Showing posts with label French Cinema. Show all posts
Showing posts with label French Cinema. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Anatomy of a Fall: An Intellectual Dissection of a Broken Marriage

 By José Alberto Hermosillo 


"Anatomy of a Fall" is a sublime, thrilling, and transcendental modern work of art - masterfully written, directed, performed, photographed, and edited.
The family courtroom drama focuses on a freak accident, its repercussions, and the unsettled battle of the sexes continuing after death.

The 2023 Palme d'Or winner contains three familiar and robust characters who speak in different languages - French, German, and English, as common ground. Despite their blood ties, the three members of the family are drawn into life-changing circumstances where death, entrapment, and murder play a significant role in their lives. But absolutely none of them plays the victim in this well-rounded, multi-layered story.
Up in the snowy mountains of Grenoble, France, the apparently harmonious family composed of a successful and busy German author named Sandra Voyter (Sandra Hüller), a frustrated French writer/teacher, Samuel Moleski (Samuel Theis), and their son Daniel (Milo Machado-Graner).
Milo Machado-Graner is a young and promising actor with a successful career in French movies such as "Stuck Together" and "Waiting for Bojangles." The talented actor is extraordinary in "Anatomy of a Fall." He portrays a legally bling, independent teenager who likes to hike with his service dog, Messi, on the snowy trails of the Dauphine Alps, where they live.
Later in the film, we learn that the intellectual couple constantly fights because they blame each other for their child's accident that left him with impaired vision and how to manage their "precious time" to take care of their eleven-year-old son. 
Because of the accident, Daniel developed a high sensitivity to light exposure, which made him partially blind. He is independent but still needs adult supervision. Regardless of his impediment, Daniel plays the piano beautifully and walks daily by the mountain trail with his trained dog.
The dog Messi from "Anatomy of a Fall" at the Oscar Luncheon.
Le chien, Messi has been recognized as the absolute winner of the "Palm Dog" Award for his performance in this movie during this past edition of the Cannes Film Festival. He is making big waves on the red carpets in Hollywood during the 2024 award season.
After Samuel's tragic death, Daniel continued his piano lesson rehearsing "Asturias" (Leyenda), which was composed by Issac Albéniz. The strident music played during "The Fall" and replayed during the gathering of evidence is bringing more confusion and chaos. The music is recurrent and a pivotal part of the narrative.
"Anatomy of a Fall" is divided into three structural parts, the day of the accident, the trial, and the unexpected resolution.
The film cleverly builds tension in some scenes; in others, it lingers through the beauty of the natural locations thanks to Simon Beaufils's gorgeous cinematography ("My Donkey, My Lover, and I," "Knife + Heart).
After the "fall," the trial is immediate. The pace of the film progresses rapidly, as the family has no time to grieve. Furthermore, we see the wife in the house training with her lawyer on what to say or not to say before the trial and how she has to justify the bruises on her arm.
After examining all the evidence and collecting the people's statements, the prosecutors find some discrepancies that may alter the cause of death, whether the case can be considered an accident or murder. Even though the film clearly stipulates the legal repercussions of the "questionable death" happened a year later.
The prosecutors found the husband's recordings with some of the most recent couple's fights playing in the courtroom. That surprisingly new piece of incriminating evidence may point against the famous writer.
The struggle between the two writers becomes a battle of the sexes, with the evident husband's frustration with his wife's success making him look like he is igniting and manipulating those intense discussions. 
The recordings were made without her consent or knowledge, which is considered illegal in some States of the United States. Still, in France, they are used as contentious proof of the couple's instability.

In European films, children are usually treated as adults, no matter how complex or disturbing situations they have to endure. The legally blind boy becomes the key witness in the case. 
For a child, it is devastating to lose his father, witness his mother's trial, listen to the recordings of his parents' fights in court, and give his crucial testimony that may incriminate or save his mother.
Testifying as an adult makes Daniel aware of the situation, and he must decide whether he would like to save his mother or help the prosecutor bring her to justice.

