I’ve previously noted the award winning docs at Slamdance, but I saw other interesting documentaries as part of the festival. Let’s look at some.
40 Watts from Nowhere, directed by Sue Carpenter, is a look back at a pirate radio station in Los Angeles in the 1990s. Carpenter (who also went by the name Paige Jarrett) wanted an outlet that would play the music she wanted, rather than what the music industry wanted on the airways. She bought equipment and started her own unlicensed station—first in Berkely, then operating out of a closet in her Silver Lake apartment. Soon, others connected with her and a full schedule of DJs, each with their own tastes and personalities, had the station going 24/7.
This is from a time before the internet gave anyone a chance to be an “influencer” (or movie critic). But the eclectic mix on KBLT (like the sandwich) soon garnered an audience in a geographically limited area. It also attracted musicians who were anxious to be heard in such a setting. All the while trying to avoid being shut down by the FCC.
This film reflects an anti-establishment sentiment toward the commercial music industry and the government. It is an interesting blend of individualism and community that the station created.
Screenfish’s Steve Norton interviewed Sue Carpenter here.
Stolen Kingdom, directed by Joshua Bailey, is a very different way of seeing Disneyworld. This isn’t about the park; it’s about a group of “urban explorers” who sneak into restricted areas. At first, they may just sneak around out of curiosity and adventurousness, trying to avoid detection. They soon become bolder, recording their wanderings in such places and posting on social media. In time, they advance to stealing things.
The thefts aren’t just small things; it includes an animatronic from an abandoned ride. We learn there is an active black market is such artifacts. This is obviously a film about crime, but it manages to not quite glorify the criminals (whether they have been caught or not).
My Own Normal, directed by Alexander Freeman, was part of the Unstoppable section. Freeman recounts what his life is like as someone living with Cerebral Palsy. He notes that from an early point in life we are expected to follow a script. He, through film, has found a voice that enable him to write his own script.
The biggest change that breaks with the script he was supposed to follow is becoming a parent. This is a challenge for someone with the severe physical handicaps he has, but it also brings him new opportunities to live more fully and to share love.
