Glenn’s Pick by Glenn Webb, Director of Programs – One thing that continues to blow my mind about movies is that there are so many ways to tell a story in this medium. It may seem surprising that a movie about the famous and influential filmmaker Buñuel making a documentary back in 1933 would utilize animation, but less so when you learn that it was first a graphic novel (comic book for grown-ups.) Even still, this is an interesting choice. Part of the reason lies in the wild expressiveness that is possible in animation. Also, in terms of anchoring Luis Buñuel to the artistic movements of his time, it helps to keep the hand of visual artists on the image. There is something participatory about watching animation; it asks us to fill in the detail with our own imagination, rather than pretending to be a literal portrayal of reality. Whatever the reason, what you will come away with is that the making of Las Hurdes: Land Without Bread was a deeply transformative experience for the filmmaker, changing the trajectory of his life and of his artistic vision. If you find yourself wanting to watch Land Without Bread, it is available for free on YouTube here. I hope you give this unusual story a chance, and take this cartoon seriously.
Speaking of telling stories, Boulder’s Story Slam (the rebirth of “Truth Be Told”) is coming on Sunday, Sept 22, and now they are official production partners with the Dairy, so look forward to lots of exciting things from this collaboration. If you’ve never come to this event, members of the audience put their names in a hat and are randomly picked to tell a true story (5-minute limit) and possibly be voted by the audience as the best of the night. Kicking it off will be special guest storyteller Matthew Taylor, who I know personally from back in the day when we both worked at the Boulder Theater. He is a person of wit and heart who has honed his skill to a fine point, so don’t miss it.