[Film] Fly Away Home (Maikäfer flieg)

18 May 2017

“Fly Away Home (Maikäfer flieg)”---European Union Film Festival

Release Year: 2016

Country: Austria

Director: Mirjam Unger

Cast: Zita Gaier, Ursula Strauss, Gerald Votava, Konstantin Khabenskiy

Location I watched: National Gallery Singapore

Story from the programme booklet:

Vienna 1945: The powder keg of war and the Russian occupation as seen through the innocent eyes of nine-year old Christine. Bombed out and penniless, she and her family are put up in a fancy villa in the outskirts of Vienna, a moment when class differences get amplified and all families in the house just want to survive. After the German soldiers capitulate, the Russians take over the house. Everybody is scared of the Russians, except Christine. Based on a novel by Christine Nöstlinger, the most popular children’s book author in Germany and Austria.

On the day before this screening, I saw a lady who came to the venue at the wrong time and watched “Kincsen - Bet on Revenge” instead of “Insyriated”. Now, I have made a similar mistake, too. This “Fly Away Home” started from 7pm, but I mistakenly thought the start was 7:30pm. I was near the venue at 7pm. However, thinking I was early, I was innocently eating dinner. When I saw there was nobody in the lobby of the venue, I realized my mistake. I assume that I missed the first 15 minutes or so. When I started watching the film, the protagonist, Christine and her family were already in the villa and her father has just returned to his family.

Generally, I do not like films with children or animals very much. The nine-year old protagonist, Christine is restless and selfish. She is not a likable person for me. “Fly Away Home” is describing the world seen through her eyes, so the camera movement is active like her. As she is a child, she still does not completely understand about war. However, she experiences many things.

There are some memorable scenes. Christina’s mother used to work for Mrs. von Braun, the mistress of the villa. That is why she got Mrs. von Braun’s offer and Christina’s family could stay in her villa. When Mrs. von Braun arrived with her small son later, she found Christine’s father who was hiding there. (Christina’s father is a soldier with the German Army, but he got injured and deserted from the hospital.) Then, Mrs. von Braun voluntarily started telling them how her husband had died by this war, and she did not say anything else. However, both ladies---Mrs. von Braun and Christine’s mother---looked like they understood each other. It does not matter which class people are belonging to. Everybody is suffering from war, but it is precious that we are still surviving. I think that they shared such feelings.

Christina became friends with one of Russian soldiers, Cohn who was in charge of cooking. She asked Cohn to bring her to her grandparents’ place in the town. Christina was proud that her grandmother was a brave woman. However, the grandmother that Christina saw in their apartment had become paranoid for fear of the war. It made Christina disappointed and sad. That scene is also impressive.

After bringing Christina to her grandparents’ place, Cohn was regarded as a deserter and arrested. Christina felt a sense of responsibility to that he could not return. She insisted on sleeping in his hut to wait for him. I did not like her initially, but from this scene, I began to have a good feeling for her.

Finally the Russian troops were departing from the villa. Actually Mrs. von Braun had an affair with the Major of the troops to take advantage of them. When Christina knew they were leaving, she told Mrs. von Braun that the Major would probably visit her again. However, Mrs. von Braun coolly said that she would forget him. Christina did not understand adults’ “situation”. She thought that Mrs. von Braun likes the Major and tried to comfort her. Now I felt Christina more adorable.

Friendship with a kind Russian cook, glancing at the world of adults... through many-sided experiences like a prism by a nine-year old girl, this film describes many things in the “empty” time at the end of the war; hunger, violence, changed people and unchanged family’s tie... It was terribly sorry for me to miss the first part. (5 January 2019)

[Film] Kincsem - Bet on Revenge (Kincsem)

17 May 2017

“Kincsem - Bet on Revenge (Kincsem)”---European Union Film Festival

Release Year: 2017

Country: Hungary

Director: Gabor Herendi

Cast: Ervin Nagy, Andrea Petrik, Tibor Gaspar

Location I watched: National Gallery Singapore

Story from the programme booklet:

