ScreenFish

where faith and film are intertwined

Film Festivals

Looking Ahead to AFI Docs

by Leave a Comment

One of my favorite film industry events is the annual AFI Fest in the fall. It always has a collection of the best films of the year. The American Film Institute has another important festival each year, AFI Docs, that centers on documentary films. AFI Docs usually takes place in Maryland (close to Washington, DC, since political issues are often central to documentaries), but this year it is a hybrid festival with live screenings as well as online availability of the films.

AFI Docs is a bit shorter than AFI Fest. The program begins Tuesday night, June 22 with a showing of Naomi Osaka. A full set of films begins releasing on Wednesday, with the festival finishing on Sunday, June 27. Some of the feature films I’m planning on taking in are  The First Step, a story of the workings of the political world, Fathom, about humpback whales, LFG, focusing on the US Women’s Soccer Team’s lawsuit for equal pay, The Lost Leonardo, about a surprise discovery of a DaVinci painting, Pray Away, a look at those who try to “cure” homosexuality, and many others over a wide range of subjects.

There are also a few documentary series that will be previewed at AFI Docs. 9/11: One Day in America looks at one of the darkest days in American history. Obama: In Pursuit of a More Perfect Union looks at Barak Obama’s journey from the Illinois State House to the White House. Some of the episodes of these will be shown.

There are also industry forums that address issues facing documentary filmmakers and the changing landscape for the industry. One I’m looking forward to will speak of how documentaries can help shape the conversation about race in America.

There will also be several programs of short documentaries covering sports, science, everyday life, war and peace, and the kinds of dreams people had during the COVID-19 pandemic. Shorts can always bring incredible insights. Each day when I report of what I’ve seen, I’ll include of few notes on some of the shorts.

But wait, you don’t necessarily need me to tell you what has happened at AFI Docs. As I note above, this festival is virtual! You can watch some of these films at home. Some of the screenings and all of the industry forums are free (but you must get a ticket). Go to https://docs.afi.com/how-to-fest/ to learn more about being part of AFI Docs this year. Then we can compare notes.

Reflection: A Walk with Water

by Leave a Comment

 “There it is. Take it.” (William Mulholland, opening the gates to the Los Angeles Aqueduct, 1913)

Water is a big deal here in California. It is not just about the presence or lack of rain (although that is important). For over 100 years, huge amounts of water have been diverted from the Central Valley and the Colorado River to provide water for Los Angeles and surrounding areas. In Reflection: A Walk with Water, filmmaker Emmett Brown joins with a group to walk the entire length of the Aqueduct from what is now the dry Owens Lakebed to the Cascades coming down the mountains into the city. Along the way he and others consider what this rerouting of so much water has cost the land. The film is premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival.

The film begins with a walk on what used to be Owens Lake (and is now the largest single source of dust pollution in the US). In many ways this redirection of water to a population center has had enormous environmental consequences (which are adding to and exacerbated by global climate change). But Brown says he wants to focus on signs of hope—ideas that may serve to mitigate the damage done. We see plans to “slow down water”, i.e., keep it from running to the sea as quickly as possible. We also learn about helping the soil better use the water that is available. There are other aspects of change he highlights as well.

This is a film that will appeal to environmentally minded people. It brings in issues of the way we have pillaged nature, ideas for doing things better, reflects on the treatment of indigenous peoples, and challenges viewers to see possibilities for change. But in the end, this is really a sermon for the choir. Nearly everyone who will opt to watch this movie will probably already be in harmony with its concepts and vision. It will reinforce existing ideas, but I doubt it will make any converts.

While I like the ideas of change, the problem with the examples we have is that they are all small-scale operations. Even if replicated many times as the film suggests, they would only represent a drop of water in the 200 mile long aqueduct. They are nice to consider, but compared to the massive undertaking that resulted in the LA Aqueduct, these are miniscule.

The film also ignores the elephant in the room of water in California—politics. Water is not just a matter of environmental importance in California; it is the basis of ongoing fights between cities and rural farming. California water policy is battled over every few years—especially in increasingly frequent drought years.

Reflection: A Walk with Water serves to bring some of these environmental issues to our attention. It offers ideas that some may want to incorporate into their own lives. It offers us an opportunity to reflect on some of the spiritual aspects of the ecology (mostly from a Native American spirituality). It is a small voice speaking to a very large issue.

