own destiny? The right to choose not impose. And through Seven of Nine we deal with the struggles of an ex-Borg learning to be an individual again. It’s almost a counterpart to the issues of peer pressure in society and realising that who you are makes you unique, that just because someone else does something doesn’t mean you have to follow suit. From B'Elanna Torres we learnt to be ourselves. As a half human and half Klingon B'Elanna often fought her dual identity, however through many trials she slowly learnt to embrace who she was and be proud of it. I am proud of who I am. If people don't like me for me that is their loss not mine. 

These are just some of the many things I have learnt from the world and characters of Star Trek. These lessons have shaped who I am, they have paved the way for my beliefs and my desire for a better world. A world where everyone is born with the same rights and where we are all free to shape our own destinies. Where individuality is cherished over conforming and where gender, race, sexuality, religion and political views do not determine how we are treated. This is what Star Trek stands for. This is what makes Star Trek great. And this is what will make Star Trek live long & prosper for another 50 years and another.



'The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. Or the one.'
'Live long & prosper'

Polish brother's films

Indie film-makers Mark and Michael Polish are the most talented film-makers whose work I have ever had the honour of watching.

Their writing is honest, heartfelt and inspiring. I love words and the boys certainly have a way with them. Their writing touches the heart and the mind. Their stories take you on journeys that make you laugh and cry. They speak to love, the power of friendship, following your dreams and acceptance of yourself and others.

Mark’s acting has a unique sensitivity and honesty about it; he can make me care about a film character on the same level as a longer established television character. Like his writing his acting is inspiring.

Michael's direction and vision is superb. He has a way of making the locations come to life that is captivating, and it is thanks to him that I have a deeper appreciation for and greater understanding of the art of direction.

I watch all their films to the end of credits, not only because the soundtracks and scores are amazing but because I love to see how many names on the cast and crew I recognise. The behind the scenes are in many ways as important to me as the work itself in the entertainment industry. I adore that Mark and Michael have an extended family that they work with across multiple films. These friendships and shared passion tie each element of their films together to create final products that speak volumes of the love these phenomenally talented people have for their work. The world of indie filmmaking fascinates me; it stands for everything that I admire and gravitate to in film.

The attention to detail on every level makes their films a pleasure to watch. Their bravery to tell unique stories using unique techniques and distribution methods is incredible. I greatly admire their passion for what they do and their desire to tell their stories their way; it's inspiring. I have so much respect for Mark and Michael and their work, which has led me to a world of film beyond just theirs that I have always wanted to be a part of.

Hugo

IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0970179/

Set in 1930’s Paris Hugo is the story of a young boy (Asa Butterfield) who is orphaned and lives in the walls of a train station keeping the clocks running. This is Hugo’s world and through a mix of real life and CGI that is virtually impossible to tell apart Martin Scorsese has brought this world to life on a grand scale. The train station is a wondrous place and the intricacies of the clocks are beautiful.

Hugo’s sole link to his late father is an automaton that the two were repairing. He is an intelligent child with the ability to fix and maintain mechanics; however is initially only seen as a thief with little prospects. His world revolves around staying free of the orphanage and bringing to life the automaton in his safe keeping.

Many of the pieces needed to fix the automaton are stolen from Georges Méliès (Ben Kingsley) an older man who runs a toy store at the train station. Georges is a seemingly bitter old man, however we later discover that there is more to his story than meets the eye. When Georges takes the notebook Hugo needs to help his endeavours it leads him to making friends with the man’s goddaughter Isabelle (Chloë Grace Moretz). Her world is one of books and imagination; she is up for adventure and sees beyond the homeless boy in Hugo. Like the train station, the bookshop and library that make up her world are gorgeously detailed and bring life to the story.

Hugo and Isabelle discuss their parentage, she helps him rediscover books and he takes her to her first movie, something Papa Georges does not allow her to do. These two children; both orphaned but from completely different worlds soon become friends and meet up regularly at the train station where they have to keep clear of the station inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen) who spends his days looking for lone children to send to the orphanage. However, while they don’t know it yet their worlds are more intrinsically connected then they know.

