The 44th annual Thomas Edison Film Festival (TEFF), founded in 1981 by the Thomas Edison Media Arts Consortium, premiered on Feb. 28 at the Princeton’s Program in Visual Arts’s James Stewart Film Theatre. The festival featured seven films coming from 71 nations and 35 U.S. states.
The screening opened with “Tennis, Oranges,” a stop-motion animation following a robot vacuum which tires of its hospital job and seeks to escape the repetitive cycle of work by searching for a greater purpose in life. Settling in with an elderly male rabbit living a solitary life in a Chinatown community center, the robot finds a new sense of purpose by helping him.
The elderly rabbit, having discovered a new sense of agility through being carried by the vacuum, is levitated into an alternate world where he unites and dances with an elderly female rabbit, who is also a solitary resident of the town. During this dream state, the male rabbit passes away, and afterward the vacuum cleaner returns to work with a new perspective.
“Tennis, Oranges” was by far my favorite film of this series. Apart from its captivating Wes Anderson-esque animation, nostalgic music, and overall heartwarming feel, I particularly enjoyed the film’s conclusion, which was a montage of clips centering circular rotating objects like the robot vacuum, a record player, and an oriental door decal. Complementing other circular visual symbols subtly displayed throughout the film, such as tennis balls and oranges, these final moments tied together the film’s central theme of the circle of life.
The film concluded with the robot vacuum returning to its former workplace, a particularly powerful return-to-the-start in the context of the film’s depiction of Chinatown, as it explored the contradiction of solitary Chinese elders living within a community built from connection and community.
The next film, “Dawn Every Day,” follows an 8-year-old boy named Nabil as he tries to prevent his best friend from moving away due to political conflicts in Egypt, imagining that their friendship is strong enough to overcome any political forces. Together, they conjure up a plan to run away together. Although ultimately unsuccessful, Nabil accepts that some things are out of his control, learning a powerful lesson about the nature of life.
Although a simple story about friendship and loss, its black and white filter, playful use of perspective, and touching depiction of childhood innocence make it deeply moving, especially when heightened by the uncertainty of whether the children will see each other again. I especially enjoyed the montage of the children playing with marbles and other invented games, as it brought to mind a time in my own life I realize now as fleeting.
On the technical side, I enjoyed how the segment depicting the pair executing their plan is filmed from a child’s perspective, with the camera placed at their eye level and using wide-angle shots. This immersive technique created a sense of wonder and adventure, while highlighting the child’s place in a complex world he cannot fully grasp. This child-centered view was also illuminated by the portrayal of the adults in the story, who were depicted as consumed with politics, inadvertently becoming obstacles to the children’s simple desire to stay connected.
“A is for Ant” stood out for its black-and-white and experimental style, presenting each letter of the alphabet with actors dressed as different animals, creating an abstract visual experience. “The Insides of Our Lives” is also notable for its innovative blend of found footage from the 1960s and 70s, depicting two young girls divided by a European border.
The other films, “At First Sight, Jerusalema: From Austria to Zimbabwe,” and “How I Roll,” also highlighted TEFF’s commitment to promoting diverse voices and thought-provoking themes of love, friendship, and community surrounding immigration, disability, and political strife.
As a whole, the festival showcased cinema as a tool for conveying shared emotions and prompting personal reflection, even across cultural borders. From the powerful depiction of music and dance as a mode of connection in “At First Sight, Jerusalema: From Austria to Zimbabwe” to the testament to human resilience and growth in “How I Roll,” I was left feeling inspired by the creativity of the filmmakers and the human experience as a whole.
Stephenie Chen ’25, who was in attendance, told The Daily Princetonian, “I felt like being there and watching narrative, animation, dance, and documentary all in a single evening was an interesting experience. I learned a lot about different genres and was able to take in all these different forms of cinema.”
The film festival’s showcase of diversity in genre, style, and geographical origin is a testament to the power of cinema as a tool for shaping thought and bridging cultural divides.
Irene Kim is a contributing writer for The Prospect and a member of the Class of 2028. She can be reached at ik7641@princeton.edu.
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com.
Read More
Campus groups react after Resources Committee rejects dissociation proposal
Elisabeth Stewart and Luke GrippoVarious groups on campus shared their views on the University’s decision not to divest from Israel. While pro-Palestine groups expressed concerns over transparency in the process, pro-Israel groups argued that the decision was well-founded due to a lack of campus consensus.
Various groups on campus shared their views on the University’s decision not to divest from Israel. While pro-Palestine groups expressed concerns over transparency in the process, pro-Israel groups argued that the decision was well-founded due to a lack of campus consensus.
SPIA grad students grapple with job prospects after Trump executive orders
Luke GrippoConcern among Princeton graduate students regarding internships, jobs, and funding is increasing alongside uncertainty among government and federally supported organizations.
Concern among Princeton graduate students regarding internships, jobs, and funding is increasing alongside uncertainty among government and federally supported organizations.
Changes to independent work, explained
Isaac BernsteinThe senior thesis for A.B. students in the Class of 2026 and beyond will count as two course credits, requiring students to complete 33 course credits. For the Class of 2028 and beyond, an additional course credit will be required, totalling 34 for A.B. students, which includes one or two credits for junior independent work, depending on the department.
The senior thesis for A.B. students in the Class of 2026 and beyond will count as two course credits, requiring students to complete 33 course credits. For the Class of 2028 and beyond, an additional course credit will be required, totalling 34 for A.B. students, which includes one or two credits for junior independent work, depending on the department.
