creative forces

 Blog #152...April 2024

March has come and gone with another long night of Oscars on the 10th...we usually think of it as an adult affair, but kids have occasionally taken part too. Supporting actress awards went to 10 year old Tatum O'Neil for Paper Moon  in 1993, and 20 years later to Anna Paquin who was 11 when she won for Piano.                                                                                                                                                                            

The highlight of this year's show for me (although Ryan Gosling's turn was amazing!) was the little girl who took the stage with the crew of The Last Repair Shop, winner of best documentary short.   The film opens with her talking about health difficulties in her family, how they take up so much time. "I don't know what I'd do without my music," she says. looking with affection at her violin -  repaired and provided by the LA workshop featured in the film. She wore the most beautiful frothy sky blue dress for the Oscars, I'm sure she was creating life long memories, she certainly did for me.

My friend Louise has been the manager of Fiesta Farms Garden Centre for the past few years and has made it, and the grocery store across the road, a centre of learning and involvement for the community, particularly two local schools - Essex and Hawthorne. Classes visit the Centre and contribute to decorations for seasonal events, like Valentine's Day. 

I thought they were also making an Oscar ballgown, which gave me the idea to focus this blog on kids and the Oscars...I misunderstood and it was the store staff who did the ballgown but I liked the idea about kids and proceeded with it anyway. Building on their experience creating a gown last year, staff members collected materials during the year - net bags from onions, wrappings from Mandarin oranges, colourful packaging - using their imaginations to discover what would provide background. And this was the result... did you guess that the necklace is made from grapes, reduced for quick sale!

Two very interesting films that are in theatres now will be up for awards next year...Perfect Days and The Taste of Things. They have something interesting in common, both are set in a very specific culture, with a director from a totally different background. The Taste of Things is very French - cast, setting, language, but with a certain difference, brought by Vietnamese director Tran Ann Hung. Director Wim Wenders brings his German sensibility to Perfect Days, exploring the daily life of a man who cleans Tokyo's public toilets...architectural wonders every one. 

I've yet to think of something to write about in May, so it'll be a surprise for all of us. I'll be in British Columbia at the end of April, so may appear a few days into May, and may bring some BC flavour.