Eventually Hugo shows Isabelle where he stays when he discovers that the heart key she wears on a chain around her neck is the missing piece to making the automaton work. When the automaton draws a scene from the first movie Hugo’s father remembers seeing and signs the piece ‘Georges Méliès’ it sends the kids on a further adventure and to the discovery that Papa Georges was actually a well-known filmmaker in his day, who also created the automaton and is believed to be dead in the War.

It is here we learn the story of Papa Georges current sadness and the lives that he and his wife Mama Jeanne (Helen McCrory) lived. Like the automaton was all those years Papa Georges is broken because he has lost his purpose. This is such an amazing analogy made by Hugo and an intriguing observation into the human condition.  

We are introduced through a series of flashbacks to a world of early day movies and filmmaking. An early magic and the creation of dreams brought to life. There are some wondrous lines of dialogue that help paint a picture of what films mean to the world and that this has been a universal truth since the days of the first films.

Hugo and Isabelle’s family are from two different worlds and yet for years these people’s lives have been connected by a long forgotten automaton. It is only by chance that their worlds collide and they find in each other the missing piece of the puzzle in their lives. Hugo finally has a family; Isabelle has lived the adventure of a life time and for the first time in years Papa Georges has purpose back in his life.

This is a wondrous and charming story of survival, friendship, dreams and new beginnings.

Three Colours Trilogy

IMDb: 

Blue http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108394/ 

White http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111507/ 

Red http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111495/

The Three Colours Trilogy is made up of the films; Blue, White and Red by Krzysztof Kieslowski that are loosely based on political ideals behind the French flag of liberty, equality and fraternity. Each film has a moment where there is an elderly person recycling bottles, which upon further reading also ties back into these three political ideals. These films are an intriguing insight into the human condition. The stories in Blue and Red are universal; everyone has lost loved ones and made friends and these stories were beautifully portrayed in their respective films. White is not as relatable on a generic level as nobody should have to experience that kind of desperation, however it was an intriguing story none the less. By the end of the final film the interwoven worlds of the all these characters collide.

Blue

The first in the trilogy follows the life of Julie after losing her husband and daughter in a car accident. There is a rawness about this film and you can really feel Julie's pain and heartache. At times it feels like you are an observer in her life rather than watching a film. In a life that has been turned upside down Julie tries to cut herself off from the rest of the world, she doesn’t need or want any more pain in her life. But it’s not that easy, we are intrinsically connected to the world around us and despite her best efforts she finds herself forging an unlikely friendship with an exotic dancer. She is also forced to face her husband’s past and the final legacy that was his music.

There is a beautifully symbolic use of blue throughout the film including the light hanging, Julie’s ring, the room at the house, water and general lighting. A haunting soundtrack also really adds to the overall tone of the film.

Blue portrays a journey of loss, putting your life back together and closure.

White

The second in the trilogy follows the life of Karol Karol who has recently gone through a distressing separation from his wife. Karol is left with nothing and in a desperate bid to leave France and get back to Poland he is smuggled in a suitcase by Mikolaj, whom he befriends at the train station at his lowest point. Mikolaj however is also at the lowest point of his own life and contemplating death. It is in their darkest hours these two develop a friendship and bring the other back from the brink. When Karol comes into some money from a successful business deal Mikolaj helps him fake his death to get back at his distranged wife.

The symbolic use of white appeared through nature; clouds and snow.

These characters’ stories were ones of desperation and second chances.

Red

The final in the trilogy follows the unlikely friendship between a retired judge and a model. She is in a seemingly dead-end relationship and he has become bitter and angry at the world. When Valentine hits a dog with her car and traces her back to Joseph she finds a man who has taken to eavesdropping on his neighbours phone conversations. Red is touching story of two people who have lost their way. The friendship between these two characters is wonderful as they both gain so much from the time they spend together.

Red had a symbolic use of colour throughout the film both in objects and surrounding; the dominant one being the advertisement that Valentine modelled for.

