AFI Dallas Extra: New Year Baby, Running on Empty, Horror Shorts

The filmmakers tread carefully, avoiding for the most part any tendency toward self-indulgence. Instead, the Poeuv family's story is used effectively to put a human face on the monstrous actions of a despicable dictatorship.

In the first part of the doc, Socheata narrates a bit of her family's history as known to her, along with a briefly-sketched overview of the Khmer Rouge and the odd (to her) reluctance of so many of her fellow Cambodians to seek justice for the crimes committed against them. With only a modicum of news footage to draw upon, animation is effectively used to help explain the history.

Once the family arrives in Cambodia, the shakey amateur video camera work is distracting -- until finally Socheata's parents begin revealing things they have kept buried for many years. From that point onward, New Year Baby becomes riveting, especially since all of the family secrets that come out in the open relate directly to issues raised by the genocide. And Socheata's own personality and goals are made plain as well, without the appearance of self-promotion.

It's a delicate balancing act to both draw attention to historical atrocities and unpeel layers of emotional trauma. Socheata's parents are shown to be far more rounded and complex personalities than even she may have envisioned.

Socheata, her parents, and other family members, as well as the film's producer, Charles Vogl, were present for the sold-out screening (Socheata grew up in nearby suburban Carrollton), which concluded with a standing ovation. Most of the questions in the brief Q & A were directed to Socheata's mother.

The film won the festival's "Target Award, Documentary," determined by a jury. It will be playing at a number of other fests and is slated to air on PBS in the US during 2008.

A smaller but very hearty crowd was on hand for writer/director Bülent Akinci's Running on Empty (Der Lebensversicherer). The dreary atmosphere and general torpor became oppresive over the course of its running time, yet several scenes indicate that Akinci has the abiity to craft memorable imagery.

Jens Harzer (Requiem) portrays a life insurance salesman whose territory is the road. He lives out of his car and relentlessly pursues sales at rest stops, truck stops, and roadside businesses. He's an odd man with a bizarre laugh who, counterintuitively, is shown to be quite successful as a salesman.

His dark streak is apparent, though, especially in one memorable scene where he talks with a truck driver about the best way to commit automotive suicide in order to provide for one's family, and do it in such a way that the insurance company will pay the death benefit without question. It's all the more chilling for the off-handed way that the scene is written, acted, and filmed.

The narrative becomes as aimless as the salesman's travels until he decides to stop at a motel run by a mysterious woman, leading to a conclusion that is both anticipated and totally confusing. Nonetheless, the film makes a distinct impression, and even if it was not entirely successful, its ambition -- and willingness to break narrative rules -- was welcome.

Running on Empty played at various festivals last year (including Berlin, Moscow, and Karlovy Vary) before opening in Germany in December 2006.

A collection of short horror films was a fine way to top off the evening. The highlight was definitely Phil Mucci's The Listening Dead; I agree with Todd that this is stunning work, and to see it in 35mm on a big screen was a total joy.

Calvin Reeder's Little Farm won the "Grand Jury Prize, Short Competition." It has a funky, experimental 70s vibe, and an explosive splatter conclusion that provoked tremendous response from the audience, one of those times when you could hear people trading expletives in the dark, trying to describe what they'd just seen.

Also quite enjoyable was Carlos Torren's very funny and foul-mouthed Coming to Town, about a demented Mr. Claus responding to a little girl's letter to Santa.

The other two shorts were Conor Morrissey's Last Night, which looked good without going anywhere, and Chris McInroy's Recently Deceased, a good-natured collage of scenes that could have played just as effectively on YouTube.

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NEW YEAR BABY
Official Site

RUNNING ON EMPTY
Trailer (Flash - embedded)

THE LISTENING DEAD
Twitch - Link to Website and Trailer

LITTLE FARM
Official Site (Trailer available - embedded)

COMING TO TOWN
IMDB page

LAST NIGHT
IMDB page - Conor Morrissey

RECENTLY DECEASED
Official Site
Trailer (QuickTime - embedded)