Hungarian aristocrat and supreme horse trainer Sandor Blaskovich was accused of treason and killed by his former friend, Austrian officer Otto von Oettingen. His son, the dashing Erno Blaskovich (Ervin Nagy) has lost everything in the aftermath of the 1848-1849 Hungarian revolution, including their family castle which von Oettingen takes over forcing him to move into a labourer’s cottage. Erno’s bohemian lifestyle gets a chance of redemption in the form of Kincsem, the miraculous horse who wins every single race across Europe. Fate offers a shot at revenge, giving Erno the chance to beat his nemesis and father’s murderer, fellow horse owner von Oettingen. However, their rivalry takes an unexpected turn, when Blaskovich falls in love with Klara, von Oettingen’s daughter. Can love triumph revenge?

A man who has lost everything, seeking revenge, falling love with his enemy’s daughter... The first impression from the programme booklet story is that this is a serious film. However, “Kincsem – Bet on Revenge” is actually an enjoyable entertainment film. It is a luxurious, spectacular and light period drama without dignity which is sometimes required for period dramas.

The theme of falling in love with his enemy’s daughter might sound old-fashioned, but the film does not make it so. Erno and Klara, von Oettingen’s daughter, know each other at the beginning of the film. Erno was a hopeless horse owner who bets on other’s horses instead of his own horse. However, he met Kincsem which could not be easily tamed. When Kincsem escaped from Klara’s riding ground, Ermo accidentally chased after this horse. Then he turned to be serious for Kincsem. Eventually Ermo got Kincsem’s ownership from Klara and started to train her. In the meantime, Klara got to know Erno’s talent for horse training and paid respect to him. As the film title shows, Kincsem, the female horse is the center of the story. I like that the film does not go off the track with Kincsem’s story. The last shot in the film is of he (Erno), she (Klara) and of course, the horse, Kincsem.

Although Kincsem is a real racehorse in the 1870s, “Kincsem – Bet on Revenge” is a fictional story, I think. However, since this film is for Kincsem, the most important fact, Kincsem’s unbeaten record cannot be changed. Kincsem is so famous that a lot of audience may know her legendary record even before watching this film, 54 wins out of 54 races. In that case, how was this well-known fact developed into a story to attract the audience?

Firstly, the owner’s character is initially set as a loser. To change his life, he must win with Kincsem. That is why her debut race scene is so exciting. When Kincsem won for the first time, Erno looked as if he almost started to cry and faint before he congratulated himself on this victory. This scene was convincing and funny. Secondly, a special situation is created where the owner does not want Kincsem to win. Erno’s love for Klara, his enemy’s daughter prepares for this situation, too. This unbeaten horse must lose in this film? It makes the audience uncertain and engages them in the race, even if we know Kincsem’s real history.

By the way, when the film ended, a lady sitting next to me asked, “What time will “Insyriated” start?” “Insyriated” is another European Union Film Festival (EUFF) title, a Belgium film about a Syrian family who is desperately trying to be together in their apartment while a war rages outside. Although I have not watched this film, obviously it seems to be a serious film, a perfect opposite of “Kincsem”. I answered her that “Insyriated” is scheduled from 9 pm after “Kincsem”. Then, she said, “Alamak! I watched a wrong film!” Actually she bought a ticket for “Insyriated”, but she came at the wrong time. (For some reasons, the ticket taker did not check the film title of her ticket.) Even after the film started, she did not realize for a while that she came at the wrong time. Since some EUFF screenings show a short film before the main program, she thought that “Insyriated” would start after this “short” film. Of course, “Kincsem” is not a short film, so she noticed her mistake on the half way. But eventually she watched through “Kincsem” till the end. She said, “It’s OK, it was an enjoyable film, right?” (October 7, 2018)

[Film] Miracle (Stebuklas)

15 May 2017

“Miracle (Stebuklas)”---European Union Film Festival

Release Year: 2017

Country: Lithuania

Director: Egle Vertelyte

Cast: Egle Mikulionyte, Vyto Ruginis

Location I watched: National Gallery Singapore

Story from the programme booklet:

It is 1992 and Lithuania has shifted from communism to capitalism, leaving the small collective pig farm managed by Irena, in dire straits. She struggles to keep the farm and her workers afloat when a handsome American, Bernardas, arrives, pledging to save the struggling enterprise and turns Irena’s family life and the village’s routine upside-down. As Irena falls for his charms, she realizes that his intentions may not be entirely innocent.

