We literally had to rush for first movie of day 2 due to my overtime for last post. Theatres were already packed due to weekend.
First movie was French drama "Love like poison". Its "coming of age" story of a catholic girl of 14 who comes on vacation to her village in Southern France. There she has to face broken relationship of parents, growing realization of adolescence and attraction towards male teenager friend. Important thing that I realized (once again) was that irrespective of region, religion has great influence on your value systems, especially your ideas of right or wrong. Its great responsibility of religious teachers and grown up adults to differentiate between this influence and freedom of spirit or individuality. The character of local priest symbolizes this responsibility in film. Beautiful leading lady and Southern French landscape apart, film provided a warm feeling, especially in the relationship that she develops with her grandfather. Last scene of her funeral speech on grandfather's death is truly touching.
Second movie was Chinese film "Diago". Its about Macanese (from former colony called Macau) protagonist searching for his true identity on the backdrop of handover of Macau to China from Portugal. Colonial hangover & search of identity amongst local population in times of political handover is rarely exploited in art works. Especially, former European colonies in Asian regions (like Goa and Pondicherry in India) prvide that excellent east vs west dilemman. I felt that film had kind of picture book feel in most of the scenes, where charaters remain frozen in frame. Characters were kind of mechanical and lifeless. These properties reminded me of Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki's films. But Kaurismaki's films had interesting plot lines on the other hand. Since I mentioned Goa, all that we know about Goa's colonial hangover days is the freedom struggle of pro-Marathi and Konkani population. It would be interesting to check whether any story like Diago existed there.
After ample of break time for lunch and rest, we came back for German film "If not us, who". It is a political drama based on true events of post-Nazi Germany and biography of author Bernward Vesper. Film takes us through relationship of Bernward and his girlfriend Gudrun Ensslin interspersed with political events of 1960s Germany. It reminded me of Sudhir Mishra's Hindi flim "Hazaaron Khwahishen Aisi" based on same period of Indian history with similar characters.
Being lover of history, I like films with political and historical contexts as you get an opportunity to experience historical figures in action. Unlike book description, you experience those figures with social atmosphere captured on screen with researched scripts.
Moreover, the period depicted in film was rife with social upheaval all over the world. Cold war and capitalism - communism conflicts spawned number of social movements and created cultural symbols like hippy lifestyle, rock bands etc. Interestingly, most of social movements were remarkably radical (at times violent) in stark contrast to previous non violent movements of Gandhi, Mandela or Martin Luther King. I guess, that's the reason they failed to make significant impact on the course of socio-economic history. Another reason for failure is the lack of support of masses they thought were fighting for. This is beautifully expressed in a scene in film in which female prison guard questions Gudrun about this support and puts for her philosophy of "four steps forward and three backwards" of making social progress.
Fourth film of the day was Iranian film "Separation". This film is already very popular in festival circuits. So much so that regular festival visitors seemed uninterested by the very mention of it. But they strongly recommended it for first time watchers. Film is story of middle class family of bickering couple, Alzheimeric father and young daughter. Couple has already filed for separation mainly because of wife's insistence on leaving Iran. But husband does not want to leave his father in his senile state. They hire a pregnant woman to look after father. Then some events happen that put all characters in web of lie n deceipt. Plot line is very tight and engaging. USP of most Iranian films is the simplicity of plot and characters that makes film so real and natural that you never feel people acting in the film; especially, the younger cast. Directors like Majidi have created a beautiful legacy from otherwise controversial Persian land.
I felt so contented and exhausted after four films that fifth film was kind of necessary ritual to be completed. And literally it was. Israeli film called Policeman moved with such painful pace and uninteresteing scenes that I preferred shutting my eyes for some part of it. However, film got interesting in last half an hour with last five minutes packing up the entire message that I felt writer director duo was trying to convey from this satirical film.
I felt that drifting of urban elite youth behind exaggerated ideals of second revolution was common thread between Israeli and German film.
Summing up, second day belonged to interesting and dynamic films that we thoroughly enjoyed.
