Saturday, February 23, 2008

Curitiba, Brazil

On Thursday evening, Antara and I headed down to the Santa Barbara Public Library to see a film on Eco Cities. Although the introduction to the evening was about an architect, Mr. Register, who has been working on Eco Cities for years, the main video feature was about Curitiba, Brazil. After seeing this documentary about how a handful of innovative city employees changed their city for the better in dramatic ways with little to no money, I felt a strong sense of hope that people CAN change. All it takes is motivated, courageous leaders who are willing to think about the good of all, versus the plaints of the overpriviliged who are used to bullying their way into every decision making process through intimidation via lawsuits.

I tried to embed a TED.com video on former Mayor of Curitiba Jaime Lerner. This city, this man, and the progress they have made is world changing. Check it out!

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Superbowl 10-10-10

I attended one event of the 2008 International Film Festival called 10-10-10; 10 screen writers (5 high school and 5 college) teamed with 10 film makers (ditto parens) resulting in 10 short films in 10 days. Although I'd like to think of myself as hip and community oriented enough to attend such an event on a whim, I actually attended for one very important reason: playwright Cattie Yost.

Ms. Yost is an excellent playwright, and I was very excited to see her first (I believe) screenplay produced by a high school film maker. At the beginning of the event, Roger Duhrling (sp?), the director of the SBIFF gave introductions, as well as informing us the event was actually 9-10-10, as one film maker had not completed his project due to a family emergency. I thought, oh, that's a bummer, but the thought did not stay with me, as I was simply awaiting Cattie Yost's production.

With the conclusion of each 10 minute short, I hoped the next would be Cattie's. Nope, not yet, I had to be more patient! But, when the lights came up and Cattie's screenplay had not aired, i was shocked--as were the 30 or so attendees, some driving from as far away as San Diego, who came expressly to see her film. I must say, that's a royal screw up on the part of the organizers, to not inform the playwright that her work would not be produced. The screen writer was distant to Cattie, and uncommunicative from the start, suggesting he did not want any input. So, the fact that she had not heard from him at all during the process did not seem inconsistent.

I demand justice! I believe Cattie deserves to have her screen play produced! Who out there wants to make it happen?

And I couldn't give a damn about the superbowl.