• Home
  • About Us
  • Submit Article
  • Contact Us
Indie Shorts Mag
  • Home
  • Interviews
  • News
    • Film Festival News
    • Short Film News
  • Reviews
    • Short Film
    • Documentary
    • Web Series
  • Hall of Fame
  • Short Film Festival – 2022Earlybird Deadline
  • Tutorials
    • Pre-Production
    • Post-Production
  • Short Film TVLive
  • Submit Short Film
    • Submit Short Film for Review
    • Submit Web Series for Review
No Result
View All Result
Indie Shorts Mag
  • Home
  • Interviews
  • News
    • Film Festival News
    • Short Film News
  • Reviews
    • Short Film
    • Documentary
    • Web Series
  • Hall of Fame
  • Short Film Festival – 2022Earlybird Deadline
  • Tutorials
    • Pre-Production
    • Post-Production
  • Short Film TVLive
  • Submit Short Film
    • Submit Short Film for Review
    • Submit Web Series for Review
No Result
View All Result
Indie Shorts Mag
No Result
View All Result

My Neighbor, Miguel: A Moving Portrait Of An Artist & His Indomitable Spirit

Indie Shorts Mag Team by Indie Shorts Mag Team
29 Dec 2020
in Reviews
0
My Neighbor, Miguel - Short Film Review - Indie Shorts Mag

This is essentially a love letter written not just to the man on whom it is based or the city he belongs to, but to the entire world. At a time when the whole world is grappling with the pandemic, it is something of a bittersweet reminder that there was an epidemic of another kind that wreaked havoc in the 80s—and the human spirit triumphed. 

Director Danny Navarro takes us back in time, and not just through his narrative that is set in interviewing the famed Latino costume designer Miguel-e Gutierrez-Ranzi, but also in the vintage tenor he evokes through 16 mm film. San Francisco is painted in broad strokes of nostalgia and present-day glory as the film alternates between archival footage and present-day filming.

My Neighbor, Miguel - Short Film Review - Indie Shorts Mag

With 13:23 minutes of deep, philosophical reflection on a man’s life as he speaks of his love, loss and hope, what Navarro essentially does is show us a mirror to the undying spirit of the human soul. Miguel is captivating, and not only for the life he lived, but for the person he is. An unmistakable Columbian accent and a face that readily breaks into a smile, he is charming and easily likeable. As he walks us through his creations, we get a peek into the 80s, the flourishing LGBTQ culture, the celebration, and the horror of the AIDS epidemic.

Navarro lets Miguel remain the centre of focus, even when the scenes reminisce through the archives. As Miguel talks about his life, the nickname handed over to him for his effeminate ways in his youth, and the tattoo that he makes of it, we get the glimpse of the man—spirited, philosophical and lively. It is because of this very nature that when the documentary plunges into the scene of the tragedy and despair that comes of the AIDS epidemic, it hits harder.

MWnIGsE - Indie Shorts Mag
ADVERTISEMENT
My Neighbor, Miguel - Short Film Review - Indie Shorts Mag

Miguel, whose creative pursuits have continued, remains the pivotal point that Navarre uses to pace his timeline. And cinematographer J.M. Harper deftly alters between handheld shots and wide angles to give us the intimate portrait of a man whose life is an open-source of inspiration. Having survived the worst of the 80s and 90s phase where even obits were limited by the news agencies for running out of space, Miguel presents a picture of hope. The documentary is less of an educational source and more of a humble dwelling on an elusive artist’s life that the world is allowed to understand only through his creations. The colours, the objects and the creativity explored can best be summed up in the scene where Miguel reads out the comments left at his doorstep from his well-wishers and audience.

The sadness is there, but as Miguel says it best, life has been but a sparkle. As he looks into the camera for the final shot, William Ryan Fritch’s composition stays on and one is left with a smile thinking of the inspiration, hope and warmth imparted. 

