Review Fix chats with Be My Oswald director who discusses the film, its upcoming special screening in part with the Queens World Film Festival and why it’s still a special one.
Review Fix: Why bring back Be My Oswald?
Donald Preston Cato: This film is a dark comedy about how challenging it is to take down a myth and every year we like to remind people that there is one myth that is a little out of control.
As we slam into the “holiday season” we are carpet bombed in every media with relentless advertisements, and promotions selling us false happiness that is brought to you by a mythical creature: Santa Clause.
There is a full assault to convince us to get the latest, hottest thing. We are promised a happiness fix and all of this makes us lose sight of the fact that this event was about coming together to celebrate a moment of light in the middle of winter. Instead, we turned Christmas and Santa into raw commercialism designed to boost the 4th quarter profits.
Let me explain:
About 400 AD the Church picks December 25th as the date to observe Christmas because this was a period more closely associated with the long celebrated winter solstice than with any religious theme. The Romans celebrated Saturnalia, named after their god of the harvest: Saturn, about December 17 and for several days after. During this celebration schools and the courts were closed, gifts were exchanged, war was outlawed and masters and slaves shared the same table. Not an altogether bad idea for a bunch of pagans!!!
By 1000 AD rituals and practices of Paganism and Spiritualism experienced a merging throughout most of Europe and we see the beginnings of the completely “contrived” holiday celebration-observance. I could go on, but instead, we ask that everyone visit our SANTA TIMELINE on our website to examine the development of this mythic character: https://chipawayproductions.com/film-and-video-projects/be-my-oswald/santa-timeline/ – while you are there, check out the information about the Cast and Crew and other special features.
Review Fix: What makes the film special now?
Cato: The story looks at the struggle between the power of this myth over our reality and how it drives the gatherings, the relationships, the celebrations. Our protagonist has no beef with Christmas per se….but is determined to expose what we have made of it and how we have cannibalized the myth in order to drive commerce to an absolute frenzy that starts earlier and earlier every year. Take a look at the protagonist’s journal to gain some insight on her journe: https://chipawayproductions.com/film-and-video-projects/be-my-oswald/bs-journal-be-my-oswald/
Now more than ever the dollar drives our happiness meter and yet we are unhappier than ever. Sicker than ever. Angrier than ever. More aggressive than ever. Could any of that be related to the myth we tell our children, that there is a fat guy, in a red velvet suit, in the North Pole, who watches them sleep, judging if they are bad or good? It is actually a lie, yes? And discovering that lie is a right of passage for our children that we take far too lightly.
The film touches upon so many of the ills that plague our society and tasks us to take a good look at how we embrace the myth of a magical day when we get everything we want and are finally, finally fulfilled…and if that DOESN’T happen, it is probably your fault.
Review Fix: What are your goals for this screening?
Cato: We screen it in some form every November. The goal for this year is to create an opportunity to come back together to take a look at the role a myth plays in our lives.
Review Fix: How do you think its message has changed since it was first released?
Cato: I think the basic philosophical premise hasn’t diminished, it might have metastasized into a commentary on many social ills and we always want the audience to make discoveries about how the messages hit them.
Review Fix: How did this film make you feel back then, compared to now?
Cato: At the time we were all in on making this film happen against all odds. We started in 1998, wrapped it up in 2006 and then had a very exciting festival run around the world. We loved the audience reactions – everything from teary anger to enthusiastic appreciation. We have been praised and vilified for the message and for the manner in which we deliver the story. The challenge of using so many types of image capturing systems – super 16, 16mm, PAL, Mini DV, Standard DEF video and Panasonic standard def – is all a memory now, and I am happy with the outcome. I really wanted the very nature of the image to change as the story unfolds, as the reality of the mission changes and we accomplish that. It was a struggle, but I am glad I stuck to my guns on that one.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Cato: Queens World Film Festival #13 is set to run April 16 – 28 in Queens NYC at the Museum of the Moving Image and Kaufman Astoria Studios. Submissions are open and we are hearing from the world: Japan, Italy, Romania, Canada, Brazil, Portugal, Slovenia and more. We are screening scores of films every day. We are also working on a doc about an improvisational theatre company from the 80’s that did some pretty cool stuff. I’m archiving about 20,000 slides from the 1890’s through 1986, I am teaching at the Digital Film Academy until it closes in April after 20 years….I like to keep busy.
Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?
Cato: Go to the movies once a month. See a film on the big screen, in the dark, with hundreds of strangers. It is a beautiful experience.
Reminder: November 10 The Catos are screening a scrappy, subversive B movie that will change your relationship with Santa.
It stars a much younger Katha Cato and an incredibly talented Jeannie Noth Gaffigan and was directed by Donald Preston Cato. He used multiple types of image capturing systems: super 16, 16mm, PAL, Mini DV, Standard DEF video and Panasonic standard def – as the reality of the situation changes, so does the nature of the image he used.
You know what they say….Ho! Ho! BANG!
Leave a Reply