Shoplifters

As the movie opens we see three generations of a family living together in very cramped quarters. The son and his father have a very unique way of shoplifting to support the family. But suddenly a young girl joins the family and it isn’t until the son is caught stealing that we realize we haven’t been watching a “normal” family at all. When the background of the various characters is revealed you have to question what a “family” really is. It was a good movie and that little girl tore my heart out from the moment I saw her.

Becoming Astrid

The movie opens with the elderly character of Astrid Lindgren (author of the Pippi Longstocking stories) opening birthday cards from children. She is surrounded by bags and bags of what we can only assume is fan mail. But the movie reverts to a much younger Astrid and details parts of her life from a teenage pregnancy through to her finally claiming and bringing home her illegitimate son. The movie was well done but it ends before she even begins her writing career.

Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes

I knew going into this that I probably wouldn’t enjoy it much but this first film of the festival came with an opening night gala – entertainment, snacks and booze. I don’t enjoy jazz and I admit I snoozed through some of the film. It wasn’t all for naught though. One of the scenes showed a photo of a man wearing a knitted sweater and the pattern looked to me like the Tumbling Block quilt pattern I intend to make for Dylan. Sure enough, when I googled it at home I found an afghan pattern for tumbling blocks!