Filmfestivalen 2017

In these times of so-called alternative facts, it’s important to remember that fact deniers have been around forever. Be it gravity, spherical earth, evolution or climate change they deny, staunch opposers of scientific inquiry have been, and still are, a stain on humanity. Perhaps none more despicable than the Holocaust denier. Timothy Spall shines as the reality denier, even giving him a slight ounce of humanity, thereby making him even more of an arsehole, as he otherwise would have been pure evil of the kind that actually doesn’t exist in this world. The rest of the cast do a great job as well, especially Tom Wilkinson. Rachel Weisz is good as always, but I’m not sure about that supposed accent.

Denial deals with an extremely important issue. Filmwise, it’s not much more than a well performed, well executed courtroom drama, but the subject at hand raises the grade half a notch.

Failed the Bechdel test

4 holes of 6

https://festival.giff.se/events/denial

www.imdb.com/title/tt4645330/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_1

With intricate set pieces and beautiful costumes, Lone Scherfig captures the with tragedy interspersed melancholy of WW2 London, adding warmth and humour to the mix. It’s less about the war and more about the equal rights of women and the propaganda (or boosting the morale, depending on your point of view). The script is clever and the actors deliver with great aplomb. Just as it seems that the story will fall into one of the very clichés it strives to avoid, expectations are subversed. Bonus for Bill Nighy playing the same character he always plays, and does so excellently.

Passed the Bechdel test

5 air raids of 6

https://festival.giff.se/events/their-finest

www.imdb.com/title/tt1661275/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_1

I like mockumentaries. Forgotten silver, This is Spinal Tap and two absolutely genial episodes of Community springs to mind. This is of the fly-on-the-wall format, which can be hard to pull off, even though the director duo has background as actual documentarians. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. What is supposed to be funny slapstick falls flat (because, you know, slapstick), what serves as getting to know the people along the way (through interviews, overhearing conversations, reaction shots) often works fine. An uneven film that nevertheless does not disappoint. The scene with the barefoot mayor is brilliant.

Failed the Bechdel test

3 Balkan states of 6

https://festival.giff.se/events/king-of-the-belgians

www.imdb.com/title/tt4818804/?ref_=nm_knf_i4

We’ve seen it all before: girl’s best friend plans to get married, girl says she has a date for the wedding to save face, girl tries desperately to find date, girl falls for planner/photographer/caterer/officiator instead, girl doesn’t accept that, girl lashes out at girl’s best friend, girl comes to her senses and goes to the p/p/c/o.

Only this time, the formula isn’t strictly adhered to. The fact that the film is in the HBTQ section of the programme hints at what differs A date for Mad Mary from other romcoms in the ‘my mate is getting married and I’m not’ category, but there’s more. The characters feels genuine and they are performed by accomplished actors. Everything doesn’t happen as one would expect, and the fact that I happened to attend an Irish wedding a while back adds credibility and familiarity. Not enough to make a life lasting impression, but for the duration of the film, for sure.

Passed the Bechdel test

3 speeches of 6

https://festival.giff.se/events/a-date-for-mad-mary

www.imdb.com/title/tt4197642/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_lk1

Films from the former Yugoslavia are pretty much always about the war. Or have the war as a backdrop. Or deal with the aftermath of the war. And On the Milky Road is no different, at least in that respect. Of course, since it’s Kusturica, it’s not just grit and trenches and misery, but silliness, laughter, love and music.

It’s well-paced; often quick, never boring, and it slows down when it needs to. It feels like Rube Goldberg is in the works, both contraption-wise and in the chain of events that shape the stories. The landscape is stunning, there are some memorable acting performances (Sloboda Micalovic as Milena shines particularly bright) and every scene involving animals is dramatic, funny, beautiful or, you know, all of the above.

It’s not very coherent, though, and sometimes it feels that Kusturica is just being Kusturica for the sake of it. Still, highly entertaining.

Failed the Bechdel test

4 geese of 6

https://festival.giff.se/events/on-the-milky-road

www.imdb.com/title/tt2800340/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_1