In the programme booklet, “Miracle” is categorized as Drama/Comedy. But if you expected a comedy, you would be disappointed with this film. Although there are some scenes that try to make the audience laugh, basically this is not a funny film. Like Irena, the protagonist, the film is earnest. Irena’s town is going to be swallowed by the drastic change of society. She does not know what she can do, but anyway she is trying to do something to make the situation better. Then, a suspicious American man appears. The film seems to reflect those days and it is not fun.

Eventually Irena lost everything：the pig farm with the memories of her late father, the pigs, her husband and her love. However, when she lost everything, ironically she got pregnant. She was blessed with a baby despite already having given up. In the last scene of the film, she visits a church. She may have felt it a kind of revelation, but she does not pray. I do not think that she has got her faith by this incident. “Miracle” is a story about a middle-aged woman reaches the turning point of her life with society’s big change. Everything does not go well. I am not sure if Irena’s pregnancy under this situation is a joyful happening or not. However, she still tries to restart her life. She sets off alone. Even though the basic tone of the film was gray, the ending was something refreshing.

By the way, Bernardas, the American, came to Irena’s pig farm because his late mother told him there is prosperity under a maple tree located in the farm. However, the result just gave Bernardas disappointment because the “prosperity” was just a family secret related to his birth... Mother, you should have told him such an important and personal matter directly. Why did you tell him such a vague story? Didn’t you like him? (September 21, 2018)

[Film] Tulipani: Love, Honour and a Bicycle (Tulipani: Liefde, Eer en een Fiets)

12 May 2018

“Tulipani: Love, Honour and a Bicycle (Tulipani: Liefde, Eer en een Fiets)”---European Union Film Festival

Release Year: 2017

Country: The Netherlands

Director: Mike van Diem

Cast: Ksenia Solo, Gijs Naber

Location I watched: National Gallery Singapore

Story from the programme booklet:

It tells the story of a romantic Dutch farmer named Gauke (Gijs Naber) who after losing his farm during the floods of 1953 is determined to never ever have wet socks again. He cycles to the sizzling hot south of Italy to start a new life. Due to his miraculous tulip trade, his passionate love life and his turbulent scuffles with the dubious local business practices, he becomes a living legend – to then suddenly disappear. Thirty years later, an Italian police inspector (Giancarlo Giannini) attempts to unravel the story, but struggles to distinguish fact from fiction. With the help of a young Canadian woman Anna (Ksenia Solo) he discovers what truly happened.

European Union Film Festival came back this year. Last year, when I watched a Dutch film, “Beyond Sleep”, I saw many quite tall people in the audience. This year at the screening of “Tulipani”, I saw many quite tall people in the audience again; I suspect maybe Dutch people. The film features tulips, a bicycle and a legendary Dutchman in Italy---three things praising the Netherlands. The bicycle is actually not related to the story very much. The first scene is set in Canada and the main scenes are set in Italy. For that reason, attending this screening were not only the ambassador of the Netherlands, but also the ambassador of Italy and the High Commissioner of Canada.

The programme booklet says, “he (the police inspector) discovers what truly happened”. However, it is slightly doubtful whether the past events from thirty years ago are true or not. I think that is also the reason why “Tulipani: Love, Honour and a Bicycle” is a charming film

When the film starts, the protagonist, Anna is cycling to see her mother in the hospital in Canada. Before Mother passes away, she asks Anna to bring her ash to her hometown, a village in South Italy. Anna turns her down because doing that is not allowed by law. But Mother replies that if you put it to a container and secretly bring it overseas, nobody will notice that. After her death, Anna finds that Mother has already prepared a cheap plastic container. Although the film begins with the death of Mother, it is already funny.