#ShortFilmReview: My Neighbor, Miguel: Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there was another that plagued the 80s. Click To Tweet

Watch My Neighbor, Miguel Documentary

My Neighbor, Miguel: A Moving Portrait Of An Artist & His Indomitable Spirit
  • Direction
  • Cinematography
  • Screenplay
  • Editing
  • Music
4
Tags: DocumentaryDocumentary ReviewReview
Previous Post

Obdurate: Examining The Milestones Of A Doomed Path

Next Post

Announcing The Nominees For Short Of The Year Awards 2020

Indie Shorts Mag Team

Indie Shorts Mag Team

Related Posts

Mara - The Seal Wife - Short Film Review - Indie Shorts Mag
Reviews

Mara: A Spin On The Selkie Folklore

4th July 2022
Monkey Enters Lanka - Short Film Review - Indie Shorts Mag
Reviews

Monkey Enters Lanka: A Fable Told Through The Blending Of Elements

1st July 2022
Next Post
Nominee Announcement - Short of the Year Awards 2020

Announcing The Nominees For Short Of The Year Awards 2020

Comments 0

  1. Pingback: Editor's Picks: 2020's Flashback In One Go! - Indie Shorts Mag

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Featured Post

Announcing Indie Shorts Mag Short Film Festival(ISMSFF) 2022

Announcing Indie Shorts Mag Short Film Festival(ISMSFF) 2022

Sponsored

  • Recent Reviews
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest Youtube Vimeo

About Indie Shorts Mag

Indie Shorts Mag is a publishing agency that works within the ‘short film circuit’. We review short films, documentaries, music videos and web series, amongst others. We stand out amongst the short film review sites for being multi-diverse & global in our platform and reach.
Our team works tirelessly to help promote, publicize and market your short films that deserve the shout-out! Besides reviews, we host film festival news as it’s a known fact that the film festival buzz is unmissable and we ensure you aren’t left behind!
We aspire to form a niche for ourselves as the ‘short film magazine’ that remains the hub for filmmakers & their audience.

Popular Topics

  • Announcements
  • Articles
  • Crowdfunding
  • Editorial
  • Film Festival News
  • Film Festivals
  • India Edition
  • Interviews
  • Marketing
  • Marketing
  • News
  • Online Premiere
  • Post-Production
  • Pre-Production
  • Reviews
  • Short Film
  • Short Film Competition
  • Short Film News
  • Tutorials
  • Web Series

Indie Shorts Mag on Instagram

Follow Us On Instagram

  • #ShortFilmTrailer: On The Whistle: You earn your privileges here.

Read our review & watch the short, link in bio. 
 

#ShortFilm #SupportIndieFilm #Trailer #ShortFilms
  • #ShortFilmReview: One More Bite: Some exits have to be clawed into existence. Read our review. Link in bio.

#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SupportIndieFilm
  • #ShortFilmReview: Perfect: The perfect partner is just a mail order away! Read our review. Link in bio.

#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SupportIndieFilm
  • #ShortFilmReview: Santi: Home is somewhere. Read our review. Link in bio.

#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SupportIndieFilm
  • #ShortFilmReview: The Atomic Spawn: Nuclear test results are coming home to roost. Read our review. Link in bio.

#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SupportIndieFilm
  • #ShortFilmReview: Allende: Shame is a deadly thing. Read our review. Link in bio.

#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SpportIndieFilm
  • #ShortFilmReview: Sharing: It is a bittersweet thing. Read our review. Link in bio.

#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SupportIndieFilm
  • #ShortFilmReview: The Code Of Family: Age is the number of years of experience. Read our review. Link in bio.

#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SupportIndieFilm
  • #ShortFilmReview: A Tale Of Tragedy: Belief kept her going. Read our review. Link in bio.

#ShortFilm #Review #IndieFilmReview #FilmReview #SupportIndieFilm

© 2015-2022 Indie Shorts Mag.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Interviews
  • News
    • Film Festival News
    • Short Film News
  • Reviews
    • Short Film
    • Documentary
    • Web Series
  • Hall of Fame
  • Short Film Festival – 2022
  • Tutorials
    • Pre-Production
    • Post-Production
  • Short Film TV
  • Submit Short Film
    • Submit Short Film for Review
    • Submit Web Series for Review

© 2015-2022 Indie Shorts Mag.