Opening Night Gala

I am intrigued by the genius of directors.  Blancanieves was screened tonight as the Opening Night Gala Screening.  The High School Auditorium was packed and a brass-heavy jazz band serenaded the patrons.  Pablo Berger’s second film is “silent” and in black & white.  Sound familiar?  It is a reworking of the Grimm fairy tale Snow White and the 7 Dwarves.   It’s a loose reworking with lots of liberties taken but the end results are stunning.  Carmencita/Snow White [Blancanieves] is an orphaned daughter of Spain’s greatest bullfighter.  Her stepmother is a diabolical nurse who abuses her and eventually tries to have her murdered.  After losing her memory she awakens in a troop of dwarf bullfighters who put on comedy shows throughout the countryside.  It is slowly discovered that Blanca is a good if not great bullfighter.  Her rise to fame sets in motion various schemes and ultimately payback.  The movie is fast-paced and really quite exciting.  The music is wonderful.  The great Maribel Verdú [Y tu mama también] channels every evil villainess in the long canon of fairytales.  She is made for silent films.

There was a Gala party at the Palm Springs Art Museum following the film but as soon as I realized that all 1600 moviegoers were going to attend I decided to forego the event and drive home.  Tomorrow I have four films lined up.  Wish me luck.