Heaven is a Traffic Jam on the 405

This is an amazing and intimate portrait of an artist, Mindy Alper, who has suffered from life-long mental illness. I was mesmerized throughout, listening to the interviews, the life history, interactions with family and friends, the serious struggles, the impacts upon her life, and how art, those in the art world, and those in the mental health profession, have helped to give her some modicum of joy in an otherwise depressing life. Interwoven into the film is her art, and it interacts perfectly with her state of mind. Even the way Alper speaks, and her pronunciations of words, was utterly unique. Instead of "when I was 19," she would say, "when I was one-nine." Instead of saying 10 years, she would say "after ten times around the sun." And once you watch the film, you will understand why. If I had a vote, I would choose this to win the Oscar.