SB Shorts Docs Program 2

Review by Tim Lopez. Viewed at Santa Barbara Film Festival 2011.

Beneath the Rainbow Bridge (John Brooks)

Beneath the Rainbow Bridge was by far the most beautifully shot and enlightening documentary of the shorts program. Beneath the Rainbow Bridge takes its audience out to the Channel Islands where underwater life is changing as society develops. A look into the underwater ecosystems of Santa Barbara’s treasured islands, John Brooks short doc is a calling for preservation. We see the impact of human life and the possible damage that could be done to natural habitats like the Channel Islands if proper coastal waste plans are not put into action. Unlike many informative docs however, the film is not so much a guide as to HOW we should preserve off-shore habitats and more of a spiritual look into ocean life and WHY we should WANT to preserve it. Boasting beautiful underwater imagery, Beneath the Rainbow Bridge follows a group of divers from UCSB as they go down under to gather data from plants and sea urchins. Following their journey down, we get a look at some of Santa Barbara’s most stunning wildlife. Set to the tone of tranquil music, John Brooks short doc is a beautiful piece of work. As a resident of Santa Barbara and a visitor of The Channel Islands, my only thought after watching this doc is to PRESERVE THE ISLANDS!

8th Street Bride (Duffy Hecht)

Duffy Hecht’s film about the destruction of a bridge in Carpenteria, CA was short and not sweet. The documentary covers a city council decision to knock down a popular old bridge in place of a more modern, “safer” bridge. Many of the towns people, however, protest the transition claiming that the old bridge is a historical landmark and has been integrated into the culture of Carpinteria. There demands are not met and a vote by the City Council results in the destruction of the new bridge. Overly dramatic and one sided, 8th Street Bridge is not an effective documentary. While the tranquility and historical significance of the bridge is obvious on screen, so is the rust and cracked wood of the bridge. That is not to say the bridge was a hazard by any means, but it was only a matter of time until it had to be dismantled. The documentary makes out the construction workers in charge of replacing the bridge to be sinners. While I do agree the design of the new bridge could have and should have been a bit more subtle, the documentary goes overboard.

The Book of Santa Barbara (Russ Spencer)

Anyone who has spent enough time in Santa Barbara to navigate themselves to the mission without a map has no doubt seen Macduff Everton’s Book of Santa Barbara at some point. Whether they’ve looked through it or not, the book can be found in library, bookstores, and retail stores throughout Santa Barbara, not to mention peoples homes and apartments. This five minute documentary is an interview with Everton as he talks about the inspiration behind his beautiful book. Set to a slideshow of pictures from the book itself, Russ Spencer’s short film should inspire anyone looking to be a photographer.

Free and Alive (John Klein)

Some of the best experiences of a child growing up can be those experienced in nature. John Klein’s short doc follows two local Santa Babara educators as they bring a group of children out into one of Santa Barbara’s endless natural habitats. It’s impossible not to smile as these kids run around in dirt as their cognitive abilities grow. The educators interviewed for the film talk about the importance of a child’s experiences in nature. John Klein features his own daughter, whose curiosity and adorable willingness to learn drives the doc forward. Klein denounces the idea that children aren’t learning enough by being outside of the classroom and believes that their curiosity will only grow into intelligence if they are let out into nature. By the end of the documentary we are reminded that children are the most precious and fragile beings on earth and their learning capacity will only grow out in nature.