Red is a beautiful story about friendship and new beginnings.  

Catfish

IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1584016/

Catfish is a documentary that follows the online friendship of a young filmmaker and a family that aren’t who they appear to be. I will admit that I was a bit wary of this at first and didn’t know quite what to expect; but soon couldn't stop watching.

Yaniv Schulman and his brother Ariel Schulman are filmmakers. One day Yaniv receives a painting of one of his published photographs in the mail from eight year old Abby Pierce. Blown away by the talent of this young prodigy Yaniv begins an online friendship with Abby’s mother Angela and sister Megan. Over the course of several months Yaniv receives regular paintings by Abby in the mail, chats by correspondence and phone with Angela and develops an online romance with Megan.

However eventually not everything is adding up and Yaniv discovers holes in Megan’s claims. Not happy with the answers he is getting to his questions the brothers, along with their friend Henry Joost plan a trip to visit first Megan at her house and then Abby and her family. The trip to Megan’s place adds to their growing doubts when they turn up to a house that is empty and where the mail hasn’t been collected in months. However when they arrive at Abby’s house and Angela looks nothing like her portrait, Abby has no idea who they are and doesn’t know anything about the paintings they know for certain that nothing is as it seems.

The truth is that Angela is the painter, not Abby, but the lies do not stop there. Angela is also Megan and a string of other personas she created on Facebook to keep the backstory up for her deception.  Angela’s husband had no idea his wife was living this double life and believed the painting she was sending off to Yaniv to be commissioned pieces. However even when confronted and the truth comes out Angela is still unable to completely let go of the lies straight away, they are ingrained in her and part of her doesn’t want to lose the connections she has forged.

The documentary’s title comes from a story told by Angela’s husband Vince about live cod shipped overseas and not being of decent quality on arrival due to inactivity. It is said that placing catfish in the tank with the cod keeps them active and therefore they remain of decent quality on arrival. He believes that Angela is much like a catfish.

Catfish was such a fascinating and eye opening look into the riskier side of the Internet. At the end of the day we don’t always know who we are talking to and there is a risk that the other person is not who they say they are. That in extreme cases there are people who have concocted elaborate deceptions to be part of people’s lives. It is an interesting insight into the lengths some people will go to to reinvent themselves and live, albeit vicariously, a life that they have always wanted or to try on a persona that they would never be courageous enough to try outside the safety of hiding behind a computer screen. It reminds us of online safety and that above all it is important to be honest, sincere and respectful.

Beginners

IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1532503/

Beginners is a heartfelt story of finding oneself, embracing life and living without regrets. The film follows Oliver Fields (Ewan McGregor) as he attempts to live life by his late father’s example. It weaves between his current life with Anna (Melanie Laurent), and his final months with his newly out of the closet father Hal Fields (Christopher Plummer). The story is further brought to life through a series of collages showing 'how X looked like at any given time' and was a brilliant way to showcase the changes and similarities over the decades.

Hal married in a time when it was socially unacceptable to be homosexual and his wife lived the façade with him. It wasn’t until her death that Hal was able to embrace his sexuality and Oliver finally understood the distance he had always sensed between his parents. It must be so difficult for someone to live a lie the majority of their lives; but also for the other person to live knowing that the life they've created is a façade or that it doesn't feel right but never being able to place why. It was beautiful how Hal embraced the last years of his life, living every moment in the ways he never could before and that Oliver placed no judgement on this. Hal’s battle with cancer and newfound freedom of self also brought him closer to Oliver as he was able to have an honest relationship with his son for the first time. Hal’s story was ultimately a beautiful, courageous and inspiring one.

Andy (Goran Višnjić) was Hal’s openly gay and younger lover. He indulged Hal’s new found identity and desire to be an active part in the gay community. Oliver welcomed Andy into his life with the same openness he accepted his father’s homosexuality. When Hal was in hospital and family only was allowed to visit Oliver made sure he could visit. However after Hal died Oliver found it difficult to keep in regular touch with Andy because it hurt him to see someone his father loved.