Accepted – What Will Get You Into College?

by Leave a Comment

A small college prep school in rural Louisiana boasts that 100% of graduates are accepted into college, including 32% into Ivy League schools. An impressive record. It gained national media attention due to viral videos of students learning of their acceptances. That got the attention of documentarian Dan Chen, whose film Accepted is premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival.

The T.M. Landry College Prep is certainly an unusual school. It is located in a warehouse. There aren’t traditional class rooms or schedules. The average family income for the students is $32,000. The students are challenged by Tom Landry, the founder of the school, to focus on doing all they have to do to get into a prestigious school. Some of the students we meet spend up to 12 hours a day studying.

Chen, after the school became known nationally, chose to follow some students of the class of 2019 through their senior year. Each is hoping to do well in tests and find their way to a future they never really imagined. They are dedicated students. They have learned to work hard. Landry is very motivational, but he also creates a great deal of pressure these students must deal with. Is that what will serve them well in college?

But then during the year, the New York Times publishes a story about how the school has falsified transcripts—listing classes students didn’t take and activities they were never a part of. The story also makes mention of abuse by Landry. (We see an example of his temper that could easily be called emotional abuse.) As Landry fights for his school’s reputation, the students must decide what they will do in response to these allegations. What will happen to their dreams—their futures?

At issue isn’t just whether the students are really prepared for life at such schools. We see that they clearly have skills that will serve them well. It is also the system of college admissions. Landry has learned how to game that system to the benefit of these students from disadvantaged backgrounds, but who may well be deserving of schools’ consideration. This is compared briefly with the “Varsity Blues” college admission scandal that included several celebrities who paid large sums to get their already advantaged (but not academically skilled) children into some of these same schools.

The film evoked a certain cynicism in me. Not so much about these students, but about the overall college admission system that has become so competitive that it has engendered schemes to cheat in various ways. We like to think that the educations system is a meritocracy, but we know that it never has been. This film exposes the systemic shortcomings in a new way.

HotDocs21: It Is Not Over Yet

by Leave a Comment

Life-affirming and fascinating, It Is Not Over Yet transports the viewer to Dagmarsminde, a small long-term care facility in Denmark. Led by health practitioner May Bjerre Eiby, Dagmarsminde is committed to caring for their elderly residents and dementia patients by shifting their focus from medicine to the more controversial philosophy of ‘care treatment’. Inspired by Florence Nightingale’s methods from 150 years ago, Eiby and her team seek to honour their patients with high doses of hugs, conversation, affection and, of course, cake. In doing so, they not only enhance the quality of life of their residents but they also bring healing and hope to those who may feel abandoned.

Directed by Louise Detlefson, It Is Not Over Yet is a poignant journey into the world of health care and the power of compassion. Focusing her lens solely on the holistic community of Dagmarsminde, Detlefson has found something truly unique and powerful within this facility. As they (seemingly) give Detlefson full access to their conversations and treatments, the amazing results that Eiby and her team produce are nothing short of remarkable. At Dagmarsminde, every patient is treated with such respect and love that one cannot help but be in awe at what’s taking place.

Though Eiby’s methods often differ from ‘traditional practice’, one can’t argue with results. With an emphasis on human contact, touch and communal living, the ministry at Dagmarsminde recognizes the healing that the human body can experience when it feels safe and loved. Patients who have been left virtually catatonic due to over-medication begin to regain their faculties. Those who have been socially isolated start to come out of their shells and participate in community together. Within Dagmarsminde, dignity takes priority and lives are being changed as a result.

In short, Dagmarsminde may seem like a place where people go to die. In reality, it is a home that celebrates life.

Where Detlefson’s story becomes particularly emotional (and likely somewhat controversial) lies in the facility’s philosophy on how to care for residents who are near death. As a patient’s health begins to fade and death becomes an oncoming reality, Eiby allows them to be supported along the last phase of their journey. Rather than attempt to keep them alive through drugs or force-feeding, Eiby instead encourages the team to allow their residents to ‘transition’ peacefully as part of the natural process of life and death. For many, this practice may seem counter-intuitive (or even foreign) when held up against more traditional medical practices. (In fact, in one riveting scene, Eiby debates the practice amongst her own staff who may or may not agree with this exercise.) However, even in these moments, their gentle massage and peaceful words carry an inherent sense of beauty that Detlefson is allowed to catch on camera. 

