Director Petter Ringbom follows singer/songwriter John Forté as he struggles with the pressures of touring in the middle of a Russian winter. So why do you care? Because John is talented and humble and real and someone that you really want to see succeed. He’s not perfect. John grew up in Brownsville, Brooklyn, NY and went on to become successful until a misstep landed him in prison. Miraculously, after a lengthy campaign by Carly Simon, John’s sentence was cut in half on former president George W. Bush’s last day in office. Although the film goes into these facts somewhat, the bulk of what transpires is about the relationships that are made/tested on the road. He is not a huge star, he’s just a guy from Brooklyn doing what he loves to do.
Forté surrounds himself with other talented people, but through it all, small mistakes are made and sometimes things don’t work out perfectly. What I liked most about the film was that it did not give the impression that it was twisting words or situations. What you see is what you get. Sprinkled throughout the film is wonderful music by Forte himself as well as other artists. By far my favorite is Alina Orlova, a Lithuanian poetry singer and musician with whom Forté collaborates. I found it fascinating seeing two artists work with each others music to create something new. It was so inspiring.
Rating: Cold weather, warm feelings and good tunes. 7/10
Tribeca Film Festival – The Russian Winter
Check the Box Office for more details. Download a PDF of the 2012 Film Guide.
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