The winner of this year’s Cannes Online Short Film Competition is a Spanish film called The Story of a Sign. The video link doesn’t offer audio description, so let me try to sum it up. An elderly blind man is begging in a park on a sunny day. Beside him is a homemade sign that says “Have Compassion. I’m Blind.” Most of the passersby are ignoring him and his tin cup contains only a few coins. Along comes a handsome guy in a suit who looks like he’s on his way to an expensive lunch date. He stops in front of the beggar, considers the sign, and changes it to read “It’s a beautiful day. I cannot see it.” The previously thrifty passersby notice the revised sign and soon the beggar’s cup is overflowing with cash. The end.
And the moral of the story is…what, exactly? Even pity needs a little spin? Fabulous-looking people are watching out for us gimps? Beggars suck at marketing? If this is the kind of filmmaking that wins awards, I need to start shopping around that script I’ve been working on. It’s got an adorable orphan boy in a wheelchair, his way hot guardian angel, and puppies. Lots and lots of puppies.
Thanks to Amy for the tip.
