Aardvark

A brilliant film that transcends genre and blurs the line between documentary and fiction, AARDVARK begins as the real-life story of the friendship between a blind recovering alcoholic and his martial arts teacher. In a role inspired by his own true life, Larry plays himself – a man blind since birth who begins a journey of self-discovery when he meets Darren, the kind and magnetic teacher of his Jiu-Jitsu class. Through Larry's dedication to the sport and his growing relationship with Darren, Larry is able to rebuild his life into one of stability and discipline. But as the film progresses, it transforms into a shocking narrative when Darren's hard-partying ways are revealed and a horrible incident occurs. Consequently, Larry goes on a search for answers, fueled by vengeance and his loyalty to his close friend. As director Kitao Sakurai explains, the film's twist is a reflection on the “push and pull of cinema's engagement with physical reality.” In a sense, Sakurai is questioning our perspective of reality in general and does so beautifully by flowing two parts-one real, one not-into a single seamless story. Based and shot in Cleveland, AARDVARK is a simple, yet dramatic thriller starring two men who essentially reenact their lives together in order to tell a larger story about relationships and how they can reveal a man's true nature. – M.M.