Do you look for the best in people? At the same time, do you wish people looked beyond your weaknesses to see the best in you?
Each of us has a need for validation albeit in differing degrees. Regardless, validation is so important in life because somehow, somewhere - we have a need to know that WE MATTER in the sea of people on this planet!
If you think otherwise, just devote 16 minutes 24 seconds of your time to THIS MOVIE and you will realize that YOU MATTER!!!
And don't blame me if you get a tear or two in your eye!
This movie has played at 34 film festivals worldwide and won 17 awards.
"Validation" is a modern-day fable about a parking attendant who gives his customers REAL validation -- dispensing both free parking and free compliments.
Storyline from THIS LINK:
A cheerful parking attendant considers it his job to do more than validate parking. He wants to validate the customers themselves, delivering compliments about their appearances and the inner qualities behind them. Everyone who comes up to him with a ticket walks away validated as a worthwhile human being. Soon, the parking attendant becomes so popular that people line up for validation. He appears on news broadcasts and even ends up validating George W. Bush and Saddam Hussein. His life hits a roadblock when he goes to the DMV to get his driver's license photo taken and is met with a beautiful photographer whom he can't get to smile. Written by J. Spurlin
If you are still not convinced to watch the movie, here are THREE reviews FROM THIS LINK that could possibly do the trick :-).
Review by Ted Gianopulos
I had the pleasure of seeing this gem at the Phoenix Film Festival and I have to say that there are probably less then 1% of all short films made have the ability to make the audience well up with tears of happiness. That is precisely what this film did to me. Not only that. Whenever I tell someone about it I get the sense of welling up again just from re-telling it to them.
T.J. Thyne is perfectly cast as Hugh Newman, the uber-naive parking booth guy who works at the end of a darkly lit hallway and validates customers parking tickets while validating their lives at the same time. Just like any protagonist in a movie, he hits his roadblock and loses his mojo for a while but soon finds himself again, after he finds life taking him in another direction and gets back on the trail of making people's lives better. He finds out in the end that the good deeds had been doing for people in the past, that he thought were not changing anything or anybody, actually changed the lives of even the most hardened hearts and in turn find him the complete happiness that he had been searching for the whole time.
Kurt Kuenne did an AMAZING job with this film, period. From the finger-snappy acapella soundtrack to the directing, editing and cinematography; all of it is perfectly fit into this beautiful story. I only wish I could buy this movie on DVD. I've told so many people about it and wish I could show them! Hopefully soon!
Review by Pet Yank:
I've lost count of how many times I've been grateful for YouTube. Today a friend sent me the link to this short and within seconds I knew it was special.
Validation is truly a gem.
There are so many superlatives I could use about Kurt Kuenne's short. The acting, direction, writing, etc., are all superb. But what really stands out is the movie's heart and simplicity. The story (a parable, really) is subtle, uplifting, inspirational--it even surprised me. And after 50+ years of movie watching, I don't surprise easily. This is not your typical Hollywood movie. It has a French feel to it; in fact, it reminded me a bit of Amelie. It is uniquely American, though. I can't wait to see more of Kuenne's work.
It's rare that I get a link I can forward to everyone on my email list. You'll see what I mean. Don't miss this one--and pass it along!
(It's an hour since I saw it and I'm still smiling!)
Review by Drew A.G. Engman:
I can't add to the two superb previous comments about this short film.
I just watched it again, and yes, tears spilled from my eyes, tears of complete overwhelming appreciation for this moral fable, this poem to the positive in people, and to love.
I teach preschool age children with severe special needs, and seeing this the first time had me by the heart, weeping profound tears of gratitude. It helped me realize that a large part of what I do, and have always loved to do for my kids and their family's is to simply appreciate the greatness it takes to go through their lives, made difficult from having unexpected horrors happen to their little children. To put that into words sincerely spoken is very touching and does indeed change people for the best.
I just forwarded the Flixxy link to another very large group of friends who also work in special education.
Every superlative applies to the wonderful magic of this film.
Validation
Starring TJ Thyne & Vicki Davis.
Writer/Director/Composer - Kurt Kuenne.
Winner - Best Narrative Short, Cleveland Int'l Film Festival
Winner - Jury Award, Gen Art Chicago Film Festival
Winner - Audience Award, Hawaii Int'l Film Festival
Winner - Best Short Comedy, Breckenridge Festival of Film
Winner - Crystal Heart Award, Best Short Film & Audience Award, Heartland Film Festival
Winner - Christopher & Dana Reeve Audience Award, Williamstown Film Festival
Winner - Best Comedy, Dam Short Film Festival
Winner - Best Short Film, Sedona Int'l Film Festival.
Watch it AT THIS LINK or the following embedded video. And, keep smiling!!! Do leave a comment to share your responses! Thanks!
walla Thank you so much for this!
You're wonderful!
When you smile, people from here to Mars will smile as well!
Now will you validate that piece of fried oyster, huh?
(ps: you have no ideeeeaa what i had just done with the link - i used to fulcrum half the planet so that today more people will just
SMILE ;))
(and hopefully...someone will ask me out for a date...sigh!)
;P