CrossRoads Film Festival

At Crossroads, I saw two films: Spirited Away and the Winners of in the Short Film Category. In the Short Film Category, two films really stood out to me: the film about the Big Apple Inn and The Man from Memphis. Both films were done very well. I related to them because of my southern heritage and Jackson residence. The Big Apple Inn is about a restaurant in Jackson that has been open for 50 years. Since its openings, it has served pig ear sandwiches--apparently a delicacey in the Jackson community. The director did a really good job explaining what was going on in the restaurant and you really connected with the particpants. He often used close-ups on the food production, which was unappetizing, but countered it with the feelings of the community eating the food. The Big Apple Inn also showed the vibrant culture that Farish Street--now crime ridden--once had. He also gave you a glimpse into the Civil Rights movement. The Film was a great story and for a 20 minute production provided a plethora of information.

Man from Memphis was centered around a 70 year old garbage man currently working in Memphis, TN. It was the story of all underpaid and underrepresented employees in America. Again, I enjoyed the background information given to this film in reference to so much of the working class uprising in America. The most poignant part of the film was the man speaking to children in school. To them, he was a local hero. His courage and sacrifice caused on young girl to sob at his story. Seeing this, he said, "Don't cry..seeing you cry makes me sad..and I'll cry." The entirety of the documentary was driven but the charisma of this 70 year old garbage man. The film was shot very well and we actually felt like we were there with this man at his work. Again, like the Big Apple Inn, for such a short piece, I was given a great deal of information and felt very satisified after leaving.