Anna travels to Italy with the container. In the next scene, she is carried on the back seat of a motorcycle. She is lying her face down and exposing her injured buttock with panties. The motorcycle is running through the deserted brown lands and a small village with stone pavements. In spite of her injury, Anna is happily laughing for some reasons. After Anna is admitted to a hospital for treatment, a police inspector visits her. He says that he came to arrest Anna on suspicion of murder. From here, Anna, the motorcycle driver and his mother (a widow who is her late mother’s friend) start telling the inspector the story of what happened after Anna came to their village nine days ago. They also tell the story of what happened after a Dutchman called Gauke suddenly came to their village thirty years ago, just like the current Anna.

Anna was laughing as she was carried with her injured buttocks exposed in public. That shocking scene grips the audience’s heart from the film’s start. Why is she so happy? Eventually that funny mystery is revealed at the end of their story, but as mentioned before, the story, especially the parts told by the widow, seems to be doubtful or exaggerated. For example, according to the widow, Gauke came to their village after riding a bicycle from the Netherlands to Italy in just five days. If it is true, to come straight to Italy, he must have crossed the mountains in Switzerland or Austria by bicycle... Understandably, the inspector interrupts them when he comes to a point where it is difficult to believe the story. Gradually, however, he becomes attracted by that suspicious story.

There is a story having Gauke as the protagonist thirty years ago. And there is another story about Anna who heard Gauke’s story. However, these two stories are told later as one connected story in front of somebody completely unrelated. This structure is quite effective for this film, I think. It is like an oral tradition. The entire story sounds to be true, but some parts are too unrealistic and fantastic to believe. However, when the story mixed with fantasy is told, that storytelling makes Gauke the legend of the village. After all, in the end, the inspector has chosen to believe the story as Anna had believed before him. For me, this probable and improbable story is funny, touching and enjoyable. In this film, the only disappointing point is Computer Graphics for an explosion scene in a cave. The fire did not look like real fire very much.

After the screening, when the audience left the venue, beautiful live tulips were handed out one by one. The Netherlands Embassy was working very hard to promote their country. (September 18, 2018)

The tulip I brought back home

[Film] Planet Single (Planeta Singli)

20 May 2017

“Planet Single (Planeta Singli)”---European Union Film Festival

Release Year: 2016

Country: Poland

Director: Mitja Okorn

Cast: Maciej Stuhr, Agnieszka Wiedlocha, Piotr Glowacki

Location I watched: National Gallery Singapore

Story from the programme booklet:

Ania is charming, romantic, though not too self-confident teacher who is looking for her ideal man on internet dating sites. On Valentine’s evening, she meets Tomek who hosts the most popular and controversial TV show in the country. Admiring her innocent romanticism, the showman offers her to become a heroine of his program. She will make dates online and he will reveal true faces of the men flirting in the net and ridicule these naïve women who seek their princes online. Ania’s crazy dating adventures turn out to be an instant hit. However, one day Ania unexpectedly encounters her ideal boyfriend.

Dinner at Tomek's house. Uncler what they are eating

“Planet Single” in this film is a fictional dating application that is similar to “Tinder”. On Valentine Day, the protagonist, Ania made the first date with a man who became acquainted through the Planet Single application, but he never appeared. A popular TV host, Tomek happened to be in the same restaurant where she was waiting for her “boyfriend”. He spotted her and immediately understood her situation. He spoke to her, a total stranger for him, in a conceited and rude manner and she really got angry with him. Their first meeting was the worst. But as they know more about each other, they gradually become attracted… It is the perfect pattern for a romantic comedy. The story does not only concentrate on Ania and Tomek, but many characters also appear and develop their episodes. While I was watching, I wondered how all the episodes would conclude, but they somehow came together at the film’s ending after all. However, the film had so much high spirits that the duration is a little bit too long over 120 minutes. It is a weak point of the film, I think.

Tomek has his own show on TV with puppets he designed. To boost the audience ratings, his boss orders Tomek to reveal the real identity of his puppet heroine, which is actually Ania, in the last episode of the show. I thought the live broadcasting of the last episode would be this film’s climax. For example, Tomek proposes to Ania during the broadcasting and although it is different from the boss’s initial intention, the audience rating gets high. However, such a terrible cliché did not happen. I felt evaded by Tomek at first, but actually it is a reasonable conclusion. Tomek keeps his promise for her never to reveal her identity till the end, taking a risk to sacrifice his career. The real climax comes later in the film and it makes the audience laugh and happy.

