Venezia83: It's a celebration

It's time to head back to London, but I have thoroughly enjoyed my 10 days at the 83rd Venice Film Festival, as always. Not only is it in one of my very favourite spots on the planet, but every single film is a world premiere, so we watch them without any preconceptions at all. I'm looking forward to seeing who the juries award - I'll have one last post with my favourites and the award winners. In the meantime, here's one last collection of notes on movies I've been watching...

Lovers in the Blue Night
dir-scr Anuparna Roy; with Neelima Sharma, Pritam Pilania 26/Ind ****
In a culture of arranged marriages, this beautifully shot and edited film focusses on people outside the system finding love on their own terms. Writer-director Anapurna Roy is gifted at observing the everyday rhythms of life in Mumbai, where people from around India and beyond come to make a new life for themselves. This is a warm, involving portrait of people trying to find options in a society where there aren't many.

Back to Buenos Aires [Ritorno a Buenos Aires]
dir-scr Marco Bechis; with Adriano Giannini, Ana Celentano 26/It ****
Exploring a historical event from a new angle, this powerful drama looks at the repercussions of severe trauma on an individual, a nation and the world at large. With the background of Argentina's horrific late-1970s military regime, writer-director Marco Bechis finely crafts a complex, challenging film that churns with underlying tension from the start, remaining tightly introspective even as it takes on seriously horrific events.

No Paradise if You Are Killed by a Woman
dir-scr Halkawt Mustafa; with Avan Jamal, Thorbjorn Harr 26/Irq ****
From Iraq, this is an unusually focussed war thriller, honing in on a female sniper helping to liberate her country from Islamist extremists. With exceptional camerawork, writer-director Halkawt Mustafa skilfully follows a resilient warrior who bravely approaches the battle with both military precision and kindness. The brisk story unfolds through seriously intense set-pieces, balanced with engaging quieter moments.

The Good Lawyer [Un Bon Avocat]
dir Tristan Seguela; with Laurent Lafitte, Anthony Bajon 26/Fr
Punchy energy infuses this French drama, as lively camerawork and editing combine with a muscly script and strong performances to propel the audience through the twists and turns of one week in the life of a lawyer desperately trying to cling to his job. Filmmaker Tristan Sequela keeps the focus tightly on Laurent Lafitte's brilliant but outrageously messy attorney as he is forced to confront his own integrity.

What Belongs to Others [Cudze Rzeczy]
dir-scr Grzegorz Debowski; with Monika Kwiatkowska, Robert Mania 26/Pol ***.
Shot in a matter-of-fact style with dialog that feels like it was captured by accident, this realistically gritty Polish drama centres on a woman who reacts unexpectedly when she has nowhere left to turn. Writer-director Grzegorz Debowski skilfully uses silent scenes to propel the story, allowing the audience to simply watch, and to get increasingly involved in the thoughtful and rather darkly shaded narrative.

Full reviews will be linked to Shadows' VENICE FILM FEST PAGE >

A season of Italian films...

Over five days, a flurry of acclaimed films were specially screened at BFI Southbank as part of Cinema Made in Italy in London, sponsored by the British Film Institute and Rome's Cinecittà studios. I caught six of the films, and I spoke with two of my long-time favourites: actor-filmmaker Valeria Golino and director Isabel Coixet (interviews to come). There was a clear focus this year on women's stories, which provided a superb point of view to a variety of powerful stories. Here are notes on the films I watched...

La Gioia [aka Joy]
dir Nicolangelo Gelormini; with Valeria Golino, Saul Nanni 25/It ***.
Brisk and involving, this Italian drama pulls us in with characters who have vivid internal lives, including yearnings for companionship that are easy to identify with. At the centre, this is the story of a complex relationship, and director Nicolangelo Gelormini inventively depicts how it awakens the heart of a woman who had given up hope for herself. This is a dark, multi-layered story full of ideas that get deep under the skin... FULL REVIEW >

The Last One for the Road [Le Città di Pianura]

dir Francesco Sossai; with Filippo Scotti, Sergio Romano 25/It ****

Set in Veneto (the original title translates ironically as The Cities of the Plain), this lively comedy deconstructs the road movie genre as three men travel in circles looking for their next final drink together. While highlighting local culture and landscapes, director-cowriter Francesco Sossai cleverly explores generational issues using offhanded comedy. It's such a charmer of a film that it's impossible to watch without a smile on your face... FULL REVIEW >

Three Goodbyes  [Tre Ciotole]
dir Isabel Coixet; with Alba Rohrwacher, Elio Germano 25/It ****
Diving straight into the life of a long-term couple, this Italian drama immediately finds resonance with its authentic dialog and transparent performances. This isn't easy watch, as it circles the disintegration of a relationship. But director-cowriter Isabel Coixet balances the pain by filling the screen with honest emotion, warm humour and genuine affection. This is a lovely, involving film with something important to say... FULL REVIEW >

Fuori [aka Outside]
dir Mario Martone; with Valeria Golino, Matilda De Angelis 25/It ***.
Recounting the story of noted Italian actress and author Goliarda Sapienza, hinging around her brief but life-changing stint in prison, this slightly overlong film jumps around in time, which can be a little tricky to keep up with. But director Mario Martone grounds each scene in earthy realism, while Valeria Golino delves deeply under the lead character's skin. There's nothing remotely simple about this offbeat portrait of an artist... FULL REVIEW >

A Brief Affair [Breve Storia d'Amore]
dir-scr Ludovica Rampoldi; with Pilar Fogliati, Adriano Giannini 26/It ****
Opening amusingly with a chess game that includes a boxing interlude, this Italian comedy takes an offhanded approach to illicit attraction. Writer-director Ludovica Rampoldi playfully explores a fling that slides into a relationship. Then as the comedy becomes increasingly dark, the film builds some rather bonkers tension. But even if it starts to feel silly, it's impossible to look away. And it ends with a series of proper kicks... FULL REVIEW >

Heads or Tails? [Testa o Croce?]
dir Alessio Rigo de Righi, Matteo Zoppis; with Nadia Tereszkiewicz, Alessandro Borghi 25/It ***
From Italy, this beefy Western is told through the eyes of a woman who finds herself on the wrong side of the law with a handsome buttero, or cow-herder. Director-cowriter Alessio Rigo de Righi creates traditional genre imagery in terrific Italian locations while adding artful internalised touches that see into the characters' thoughts. The film has a meandering plot and a jaunty tone, finding edgy humour while poking fun at cliches... FULL REVIEW >

See also: BFI >  •  CINECITTA >