The Final Act

And now we watch the toys go winding down.

Today marks the final day for both area independent cinema fests, the Litchfield Hills Film Festival in New Milford and the Connecticut Film Festival in Danbury.

Compared with previous days heavy with workshops, movies and gatherings, Sunday will see a more subdued schedule in both towns. The first film in the Hat City doesn’t air until 1 p.m. “Wondrous Oblivion” is the tale of a Jewish boy in London hoping to be a cricket star. Five hours later the final movie, “The Fields of Margraten: Bitter Harvest,” airs. It’s the story of black soldiers in World War II, and the then menial but ultimately indispensable role they played.

In New Milford a block of short films went on at 10 a.m., and today’s final airing is at 3:45 p.m. with “In a Town This Size,” a heavy tale about childhood sexual abuse scandals plaguing one Oklahoma town. 

Though the festivals end in a similarly softened fashion, there is one inversely notable difference in the overall highlights. The Connecticut Film Festival launched Wednesday night with a visit from Gov. Dannel Malloy, a man whose budget proposal could put him in a festival for how-quickly-can-a-new-governor-make-the-most-enemies, or something like that.

Today, Mr. Malloy will appear in New Milford to close out the ceremony.

By the way, I’ve so far accumulated about 100 extra miles on my car, bouncing between the two events. And there’s more to come today, for sure.