“KATI WITH AN I”
dir. Robert Greene. 86 min.
Trailer
It’s only natural for documentarians to gravitate towards extraordinary people, controversial issues, big questions or a mash of all of the above. It’s a noble calling, no doubt and an appreciated one. But often, cinema verite cuts to the core of things by simply turning a camera on a subject and letting a story write itself without any interference from the director. “Kati With an I” follows in this tradition, with director Robert Greene cuing in on his half-sister, a seemingly un-extraordinary teen-ager, naturally stubborn and hormonal, who’s spending her final months in Piedmont, Ala., living in her friend’s house, away from her parents. Her boyfriend, a McDonald’s cook, is her tie to domesticity, even though he’s reluctant to leave his job and mother to come with Kati on a planned move out of state after her high school graduation. It’s an everyday story, sure, but the trailer for this backwoods Bildungsroman is one of the most compelling of the entire festival. Robert Greene will be in attendance to discuss his techniques and, let’s hope, update us on his half-sister.
5:55 p.m. Fri., Riverdale
5:40 p.m. Sat., Riverdale