Sunnyside

On a seaside mountain in Northern California two old friends (one a visionary architect and the other an influential sound artist) dream, talk, live, and create. Henry "Sandy" Jacobs and Daniel Liebermann are neighbors and old friends nearing the end of their lives. Sandy is a sound artist and Daniel is an architect, reflecting on their life's work and maintaining creative projects in their homes. Both men are well versed wordsmiths, accompanied by beautiful use of music, making the audio track in this film not dissimilar from a sound poem. Space is made for the spectator to enjoy the noise of rustling trees and the songs of birds. There is not a lot of dwelling on personal details here. Secondary characters come and go without much explanation, revolving around these two men who occupy the center of this universe. We also never know exactly where on the Northern California coastline they reside. But these questions soon fade away in favor of an emphasis on feeling, tone, and being deeply present in these old friends final days. The result is a powerful meditation on friendship, aging, nature and art. (Slamdance Film Festival)