Maryland Film Festival Blog

Here are another pair of programmer’s picks from MFF Director of Programming Eric Hatch.

Both titles screen Friday day (screenings to which our Friends of the Festival have FREE access!), and have second screenings later in the festival.

THE SOURCE, directed by Jodi Wille and Maria Demopoulos

THE SOURCE
Here’s a documentary full of humor, tragedy, and life. Our subject is The Source Family, a commune (some, being less kind, would say “cult”) that thrived during L.A.’s late ‘60s/early ‘70s hippie era. Formed around vegetarian restaurateur Father Yod, The Source Family counted major celebrities among their friends, self-released enduring psychedelic rock albums, and developed their own brand of spirituality (still practiced by some today). But along the way, they also became increasingly cut off from mainstream society in ways that had serious negative consequences. And for Father Yod, there was a major twist coming. Even knowing some of the Source Family’s story headed into the theater, I found this documentary endlessly entertaining and moving.  THE SOURCE plays Friday 5/4 at 2pm and Saturday 5/5 at 6:30pm at the Charles Theater.

VOLCANO directed by Rúnar Rúnarsson

VOLCANO
I’ve been recommending this Icelandic drama, certainly one of my favorite foreign films in our line-up, to fans of Mike Leigh (NAKED, SECRETS & LIES, ANOTHER YEAR); as with Leigh’s work, it expertly offers one part serious drama, one part satiric character study. VOLCANO follows a recent retiree, Hannes, who begins losing the respect of his adult children when his post-employment life proves listless and unproductive—yet his domineering treatment of his doting wife continues unabated. When she takes ill, everyone’s life enters a new state of crisis. Can Hannes rise to the occasion? As a bonus, this screening will also include the Icelandic short film REVOLUTION REYKJAVIK, fresh from the renowned New Directors/New Films festival.  VOLCANO and REVOLUTION REYKJAVIK play on Friday 5/4 at 11:30am and Sunday 5/6 at 11:00am at the Charles Theater.

– Eric Hatch, Director of Programming