The performance by German actress Sandra Hüller ("The Zone of Interest," "I'm Your Man," "Toni Erdmann") is impressive. She displays a wide range of emotions, and even when she lies, we think she is telling the truth.
In "Anatomy of a Fall," French director Justine Trier cleverly plays with the perception of the truth according to each player's needs, interests, and points of view. Justine Trier graduated from the Paris School of Fine Arts and is an Oscar nominee for Best Director; she has an extraordinary filmmaking career with solid previous projects such as "The Age of Panic," "Sibyl," and "Victoria." In all her films, she has three recurrent topics: family, writers, and legal matters.
Justine Triet, Palme d'Or Winner, Cannes 2023. Photo: Par Par Francois BECKER et © 2023 AFP

With the theory of the phenomenon of the unreliability of the eyewitness, "Anatomy of a Fall" can be related to Akira Kurosawa's "Rashomon." A few years later, in 1964, Hollywood came out with the remake of the Japanese classic called "The Outrage" with Paul Newman. This particular Western, directed by Martin Ritt ("Hud," "Hombre," and "Norman Rae"), is another clear example of how the truth can be distorted according to the witnesses' point of view, background, beliefs, and personal experiences.
In 1957, Sidney Lumet's "12 Angry Men" rounded off the perceptions of twelve jury members who had to deliver the conviction or acquittal of an eighteen-year-old boy accused of murder. They had reasonable doubts and concluded that there was not enough hard evidence to prove the boy's guilt.
Since its premiere in Cannes, "Anatomy of a Fall" has collected numerous awards worldwide. In the US, the film has been nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Editing.
In France, the film won six César Awards, including Best Picture. In England, it won the BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay. In Spain, it won Best European Film at the Goya's Ceremony, and the list of recognitions for the French/Germain join goes on.
In this legal matter, winning or losing the case in court would not bring peace to the souls of the people involved. Still, it raises more questions about what is next when they lose someone they love in a freak accident and if the accident was intentionally planned or a successful suicide attempt. It all is up to the viewer to figure out what really happened.
Regardless of any conspiracy theory, the film is open to the public interpretation. Let "Anatomy of a Fall" sit for a while to process an unforgettable film that is making big waves around the world for its enormous quality in storytelling.
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Friday, July 7, 2023

Final Cut: An Unconventional French Tribute to Z Movies

 By José Alberto Hermosillo 

“Final Cut” is a frenetic dark comedy about a film crew becoming zombies while making a Z movie. 
What seems like a clumsy French parody of the Japanese “cult film” “One Cut of the Death” by Shin’ichirô Ueda becomes a massive tribute to “Z movies” by Academy Award-winning director Michel Hazanavicius (“The Artist” and “The Search.”).
Oscar-winning director Michel Hazanavicius. Photo by film critic José Alberto Hermosillo. 
Copyright © Festival in LA, 2022

In “Final Cut,” Michel Hazanavicius pays tribute to those who tirelessly work in the film industry. Their skills and resourcefulness keep the essence of the filmmaking process alive. The team is comprised of technicians, producers, actors, and those who make movies even without dialogue. The relationship between the filmmakers and the film itself is a symbiotic and challenging collaborative process, even if the product is a complete disaster. According to the director, it is heroic to make a movie, even if it is a flop.
In 2020, during the first lockdown, Hazanavicius wanted to work on a comedy when the German producers, who had secured the rights to the Japanese “cult classic,” brought him the golden opportunity to remake that successful box office Asian flick in France. The idea was brilliant and perfect for what he wanted to do during the pandemic. Hazanavicius saw in the original some weird situations that inspired him to juxtapose these images with his French reality. You can start with a script based on a book and, in this case, based on a movie. The original writing was challenging, and adapting to a European version was even more difficult.
In the movie, as in real life, some problems arise, such as shooting an extended scene with a full memory card without knowing it. The original Japanese director said he understood his movie even more while watching the French version.
The first "one-shot" sequence is 33 minutes long. It took much preparation, from drawing the storyboard through many rehearsals with the actors, cinematographer, props, makeup, sound, and the rest of the crew, until everything came together. They used 54 cameras to get every angle and every actor's actions and reactions right. They shot that specific sequence four times in four days until the final take was achieved, and still, it was not that great, according to the director.

To differentiate between the movie and the making of the film, the director used various techniques in post-production, such as color saturation, different timing, and texture, so the audience could follow both storylines easily.
Michael Hazanavicius’ career fluctuates from experimental and quirky films to the most formal and academic productions. “Final Cut” is a very personal movie about making a movie. The question always arises as to why the director wanted to place himself in such a problematic situation of presenting an embarrassing project to the masses. He said that, in his defense, his films are always made in joyful sets with positive energy.

