IMDb Film Festival 2016: International Thread

International I

I am apparantly the only judge for both International I and II, let's see if anyone comments here at all. Here are my relatively short and rushed reviews for the 5 in the European selection (the other groups were not included). And may I say it's really interesting to me that three of these films at least partially/arguably take place in Asia. An other interesting note: Absolutely every film in International I utilized minimalism in one way or another.

Aferim! (Radu Jude - 2015)
Aferim is a film that wallows in debauchery, and which presents it's cold, dehumanized world with a flare of detached, absurd black humor. In many ways it is so interesting because it splices so may genres/modes into one very consistent expression. Visually it was also very exciting, almost all composition from a distance, or at least so it felt. Many call it a "western", I feel it's tone felt closer to the Western's sibling Chanbara, in it's use of ensemble staging and the brand of comedy. Regardless, strongly made from all angles and definitely a treat to watch.

Camille Claudel 1915 (Bruno Dumont - 2013)
Dumont shows his power as a minimalist, with his quiet but harsh portrayal of a an elusive madness. Seeing high functioning, yet paranoid and emotionally destroyed artist Camille Claudel life in a mental asylum. Juliette Binoche's performance is incredible, conveying all the necessary emotions as we examine what could be seen as her humiliation. It did so brilliantly well in it's quiet and cold observations that when a new character and more dialog was introduced towards the end, this felt out of place - but it kept it's atmosphere throughout and left us on an incredibly strong note.

Mediterranea (Jonas Carpignano - 2015)
Mediterranea is a stunning feature film debut by Jonas Carpignano, who could easily prove to be an important voice in the future. The journey to the west was the starkest. It was detached and observing, but still with a sense of warmth towards it's character, and the landscape and dangers played in as characters of their own. Once they made the leap to the west it continued in a Dardenne brothers-esque fashion, showing their quality of life, until it culminated in racially inspired clashes - all while maintaining a level of minimalism and distance. Artistically I think the later parts of the film to be less inspired, but it also has the stronger statement.

Mustang (Deniz Gamze Ergüven - 2015)
My favorite of this selection. Few films have managed to as fully enrage me as Mustang. With a soft filter, and a set of strong, identifiable young girls/women, we see the conservative society build stronger and stronger walls around them, until they can be said to be prisoners of their own home. As with the above film there is an incredibly strong political statement present, but here one that is fierce, direct, undiluted and all in the best sense of these terms. This is a passionate attack, and when strong filmmakers go on passionate attacks it can be glorious.

This is Ergüven's feature debut (again, like the above) and she is clearly a master filmmaker already. The contradictions in both content and tone, between warmth, fear, irrationality, love, strictness, compromises and lack there goes together seamlessly - making these girls our heroes, and their "compromising acts" are acts of bravery - and to be clear Ergüven manages this without the film feeling stale, existing for the sake of a message, or even feeling like propaganda. It reminds me in some ways of The Virgin Suicides, but is much more accomplished. I can't wait to see what she does next.

A War (Tobias Lindholm - 2015)
Krigen's minimalism comes from a similar category of detached observation as Mediterranea and Camille Claudel 1915, but where they were stark and conveyed incredible emotion, this is more muted. It is not clinical, but rather procedural, and not only because of later plot developments. It is actually very well written, with a strong plot, and a lot of potential for greatness. Overall it fell a little flat due to a lack of passion in the craft, I didn't feel as strong as it should and could have been.

My 1000 favorite films - http://www.imdb.com/list/PkAV7BgvMJg

While International I kept itself exclusively to Europe, international II brings together films from all the three regions. Sorry for slightly rushed reviews, but the remaining hours are ticking away, and I still have the arthouse selection left.

Charlie's Country (Rolf de Heer - 2013)
For some reason I had gotten it into my head that De Heer was responsible for far more aboriginal films than he actually was, but never the less, it is not his first time focusing on Australia's indigenous population. The films main task is paining a very loving and understanding picture of an older Aboriginal man's lack of understanding of modern laws/society, or how he sees it, "white man's culture". He dreams of the old days, and we follow his attempts at simply living out the old ways, with society around him simply not allowing it.

It succeeds perfectly in creating said sympathetic portrait, and we feel exactly what "Charlie" feels. This is largely because David Gulpilil is a wonderful actor, communicating his lack of understanding of the rules imposed on him so well that we are right there with him, equally confused and frustrated.

Mountains May Depart (Jia Zhang-ke - 2015)
Set in 1999, 2014 and 2026, Mountains May Depart is an example of how the third act can change a film for the worse. The first two are beautiful, slow burning character portraits, following the journey of three people. The last segment cuts almost all of this away. To it's honor it doesnot fall for the temptation to make the future too different, but movig the action to Australia, bringing in a new lead and featuring somewhat awkward english was not the greatest move. The last third is not bad, but feels clumsier and with less emotional depht than the previous two. If it had only managed to maintain the strength of the first two thirds it would have been one for the history books. As it stands the last act does not destroy it's greatness - and I understand it's point, which is dramaturgically apt. Overall, still great, but a lost opportunity.

Talvar (Meghna Gulzar - 2015)
Talvar is not particularly well directed, and honestly it comes off as very shallow. It even appears to try to get you to root for a who beats and intimidates witnesses. It's saving grace is it's dramaturgy, which is not a result of great writing, but simply the fact that it's based on a true story, which made it take some interesting turns towards the end. Overall however, it is simply mediocre.

Theeb (Naji Abu Nowar - 2014)
Theeb is beautiful, harsh, and manages to feel surprisingly accessible. Utilizing the wast and treachurous desert Nowar builds not only an atmospheric and partially minimalistic and grounded world, but also a thrilling survival "adventure", of extremely dark proportions. The plot and character-development feels fresh, unusual and organic, the tension is spot on, and the looming atmosphere is wonderful.

Why Don't You Play in Hell? (Sion Sono - 2013)
I was very disappointed when Why Don't You Play in Hell? didn't make it into the main slate. It is not only the best film I have seen from the festival selection, but one of the best films of the current decade. Sadly it was also one of the few films I saw before this festival, so my insight at this point might be slightly limited.

The greatness of the film, and why it is so engaging, at least for me, stems from it's pure love of cinema. We follow a group of friends from their childhood, as they piece together films on a shoe-string, always looking for something to capture, always wanting to make something great. Add in the absurdity of master filmmaker Shion Sono (easily the best Japanese filmmaker working today), not to mention the films massive scope and large list of memorable characters, we get an hilarious and bloody epic - that is also a love letter to cinema itself.

It is of course my pick for winning this selection.


My 1000 favorite films - http://www.imdb.com/list/PkAV7BgvMJg