Oliver and Anna first meet at a fancy dress party where he is in attendance with his late father’s dog Arthur. Throughout the film Arthur is a character in his own right as he is Hal’s unwavering companion and later Oliver’s confidant in his relationship with Anna. In a unique and clever touch when Oliver is conversing with Arthur the dog’s thoughts are subtitled; giving him that added sense of purpose within the story. 

When Oliver and Anna first met he was someone who had no interest in being at a party and she was pretending to have laryngitis. Throughout the course of the evening they conversed with Anna writing on a notepad, and as the night went on they ended up at her place where they talked the night away and Oliver eventually discovered she had not actually lost her voice. Anna is a French actress who is both charming and completely endearing. Her relationship with her father is not an easy one and Oliver is still dealing with the death of his. I loved the innocence with which Oliver and Anna's relationship started and that they became each other's anchors in a world of hurt and loss. Their intimacy was more than sexual; their relationship more often resided in the silent moments they shared; just being together, holding hands and talking. There was a depth, but also a sadness to their relationship that saw them break apart for a period, but ultimately they came back together and became each other’s strength, bringing out a happier and care free part of each other.

Writer/director Mike Mills has created a uniquely charming, heartfelt story. Despite the obvious sadness at the heart of the film and its characters this was ultimately an uplifting and heart-warming story. It showed that out of lies can come truth, out of pain can come love and out of loss can come happiness. That none of these negatives have to be an absolute that the positive can be found and that while you will always carry these elements with you they don’t have to define who you are.

Another Earth

IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1549572/

Another Earth is the story of the aftermath of that one moment in time that can change everything with an intriguing science-fiction backdrop. The discovery of another world at the moment two people’s lives are turned upside down and changed forever.

The speed of the film made it feel like you were watching someone tell their story or simply bearing witness to their lives rather than watching a movie. Many would call that 'slow', but I really like it. It gives the film an elegance and honesty, but also more of a believability because it doesn't unfold on a formula, the progression is natural rather than forced.

Rhoda Williams (Brit Marling) is an ambitious young student who has just received the opportunity of a lifetime. John Burroughs (William Mapother) is an accomplished composer with a young family. The powerful beginning sets up the moment when another earth is discovered and establishes who these two people were before their worlds literally collided.

Cut to four years later and Rhoda is leaving prison after her reckless driving resulted in the death of John’s family that fateful night. Rhoda lives with the guilt of what she has done every day to the point where she doesn’t feel she deserves a fulfilling life. She moves out of her bedroom in her childhood home into the attic where her only furnishing is a mattress. She takes a cleaning job at the local school where she can blend into the walls and not answer to anybody. The only luxury she allows herself is a laptop which she uses to research the new earth which was discovered that night.

Meanwhile John has become a virtual recluse whose life has become a day to day drudgery. He no longer composes, his house is unkempt, and he doesn’t care about anything the world has to offer. His world is gone and he has no desire to rebuild it.

One day Rhoda decides to go to John’s house and apologise for her reckless behaviour and the loss of his family. However once there she cannot bring herself to admit who she is so offers to clean his house as part of a free trail instead. Each week she returns and John pays her to clean his house. As the film progresses and Rhoda slowly gets John’s house back in order we see the transformation in them as well. Both go from being rather frumpy and unkempt to taking a degree of pride in their appearance as they come out of their respective shells and let the other into their world.

The two slowly develop a friendship, and eventually the beginnings of a romance when John finds out who Rhoda really is. Meanwhile she has been accepted as one of a select group to travel to the other earth. The two worlds have developed in direct parallel with each other, their courses only separating that night the other was discovered. As a final offering Rhoda gives her place to go to the other earth to John so that he can see his family again.   

The transformations of both their lives and the irony that the one person who could make him live life again was the one that shattered it in the first place was brilliantly written and portrayed. The direction and imagery were amazing and the soundtrack was beautiful. I also liked the concept of another Earth and the questions it raised: alternate universes, one moment in time determining an entire direction or chapter in somebody's life, meeting oneself and what that would be like.

