Galway

My wife, some visiting family members, the dogs, and I were able to get away for a few days between Christmas and New Year's to the opposite coast of Ireland -- to what is considered to be the cultural capital of Ireland, Galway.

Galway is one of Ireland's most beautiful cities and I love to visit there every opportunity I can get...

Merry Christmas

A very popular song this time of year... I find that it perfectly reflects the beauty and mood of the season and I wish to share it with you once again.

From me to you -- Merry Christmas!

Christmas

We celebrated Christmas Mass this year at Church of the Guardian Angels, just a 10-15 minute walk in the snow away...

Christmas tree

We finally got a tree -- decorated and in place by Christmas Eve! Better late than never, as they say. If not for a break in the weather we might not have had a tree at all this year.

This picture was taken with a camera phone with no light, except for the tree lights themselves. It may be hard to tell from this photo but this is a truly special and beautiful tree and it helped make for a wonderful and blessed setting for Christmas 2010...

Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night...

Keeping things in perspective

Even though the weather has caused great havoc in these parts, it's always refreshing to come across a little something that puts a smile on your face!

Reflections of a Winter's Night

Sometimes even a phone camera can capture some of the beauty of light on a winter night...

And even more snow!

The Butler's Pantry

My wife has a "special" relationship with this company.

Their eight stores are tastefully decorated to celebrate this Christmas season...

Please enjoy this festive video that we made for them.

More snow!

A couple of more inches fell overnight and the temperature will stay below freezing for the better part of this next week...

Winter is definitely here.

Season's first snow...

Back in Dublin.

We woke up this morning to lightning and thunder, yes, lightning and thunder. And this was the result -- snow! Much less of it now that there was this morning but it's below freezing now so at least this much will be with us for another day or two...

Happy Thanksgiving...

We'll be having guinea fowl instead of turkey, butternut squash instead of stuffing, and tiramisu instead of pumpkin pie but we will be celebrating a traditional Thanksgiving nonetheless...

To all of our family members who are not able to be with us today (or us with them)... please know that we are together in spirit.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Viking Ship Museum

In honor of my Scandinavian ancestors...

Three Viking ships (two fully intact - the Gokstad and the Oseberg) from the 9th Century are proudly on display here. Quite intimidating when you truly pause to think about the impact and far reach that the Vikings had in conquering and populating the western world...

West to North America, east to Russia, and south to Europe, North Africa, and the Mediterranean...

The Vikings were somewhat unique in terms of history's conquerors in that they often chose to create settlements in lands of conquest rather than plunder and pillage and leave...

Ibsen Museum

What a great museum...

We actually visited twice as we arrived too late on Saturday to be able to visit the apartment where Ibsen spent his last decade or so, so we came back the next day to see the apartment itself.

Well worth the visit. I've seen a few writer's museums and I can't think of any better than this. He was a truly prolific writer and produced a great body of plays such as Hedda Gabbler, The Master Builder, An Enemy of the People, When We Dead Awaken, Ghosts, Peer Gynt, A Doll's House, and of course John Gabriel Borkman, which we just saw in Dublin a few days ago.

Between 1850 and 1899 he wrote 27 plays, which is at least one play every other year or so.

He never went to college as he didn't do that well on his qualifying exams.

He did much of his writing while in self-exile in Italy and Germany during the years 1864-1891...

He is a playwright whose plays are well worth getting to know...

Norsk Folkemuseum

Noway's largest museum of cultural history. An open (outdoor) museum as you can see. A bit of Norwegian history and everyday life...

More Oslo

- Norwegian sculpture

- Every major city in the world has at least one Irish pub. We stumbled upon this one on Saturday...

Oslo

- Oslo harbor

- Downtown Oslo

- Christmas decorations on display

To Oslo, Norway for the weekend. Happy Birthday Karen!

John Gabriel Borkman

My wife's birthday is on Saturday and we took the opportunity to see this play at the Abbey Theater. Alan Rickman as the title character and Fiona Shaw as his long suffering wife.

The Irish media has made much of this play due to its timely revival (Borkman, a banker, was once a "great" man and is now ruined after a financial scandal and jail). It last played at the Abbey in 1928 and will next travel to Broadway...

There is something about Ibsen that makes his work almost timeless. His acute understanding and insight into the complexity of human relationships, his respect for and frequent showcasing of the strength of women, and his inclusion and focus on the changing society around him keep him relevant as a playwright today.

