MartinHafer Today I made my annual pilgrimage to the local theater to see all the Oscar-nominated Documentary Shorts. My good friend came with me and force once we were in agreement as to which shorts were strongest and weakest--which is a little unusual. Of the five documentaries, we both liked "Cavedigger" the least. And, when I came home and looked at the IMDb sites for all these shorts, I was shocked to see such an incredibly high rating for "Cavedigger". After all, it was a very slight film and took neither the risks of the best of the shorts ("Karama Has No Walls" where one cameraman actually got shot documenting the Yemeni democracy movement) nor had a emotional impact of "Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Jack Hall". While not a terrible film, its subject matter just didn't seem to merit a film this long--as about 10 minutes would have probably sufficed.The story is about a very strange man named 'Ra'. Ra is an odd-ball--and would probably admit that readily. He lives in the art Mecca of Taos, New Mexico and even there among these bohemians, he's a stand-out! He has an obsession that consumes his life--digging tunnels and rooms into the very, very soft sandstone. Now I must admit that his artistry in making these is pretty impressive, though he never really makes any money doing this and is quite happy despite this. That's really all there is to the story--mildly interesting but hardly in the same league as the other shorts that were nominated.

Lewin Wertheimer Cavedigger, by Jeffrey Karoff, has just been nominated for an Academy Award for best short documentary. The nomination is more than deserved.This 40 minute jewel is about a unique artist who digs and sculpts caves in New Mexico. It is about creating beautiful art and the trials and tribulations of being a commissioned artist. The story told is of how the desire and drive to create singular art is stronger than all the other challenges of age, money, and client needs. Ra, the cave digger, is a kind, soft spoken man with a dream that he is creating and an inspiring level of perseverance in the face of whatever obstacles come his way. The beautiful film footage of these exquisite caves is awe inspiring and a wild trip that will equally captivate both nature and art lovers.

Gregg Altschul If you like art, sculpture and documentary film, this one is a must see. Jeffrey Karoff does a fantastic job illuminating Ra's life, passion and art and perfectly captures the breathtaking beauty and scale of Ra's work. An interesting theme is the tension between Ra as an artist and the people who commission his work who feel the should have a say, of course. Additionally, Ra's struggle to skirt detection by the government (some of his work is on government land) is an interesting theme that I am eager to see play out in the years to come. I can only imagine that this film is helping put Ra on the map as a serious artist and can't wait to see what's next for him!

jyathome At first blush, this film appears to be about an obsessive artist. The idiosyncrasy of his art (carving Gaudi-like chambers below the parched New Mexico desert) makes the subject matter seem even more obscure, even as you're drawn to its eerie beauty. But, like all the best documentaries, this movie is about much more. The stark land has drawn a cast of characters, each of whom is pursuing their life according to their own rules. These are not desert rats or misfits; you will likely recognize them as your more cerebrally- and spiritually-inclined neighbors. The director, Jeffrey Karoff, lets them describe the contours of their lives and interactions without the kind of editorial judgment too often imposed on arcane material like this. As a result, the viewer comes away with a gratifying bit of dislocation, seeing enigmatic depths to what at first seemed familiar territory. Ra Paulette's sprawling "caves" (an inadequate descriptor) become a metaphor for his own life and for the community that surrounds him: a strange and immersive experience, driven by dreams, hidden away in a sun-blasted vastness.