Honestly, as shocking as it may seem, this may be the most tender death ever caught on camera.

With It Is Not Over Yet, Detlefson sends a powerful message. Though modern practice favours medication to treat dementia amongst patients, there truly is nothing greater than love to bring them hope. Led by Eiby, Darmarsminde continues to remind their residents that, though they may be nearing the end of their journey, they still matter. In this place, they know that they are safe and celebrated.

For these patients, life is truly not over yet.

To hear our conversation with director Louise Detlefson and health practitioner May Bjerre Eiby, click here.

It Is Not Over Yet is now playing at HotDocs ‘21.

HotDocs21: Cannon Arm and the Arcade Quest

by Leave a Comment

How will you leave your mark on the world?

Set in Denmark, Cannon Arm and the Arcade Quest follows grandfather and veteran retro gamer Kim Cannon Arm. The ‘uncrowned king of 1980s arcade games’, Kim spends his downtime playing the classics with his friends in Copenhagen’s Bip Bip Bar. Having turned the game of Gyruss into an artform, Kim decides to attempt to shatter the world record for gaming by playing for 100 hours straight. Aided by his friends who have committed to see his dream become reality, Kim sets out on a quest to play his way into the history books with the ultimate high score.

Directed by Mads Hedegaard, Cannon Arm is an absolute joy from start to finish. Focusing its lens on Kim and his friends, Hedegaard highlights the charm and joy of these unlikely champions as they attempt to do the impossible. In this world, achieving a ‘kill screen’ in Donkey Kong feels like a major win. However, while most consider gaming to be an individual experience Cannon Arm reveals the opposite. Though few may know their names beyond their inner circle, Kim and his crew have a deep love and affection for one another and believe that they have the opportunity to leave a mark on the world. With Kim’s record in view, they also understand that they need to work together to accomplish it. In an amazing display of commitment, the crew remain (mostly) laser focused clocking his scores, lives and just keeping their friend fed and hydrated in order to help him achieve his dream. 

After all, for them, the arcade world is their path to immortality.

To be heroes.

Ultimately though, despite its setting, Hedegaard understands that this story is not really about world records or even video games. Having been accepted as one of their own, Hedegaard gives a loving but honest portrayal of this group of friends, highlighting their struggles as well as their successes. (This becomes particularly apparent through Dyst as he battles Donkey Kong but also his own mental health.)

Most importantly though, this is a film which asks the question of what it means to leave your mark on the world. No, Kim may not be a hero in the traditional sense. He has never saved anyone from a burning building nor has can he leap tall buildings. Instead, Kim is shown to be a very simple man of great humility. Held in contrast to Billy Mitchell—the ‘bad boy’ of the gaming community—Kim comes across as a man who genuinely recognizes what’s important in life. In fact, without giving any spoilers (which would truly ruin the ride that the film takes you one), Kim’s response to the result of his record attempt is nothing short of staggering. Win or lose, Kim seems to recognize that that’s not what defines him and he handles the result with grace. 

While the record remains important to him, it also doesn’t define him.

A grandfather with a deep love for his friends, Kim recognizes that the love of his friends and the acceptance of community is what ultimately matters most. This realization allows him to hold on to what matters, no matter what the outcome may be in the end. (Incidentally, it’s also worth noting that he even dedicates his record to his dear friend who passed away, as opposed to pointing to himself.) While his passion for Gyruss drives the film, it does not drive the man.

In the end, Cannon Arm and the Arcade Quest is truly one of the feel-good films of this year’s HotDocs. In Kim Cannon Arm, Hedegaard has truly struck gold. Affable and slightly aloof, Kim is a wonderful subject to lead us into the world of digital kill screens and underground arcades. However, it’s his humility and love of his friends that is most noteworthy in this modern hero.

Because he understands that it’s his love for others that will leave his greatest mark on the world.

To hear our conversation with director Mads Hedegaard, click here.

Cannon Arm and the Arcade Quest is now playing at HotDocs ‘21.

Monday – The Price of Hedonism

by Leave a Comment

Is passion enough for building a relationship? In Argyris Papadimitropoulos’s anti-romcom Monday, a couple quickly connect on a sexual level, but then struggle to find if there can be more to their time together.

