By JUNE STODDARD Special to the Daily Press
Many Oscar voters never get the chance to see the Oscar-nominated documentary short films on a big screen. Last Friday night was an exception. The Aero Theater held an American Cinematheque member reception prior to the showing of this year’s nominees catered by Wild Oats Market.
There was a line around the corner when I arrived just in time to save my member RSVP ticket from being sold. The Aero has a policy not to admit latecomers so they sell every seat they can prior to starting the program. I’ve found myself drawn to the new Aero at least once a week in the past month and can’t wait to go back. It’s a world-class neighborhood theater showing movies that are hard to find, even on DVD and video.
The manager told the crowd that as each film was on a separate reel or DVD to expect a dark pause between films.
Dan Krauss’ “The Death of Kevin Carter: Casualty of the Bang Bang Club” opened the evening. A South African photojournalist during apartheid, Kevin was a member of an intense group of photographers who went after shots during the height of black on black violence that led to the end of apartheid. Kevin takes a photo of a staving child that wins him the Pulitzer Prize and torments his conscience leading him into personal crisis. His young daughter is highlighted in the film. This is the first Academy Award nomination for Krauss.
Kimberlee Acquaro and Stacy Sherman’s “God Sleeps in Rwanda” came next. I expected this to be the darkest, most depressing film, and it surprised me with its level of hope. The women of Rwanda never could own property, speak up in politics, or have rights before. Now those same women in a country 70 percent female, and full of rape survivors, widows of the 1994 genocide, and orphans rise up to rescue their country from ruin. Five strong women are filmed building roads, running political meetings. The voices and images of the five women profiled are a life affirming inspiration. These are the first Academy Award nominations for Kimberlee Acquaro and Stacy Sherman.
Steven Okazaki’s “The Mushroom Club” is a tour of present-day Hiroshima, the effects that are still there today, and the growing urge to forget the past. Okazaki uses dissonant music and images to convey present and past tensions in the burgeoning city. He profiles numerous people affected directly by the blast, and we hear their living history recollections of how it happened. Never before has the sense of this terrible day been so real to me. This is the third Academy Award nomination for Okazaki. He was previously nominated for “Days of Waiting” -- winner, documentary (short subject) and “Unfinished Business” (1985) — nominee, documentary (feature).
Corinne Marrinan and Eric Simonson’s “A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin” ended the program. Norman Corwin was a broadcasting legend, who had over half the country writing him letters of appreciation after major performances of his poetry and radio plays. All of his pieces were written on a weekly basis for CBS prior to the advent of television. His mastery of language incorporates politics, ethics, and excerpts shared during the film rang true with this Westside audience who applauded numerous times during the film. This is the first Academy Award nomination for Marrinan. This is the second Academy Award nomination for Simonson. He was previously nominated for “On Tiptoe: Gentle Steps to Freedom” — nominee, documentary (short subject).
How would I vote? I’ve struggled with that question since I saw them. My conscience tells me to vote for “God Sleeps in Rwanda,” and my need for poetic and political inspiration chooses “A Note of Triumph: The Golden Age of Norman Corwin.” Not that the other two are losers. I’m leaning more toward films of hope this year.
You still have a chance to see this program of the documentary short films nominated for this year’s Academy Awards before the winners are announced on March 5. On Saturday, March 4, the Egyptian will show all four films again at 7:30 p.m.
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Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 3, 2006. Read the original PDF.