If you are expecting a large science-fiction plot however you will not find one. This is seamlessly woven into the realities of everyday life and plays as a compelling backdrop to the beautiful story of redemption. 

The Descendants

IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1033575/

The Descendants is an emotionally charged story handled with respect and dignity. I loved that intertwined within the generic elements of the story they threw out a lot of the clichés and went with a more unique story where you could better sympathise with the characters. Alexander Payne’s directing also added a wonderful depth to the story and showcased the beauty of the Hawaiian Islands. The use of traditional Hawaiian music throughout the score also added to the emotion and harmony of the film.

George Clooney was fantastic as Matt King, and is someone who often seems too underrated. The actors playing Clooney’s daughters Alex (Shailene Woodley) and Scottie (Amara Miller) and Alex’s boyfriend Sid (Nick Krause) all had wonderful performances. It’s nice to see films take a chance on young, starting out actors; Amara did a great job in her first role. I was also impressed by the stamina of Patricia Hastie who played the comatose Elizabeth King. It must have been difficult to stay so still and not react for what must have felt like forever.

Clooney’s Matt is a husband and father of seventeen and ten year old daughters. His work as a lawyer and his role as sole trustee over his family’s estate often take him away from home. However this is a man who despite a distance that has crept in loves his family, wants only what is best for them and has a compassion and morality that many finding themselves in his situation may not possess. Matt’s wife Elizabeth is in a coma due to a boating accident, and while he faces the heartbreaking reality of cutting life support as per her legal requests he finds out that the women he has slowly grown apart from but wants to get to know again has been cheating on him. The story however doesn’t take a vindictive turn and this knowledge doesn’t influence his decisions. Despite all that he is feeling Matt’s sole purpose is to ensure that everyone else keeps their loving memories and has their last moments with Elizabeth. Throughout his journey we see a man who reconnects with his daughters, protects his family, protects his wife’s memory in those who don’t know the truth and who goes out of his way to ensure that Brian Speer (the man his wife was seeing) gets the opportunity to say goodbye. He discovers however that Brian didn’t ever love Elizabeth but rather saw her as a means to an end to get the multi-million dollar commissions from the sale of pristine land inherited by his family. Matt has moments of anger towards his wife when alone in the hospital room with her, but ultimately when the moment comes that he has to say his final goodbyes he does so from the place they were not the place he is in. He says goodbye to the love of his life, shedding tears over the loss to his life and those of his daughters.

Brian Speer is in many ways Matt’s polar opposite. While Matt makes the ultimate decision not to sell his family’s land but rather to promote conservation and heritage over a multi-million dollar pay day, this is in direct contrast to Brian’s willingness to take part in destroying two families for that same pay day.

When we first meet eldest daughter Alex she is drunk and outside sleeping quarters after hours at her rehab/school. She’d made some bad choices, but she isn’t established to be the stereotypical teenager with authority and rebellion issues. Instead it is established through the story that her mum had a wild streak and was an adrenaline junky who didn’t always think of consequence over action. Like mother, like daughter there was a certain destructiveness about Alex, however through this and her brashness there is also a responsible young women who despite the pain the knowledge of her mother’s affair causes her is there for her dad and younger sister. Unlike most teenagers who find themselves in these circumstances on film she doesn’t side with her mother and blame everything on her father who was at times absent for work. She doesn’t claim that his absence was a sign that he didn’t love his family and that he had it coming, but rather was disgusted with her mother that she would take advantage of her father’s absence, abuse his trust and throw away his love. She was mature enough not to ruin her sister’s or grandfather’s image of their mother & daughter. She had to come to terms with the conflicting knowledge that she was going to lose her mother, someone she both loved and hated in that moment.  

Like Alex, her boyfriend Sid did not always make the best decisions in life. He openly admitted to using marijuana and didn’t always come across as the brightest of people. However as you got to know him you soon discovered that while he was not always appropriate in his timing that he was intelligent. He understood the difficult situation the King  family had found themselves in and without question established himself within their family dynamic; being a rock for Alex, an older brother to Scottie and ensuring that her innocence was protected. While Matt was weary of him to begin with he soon saw the diamond in the rough and came to trust Sid and even confide in him to an extent.

