The Patron Saints

A Pigeon Projects production. (Worldwide sales: Pigeon, Brooklyn.) Created, directed, edited by John M. Cassidy, Melanie Shatzky.With: James, Florence, Ro-Ro, Robert, Julius.An finish from the road the majority of us hope will not look quite as bleak is described in "The Patron Saints," the feature debut of documentarians John M. Cassidy and Melanie Shatzky. Portrait of the crowded residential care facility for that seniors and firm does not flinch in the most depressing aspects of senility, abandonment and despair. Poetical instead of narrative or information-focused structure will not tempt mainstream educational tv stations. But individuals available to more abstract nonfiction may bite, additionally to fest and cinematheque developers. Narrator is James, a mobility-impaired product of promote houses and jail stints who's arrived at pic's un named U.S. elderly care somewhat sooner than most, age-smart. He isn't probably the most supportive observer -- because he appears to locate other residents' myriad worries funny -- but he's a colorful one that provides virtually the only real notes of humor here. (Particularly when remembering a lengthy-ago drunken house party's aftermath: "I awaken the following day, there is two broads [in mattress] beside me, and chicken wings everywhere.") Otherwise, individuals living listed here are mainly in pitiful spirits and physical states, though their health conditions go unspecified. There is the windowed Hungarian emigre who simply, frequently noisally, really wants to die a resident whose mantra-like repeated plea "Gimme a bit a coffee pleeeease" abruptly switches to "I really hope she chokes onto itInch when her roommate really will get some the blind more youthful one still visited (although with police escort) with a brother who molested her for a long time. Distilling the confusion felt by many is really a lady who keeps asking nobody particularly "Where's my mother? Why am I here? Somebody please let me know.Inch Another who clearly is not going home soon, or likely ever, is petitioned to do this with a hulking middle-aged boy not capable of taking care of themself -- we briefly glimpse him inside a vehicle stacked neck-high with unhealthy foods wrappers. James notes the attractive hillsides all around the facility (situated inside a rather desolate area near an airport terminal) were produced from landfill, a present-wrapped metaphor when there is one. Though in the beginning atmosphere appears almost Dickensian, helmers also make obvious that largely Hispanic and African-American staff listed here are doing the very best they are able to on likely low pay and financial assets. It isn't a location it's possible to work without considerable assets of persistence and generosity (though whenever we see James connect to some nurses, the correct answer is obvious they view him like a trouble-maker). Low-res lensing contributes to downbeat air, and can doubtless be simpler around the eyes around the small screen. Classical and avant-garde (Arvo Part, John Cage) arrangements provide somber soundtrack accompaniment whenever we hear cheerier music music (a resident's tone-hard of hearing rendition of "America the gorgeous,Inch dance music from the couple going to vocalists), it feels as though ironic counterpoint.Camera (color, HD), Cassidy, Shatzky music administrators, Brooke Wentz, Joshua Mehr seem, Nicholas Sjostrom. Examined at Toronto Film Festival (Canada First!), Sept. 16, 2011. Running time: 72 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com