Mickey (Sebastian Stan) and Chloe (Denise Gough) are Americans living in Athens. Mickey is musician and DJ who has been here for seven years. Chloe is an immigration lawyer who has been here eighteen months, but is getting ready to return to a job in Chicago. Chloe has just had a bad breakup. When she and Mickey meet at a large party, the sexual energy drives them. The next morning the police awaken them sleeping naked on the beach. It is only in the back of the police car they exchange names. When it’s time for Chloe to fly back to the US, Mickey makes a mad dash to the airport to convince her to stay.

The film plays out in a series of chapters, each beginning with a new Friday. (Only the last scene is labeled Monday). Each chapter shows a bit of change in their relationship. Each Friday brings something new to their relationship—moving in together, trying to do their work at home, meeting Mickey’s ex to talk about his son, etc. In each chapter they are still sexually bound to each other, but in other ways they seem to grow a bit more apart each time. We can sense that they are having a great deal of pain trying to maintain the relationship that has been built more on their sexual passion than on true love.

I call it an anti-romcom because it begins much like a normal romantic comedy might, but rather than following the story that moves towards sharing lives and loves, this story moves really in the opposite direction. We see selfishness and can expect that this will not bring about a happy ending for either the film or the characters. By structuring the film with a series of “Fridays” we see the characters, in metaphorical weekends—those times without responsibilities. And we can tell that when “Monday” comes there will be an accounting to be made.

The film can be seen as a critique of sensual hedonism. Hedonism is the idea that we find the good through seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. It has found many ways of being applied to life, including as a basis for ethics. The kind of hedonism we see in this film relies on physical pleasure about all else. That seems to be Chloe and Mickey’s answer to all their issues—have sex yet again (and they do it frequently in the film). But we see the paradox inherent in such a hedonism—that seeking pleasure is often self-defeating because there are many other motivations that bring goodness and joy.

As viewers we feel the pain of this relationship that needs a stronger foundation—built not on selfish pleasures, but in learning to give of one’s self, not just one’s body.

Monday is available at select theaters and on VOD.

Photos courtesy of IFC Films.

@SXSW – See You Then

by Leave a Comment

Reuniting with an old friend can be a wonderful time as you catch up on each other’s lives. But it can also be stressful when there are unaddressed issues from years before. All that is multiplied when it is not just an old friend, but a former lover. In Mari Walker’s film See You Then, making its debut at SXSW, this becomes even more complicated.

Fifteen years after suddenly leaving Naomi (Lynn Chen), Kris (Pooya Mohseni) has asked her to meet for dinner. At first, they just kind of catch up on what has been going on in their lives. The biggest thing is that this is the first time they’ve met since Kris transitioned to a woman. That, obviously, brings a very different context to their reunion. The dinner turns into a peripatetic night that moves from subject to subject as the two go from place to place.

From Kris we learn about the struggle that has defined her life, not just her life as a man, but the issues that she faced in her transition. At one point she says that her life only really began fourteen years ago. (A comment that is somewhat harsh in Naomi’s ears.) Even though she is now a woman, she feels disappointed at not being able to be a mother. She has always wanted to have a biological child.

Naomi, while being accepting and supporting, also harbors some serious pain and resentment over the way their relationship ended, and because she only learned about Kris’s transition from a third party. As the night progresses, the two women move back and forth between connection and confrontation. There are painful words that are spoken by each. And when the great reveal comes, it is something that brings pain that is soul-deep.

The film is directed by a trans woman as well is starring a trans woman. As I read the press notes, it is clear that they are bringing bits of themselves into the film. As such, it gives us some small insight into what it means to live a transgendered life. It is certainly not a simple concept to portray in a film. See You Then seeks to give us an emotive introduction to some of the many aspects of being transgendered. For me, the key line is spoken by Kris after Naomi has talked about her final performance art piece that was many years ago. Kris, knowing that Naomi should be doing more tells her not to “deny yourself something that you need.” That clearly seems to be a major theme in this reunion between Kris and Naomi. They each have things they need—not just in life, but from each other. So it is for all of us—whether cis, trans, gay, or queer.

Photos courtesy of Vanishing Angle.