They say he is the most performed playwright in the world... after Shakespeare...

This was a sold out run and a rewarding theater experience.

2010 San Sebastian International Film Festival

San Sebastian is a uniquely beautiful city that is situated in the heart of the Basque region of Spain. It is also known by its Basque name -- Donostia. Located on the Bay of Biscay in the north of Spain, it contains some of the most convenient and lovely beaches of any of Europe’s metropolitan areas. The Basque region is well known for its variety of incredible food (there are more Michelin star restaurants packed into this condensed region than anywhere else in the world), genuine friendliness of its inhabitants, environmental beauty (nearby Pyrenees mountains, coastal beaches, Rioja wine region, Ebro river), unique language (Basque), and appreciation of art and culture (for instance, the nearby Guggenheim Bilbao museum).

In 2016 San Sebastian is slated to be the European Capital of Culture and its motto is “waves of people’s energy,” which refers both to the special nature of its people as well as the abundance of waves which attract the masses of surfing aficionados. And for nine wonderful days in every September since 1953 the city serves as host to one of Europe’s best international film festivals.

The 58th annual San Sebastian International Film Festival took place this year from September 17th – 25th. This is Spain’s largest film festival and is hugely supported by the local community. This year there were more than 165,000 admissions to the festival’s 202 screenings of films, which hailed from 46 different countries. The attendees were a nice cross section of local citizenry representing a wide range of demographics that come year in and year out to support this local celebration of cinema. The San Sebastian film festival always seems to attract its share of “A” list celebrities and this year was no exception, as Julia Roberts, John Malkovich, Paul Giamatti, and Javier Bardem were all in attendance.

I was fortunate to be one of the five members of the independent SIGNIS jury for this year’s festival. Our group consisted of a diverse mix of five Catholics from Argentina, France, Ireland, Venezuela, and Spain. Our main task was to view the 15 films from the Official Competition with a special focus towards the following criteria: the film should represent an effort of high artistic quality, have an impact which is universal in nature, be in harmony with the values of the Gospel, raise audience consciousness of the transcendent dimensions of life, and convey respect for human dignity.

I believe that the films in this year’s Official Competition, as a whole, were of a consistently high artistic standard. This year’s films consisted of festival premieres from South Korea, Switzerland, Scotland, Portugal, Morocco, Norway, Japan, the Philippines, Argentina, China, and Spain.

A signature theme usually resonates from a festival’s Official Selection films. However, I struggled to discover a unifying theme that could best describe the entries from this year’s Official Competition. Further reflection upon these films has allowed me to venture that they seem to have addressed, in a very meaningful manner, what it truly means to be a human being. They highlighted, in a most poignant way, deep and resonant human conditions such as suffering, creation of life, celebration of death, the true meaning of family, our struggle for dignity, the darkness of adolescent peer pressure, difficulties of aging, and the nature of violence. This broad representation of life is what is meant by the human condition.

Three of the films in this year’s competition addressed the deep complications and repercussions involving family relationships on occasions when parents become sick or are near the end of their life’s journey. The Argentinean film Cerro Bayo concerned a disconnected family as it convened to care for the matriarchal grandmother who was in a coma as a result of an unsuccessful suicide attempt. In the Chinese film Addicted to Love, a kindly grandfather reared in the country of the past struggled to take care of his disparate offspring who were all reared in the China of the present, while trying to rekindle a relationship with a woman suffering from Alzheimer's. And a love story from Switzerland Colors in the Dark, which showcased a family’s reactions when an elderly husband, diagnosed with cancer, and his wife choose to take fate into their own hands.

Many films focused on how we respond to violence when it is thrust upon us. This ranged in scale from the grand I Saw the Devil, a South Korean horror film that depicted a policeman’s revenge upon the man who murdered his fiancée, to the Scottish entry Neds, which depicted how easy it is for a young man with a bright future to fall prey to peer pressure and begin a downward spiral towards drugs, crime, and delinquency. The Spanish film Elisa K portrayed the power of repressed memory in a young woman in her mid-twenties, who was raped as a young girl by a family friend, and buried the memory until it later revealed itself in a most powerful way. And finally, Chicogrande from Mexico and Amigo from the Philippines, which centered on the armed conflicts between Mexico and the U.S. and the Philippines and the U.S. respectively.

