Big Picture Big Sound

Good Things in Small Packages

Death of a Shadow Tom Van Avermaet

Henry Yan England

Curfew Shawn Christensen

Buzkashi Boys Sam French

Asad Bryan Buckley

In the years I have been attending these collections, this one is easily my favorite. The worst one of the group could have captured the Oscar in other years. A slight nod to "Henry" because of the makeup of the Academy, but it would not be shocking for any of them to win.

Death of a Shadow A deceased soldier photographs shadows of dying men and women. While this explanation may not make it clear what is going on, by the end it all does become clear.  Spectacular looking and very unique. 

Henry An 84 year-old man suffering from Alzheimers floats in and out of reality in a hospital hallway.  Gérard Poirier is superb, putting in the best performance in this collection. It is difficult to not be affected by him and the superb direction. As good a representation of losing one's faculties as you may ever see.

Curfew A young man about to commit suicide is literally saved by the bell when his sister phones and asks him to babysit. While the plot is a little thin, it still manages to capture you, predominantly because of the performance by Fatima Ptacek as nine-year-old Sophia .

Buzkashi Boys Shot in war-torn Kabul, it follows a day in the life of two young boys looking to find fun and meaning amid a hopeless background.  It's a very powerful piece and yanks us back and forth between lightness and stark reality.

Asad. Like "Buzkashi Boys", "Asad" offers a view of hopelessness through the eyes of a young boy who has not yet been beaten into submission by living conditions that one can only describe as daunting. He just wants to be old enough to fish, but just surviving is tough enough.