Zombie movies are fascinating and profitable. From big Hollywood productions like “World War Z” with Brad Pitt to more independent releases like “Zombieland” and Jim Jarmusch's "The Dead Don't Die," which also competed for the Palmer d'Or at Cannes in 2019. The 2018 French zombie thriller "The Night Eats the World/ La Nuit a dévoré le mondé" depicts a contemporary world where zombies invade Paris.
Other worldwide cult classics are George Romero’s “Dawn of the Dead” and the British production “28 Days Later” by Academy Award-winning director Danny Boyle (“Slumdog Millionaire,” “Trainspotting.”). There is also the low-budget British high school zombie musical “Anna and the Apocalypse,” which I loved. 
Other Asian countries have substantial input in the Zombie genre, from “Train to Busan” to the 2016 Zombie Pandemic South Korean animation “Seoul Station.” One of my favorite Korean genre movies is the extraordinary production “Peninsula.” It is also considered the best Korean Zombie movie, “The Wailing.” 
The Japanese productions have their fan base as well; “Versus,” “Miss Zombie,” “Helldriver,” and "One Cut of the Dead" are among the most popular. Highly recommendable is the new apocalyptic Taiwanese zombie thriller “Sadness.”
In recent years, American television series about zombies have been widely successful. "The Last of Us," with Pedro Pascal, just received 24 Emmy nominations. And "The Walking Dead" ran for eleven seasons.
Romain Duris. Photo by film critic José Alberto Hermosillo. 
Copyright © Festival in LA

In "Final Cut," all the performers did a hell of a job. Chameleonic French actor Romain Duris (“Eiffel,” “The Confession,” “Populaire,” “The New Girlfriend”) plays Rémi, the hectic movie director, and also Higurashi in the zombie movie within a movie. Duris' work is synonymous with dedication, perseverance, quality, and excellence.

Michel Hazanavicius’ wife and Oscar nominee actress Bérénice Bejo play Nadia and Natsumi, respectively. Michel confessed that working with his wife on many projects is easy because they know each other well. She keeps it professional; in the set, she knows he is the boss. He does not congratulate her on a good performance. He likes to give confidence to all of his actors. Their daughter Simone Hazanavicius and her friend round out the terrific cast.
Michel Hazanavicius' next film is an animated feature set during a war, written by his parents’ friend, titled "The Most Precious Cargo." I can not wait to see what this incredibly inventive director will do in animation next.
“Final Cut” was selected as the opening piece of the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, where critics trashed the movie without mercy. According to Mr. Hazanavicius, brutal exposure to the international press was intentional. 
The satirical story presented in "Final Cut" is not for everyone, but those who like dark comedies, like me, can feel heaven watching a cinematic gory feast.
Oscar-winning director Michel Hazanavicius and film critic José Alberto Hermosillo. 
Copyright © Festival in LA, 2022



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Wednesday, January 18, 2023

Fire of Love: The Everlasting Stars of Volcanology

 By José Alberto Hermosillo

Dangerously real and transcendental. “Fire of Love” ignites the lover’s passion for Earth Studies 101 enormously. 

“Fire of Love” is a complete recompilation of materials related to volcano studies collected deep from the archives of Katia & Maurice Krafft. The French couple discovered their magnetism for each other and volcanoes. Attracted by the powerful energy emanating from the Earth’s interior, they defied nature to fulfill their hunger for knowledge. This Academy Award-nominee documentary can be used to save lives in communities surrounding volcanoes around the globe.

The daredevils of volcanoes are here to enlighten humanity with their amusing discoveries and heart-pounding missions, leaving us with an everlasting legacy.

This eye-opening documentary summarizes hundreds of hours of invaluable footage, original materials, incredible photos, specific samples collected from locations, and millions of questions.

Before 1966, all we knew about volcanoes was generic. Geology classified volcanoes by region, age, and size—until the Kraffts came with their exhaustive research, studying every volcano individually.

 

Since they met in a coffee shop in Paris, the French couple could not live apart and embarked on a series of expeditions overseas to study each volcano individually. When they were children, their parents took them separately to visit the volcanoes in Italy – they started with the Stromboli.

In 1970, they married. Their honeymoon was in Santorini, the mythical city of Atlantis. They devoted their lives to their volcano studies and decided not to have children. The newlyweds were the first and probably the only volcanologist couple in the world, and they revolutionized every previous theory about volcanoes and tectonic plates. 

Once they start their journey, the film's visuals and environmental sounds blend, complementing everything with “Je Me Sens Vivre,” a romantic French song by Dalida.

Dalida -- Je Me Sens Vivre

They brought down every theory and myth about volcanoes, even the truths and fragments of history already set in books. As they went deeper, more questions arose. They traveled to different countries, continents, and Islands, starting with Mt. Edna and the Stromboli in Italy to begin their investigation. They knew that every mystery had to be solved. They lived every new adventure to the fullest.

TV appearances witnessed their studies, and it was an excellent opportunity to let the world know that studying volcanos must be done individually, not as a generic classification. Every volcano is a different animal. And they were more excited to show their findings when the TV became color.