Throughout the film youngest daughter Scottie is in the dark as to the seriousness of her mother’s condition, the true nature of their holiday to find Brian and Elizabeth’s indiscretions. She is a ten year old dealing with the situation the best way she knows how. Scottie represents innocents and hope. She is young enough to be carefree and not quiet grasp the seriousness of her mother’s condition. However when she is eventually told that her mother won’t make it there is ultimately an understanding of what that means and a sadness that overcomes her as she grasps this terrible concept for the first time.

This story is ultimately one about forgiveness, the importance of family and protecting a legacy that has been passed down and entrusted through the generations. It is a journey of self-discovery and compassion amidst life’s hard truths. It is a unique look into a generic story and one that leaves you feeling for the characters.

     

10 Reasons I Love FLO

1.       The writing. Its honesty and beauty is like nothing I had ever seen before.  Love is real and so are the heartaches that go with it. Mark’s writing captured this superbly.

2.       The journey. Unlike in romantic comedies where you know the generic story line and how it will end with FLO you went on a journey with Yves and Sofia. You didn’t know what would happen next, and even though you could sense it closer to the end you didn’t know who was going to make that ultimate decision or how it was going to affect either of them.

3.       The cinematography. The black and white was gorgeous and Michael’s direction was an element all its own. Every shot told a story, captured a moment & added to the experience.

4.       The acting. The bond of trust and friendship that Mark and Stana developed so quickly made for beautiful on screen chemistry. You felt Yves and Sofia’s love and their heartache.

5.       The music. Not only was Kubilay Uner’s score hauntingly beautiful but the songs in the soundtrack felt like they were waiting to be part of this film.

6.       The silent moments. These montages really captured Yves and Sofia’s love perfectly. There was no mistaking that these two are in love and enjoy each other’s company.

7.       The respect. Both in filming and between the characters. This is something that I adore more than words can describe.

8.       The filming and distribution. The heart and bravery behind FLO is something that I greatly admire and respect. To make something so beautiful on no budget and to distribute it by word of mouth is incredible.

9.       The team.  We can never thank you enough for taking the time to talk to us and answer our questions. To share with us something so close to your hearts and trust us with your memories.

10.   The love. FLO reminds us that while love is difficult it is real and worth fighting for. That even though life is not always perfect we can’t hide from it.

For Lovers Only

IMDb http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1648201/
Website http://forloversonlymovie.com/about
Available on iTunes in: United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom & Ireland
Kubilay Uner's original score available on iTunes searching 'For Lovers Only' in United States, Belgium, Italy, Nederland & Norway. It's available searching 'Kubilay Uner' in Australia, New Zealand, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Deutschland, Espana, Estonia, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Japan, Lao, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Gutaemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru & Venezuela

*includes spoilers*

For Lovers Only is like nothing I've ever seen before. Despite the irony of the affair what beautiful honesty! The love and intimacy between Yves & Sofia was so real and the sentiments and descriptions of love so heartfelt and true. For Lovers Only is everything from beautiful to funny to heartbreaking and back again. It takes you on the most amazingly beautiful journey of love and being in love I’ve ever seen told in a film.

For Lovers Only was the answer to why I don’t watch a lot of movies these days. It is everything I have been looking for in a film for so long. I’m inspired and in awe not just at its incredibly endless beauty and honesty, but by the fact this film was made on love and passion not money. For Lovers Only is a piece of art and a masterpiece at that. There are no over the top special effects, it’s not in 3D and there were no actors clamouring for multi-million dollar paycheques. Everything you see is natural beauty in picturesque towns, honest writing, exquisite direction, and compelling, real character portrayals coupled with a hauntingly beautiful score and gorgeous music. For Lovers Only is a film that becomes part of your heart and soul; something you wouldn’t have any other way.

