The 2012 Maryland Film Festival was held the first weekend of May and I was fortunate enough to be able to volunteer as a Box Office Sales Rep each day. It allowed me to speak with attendees and cinephiles alike. Not only did I work, but I got to see loads of films and catch many great Q&A’s. Most of the films you’ll read about in the festival posts will not be easy to search for at your local theatre or Netflix queue becase many are still in distribution limbo and haven’t been picked up yet (as is the case with many festivals). Don’t let it discourage you! Just be patient and keep counting down the days until (insert a summer blockbuster you’re looking forward too i.e. The Dark Knight Rises) opens! But if you need a quick fix, check out www.md-filmfest.com for a complete list of films and their filmmakers.

 

Reconvergence (2011) Directed by Edward Tyndall. Starring: Eustace Conway, Preston Estep III and Caleb Whitaker. IMDB says “At the core of humankind’s ethos is an ongoing struggle to come to terms with the impermanence of self. Reconvergence offers an intriguing exploration of mortality, consciousness and identity in the modern age from the perspectives of four distinct characters: a naturalist, a neuroscientist, a poet and a historian. The combination of their separate journeys creates a rich tapestry that weaves together several complex facets of the existential dilemma.”

 

There wasn’t a whole lot going into this documentary film. Many spoke of interest in seeing it and from a sales standpoint it wasn’t seeing much action. I was intrigued by it’s premise so I walked into the Charles Theatre, sat down and before the film was shown, the film festival program director shared some pretty interesting news. We were the world premiere audience for the film! As the lights dimmed and with stars in my eyes I looked onward towards the screen and…

This was the first film I saw at the Maryland Film Festival so I didn’t have high or low expectations; I was just thrilled to be there. The documentary spoke with a naturalist, a neuroscientist, a civil war archivist, and a poet; which sounds like a great set-up for a joke where something happens at a bar. The subjects never meet but their words and ideas flow into one another, which makes for great transitions as they follow the professionals lives, how they grew up, how they live now, and where they are going. They speak to the naturalist, who sold everything, got on a horse and just started riding and then transition to the poet who speaks of going to Amazonian villages to seek out illusive hallucinogenic drinks. Clearly, they all vary slightly and some feel society is headed for greatness while others fear we are going backwards into decay.

Balancing the doom and gloom with hope and inspiration is not an easy task but I feel like documentarian Edward Tyndall nailed it. As the film goes along, it starts to feel like something you would be shown if you were a freshmen in college taking Sociology or Philosophy 101. It becomes entertaining in an educational aspect. It starts to drag at times and at times when it should have ended, the film kept going adding scenes that didn’t add nor take away from the film. The ethereally orchestral score didn’t attribute much but it’s tones bumped and hummed along to themes that sounded familiar, allowing you to keep your focus on the work. If you happen to find this on Netflix it is worth checking out.

Unfortunately, this was the only Q&A I missed because I had to make another film but I’m sure, among other things, the director was asked what prompted this topic, why he chose the professionals he did, and how they met the different professionals.