They had their strengths—Katia worked on still pictures, printing books, chemistry, soil composition, gases, and physics. Maurice filmed everything on location, including eruptions, and kept the records and archives in order. 

Both complemented each other exceptionally well. The closer they got to the volcanos, the more they saw and became volcano runners. Even local people helped them with supplies and guidance to reach the craters.

Contemplating the devastating landscape surrounding a volcano, Maurice and Katia stated, “We are not religious; we are scientists, but we have our short life to return to the ground.” They romanticized their job following their passion for volcanoes and each other. Katia observed 170 volcanos, Maurice 150, 20 less than her.

Maurice prefers an intense and short life to a monotonous, long one. In his existentialist philosophy, he feels his life is a kamikaze in the beauty of volcanic things and the strenuous sounds of the volcano explosions. 

They developed a new classification theory for volcanos: Red and Grey. They named Red Volcanoes because of their red magma moving plates underneath and Grey Volcanoes after the grey smoke and ashes. Red volcanoes produce the most fertile soil for plant and vegetable growth. But these were the more explosive, the monster volcanoes, the killer volcanoes, such as Mount St. Helens in the US near Vancouver, Canada.


“Volcanology is a science of observation. The closer they get, the more they see.” With new gear, they could get closer to the edge. In their fascination for danger, the unknown is not to be feared, but something is not torn. When the Krakatoa erupted in Indonesia in 1971, they studied chemistry and water composition, the acidity that kills every organism surrounding the volcanoes. In 1973, they visited one of the most active volcanoes in the world. Mt. Nyiragongo in Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of Congo, will continue the studies of lava and soil composition.

The signs before a blast are the alteration of minerals, gases, soil temperature, and tremors that ignite an eruption, but there is no certainty to know when or at what time. “Going to the site of a volcano eruption is like playing Russian roulette - you never know when you will be killed,” said Maurice.  


In 1985, the volcano Nevado del Ruíz erupted in Colombia, killing around 25,000 people while they were sleeping. The government ignored the warnings for evacuation, and Katia arrived to testify about the damage. Since then, the Kraffts’ film has been used as educational material to warn the communities close to the volcanos to evacuate and save lives because timing is everything.

Independent writer, producer & director Miranda July narrates “Fire of Love.” FestivalinLA ©2011

Independent filmmaker Miranda July's narration (“Kajillionaire,” “Me You and Everyone We Know,” “The Future”) is descriptive and evocative. 

Sara Dosa, Fire of Love
Sara Dosa, director of "Fire of Love." Photo by José Alberto Hermosillo. FestivalinLA ©2023

The documentary, co-written and directed by Sara Dosa (producer of the Academy-nominated “The Edge of Democracy”), powerfully portrays the well-selected material. Dosa did a marvelous job assembling this gigantic puzzle on Krafft’s materials, studies, and discoveries.

Legendary German filmmaker Werner Herzog worked on a few projects focused on the Kraffts - “The Fire Within” and “Into the Inferno.” Still, nothing compares with the force that “Fire of Love” has through imagery and consistent structure.

The material selected can be compared with the fabric of other Academy Award-winning music discoveries, such as “Summer of Soul” or the story of “Amy” about the life of Amy Winehouse, where the home videos are sticking material for the world to connect with the legendary singer.

What keeps us watching the documentary is the fantastic material and the lives of those two passionate French investigators who pursue their dreams and dare, like no one else, to go further. Katia, Maurice, and the Volcanos love story. 

Fire of Love Trailer | National Geographic

Sara Dosa, director of “Fire of Love.” Film critic José Alberto Hermosillo. FestivalinLA ©2023

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Sunday, January 31, 2021

Two of Us: Juliette & Juliette of Montpellier

 By José Alberto Hermosillo 

http://www.festivalinla.com/2021/01/two-of-us-juliette-juliette-of.html

“Two of Us” is a sublime, evocative, profound, and unforgettable love story that goes beyond expectations and prejudices.

When the external beauty is almost gone, love still clings to the lives of loving partners Nina (Barbara Sukowa) and Madeline (Martine Chevallier). These two retirees live together in separate apartments across the hall of the same building. The couple desires to spend the rest of their lives in “A Room with a View” of the Tiber River in Rome, where they met years ago.

The duo’s plan starts by selling Madeline’s place and moving to Italy as soon as possible. But first, Madeline has to “come out” to her children. 

This intimate melodrama turns tormented and passionate when Madeline can’t accomplish her goal and conceals her secret at her birthday party. 