The beauty of the black and white really added to the overall feel, intimacy and heart of the story being told and Michael’s direction was superb. Every shot told a story and gave you something to look at and added to the emotional experience. The high definition only adds to the epic beauty of the film with deep, rich blacks and crisp whites. Cary Gries’ editing was amazing. I adore the college of moments intertwined within the main story, giving us additional glimpses into the love shared between Yves and Sofia. It is truly like watching a masterpiece unfold before your eyes.

There is so much heartbreaking beauty and honesty in the dialogue of For Lovers Only. And as a perfect counterpart the amazing humour always hits the spot, and is just as honest as the love and emotion. The back and forth from English to French between Sofia and the cab driver as well as Yves and his agent also added to the realism of the film.

The music fits each scene and moment perfectly. Kubilay Uner’s score was breathtaking and heartfelt. Additionally one can’t help but feel as though the accompanying songs were just waiting to be part of this film. Be it to lead into a moment or carry us through a scene the music was beautiful and became part of the story.

The wardrobe put together by Bic Owen suited the characters and the atmosphere of France beautifully, and the blacks and whites looked brilliant on screen. Sarah Vaughn is outstanding at utilising Stana’s exquisite natural beauty rather then hiding her behind layers of unnecessary makeup. I adore that Sofia’s makeup looks so natural and that the state of her hair always suits the scenes. This makes Sofia so much more realistic and it’s refreshing to see.

Mark Polish was compelling and captivating as Yves. His portrayal was so tender and passionate. Yves is a man who loves with all his heart and then some. He knew Sofia like the back of his hand and Mark portrayed this brilliantly and honestly.

Casting Stana Katic as Sofia was a stroke of genius! The honesty, soul and freedom of her acting are unequalled. It's so completely captivating, memorising and awe inspiring. She captures Sofia perfectly and brings to life a woman who is completely free, with an amazing passion, but also a childlike innocence in the way she sees the world.

Yves & Sofia's love story is so captivating, honest, beautiful, breathtaking and heart wrenching! The affair as an emotional backdrop added a whole new layer to the story and so much would have been lost without it. The journey they went on from ‘lets just do this’ to ‘no matter how much I love you we can't do this’ was a huge part of the emotions and a respectfully handled counter balance of a timeless love mixed up in the realities of life. To build lives with people that never measured up, to have that one person who makes you complete and then have to go back to that life that you never felt like you fit into when your heart belongs to another was so heartbreaking. Yves & Sofia had the most epic of love stories that could never be. It was a heartbreaking case of if only...

I feel like there are four integrals moments that lead up to captivating love story being told and each one delivers perfectly.

Firstly: I loved the moment when they saw each other again for the first time. They didn't need more words then were exchanged. It was written all over their faces. This scene is so powerful, so many emotions cross their faces all at once. I also loved how the music just ceased when they saw each other and in that split second they were right back where they were all those years ago. The fact that this scene didn’t change since Mark first wrote it just goes to prove that we should all trust our instincts and not second guess ourselves.

Secondly: From the moment they meet up in the restaurant it's like they were never apart and all the heartache they had been carrying with them all those years just evaporated. They never forgot the little quirks and eccentricities that made up the other. It’s like every moment, and every memory was captured in their heads and hearts, stored for safe keeping.

Thirdly: The scene where they lay out their cards for the first time, finding out what they have been doing with their lives, realising just how much their separation has affected how their lives have unfolded. The delivery of the dialogue when they talk about what they are doing in this moment is so tender and their emotions just hang between them like a question. Again the music when they first kiss fits the emotions of the scene perfectly and really adds to the moment.

Forth: I love that when Sofia sees Yves outside her apartment she walks right into his personal space and without words they just know… It’s like they are intrinsically connected and can communicate just by being in the same space.

