festival recap
Oct. 15th, 2011 02:05 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
floatingleafSo here's the latest: I saw another film on Wednesday afternoon, then another one on Thursday night; then today I took a break, because I got my period and needed some rest. Actually, I was already feeling pretty crappy last night, but decided to go to the theater anyway, since I already had the ticket and didn't want to waste it. Otherwise I probably wouldn't have gone, especially since the weather was crappy too. But I went, and got back home almost before the onset of the worst cramps/dizziness spell. I collapsed into bed and stayed there more or less until noon. Luckily, today I have not missed any movies that I particularly cared about; I was thinking of seeing one, but I hadn't bought the ticket in advance, since it didn't seem likely to sell out, and I kinda had the feeling I might not be going anywhere. Or at least I hoped that the day I am feeling "indisposed" would happen on Friday instead of Saturday or Sunday; and I am truly pleased that Mother Nature decided to oblige me for once.:) Because Saturday is my last chance to see Sacrifice, a Chinese period drama by the same director who made Farewell, My Concubine (which I adore). And on Sunday I am actually seeing two films: The Good Doctor and Romeos - a German love story between two boys, one of whom is transgendered. There is about 40 minutes between the end of the first movie and the start of the second - which will hopefully be enough time to grab a bite to eat at a nearby cafe. I did see a cool little sandwich/salad place pretty close to the theater as I was strolling around the area. Of course, there are plenty of classy, expensive restaurants in that area as well - but I'd rather go somewhere casual, especially by myself and with only a half-hour to spare. Anyway... I'm very excited about all three films, and very glad I bought the tickets in advance (believe it or not, but Romeos is the one which sold out already; not The Good Doctor, and not the fabled Three Musketeers either, LOL). *rubs hands together*
But what have I seen so far, other than ADM?
1) Tomboy - a French film about a transgendered kid who gets punished for "pretending to be a boy". Except he's not "pretending" - everything about him is very boyish, except for one little anatomical detail that society somehow deems most important in determining gender. The kid doesn't even understand why he acts the way he does - for him, it's just the most natural way to be. It's his mother's attempts to make him look more "girly" that cause confusion and make him feel like he's faking something. You just want to shake the woman and say: "Don't you GET it??? Gender is in the BRAIN!!!" But she's only punishing the kid because she knows that society's reaction will be much harsher in the end...
2) Michael - an Austrian film about a pedophile who keeps a little boy locked up in a basement. Yeah. Sounds gruesome, I know. But it's not really what you would expect. We don't actually see any of the sexual abuse; there are only hints here and there that it happens. What we do see is disturbingly "normal", everyday existence of an "ordinary" guy most people would never suspect of anything "untoward"; if not for the fact that the boy is locked up in the basement and hidden away from the world, you might think you're looking at a single dad and his son. The basement room is no filthy dungeon; it's a typical little boy's room, full of toys and crayons and puzzle games and such. The kid is fed regularly, allowed to watch TV (except for any news reports about missing children, obviously, since he had been conveniently told that his parents know where he is and want him to stay there); even taken out every once in a while to some secluded nature park or other (though he has to hide under the car seat until they're way out of town). You could almost say the guy cares for him. And, in some twisted sense, I suppose he does. Anyway... not to give any spoilers, but the boy is very smart, brave and resilient, and eventually does find a way out of his predicament, and there is some sort of poetic justice. Or maybe just lucky coincidence, because there is no justice. Because for all we know, this has been going on for years, and there may have been other boys before him (and what happened to them remains a dark mystery). And no one ever thought to wonder why this guy spends so much time alone in his little house, with the blinds drawn even during the day. Family, neighbors, coworkers... no one ever suspected anything. Which is, I think, precisely the message of the film: this happens far more often than you'd like to believe, and it could be anyone. So watch out for those little hints...
3) Madame X - an outrageously tongue-in-cheek Indonesian comedy about a transsexual superhero who almost single-handedly defeats an evil organization called the National Morality Front. Yeah, I know. VERY campy. A little too campy, perhaps - even for me.;) But sweet and touching, nonetheless. I just have a massive soft spot for rebellious queers and outcasts (in case anyone reading this journal still had any doubts about that... LOL).
4) Goodbye - a chilling Iranian drama about a young woman (a human rights lawyer) trying to leave the country to escape political oppression. Very slow-paced, understated and quietly ominous, so to speak. Carefully symbolic and evocative - like all Iranian films I have seen so far...
And that's it for now. I can't believe the time... *blinks at the clock*
Looks like I'll be sleeping till noon once again. *yaaawn*
But what have I seen so far, other than ADM?
1) Tomboy - a French film about a transgendered kid who gets punished for "pretending to be a boy". Except he's not "pretending" - everything about him is very boyish, except for one little anatomical detail that society somehow deems most important in determining gender. The kid doesn't even understand why he acts the way he does - for him, it's just the most natural way to be. It's his mother's attempts to make him look more "girly" that cause confusion and make him feel like he's faking something. You just want to shake the woman and say: "Don't you GET it??? Gender is in the BRAIN!!!" But she's only punishing the kid because she knows that society's reaction will be much harsher in the end...
2) Michael - an Austrian film about a pedophile who keeps a little boy locked up in a basement. Yeah. Sounds gruesome, I know. But it's not really what you would expect. We don't actually see any of the sexual abuse; there are only hints here and there that it happens. What we do see is disturbingly "normal", everyday existence of an "ordinary" guy most people would never suspect of anything "untoward"; if not for the fact that the boy is locked up in the basement and hidden away from the world, you might think you're looking at a single dad and his son. The basement room is no filthy dungeon; it's a typical little boy's room, full of toys and crayons and puzzle games and such. The kid is fed regularly, allowed to watch TV (except for any news reports about missing children, obviously, since he had been conveniently told that his parents know where he is and want him to stay there); even taken out every once in a while to some secluded nature park or other (though he has to hide under the car seat until they're way out of town). You could almost say the guy cares for him. And, in some twisted sense, I suppose he does. Anyway... not to give any spoilers, but the boy is very smart, brave and resilient, and eventually does find a way out of his predicament, and there is some sort of poetic justice. Or maybe just lucky coincidence, because there is no justice. Because for all we know, this has been going on for years, and there may have been other boys before him (and what happened to them remains a dark mystery). And no one ever thought to wonder why this guy spends so much time alone in his little house, with the blinds drawn even during the day. Family, neighbors, coworkers... no one ever suspected anything. Which is, I think, precisely the message of the film: this happens far more often than you'd like to believe, and it could be anyone. So watch out for those little hints...
3) Madame X - an outrageously tongue-in-cheek Indonesian comedy about a transsexual superhero who almost single-handedly defeats an evil organization called the National Morality Front. Yeah, I know. VERY campy. A little too campy, perhaps - even for me.;) But sweet and touching, nonetheless. I just have a massive soft spot for rebellious queers and outcasts (in case anyone reading this journal still had any doubts about that... LOL).
4) Goodbye - a chilling Iranian drama about a young woman (a human rights lawyer) trying to leave the country to escape political oppression. Very slow-paced, understated and quietly ominous, so to speak. Carefully symbolic and evocative - like all Iranian films I have seen so far...
And that's it for now. I can't believe the time... *blinks at the clock*
Looks like I'll be sleeping till noon once again. *yaaawn*
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