Madeline’s passivity triggers an array of repercussions - betrayal is not forgivable to her children, and it is neither an option for her lover because hiding the truth is still a lie. Resilience is the only ammunition they have to keep their dream alive.

Two of Us ©2020 Magnolia Pictures 

This Shakespearean drama rises to a crescendo when the couple’s right to be together is jeopardized.    

Meticulously crafted, the French production is realistic, showing how Nina is not a “legal” part of Madeline’s family to be accepted at the hospital.

The film’s narrative discloses an “untold” legal loophole in institutions where laws don’t recognize same-sex partners as part of the immediate family to visit patients in critical conditions. The 2013 influential documentary “Bridegroom” by Linda Bloodworth-Thomason discloses a similar scenario where domestic partners can’t see the person they love and live in emergency rooms, even if they are dying. A similar case is presented in the Oscar-winning Chilean film “A Fantastic Woman.”

Hard to conceive and reinforce the social stigma, “Two of Us” is set in a small French Catholic town not easily opened to a lesbian relationship, even though it is now the XXI Century.

The novel Italian director Filippo Meneghetti spoke to us at a virtual premiere hosted by Julianne Moore in Los Angeles. He noted that this, his first film made in France, had a long maturation process. 

“Two of Us” is the story of two human beings who want to spend the rest of their lives together. The Italian director pointed out that the facts of their natural life are told most surprisingly and painfully in his movie. 

Filippo Meneghetti director of Two of Us, Rome. Festival in LA ©2021
Filippo Meneghetti, director of Two of Us, Rome. Photo: José A  Hermosillo. Festival in LA ©2021

Years ago, he witnessed a similar situation with two significant persons. They taught him his love for cinema. Therefore, he felt compelled to tell their story as an act of gratitude.

Visiting another friend in Verona, where the “Romero and Juliette” tragedy occurs, Meneghetti saw two widows living in apartments across from each other. When he looked closer, their story clicked with his. It is a simple metaphor where the doors at the lovers’ apartments never close. 

He worked on the eloquent script with his co-writer, Malysone Bovorasmy, for five years. They always played with the idea of ambiguity. From the beginning, Meneghetti wanted to create a different atmosphere where nothing is accurate, and everything is a reality.

Two of Us ©2020 Magnolia Pictures

In Meneghetti’s story, every character has an agenda. Madeline’s daughter won’t accept her mother’s relationship with another woman. Her son is questioning how faithful his mother was to his dead father. The caregiver needs money badly. Only the six-year-old grandson looks more tolerant of his grandma’s liaison.

He said the casting was tricky. When Meneghetti writes, he never knows who will play a character. He wanted two opposite, strong, professional actresses for the leads. The cast was a gift from heaven since the troupers’ chemistry happened instantaneously. The film took a lot of work to pitch for financing. Who will put money into a movie about two elderly women in love? The shooting took thirty-one days.   

Two of Us ©2020 Magnolia Pictures

German actress Barbara Sukowa (“Hannah Arendt,” “Cradle Will Rock,” “Lola”) extraordinarily plays the fictional character of Nina Dorn. At the virtual premiere, Hannah mentioned that she was inspired by Julianne Moore’s performance in “The Kids Are All Right” for her part. Mrs. Sukowa’s performance is fierce, aggressive, and powerful. Her character is a well-traveled tour guide working in Rome.

Madeline Girard, splendidly executed by Martine Chevallier (“Farewell, My Queen,” “Tell No One,” “Blame it on Fidel”), is phenomenal. Her interpretation is stoic and breathtaking. Both actresses compliment each other flawlessly.

Composed by Michele Menini, the soundtrack is astounding and subtle. The music organically reinforces the actor’s gestures, dialogs, and intentions. In the most dramatic parts, the instrumental composition is faintly audible. Still, it enhances the emotions purely, contrasting with the dazzling Italian main melody, “Chariot,” performed by Betty Curtis, which appears in the impassioned opening and ties up at the sudden and thrilling resolution.


“Two of Us” is a fascinating drama co-produced by France, Luxembourg, and Belgium. It was selected as the French entry for Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards. Filippo Meneghetti mentioned that representing France at the Oscars is an honor because his movie is a work of love and collaboration.

The trailer can create some kind of prejudice. However, the spectator doesn’t need to be “open-minded” or “narrow-minded” to appreciate this unprecedented and emblematic project. The film is about love, resilience, and compassion between two remarkable human beings. Two of Us is miraculous!

Witnessing “Two of Us” was a delightful experience. The film has plenty of symbolism, joined by great music, talented actors, a bold director, terrific production value, and splendid scenery—the ingredients to make it one of the best movies of 2020. 

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