This romantic comedy creates laughter from situations and body expressions more than from dialogue. As that works well, the film is sometimes quite funny. One of the most memorable scenes, Tomek desperately asks for help to his friend and business partner, Marcel, shouting his name outside his apartment at midnight. Finally Marcel came out, wearing Japanese Yukata (casual Kimono clothes, sometimes used as nightwear) printed with a Japanese hotel name and disposable slippers…When you stay in a hotel in Japan, you can take the disposable slippers. But please do NOT bring that Yukata back to your home. It belongs to the hotel… Another good point is that Ania has an irresistible charm. It is a lovable film.

This screening was in conjunction with the Polish Food Festival. So before the film starts, there was a reception with Polish refreshments. But when I reached the venue, the food was almost gone. Anyway, in the film, many nice restaurants, cafés and bars appear as a venue where Ania dates with her Internet boyfriends. However, since the situation is always a first meeting, she does not eat almost anything. While we see various eating places, we do not see actual eating scenes. It is a unique concept, but we cannot know what Polish cuisine look like by this film. As a promotion for the Polish Food Festival, I am not sure if this was good or not. (23 June 2017)

[Film] The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (Hymyileva Mies)

12 May 2017

“The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki (Hymyileva Mies)”---European Union Film Festival

Release Year: 2014

Country: Finland

Director: Juho Kuosmanen

Cast: Jarkko Lahti, Oona Airola, Eero Milonoff

Location I watched: National Gallery Singapore

Story from the programme booklet:

The true story of Olli Maki, the famous Finnish boxer who had a shot at the 1962 World Featherweight title. Immensely talented and equally modest, Olli’s small town life is transformed when he is swept into national stardom and suddenly regarded as a symbol of his country. There’s only one problem: Olli has just fallen in love. Inside of the ring, it is Finland v the USA, but outside, boxing and romance become unlikely adversaries vying for Olli’s attention.

This scene looks like a boxing film.

Boxing is one of film’s favorite sports. There have been many dramas about victory or tragedy from hardship with ambition and maybe love. In “The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki”, the boxing scenes do not cut corners. Olli Maki, also known as “The Baker from Kokkola”, is working hard. Especially His struggle to lose weight clearly shows the cruelty of boxing. Nevertheless, this film is actually not a drama about boxing. His title challenge in the summer of 1962 was shot like a film of those days on black and white 16mm. The film does not stir the audience’s emotion unnecessarily. It observes Olli as a humble and easy-going young man who is far from the ordinary image of a boxer. Olli’s confusion and the excitement of those around him are described with controlled humour and modest satire.

“You don’t have to take the responsibility for others’ selfish dreams.” Olli’s girlfriend, Raija cheered him up. This film is not a drama about boxing. This film is a story about how to live your life. Victory and love can sometimes come together, but sometimes it does not. The important thing is not to lose yourself. If you do not lose yourself, even when victory does not come, happiness may come. The English title of this film is ironic and at the same time, it is true. That day of the title match, the 17th of August in 1962 became the happiest day for Olli.

“When we get older, will we become like them?” Raija said to Olli, as they notice a passing elderly couple taking a walk peacefully on the harbour. That onscreen couple is the real Mr. Olli Maki and Mdm. Raija Maki.

By the way, there is a sequence where Olli takes Raija to a “show” in Helsinki. The show is very simple. There is a big water tank on the stage. Two women in bikini are lying on the board set up at each side above the tank. When the show starts, the audience throws tennis balls at the pole supporting the board. If the balls hit the target, the women splash down into the water. That is all. The show finishes in a few minutes. That is a vulgar and sad reflection of Olli’s summer days in his peaceful hometown. I am not sure that such a lame “show” really existed or not in Helsinki in the 1960’s. Anyway, as I personally like circus or tent show very much, that scene was quite curious and attractive. (13 June 2017)

[Film] Beyond Sleep (Beyond Sleep)

12 May 2017

“Beyond Sleep (Beyond Sleep)”---European Union Film Festival

Release Year: 2016

Country: The Netherlands

Director: Boudewijn Koole

Cast: Reinout Scholten van Aschat, Pål Sverre Hagen

Location I watched: National Gallery Singapore

This year, European Union Film Festival had 27 films from 27 countries, but I watched only 3 films. It was a shame. The venue changed to The Ngee Ann Kongsi Auditorium in National Gallery Singapore from this year. National Gallery is an enchanting place, but the auditorium is not suitable for screening at all. As the screen is too far from the seats, only the rows from the first to third are good ones. Anyway, here are my small reviews for the films I watched.

