“Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405” wins Academy Award
By Della Lowe
Dixie State University’s DOCUTAH International Documentary Film Festival is proud to announce that “Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405,” a film that screened at its 2017 festival, won a 2018 Academy Award in the category “Documentary (Short Subject).”
“DOCUTAH accepts only the highest quality of documentary film, whether feature length, shorts or student films,” said Phil Tuckett, professor of digital film and executive director of DOCUTAH. “Each film must live up to the professional standards of seasoned award- winning filmmakers, who submit to DOCUTAH. It is a great honor that two fine films in our 2017 Festival were nominated for Oscars this year: ‘Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405’ (Documentary [Short]) and ‘The Last Men in Aleppo’ (Documentary [Feature]). Both of these films received exceptional critical acclaim in prestigious publications including Variety, IndieWire, and the New Yorker Magazine. There is a real renaissance in documentary filmmaking now and audiences are craving these films, which help them relate to their own lives, understand the world around them and find common ground and empathy with others who may be close or may be experiencing events both horrific or beautiful in far flung regions of the world.”
Both the horrors of war and the challenges of mental illness are topics which confront us every day in the news. These films give the audience real insight into the human spirit in its nobility and its ignominy and those who strive to overcome both. It is important that the Academy chooses to have categories to honor this important art form.
“Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405” is a portrait of a brilliant artist who has always battled devastating depression and anxiety. Her hyper self-awareness has produced drawings and sculpture that describe her state of mind with powerful psychological precision. By examining her family history and a lifetime of her work, we learn how art gave her a voice that saved her life. We learn how she has emerged from a life of darkness and isolation to a life that includes love, trust and laughter.
“The Last Men in Aleppo” follows the efforts of the internationally recognized White Helmets, an organization comprised of ordinary citizens who are the first to rush towards military strikes and attacks in the hope of saving lives. Incorporating moments of both heart-pounding suspense and improbable beauty, the documentary draws us into the lives of three of its founders — Khaled, Subhi, and Mahmoud — as they grapple with the chaos around them and struggle with an ever-present dilemma: Do they flee or stay and fight for their country?
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