Let's hope there are more such films in store.
Cheers!!
First movie was French drama "Love like poison". Its "coming of age" story of a catholic girl of 14 who comes on vacation to her village in Southern France. There she has to face broken relationship of parents, growing realization of adolescence and attraction towards male teenager friend. Important thing that I realized (once again) was that irrespective of region, religion has great influence on your value systems, especially your ideas of right or wrong. Its great responsibility of religious teachers and grown up adults to differentiate between this influence and freedom of spirit or individuality. The character of local priest symbolizes this responsibility in film. Beautiful leading lady and Southern French landscape apart, film provided a warm feeling, especially in the relationship that she develops with her grandfather. Last scene of her funeral speech on grandfather's death is truly touching.
Second movie was Chinese film "Diago". Its about Macanese (from former colony called Macau) protagonist searching for his true identity on the backdrop of handover of Macau to China from Portugal. Colonial hangover & search of identity amongst local population in times of political handover is rarely exploited in art works. Especially, former European colonies in Asian regions (like Goa and Pondicherry in India) prvide that excellent east vs west dilemman. I felt that film had kind of picture book feel in most of the scenes, where charaters remain frozen in frame. Characters were kind of mechanical and lifeless. These properties reminded me of Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki's films. But Kaurismaki's films had interesting plot lines on the other hand. Since I mentioned Goa, all that we know about Goa's colonial hangover days is the freedom struggle of pro-Marathi and Konkani population. It would be interesting to check whether any story like Diago existed there.
After ample of break time for lunch and rest, we came back for German film "If not us, who". It is a political drama based on true events of post-Nazi Germany and biography of author Bernward Vesper. Film takes us through relationship of Bernward and his girlfriend Gudrun Ensslin interspersed with political events of 1960s Germany. It reminded me of Sudhir Mishra's Hindi flim "Hazaaron Khwahishen Aisi" based on same period of Indian history with similar characters.
Being lover of history, I like films with political and historical contexts as you get an opportunity to experience historical figures in action. Unlike book description, you experience those figures with social atmosphere captured on screen with researched scripts.
Moreover, the period depicted in film was rife with social upheaval all over the world. Cold war and capitalism - communism conflicts spawned number of social movements and created cultural symbols like hippy lifestyle, rock bands etc. Interestingly, most of social movements were remarkably radical (at times violent) in stark contrast to previous non violent movements of Gandhi, Mandela or Martin Luther King. I guess, that's the reason they failed to make significant impact on the course of socio-economic history. Another reason for failure is the lack of support of masses they thought were fighting for. This is beautifully expressed in a scene in film in which female prison guard questions Gudrun about this support and puts for her philosophy of "four steps forward and three backwards" of making social progress.
Fourth film of the day was Iranian film "Separation". This film is already very popular in festival circuits. So much so that regular festival visitors seemed uninterested by the very mention of it. But they strongly recommended it for first time watchers. Film is story of middle class family of bickering couple, Alzheimeric father and young daughter. Couple has already filed for separation mainly because of wife's insistence on leaving Iran. But husband does not want to leave his father in his senile state. They hire a pregnant woman to look after father. Then some events happen that put all characters in web of lie n deceipt. Plot line is very tight and engaging. USP of most Iranian films is the simplicity of plot and characters that makes film so real and natural that you never feel people acting in the film; especially, the younger cast. Directors like Majidi have created a beautiful legacy from otherwise controversial Persian land.
I felt so contented and exhausted after four films that fifth film was kind of necessary ritual to be completed. And literally it was. Israeli film called Policeman moved with such painful pace and uninteresteing scenes that I preferred shutting my eyes for some part of it. However, film got interesting in last half an hour with last five minutes packing up the entire message that I felt writer director duo was trying to convey from this satirical film.
I felt that drifting of urban elite youth behind exaggerated ideals of second revolution was common thread between Israeli and German film.
Summing up, second day belonged to interesting and dynamic films that we thoroughly enjoyed.
Let's hope there are more such films in store.
Cheers!!
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