Moviestar

My friend Helen Meaher is in a documentary that had its European premiere here at the Edinburgh Film Festival last night. Order of Myths...What a great film! It is a story of Mobile’s Mardi Gras, but examines the segregation that still exists in the city. Helen’s family is an old Mobile family, so they are intricately woven into this story. I think it’s an important film for everyone to watch. Racism is not something limited to the South (although one person at the Q&A proceeded to say the South is backward and makes her nauseous to which I quickly jumped up and shot her down with an account of racism against Muslims and Catholics in the UK...she shut her trap). Racism is a global problem while at the same being an individual one. Each person must examine himself and put an end to the racism within him.

I know racism is a sensitive topic for people...especially if you are from the South. Unfortunately there is a history of structural violence throughout the world. So overall I think this is a brave film for all those who were involved. The cinematography is absolutely beautiful for a documentary. The director, Margaret Brown, did a brilliant job editing the film to the point where some easy targets aren’t landblasted but others are allowed to make a fool of themselves just by being themselves. Margaret is actually from Mobile and her mother was the Mardi Gras queen many years ago, so this film was also personal for Margaret. Her adorable grandfather was interviewed for the film, and is a charming and touching addition to the film.

After the premiere I joined Helen and the other people featured in the film for some drinks. The director was there...as were loads of people from the film industry. CRAZY!!!! No actors, but film distributors, production company staff, etc. What an incredibly interesting and diverse group of people. After drinks they had dinner, but I had already eaten so just joined for the conversation. If ever in Edinburgh and you want an artistically presented (expensive) dinner, go to Abstract. Such a wonderful restaurant! Dinner did not start until about 10, so it was after midnight when we shut the restaurant down. ha. Because the sun doesn’t really set during the summer, we walked some other cast back to their hotel and then took a taxi home. Helen and I chatted until about 3 when we both finally passed out.

So again...Order of Myths.... CHECK IT OUT! It should be released in 50 cities in the States in about a month.