South Oxford, All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club, Maravilla, Serve (Darius Clark Monroe, 2019): USA

Review by Manu Davila. View at AFI Fest 2019.

Filmmaker Darius Clark at the age of 16, motivated by the tough circumstances of the economic adversities in his family, with two more friends decided to rob a local bank. Years later, after Darius served his sentence, he got into Film school. Evolution of a Criminal being his first project, helped him to transcend from the guilt of a childhood mistake to an artist, who looks to examine life and human complexities. Just like he does now with the exceptional compilation of four shorts: SOUTH OXFORD, ALL IOWA LAWN TENNIS CLUB, MARAVILLA, SERVE. 

Director Darius Clark as well as these four stories, are an example of dealing with difficulties and becoming resilience. Darius was chosen to do a project with 4 stories of an article about America’s culture and passion for tennis and handball. In this compilation, Darius go deep into the lives of the protagonists of these stories, showing us two important elements: Community and art, or sports a way of art. He does it by elaborating 4 shorts documentaries, however, every one of them has a different style. On the first one he conveys a photo album in a cozy home, then he shows beautiful landscapes on the second short, the third story shows historical events, and the last one the intimacy of a strong woman. 

In South Oxford, Richard Northern and his Wife Ann, look back to the time they owned and managed the South Oxford Tennis Club in Brooklyn, New York. Using long takes, and full shots of Richard and Ann at their home, cooking and sitting on leather furniture, showing warm colors, takes of wood furniture, it makes you feel you entering a cozy home, like your grandparents. What do they always like to do? Show the family photo album, that’s what Richard does. With close up shots of a photo album, with memories when Richard, and friends without the help of the city, built the Tennis club. Creating a space for the community to come together, and support each other. With a last shot of a beautiful chandelier moving in circles, which looks almost like diamonds and pleasant jazz music as background, representing old gold memories and dreams.

All Iowa Lawn Tennis Club, portraits the life of Mark Kuhn, who shares his story of how together with the community, also without any help from the government, built a grass court on their farmland, but more importantly, what it means for him, his family, and his community, after he suffers his son’s tragic death. Darius decides the use of extreme long shots of beautiful landscapes to convey some of the themes, like land owned by families and how they pass to future generations. 

Maravilla Handball Club in East Los Angeles is what the 3rd story is about. Using archival, original material and the genuine voice of a narrator that we do not get to see, Darius tells a brave story of a community who built a handball club brick by brick. This story is the perfect example to show that a sport club has a bigger meaning than just work as a recreation center, but to work as a home, a safe place for the community to grow and become great citizens in society. Maravilla tells the story of how a community gets strong together in moments of segregation against the immigrants, chicano power and indigenous people. The great work by Darius and his crew with this story, it touches deep in your heart. 

The last short film from Darius compilation, it starts with extreme close ups of the eyes of someone, then we know is a tennis coach woman, in the background we have the sounds of a tennis game, we can hear how people are hitting the ball and we get into the game. A lot of hand held movement around the tennis court, a camera that moves freely during the game, jump cuts, the loud voice of the coach giving instructions and tips to her students, it makes you feel a bit anxious because of the fury of the game, but also it goes to the intimacy of the coach. Darius shows some long takes and full shots in the most vulnerable space of the coach, looking for consolation and refuge at her mom’s side. 

Filmmaker Darius, Donald Conley (producer), Tariq Holloway (producer) and Doug Lenox (editor) project is a beautiful piece of humanity, full of transparency, which has a cathartic rhythm and images. It helps you realize that we are more alike being together than different apart. Darius vision and work are worth attention, so go check their work, you will not regret it.