Reporting from Slamdance – The Winners Are…

by Leave a Comment

Now that the 2021 version of the Slamdance Film Festival is over, it is time to look back at some of the best films that played at the festival. The festival included 25 feature films and 107 shorts. Of course, the festival this year was almost completely virtual (the opening night and closing night films played at drive-ins), but the festival provided excellent Q&As with filmmakers to go along with the screenings. My thanks for the organizers and sponsors, and especially the filmmakers, for the wonderful experience of this year’s Slamdance.

Slamdance has several juries that gave out awards. There are also audience awards based on ratings made after viewing the films. And I’ll include my on top films as well. This year’s winners:

Jury Awards | Narrative Features

  • Narrative Feature Grand Jury Prize: Taipei Suicide Story directed by KEFF (Taiwan)
  •  Honorable Mention: ​A Family directed by Jayden Stevens (Australia)

Jury Awards | Documentary Features

  • Documentary Feature Grand Jury Prize: CODE NAME: Nagasaki directed by Fredrik S. Hana (Austria)

Jury Awards | Breakout Features

  • Breakout Grand Jury Prize: No Trace directed by Simon Lavoie (Canada)
  • Honorable Mention: A Black Rift Begins to Yawn directed by Matthew Wade (USA)
     

Jury Awards | Documentary Shorts

  • Documentary Short Grand Jury Prize: Unforgivable directed by Marlén Viñayo (El Salvador)
  •  Honorable Mention: ​Ain’t No Time for Women directed by Sarra El Abed (Canada)
     

Jury Awards | Unstoppable Shorts presented by Hulu

  • Unstoppable Grand Jury Prize: The Bin directed by Jocelyn Tamayao (Philippines)
  • Honorable Mention: Feeling Through directed by Doug Roland (USA)
  • Honorable Mention: Full Picture directed by Jacob Reed (USA)
     

Jury Awards – Narrative Shorts

  • Narrative Shorts Grand Jury Prize: ​In France Michelle is a Man’s Name directed by Em Weinstein (USA)
  • Honorable Mention: ​MADA (Mother) directed by Joseph Douglas Elmhirst (USA)
  • Honorable Mention: Delimitation directed by Tereza Vejvodova (Czech Republic)
     

Jury Awards – Experimental Shorts

  • Grand Jury Prize: ​Passage directed by Ann Oren (Germany)
  • Honorable Mention: Mountain Lodge directed by Jordan Wong (USA)
     

Jury Awards – Animated Shorts

  • Grand Jury Prize: ​Return to the Peach Blossom Wonderland directed by Haomin Peng, Yue Huang, Yuchao Luo (China)
  •  Honorable Mention: ​Lizard Ladder directed by Ted Wiggin (USA)

Slamdance Acting Award

  • Tender Huang​ from the film Taipei Suicide Story​ (Taiwan)
  • Honorable mention: ​Michelle Uranowitz of the film The Ultimate (by Lou Fescano)(USA)

Audience Awards Winners:

  •  Best Narrative Feature: Taipei Suicide Story directed by KEFF (Taiwan)
  •  Documentary Feature: Holy Frit directed by Justin Monroe (USA)
  •  Episodic: The Little Broomstick Rider directed by Matteo Bernardini (Italy)

The AGBO Fellowship Award Winner, presented by Joe and Anthony Russo

  • Agnieszka Polska, director of Hurrah, We Are Still Alive! (Poland)

Slamdance Founder Award Winner

  • Award Winner: Tilane Jones, President of ARRAY (USA)

George Starks Spirit of Slamdance Award Winner

  • Award Winner: Chelsea Christer, director of Bleeding Audio (USA)
  •  Honorable Mention: Mohammad Mohammadian, director of LIFE (Iran) 

Creative Future Innovation Award Winner

  •  Opera by Erick Oh

My own favorites were Holy Frit, directed by Justin Monroe; Opera, directed by Erick Oh; Taipei Suicide Story, directed by KEFF; Feeling Through, directed by Doug Roland; and 18th & Grand: The Olympic Auditorium Story, directed by Stephen DeBro.

Reporting from Slamdance – a few final films

by Leave a Comment

A few more films as I wind down my coverage of Slamdance Film Festival. It has been a wonderful experience, as most film festivals are.

