It is movingly fitting that one of the only superhuman-based films centered on women (in this case, generations of women with Gugu Mbatha-Raw and her growing star power, underrated television character actor Lorraine Toussaint, and youngster Saniyya Sidney bonding and making amends while also going even further back reading ancestral passages from a handed diary) focuses on the artistry of creation and the beauty that can come from such a thing (both in terms of nurturing offspring and vibrant digital effects) rather than apocalyptic destruction and its fallout from squaring off against the same tired cookie cutter villains played out on screen for decades now. This is made all the more impressive considering that the events take place in a dried up dustbowl devoid of rain and water, slowly but surely killing off the human race.
There’s also a dynamic to do with color, but it’s best left undescribed and meant to be seen; for an independent film, the special effects are dazzling and in their bright hues and minimalistic aesthetic, are some of the best all year. It sounds blasphemous, but you’re probably going to remember the visuals of Fast Color more than the next mainstream blockbuster shoved into theaters. Towards the end of the film is a cruise through Albuquerque lit with a candy-colored coating, and it truly is beautiful, especially contrasted with the desert surroundings. Fast Color absolutely deserves the claims of being a superhero film like no other, choosing to focus on motherhood and creation.
Fast Color (Opening Night Selection)
Director: Julia Hart | Cast: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, David Strathairn, Lorraine Toussaint | 100 mins
A woman is forced to go on the run when her superhuman abilities are discovered. Years after having abandoned her family, the only place she has left to hide is home.
Screened: Friday, May 4 at 7pm*
*Star Gugu Mbatha-Raw and co-writer/producer Jordan Horowitz were in attendance.
Tickets can be purchased here.
