bfe at sjcaf, but not sbhf35

"omG, g'friend! What's up with all the acronyms?"

The J-Dawg was with me tonight for the second event at the JEA for this year's 3rd annual Savannah Jewish Cultural Arts Festival! That's because they screened "Remembering Gene Wilder", a brand-new documentary. I do believe that is his favorite genre of movie!

"Documentaries are all they are showing this year, right?"

That's correct! I loved that this one had narration from Gene Wilder throughout much of it, as well as input from his friend Mel Blanc and from Richard Pryor's daughter. As well as discussing his movies and marriages, the film included his art and his books. Yes, that would be plural "books", though I had only ever read the one found in the bookmine during the pandemic. That had truly been a grand coincidence, a moment of right place, right time.

"Yes, I remember "What's Love Got To Do With It?" as one you savored during several mornings in the groove in the sunroom."

Most def! And here's how I knew I was in the right place, right time, on this chilly Thursday: the book was featured prominently on screen TWICE during the film. TWICE!!! As if I might have missed it the first time! (smile!)

"Sweet! And didn't you give that book to the physicist? Has he enjoyed it?"

Sadly, he has not had a chance to indulge. I get that. He's still working full-time, with lots of his would-be free time spent on the road twixt here and Statesboro. Plus, he and the 'Cole have a life, too. I know he'll bet a round tuit when he can.

"Hahahaha! I saw that pun you slipped in there!"

Thought that'd give you a giggle!

"It did! Now, what about the SBHF35? Did you go to one of those events today, too?"

Nope! I partook of that film festival from my abode! I meant to go to the "Shadows Of Immortality" talk by the grandson of Henrietta Lacks, but I was busy with little blondes that day. So, today, I pulled up "The Way Of All Flesh: Immortal HeLa Cells", an excellent 1977 documentary on youTube, of all places. That talked of the search for a cell line to use for research, with her cancerous uterine cells proving to be the first to not only live outside the body, but to thrive. In fact, those cells were so successful at survival that they were found to have contaminated all other cell lines that had been established twenty years later, all over the world. How was that scientific gaff discovered? Apparently, those cells from that black woman manufacture a protein that is -only- found in people of African descent. The other cell lines which had been founded, even those in Russia, were from Caucasians.

"Oh, my. That truly was a major mistake."

Indeed. To me, it was terrifying to think of how prolific those cancerous cells have been at persisting. Their prevalence all over the world made me wonder about their presence everywhere now. Have they contributed to the predominance of cancer as a cause of death? Can any cancerous tissue now be found to still make that protein that HeLa cells create?

"That is a disturbing thought. I do hope someone, somewhere, is studying that. They probably would not want to splash it about in the news, though. That could cause a panic."

Yes, I agree.

"So, you're calling that one youTube film a festival? Is that right?"

Actually, I'm just saying it's part of the SBHF35, which is a festival. But, now that you mention it, I have seen a film festival that ties in with that, too! All the films were from 2015 and all were part of the free streaming services Comcast had for this week. The Africa Channel gave me "Before The Border", a pretty good film about a college student recreating Harriet Tubman's journey to Canada, to win a bet, and some school funds, from a rich kid; that pitted black against black.

"That sounds like it was pretty good."

It was! Then I watched two courtesy of Brown Sugar, a streaming service from Bounce. "Lucky Number" was a lot of fun! A guy loses his job, his girlfriend, and his home due to bad choices. His mom makes him get a new phone, as his was held together by duct tape! But he ends up with the 'old' phone number of his favorite basketball star when he gets the new phone, and that leads to lots of swag for him and his two buddies - lol! Then things turn sour again when the basketball star finds out the guy has been taking advantage of his name. Really was very funny, and well made!

"Very cool! And the other film from Brown Sugar?"

That was "People Places Things" and was also very funny and well made! It featured an Australian comic as a 40-year-old, recently divorced, professor and father of twin girls, with his adventures in dating. The funniest part was when he took the girls camping!

"Hahaha! What a silly sap!"

Yeah, he was, but it all felt quite real and natural. I very much liked it.

"And those were all released in 2015?"

I know, right? What a coincidence! Right time, right place! Speaking of, it's time for me to turn the mattress pad on so I'll have a toasty bed. Bye, chica!"

"Sweet dreams!"