The freedom, fun and intimacy between Yves and Sofia were brought to life by the amazing onscreen chemistry between Mark and Stana. They played off each superbly; it’s remarkable that they had barely spent any time together prior to filming. When one was acting the other was reacting. Be it to dialogue, looks or actions (like when Yves was playing with Sofia’s tongue when she was sucking his finger). The love that Yves and Sofia have for each other is pure, deep and unconditional. They are in love in every sense of the word. Each moment between them be it spoken, silent, simply being in each others space or making love is meaningful, heartfelt and true. I adored the tender moments between them when they were playing with each others hands or hair. This was so mesmerising, intimate and tender. Moments like when Sofia smiles while they are kissing and Yves just continues to kiss her really made their love so real and organic. Reading I love you on both their lips in the silent moments is beautiful. These three magical words fall so naturally between them. And like the dialogue these intimate moments were beautifully contrast with fun moments like spinning around together, lover’s leap, the chocolate scene, the motorbike scene and dancing down stairs while knocking on doors. The love and playfulness were intertwined in such a way that we saw just how much these two people loved being in each other’s presence.

I loved the symmetry throughout the film both within the story and for the characters. The way the spoken scenes started and ended with Sofia in the cab helped set the tone and give us a degree of closure through the change in her emotional state. And the guy Sofia was interviewing was basically telling their life story of the past eight years, giving voice to what they were both thinking in those moments after meeting again. I also adored the emotional symmetry throughout the different stages of the film. Starting with the phone calls to their spouses where we first learn about the part of their lives that has never really made sense to either of them, to playing with their rings after their world’s collided again. The fact that Yves’ tattoo had to evolve so he could move on with his life while Sofia’s was a way of trying to erase a memory. The moments where they find out more about the other’s spouse put them both on an emotional rollercoaster as they find themselves learning these things, knowing they do and don’t want to know at the same time.

By contrast I also liked the paralleling moments within their stories and emotions. Although we only know Yves’ & Sofia’s spouses through their respective phone conversations neither relationship appears to have much depth or passion. David comes across as rather abrupt with Sofia and comments like ‘you sound horrible’ instead of asking if she is alright lack compassion. By contrast Yves is constantly aware of Sofia and is respectful of her thoughts and feelings. He shows compassion, concern and respect for her when he asks if she is ok, later tells her she will be ok and when he makes sure that she wants to have sex. The fact that Yves is willing to stop if Sofia is not 100% certain shows a level of love and respect beyond words. And while Yves’ wife comes across as possessive and nagging Sofia is content just to be in his presence, she doesn’t need assurances of his love and devotion she knows without question. The fact that Sofia has chosen not to have children while Yves is a father really hit home with both characters. The moment Sofia finds out about Yves’ daughter, and the reality of what they are doing washes over her is heart wrenching. You can almost see the clogs ticking over as she digests this information and realises it’s no longer just two empty marriages at stake. It’s this moment where each starts going though varying stages of realisation as they come to terms with the fact that their time together has to come to an end. This is the one time they are never quite in sync on their feelings. The emotional battle that they fought both within themselves and between each other was heart breaking to watch unfold. The look of utter despair, as if he is going to shatter into a million pieces during the f**k it out scene is the most emotionally raw moment we see in Yves and it's heart wrenching.

I also enjoyed the added touches like the use of sunglasses when Yves and Sofia wanted to hide the emotions that their eyes would give up in a heartbeat. That Yves’ ringtone tells the story of FLO. Or when Sofia was playing with the flower on the beach, it really added to her feelings as she subconsciously twirled it. I also love that you can tell Sofia has gotten really contemplative at the end of the discussion about their love being made known, because it's the one time during this scene she doesn't bite Yves' finger when he strokes her jaw. The single tear that runs down her cheek is also heartbreaking. The fact that ‘Love’ is initially played as though Yves and Sofia are actually listening to it is a beautiful touch. And it’s very fitting that the film ends with the mention of For Lovers Only in English and French. I loved that every moment; every word and every shot had meaning and enhanced the story in its own unique and special way.

Watching For Lovers Only was definitely an intimate experience. The connection I made with this film is like with no other movie, and it just grows with each viewing. I have laughed and cried with Yves and Sofia numerous times over.

From my heart to yours thank you so much Mark, Michael, Stana and everyone else involved in bringing to life this epically beautiful and awe inspiring masterpiece. It has touched my heart like nothing before.