SBIFF Field Recordings

Our favorite flicks and the company of men

WORDS Ninette Paloma

The barista at Dawn café is pulling shots of espresso with quiet ease when I stop by on a Thursday morning, smiling curiously at the group of lanyard-wearing patrons huddled around her counter. This is her first introduction to the “Breakfast Club” – the early morning cinema geek squad that takes in the festival’s first screenings – and she has questions.

“So, you mean you’re all going to be watching movies at 8am all week long? How do I get in on this?”

The long-held SBIFF tradition of an early bird flick might also be one of the smartest ways to take in the festival: Clear-headed and in the absence of crowds and city clatter. Standouts thus far include the slow-burn beauty of Canadian filmmaker Chloé Robichaud’s Days of Happiness about emerging conductor Emma (played by a serene Sophie Desmarais) and her struggle to disentangle her creative vision from the desires of her heavy-handed father. Robichaud uses music as a subtle symbol of control, power, and ultimately, autonomy; By contrast, Rachel Ramsay’s Copa 71 packs an energetic punch as she rounds up participants of the 1971 Women’s World Cup to recount the once-buried history of this record-breaking tourney. Through recovered footage, arresting aerial captures of some of the world’s most enchanting cities, and passionate dialogue from the players themselves, Copa 71 infuriates and endears with equal measure; and the U.S. premiere of Disconnect Me unpacked Australian filmmaker Alex Lykos’s ambitious experiment to disconnect from his mobile phone and laptop for 30 days with humor and authenticity, weaving in some alarming research while inching toward an inevitable conclusion (Hint: it does not end in bliss).

On Thursday evening, Bradley Cooper rolled into town to accept the Outstanding Performer of the Year award, turning up all of the self-effacing wit you would expect from a Philly charmer riding a career high most artists could only dream of. From his debut as “Jake the Downtown Smoker” in Sex and the City to regularly being ranked as one of the highest paid actors in the world, Cooper humbly acknowledged how important it is to fully celebrate “the good things because there is so much rejection in this business.” Joining him as co-presenters were Maestro co-star Carey Mulligan and longtime friend Brad Pitt – both describing his preternatural capacity to inject full authenticity into all of his roles. Juxtaposing Cooper’s ability to make his career trajectory look effortless was Robert Downey Jr., who accepted the Maltin Modern Master award on Friday after a gracious introduction by festival director Roger Durling – describing the actor’s inspiring ability to rise from the ashes of addiction into the brilliant artist that he is today. Dressed in a maroon sharkskin suit and Christian Louboutin boots, Downey wasted no time in winding the audience up: “Let’s get this thing rolling,” he exclaimed, “this is not the only award I’m accepting tonight.” On hand was high school pal Rob Lowe and Oppenheimer co-star Cillian Murphy to sing his praises with heartwarming adoration. “He’s the most versatile actor of his generation,” emphasized Lowe, with Murphy echoing his accolades: “He’s a unicorn, rising to a level of superstar few of us can comprehend.”
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With mornings fueled by thoughtful films and evenings spent in the company of witty men, sleep has now been relegated to a mere afterthought. And if celluloid dreams are made of this, well then I have no intention of waking up until February 17.

More from the 89th Annual Santa Barbara International Film Festival HERE