Making Friends in Line and Las Acacias

Waiting in line for Las Acaçias last night, the woman in front of me in line asked, “How many films are you going to see?” I responded with 11 and we began discussing our favourites. She had seen four up until then, and me, six. We had similar thoughts on Whit Stillman’s Damsels and the woman behind me in line chimed in with me on her favourite being First Position. How three strangers could find common ground so quickly is one of my favourite parts of TIFF.

On our first day of TIFF, my TIFF buddy Phil and I met a couple from Chicago while in line. They were friends of the director of the film we were about to see, Girl Model. They were interested in learning what made us choose the film and were very excited (for their friend) that the screening was actually sold out. Phil and I explained our convoluted short-listing of films system and I think their eyes glazed over…They were just pleased to be in at TIFF!

Back to Las Acaçias. It is the story of a truck driver who transports lumber from Ascunción, Paraguay to Buenos Aires, Argentina. I think I was expecting beautiful scenery and adventure…things you think would happen on a long driving trip. Instead the film was largely silent (and for those of you who know me, know that I would struggle with this). It was deeper than just a road trip. It was all character development. So while I shifted in my seat throughout the first half of the film, I was glued to it for the second half, emotionally invested in and rooting for the protagonist Rubén.

Updated rundown of films:

1. First Position - A ballet documentary makes you fall in love with 6 young aspiring ballet professionals.
2. Las Acacias – Hate then love Ruben as he travels down the motorway with a woman and her very cute baby.
3. 360 - Travel around the world, watching people making decisions that have ripple effects on the others in the film. Best line in the film “If there’s a fork in the road, take it.” Jude Law made this film REAL easy on the eyes.
4. The Oranges - a really funny look at the collapse of two middle america suburban families when it shouldn’t be (funny).
5. Beauty - An intensely power film about a middle-aged gay man living in a very straight world. Shot in South Africa. A couple of scenes were definitely NOT easy to watch.
6. Girl Model - A documentary about the modeling industry from the point of view of an ex-model turned model scout. Scouting little girls from Siberia and landing them in Japan.
7. Damsels in Distress - a satirical look at privileged youth with high vocabularies and a ridiculous sense of reality.