Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405

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Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405

2016

40m

Documentary

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Popcornmeter

100%

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7 Reviews

71%

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

A brilliant but tortured 56-year-old artist channels her depression and anxiety into her work.

Jude Dry

indieWire

Frank Stiefel's fascinating portrait of the artist Mindy Alper has many layers, almost as many as the wire spirals of Alper's whimsical and haunting sculptures.

Rated: A-

Feb 23, 2018

Full Review

Elena Goukassian

Hyperallergic

A moving film about the Los Angeles-based artist Mindy Alper.

Feb 12, 2020

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MaryAnn Johanson

Flick Filosopher

A marvelously moving portrait of artist Mindy Alper. Her blunt openness about herself... is a challenge to us all to know ourselves as well as she seems to know herself, even when it's incredibly painful and difficult to do so.

Rated: 5/5

Mar 5, 2018

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Dan Lybarger

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

[Mindy Alper's] art, including the doodles she drew as a kid, is astonishingly sensitive, and Stiefel uses animation and optical effects to put viewers into Alper's head.

Rated: 5/5

Feb 23, 2018

Full Review

Arlin Golden

Film Inquiry

Though it can be difficult to hear Mindy recount some her stories, Heaven is A Traffic Jam on the 405 is playful and beautiful treatise on the power of art as therapy and the uniquely human ability to transform pain into expression.

Feb 20, 2018

Full Review

Christopher Campbell

Nonfics

Mindy Alper is compelling, both for her eccentricities and her genius, as well as tragically for her story of abuse and terrible treatments and continued medical problems.

Feb 16, 2018

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Heather L

This film features Mindy Alper, a compelling woman who immerses herself in the creation of art to help overcome childhood trauma. It’s satisfying to see other artists and art lovers rally around her to help provide the support she never found in her own family. It’s been said that child abuse is the #1 preventable cause of mental illness and this film makes it easy to understand why.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/05/24

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david f

Pretty interesting documentary about a woman with a lot of mental problems who overcomes them to create some wonderful art.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

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Audience Member

BEAUTIFUL film about an amazing artist who has dealt with mental illness, parental abuse, and the REDEMPTIVE power of art. Inspirationable.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/31/23

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Audience Member

Short (40 minute) Oscar nominated documentary about a talented artist with a tortured family history and a lifetime of mental health problems.. I found this very interesting.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

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Frank Stiefel

Director

Frank Stiefel

Producer

Frank Stiefel

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Ting Poo

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Paul Maroon

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Synopsis

A brilliant but tortured 56-year-old artist channels her depression and anxiety into her work.

Director: Frank Stiefel
Producer: Frank Stiefel
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 13, 2018
Runtime: 40m

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