Friendship: ROFFEKE Official Selections 2023 (Partial Listing)

“Bad Syne” by Illysa Spencer and the transmedia tripartite by Robert David Duncan “Alley Senses”, “Alley of Lost Friends” and “Old Man’s World” speak to and with each other, even though they have many differences. Bad Syne is longer (15 minutes) than all three of Robert’s microfilms (5 minutes 40 seconds in total). Robert uses a smartphone and artificial intelligence. Bad Syne is a student project filmed in Armenia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. while Robert’s microfilms are three of very many that he has done over the years (including "Room 254 Spinoza Hotel" that I had the honour of being a part of).

One similarity is that both Bad Syne and Robert’s microfilms feature street art/graffiti. About Alley Senses, Robert says: “I was revisiting some alley footage I had shot and was struck by the energy and sensory vibrancy of it, raw sound and all. I decided to capture some of its essence and share it in this film – enjoy!” The first few minutes of Bad Syne feature a graffiti artist in the middle of creating his street art as we hear his views via voice over: “…establishment, you’re not thinking about the better good of people by surrounding them by monochromatic, flat, dry and just dead-looking, absence of life environment.”

Both Bad Syne and Robert’s microfilms are about friendship. In Bad Syne: “Two artists collaborate on music and life in an epic roadtrip” while the three microfilms are “interconnected pieces on themes of friendship and art.” You can check out the Alley of Lost Friends transmedia story world at https://alleyoflostfriends.weebly.com/

The theme of friendship and art also shines through in “Time”, a screenplay by Mario Luis Telles: “After trying their luck at rock and roll fame, 4 friends embark on a hilarious journey to get their fame and fortune.”

Creative differences are part and parcel of the friendship and art package. The key is to know how to navigate these differences. “So it goes” touches on this topic. Director Jenna Cornell writes that it is “a beautiful song written by musician, producer and filmmaker Marc Golde. Tackling some of the current issues we face, it reminds us that we are all in this together. We all have common humanity even if we disagree.”

Patti Smith, Horses and ROFFEKE Official Selections - The White Horse, Trickster and The Heaviest Order featuring Greta Thunberg

Today is Patti Smith’s birthday, the “Godmother of Punk”. I discovered her during the season 2 finale of Millennium, a series by X-Files creator Chris Carter. Michael John Petty writes in collider.com that one of the best moments in The Fourth Horsemen/The Time Is Now (Season 2, Episodes 22-23) is “Lara Means’ disturbing psychotic break to the tune of Patti Smith’s “Horses”.

The Millennium website gives the correct name of the song, which is often understandably mistitled as simply “Horses”:

“The Millennium episode The Time Is Now contains the following music by Patti Smith:

• Land: Horses/Land of 1000 Dances/La Mer(de)

Heard during the intense motel cabin scene where Lara Means, (depicted through the use of various montages, imagery and stock photography) slips into insanity after failing to come to terms with the knowledge revealed to her by the Millennium Group.”

In “You’ve never heard Patti Smith’s‘Horses’?!” Charlie Kaplan writes that the protagonist’s (Johnny’s) “emotional collapse is a herd of horses, "white shining silver studs with their nose in flames".

Patti Smith’s iconic song could also work well in Goran Mihailov’s short film titled “The White Horse” where “A couple's daily routine is interrupted by an unexpected threat.”

Both “The White Horse” and Rob York’s screenplay titled “Trickster” feature a horse and a girl. Rob York’s screenplay is “Based upon a true story a wise old horse narrates his extraordinary life. After a near death accident he finds the meaning of life through the eyes of a special needs little girl.”

According to his writer biography, Rob York “…is a distinguished screenwriter whose passion for storytelling rivals his love for horses…Among his accolades, York proudly holds numerous awards for his standout screenplay, "Trickster" earning 87 awards in 23 countries…While Rob's talent in crafting captivating scripts is evident, it's his passion for horses that truly sets him apart. With a deep understanding of these majestic creatures, he brings an authentic touch to equestrian-themed stories, painting vivid portraits of the bond between humans and horses…Rob's other home away from home is working at the D6 Movie Horse Ranch in Apple Vally California, the home of Roy Rodgers. Rob works directly with the legendary horse trainer Ty Nitti who is one in a few horse trainers in the world who has mastered all three disciplines of Spanish, English, and Western. Rob is the direct assistant for Ty horse wrangling, stunt coordinating, and qualifying professional stuntmen in the movie industry. As Rob embarks on new projects and collaborations, there's no doubt that his unique blend of Texas roots, California spirit, and unwavering passion for horses will continue to shine through in every script he crafts, captivating audiences and leaving a lasting impression on the world of cinema.”

The Heaviest Order by Peter Böving is a stop-motion short film featuring Greta Thunberg who “places a significant order at a bakery.” According to the director’s statement: “The film begins with musical references to the Thuringian children's song "Backe, backe, Kuchen" (Bake, bake, cake). This simple song is fundamentally enumerative in content, essentially a pure baking recipe. Its simplicity and clarity radiate a "healthy" approach to food. In other words: baking - simple - analog! In the short film, this cake is created at the request of a young activist, even though the accompanying elements may remind one somewhat of the US short film series "The Little Rascals." The intended feel-good atmosphere serves primarily the purpose of creating the greatest possible anticipation for the punchline in the finale, which puts the issue of food waste at the center of the film.”

Greta Thunberg’s birthday is four days after Patti Smith’s. In January 2020, Jennifer Velez wrote on grammy.com: “If you follow punk rock legend Patti Smith, you’re likely aware of her fondness for Swedish teen climate activist Greta Thunberg. The singer posted tributes to the teen throughout 2019 and didn’t leave out posting one on Thunberg’s birthday, Jan 3.”

Patti Smith appears in Chris Gero's “The Sound of Us”, a documentary that attempts to answer the questions: “What is music? What is music to you?” Patti Smith’s answer? “It contains the essence of the human soul, one could say.”