CIFF 2009: Review

by Doug Black

We had the chance to visit the fifth annual Camden International Film Festival last weekend, and are pleased to report that the four-day event went off without a hitch, but more importantly, brought a diverse selection of non-fiction cinema to some of New England's most picturesque coastal havens. Having grown exponentially in size and stature over the last few years, the CIFF looks bound to become one of the preeminent documentary festivals in America.

Expertly run by Ben Fowlie and Leah Hurley, the films, panels and events were run across the three participating towns, and an overall congeniality left this visitor with nothing but positive sentiments. Although we weren't able to see all of the films, here are a few that caught our eye:

At turns troubling and endearing, Michael Palmieri and Donal Mosher's "October Country" takes an unflinching look at the hardships and demons haunting three generations of a family in New York's Mohawk Valley. Shot over the course of a year, the film bookends with beautifully executed Halloween footage that captures the flawed humanity underlying the film as a whole.

Particularly topical when screened in coastal Maine, Kirk Wolfinger's "The Rivals" pits two polar opposite Maine towns against each other through the lens of high school football. The undefeated squads from struggling mill town Rumford and upscale, coastal Cape Elizabeth battle for supremacy of Western Maine, while the filmmaker effectively chronicles the multiple dimensions of seemingly monolithic communities.

And screened the final day as a special sneak preview, Shelley Rogers' "What's Organic About Organic?" takes a different angle on one of the most debated issues in contemporary culture. Rather than focusing on organics from the consumer perspective, the film focuses on farmers, activists and scientists who delve deep into issues of sustainability and environmental impact, while warning against the burgeoning commercial giants whose dubious practices can be overshadowed by the umbrella of organics.

The festival also screened a handful of CH videos before the features. We were happy to participate and look forward to what promises to be another great festival in 2010.

Top Fall Shoes For Men

by Karen Day

With as many choices for male fashion as there are for the ladies these days, filtering through the bounty of options can be difficult. But not to worry: from dapper leather boots to classic canvas sneakers, our friends at Refinery29 have put together an outstanding list of the top fall 2009 shoes for men.

The traditional leather boots from Opening Ceremony and Urban Outfitters are perfect for everyday use. Each with a subtle twist on the more traditional silhouette, Opening Ceremony's M15 Zip-up Boots (above left) are available for $400, while Urban Outfitters' Leather Slouch Boot (above right) are $120.

For a more casual leather boot, Alden's High Work Shoe Indy Boots (above left) keep it simple and are available for $322 at Seattle's Blackbird boutique. The Vael Brogues' boots (above right) give a nod to the fall weather with a flannel trim and they are available for $169 from Revolve.

Raf Simons shines up the sturdy three-eye Dr. Martens with a turquoise matte classic. It's a nice collaboration that goes as well with a suit as a pair of jeans (above left). They are available from NYC's Oak boutique for $259. Another impressive match-up is Rachel Comey's Uncle Dan Oxfords for Steven Alan. The colorful rubber souls add an unsuspecting spin on a time-honored shoe. Available for $322 from Steven Alan.

Palladium and Sperry show off the versatility of gray sneakers with modest yet bedecked lace-ups. Palladium's Metal Pampa Hi Canvas Sneakers are available at Urban Outfitters for $65 while Band Of Outsiders X Sperry Topsider Crushed Leather Chukkas are available at Opening Ceremony for $230.

YMC Suede Sand Boots and F-Troupe Navy Chukka Sneakers complete a casual look, providing alternative options to the ubiquitous Chuck Taylors. The YMC boots are available at Gargyle for $150 and the F-Troupes can be found at Oak for $96.

For more info on the top shoes for fall, see the round-up on the Refinery29 website. Also see more images after the jump.

Line's Eric Pollard and Blend Skis

by Karen Day

While we've yet to give them a proper test run, Line's all-terrain Eric Pollard Pro (pictured above, click on image for detail) and Blend maple macroblock core skis (pictured below) have us excited for the upcoming snow season.

The extremely nimble EP Pros are "the culmination of four years worth of prototype powder skis," designed to offer a super smooth ride and seamless backwards skiing. Pollard's hand painted graphics are applied to each ski ensuring you look good on the slopes. We like the architectural details and mash-up illustrations.

Aptly titled, the Blends (above) are an ideal mix of freestyle versatility, sturdy build and optimum size. Engineered with versatility in mind they are said to perform well on groomers, in the park and on powder. One of the key aspects is the 100mm waist which is just wide enough to offer great control while you float but slim enough to link turns on the steeps. A true big mountain ski, the Blends will eat up any terrain.

Illustrating the skis is a series of work by graffiti artist Revok, specifically designed for the blend concept and theme of versatility.

For a list of dealers visit the Line website.

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Byrd and Belle Laptop Sleeve

by Tim Yu

Using high quality felted wool and hand dyed leather, Byrd and Belle recently released a smart looking laptop sleeve perfect for the Fall weather.

The 1/8" thick Merino wool sleeve closes using a sturdy graphite snap to snugly fit your laptop. All leather used is hand-dyed in the Byrd and Belle studio using only environmentally friendly dyes. We like the attention to detail of placing a leather patch on the bottom of the sleeve making it more comfortable to carry under your arm and it even makes it a bit anthropomorphic.

The 13" and 15" inch sleeves are sized to fit the unibody Macbooks and are available at the Byrd and Belle Webshop or Big Cartel for $68 and $72 respectively. Custom-sizes are also available by contacting Byrd and Belle directly by emailing angie [at] byrdandbelle [dot] com.

via Paper Tastebuds

Valerie Leonard: Classic Pet Portraits

by Josh Rubin

Far from simply photoshopping an animal head on a human body, the pet portraits of Valerie Leonard reflect a level of care and personality that's peerless in the field. Inspired by the Old Masters, as well as film and family portraits, her images balance a level of whimsy with a stateliness befitting their regal subjects.

Based in Connecticut, the artist devotes days to each portrait. The process varies for each pet, but usually involves studying images of the particular animal, as well as researching the characteristics of the breed in general. She then researches classic artists for the most fitting painting, using the client's direction as a guide. Once chosen, she morphs the animal image into the human form. In the final product, the animal features and background are often cobbled together from a composite of different images.

Our introduction to Valerie Leonard came when our friend Josh Spear surprised us with a portrait of CH mascots Otis and Logan titled The Royal Twins (below). Of course, we were impressed and delighted. Leonard was good enough to share a bit about her process and some samples from along the way which you can see after the jump.