In Jim Bernfield’s documentary feature Me to Play, Dan Moran and Chris Jones, two actors with Parkinson’s Disease, set out to perform Samuel Beckett’s Endgame. Jones describes the project at one point as “two actors with diminishing physical abilities playing two characters with diminishing physical abilities trying to get through the last stages of their lives.” The film is built around the five weeks of rehearsal leading up to the single performance. Along the way the two actors share the ways the affliction has changed their lives. For actors, their bodies and voices are essential not only to their profession, but to their sense of who they are. This film serves well as a look into the kinds of struggles people face with debilitating diseases, and the bits of hope they can find along the way.

Race and rage are the focus of The Sleeping Negro, directed by Skinner Myers. In a frequently surreal film, a young black man is trying to get by in the world, but the rage he carries over the racist system leads him to push away the people closest to him. He argues about racism with both a black friend and his white fiancée, both of whom don’t think racism is as bad as he claims. In many ways, the rage is directed at himself. He is conflicted to be trying to find success in a world that is racially unjust and wanting nothing to do with it. The film serves as an introduction to some of the ways the African-American experience can wear on the emotional and psychological well-being of people.

After America, directed by Jake Yuzna, grew out of a project involving criminal justice de-escalation workers in Minneapolis. They used theater workshop techniques to portray their struggles with their real-life pressures. There are a series of different storylines, some of which converge briefly. The film seems to be going off in several directions at once, making it a bit chaotic. Some of the stories focus on relationships, connections, loneliness, brokenness, feelings of uselessness. Some bits have a surreal feel to them, especially when much of the film takes place in an empty shopping mall. There are other visual shots that show the emptiness that the characters feel they are living in.

Reporting from Slamdance – 18th & Grand

by Leave a Comment

Growing up in Los Angeles in the 50s and 60s, I was well aware of the Olympic Auditorium. That was where they held wrestling, roller derby, and boxing that came into our homes on local TV. Later it was the scene of punk rock shows. In the years since, I’ve driven by it often (although it is now The Glory Church of Jesus Christ). So it was a given that I was going to want to see Slamdance’s Closing Night feature, the world premiere of 18th & Grand: The Olympic Auditorium Story. Would it just be a fun nostalgic trip or something more?

Certainly, there was some wonderful nostalgia, but director Stephen DeBro was much more interested in showing not just the history of the venue, but how that history reflects the city’s history and the cultural aspects that were reflected in the sporting and entertainment events that took place there.

The film spends little time on the early history of the Olympic, built in 1925 and serving as the venue for boxing, wrestling, and weight-lifting competitions in L.A. first Olympics in 1932. The film’s story really begins in the 1940s when Ailene Eaton becomes the business manager. Eaton, who had never seen a fight at that point, went on to become an extremely influential boxing promoter, promoting fights from the Central Valley to the Mexican border, but primarily at the Olympic which was seen as the West Coast equivalent of Madison Square Garden. The Olympic holds an important place in the history of boxing. The film touches only briefly on fight fixing and mob involvement, but gives the impression that it didn’t last long at the Olympic.

But the film also shows the way the Olympic reflected the city. Eaton created boxing cards that attracted the Mexican-American population. This at a time when L.A. was very divided (and in many ways it still is). She promoted fighters like Enrique Bolanos and Art Aragon, who represented two very different views of how Mexican-Americans fit into society. In later years, among those who were got important career opportunities at the Olympic included Julio César Chavéz, and Carlos Palomino (both of whom are interviewed in the film).

When the film turns to the wrestling that took place at the Olympic, it shows the way the good vs. evil aspect to this scripted sport reflected the geo-political tensions of the post- World War and later the Cold War period.

The film is bolstered by interviews DeBro has done with various people who have been involved at the Olympic, including fighters, wrestlers like Roddy Piper and Dick Beyer (aka The Destroyer, who was interviewed in his mask); Dick Enberg, who announced boxing there early in his career; Mamie Van Doren, part of the celebrity scene at fights; and Gene LeBell, son of Ailene Eaton and an important part of the Olympic in his own right. Those interviews are important bits of history, because some of those interviewed have since past away.

I love the nostalgia of seeing these bits of my childhood recreated, but I appreciate even more the depth that the film goes into to put it in a particular cultural setting—something we rarely think about, especially with sports like boxing, wrestling, or roller derby, with their violence and in the case of the latter two, scripted showmanship. The film’s exploration of the Olympic serves a way to look into L.A.’s and the broader society’s past, and allows us to rethink the present in that light.