And finally, there were three films, each of which depicted a celebration of humanity in its own special way. The Japanese film Genpin celebrated life, most especially newborn life. Women learned how to exercise as nature intended and to nurture peace and calm from within and without in order to have a natural birthing process as God originally intended. The Norwegian offering Home for Christmas was a most satisfying and complete film, which followed several unrelated families as they prepared to celebrate Christmas. This fully human film made me laugh out loud, produced its share of tears, and allowed me to walk out of the theater in a genuine state of bliss. And A Jamaa, set in Morocco, concerned a man who fought for his recently confiscated land to be returned to him in order to support his family. This film was an engaging commentary on organized religion, human ambition, politics, and truth.

Our jury met on three occasions to discuss and debate the merits of the Official Selection films. In our final and most extensive meeting we narrowed our choices to the top three. From these we quickly whittled the choice to one as the jury reached a near unanimous decision. The 2010 SIGNIS award at the San Sebastian International Film Festival went to the Chinese film Addicted to Love.

Directed by Liu Hao and set in the contradictions of a modern China, this family film centers on a lonely grandfather as he comes to terms with a new way of life. This tender film depicts a man’s gentleness and caring both for his family as well as for a long lost love who is suffering from a degenerative illness. It is a delicate reminder of the universal struggles and hardships as well as the joy and appreciation that all families share.

An apt title for a film that showcased some of the best aspects of our human condition.

A sad goodbye to a wonderful city...

... and a wonderful film festival.

Closing Ceremony

- Home for Christmas writer/director Bent Hamer

wins the festival's Best Screenplay prize

- Neds actor Connor McCarron wins the festival's Best Actor prize

The SIGNIS prize goes to...

The press conference announcing the results of the various jury decisions was this afternoon.

We have chosen to offer this year's SIGNIS prize to the Chinese film Addicted to Love.

This is from the official press release:

"The SIGNIS prize," said the Jury "went to this film which was set amidst the contradictions of the changing China; this is a family tale of a lonely grandfather coming to terms with the new way of life. His addiction to taking care of his family and others overflows, allowing him to nurture a new relationship with a woman suffering from illness."

"Liu Hao," stressed the Jury "with tenderness, delicacy and humor, models for us through the main character how it is possible to work our way to happiness. This film addresses the hardships and struggles that all families share."

Final Jury Meeting

Our last of three jury meetings took place today. This was a pretty lengthy meeting as we deliberated the merits of our top three films worthy of this year's SIGNIS prize. However, one film finally won our near unanimous decision.

And the winner is...

Friday - Day 8

"Addicted to Love"

Our final film from the Official Competition...

Set in modern day China, this film centers around a kindly grandfather reared in the country of the past who is struggling to take care of his disparate sons, daughter, and grandson reared in the China of the present.

Very much a family film, this is also a film about loneliness as he tries to rekindle a relationship with a woman struggling with Alzheimer's.

This film ticks all the boxes that our jury looks for but for me I felt it lacked the emotional component that I yearn for in film.

A very good film nonetheless...

More San Sebastian...

- Seminary of San Sebastian

- Our jury meets with the Bishop of San Sebastian

- An underground electrical fire causes the cancellation of several screenings and the closing of many businesses in the surrounding area. Nobody was hurt...

- View from the bridge

- Director John Sayles

Thursday - Day 7

"Aita"

Though a Catalonian production, this film takes place in the Basque region of Spain.

The central character is a neglected but lovely old house. We, the audience, serve as observers as a caretaker quietly goes about his work of giving the house just what it needs… some hard work and affection.

Beautifully photographed, this is a quiet and poetic visit with what the house is able to share, a long history of lives lived within its walls.

"The Christening"

A powerful Polish film which reunites two old friends who have tried to move on from their criminal pasts. Each has been somewhat successful in doing this in the short term but their pasts catch up with them in the form of the Polish mafia.

This Christening has two separate and meaningful manifestations and is a deeply moving and soul stirring film experience.

This film is not part of the Official Selection.

"Cerro Bayo"

This film from Argentina concerns a disconnected family as it convenes to care for the matriarch grandmother who is in a coma due to an unsuccessful suicide attempt. This coincides with the impending beginning of the ski season in the nearby Mt. Bayo.

A teenage granddaughter that wants to be a model, a grandson who only wants to go away to Spain, an aunt who wishes for the grandmother to hurry up and die so she can inherit some money, and a caring mother who is truly affected by her own mother’s certain demise.

These characters are not addressed with depth and skill enough for me to want to care about the resulting outcome.