FILMMAKER MAGAZINE

“TRIBECA: ENTRE NOS, DEVIL, DAZZLE & RACING DREAMS” by Jason Guerrasio

At the midway point of the Tribeca Film Festival most covering it are walking around with a look of relief as this year’s slate of a tolerable 85 films has made it a less strenuous undertaking to get a good grasp of what the fest has to offer (and it’s nice to step in an air conditioned theater during this heatwave). Here are four titles that have stuck out for me.

Racing Dreams

Another filmmaker returning for a second time, Marshall Curry comes back after winning the Audience Award for his Oscar nominated doc debut Street Fight in 2005. Probably the most sellable film I’ve seen so far, Curry’s Racing Dreams is Hoop Dreams for Nascar fans. Looking at the lives of three teenagers who race go-carts (basically the Little League of Nascar), Curry highlight the kids and their parents as they race five times over the course of a few months to declare a national champion of the World Karting Association’s National Pavement Series. Curry captures the intensity of racing in the small carts, making 80 mph look like they’re going 200. But like most docs that highlight something competitive, it’s the human interest story of the subjects off the track that is the most compelling. Curry finds remarkable kids to follow, all with interesting backstories and personal issues that they can escape from when they get on that track.

4/28/2009 10:50:00 PM