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VIDEO OF THE WEEK
My Life on Ice
QQQ
This charming, low-budget French import from Olivier Ducastel
and Jacques Martineau, the filmmaking team behind Adventures of Felix
(screened at the 2000 Q Cinema film festival) centers on Etienne (Jimmy
Tavares) an enthusiastic, teen-aged ice skater who receives a video camera
for his 16th birthday and begins obsessively taping every aspect of his
life including, unbeknownst to him, his burdgeoning homosexuality. From
his playful stalking of an attractive teacher, his not-so-subtle affection
for his best friend and his unflinching documentation of his own family,
Etienne pushes the limits of his new pasttime. Tavares is a startling find,
an almost achingly handsome boy with desperately appealing innocence. Though
much of the film is shot on video, seemingly from Etienne's point of view,
Ducastel and Martineau never allow it to become too much like a vacation
video. The editing dances nicely between appearing amateurish while still
imploring enough craft to hold your attention. It's well worth your time.
The DVD includes filmmaker commentary, trailer, director filmmgraphies and
biographies and Web links. It's not rated and is in French with English
subtitles.