Story from the programme booklet:

Young geologist Alfred ventures out into the swampy North of Norway to research meteorite craters, trying to continue the work his father left off when he died during a similar trip. He searches, stumbles and suffers only to find redemption on the very edge of madness. Based on the iconic, bestselling Dutch novel “Nooit meer slapen” by W. F. Hermans.

During the last 10 years, climbing or hiking in mountains is getting popular among young ladies in Japan. But as I watched this film, I thought that I would never want to go on a hiking trip. The protagonist, Alfred, a geologist from the Netherlands, goes on a research trip to the fiords of Norway. The grand nature is extremely beautiful under the weak white light of the summer sun that never sets. However, Alfred’s journey is quite tough physically and mentally. He walks deep into the fiords area with his guide and two researchers. Except him, all three members are Norwegian. For Alfred, it is his first experience of research in a swampy fiords area. While the other members are used to walking there, Alfred has to struggle to keep up with them. Besides, Alfred can only communicate with them in English, but once they start talking in Norwegian, he feels a sense of alienation. Nature is beautiful, but severe for him. Even when he sleeps, nature sends mosquitoes to his tent. In addition to those painful situations, unlucky accidents happen one after another on him. He is gradually losing the mental balance. Finally he becomes almost mad, mixing up the present with his traumatic past… Now you know why I do not feel like going hiking after watching this film… Anyway, in overcoming this hell tour, Alfred finds an ironic ending waiting for him. The lyrical scene with a girl just before the end of the film leaves an enigmatic echo against his hardship and sorrow. (8 June 2017)

[Film] The Dark Valley (Das finstere Tal)

22 May 2016

“The Dark Valley (Das finstere Tal)”---European Union Film Festival

Release Year: 2014

Country: Austria

Director: Andreas Prochaska

Cast: Sam Riley, Paula Beer

Location I watched: Golden Village Suntec

Story from the programme booklet:

A remote high mountain valley towards the end of the 19^th century. A stranger, Greider, arrives at a clannish village community and asks if he can take shelter for the winter. He knows the villagers’ gloomy secret. A mysterious series of deaths ensues.

A wanderer arrives at a small village in a valley between deep mountains, saves a young girl in trouble by the evil master of the village and leaves again. This should be a familiar Cowboy Western plot style. But when this plot is set in the extremely cold climate in the Alps together with vengeance against the blood ties of a clan, the film becomes something different. An isolated village, brutal murders and tragedies caused by secret blood relations…the film is like an Alps version of Detective KINDAICHI Kosuke series (***) with gorgeous gun action scenes. It is an enjoyable film. (26 May 2016)

Mr. Greider (Sam Riley)-a photographer/gunman

***Detective KINDAICHI Kosuke is one of the most famous fictional detectives in the history of Japanese mystery. The author of the original novel series is YOKOMIZO Seishi. The series have been adapted for films many times. Director ICHIKAWA Kon’s works (“The Inugami Family (Inugami-ke no Ichizoku)”, “The Devil’s Ballad (Akuma no Temari-uta)” and so on) are the most famous and acclaimed.

[Film] Boss Wants a Happy Ending (Patron Mutlu Son Istiyor)

17 May 2016

“Boss Wants a Happy Ending (Patron Mutlu Son Istiyor)”---European Union Film Festival

Release Year: 2014

Country: Turkey

Director: Kivanc Baruonu

Cast: Tolga Cevik, Ezgi Mola

Location I watched: Golden Village Suntec

Story from the programme booklet:

Sinan is sent to Cappadocia by his boss, Isfendiyar to write a screenplay. As he waits for inspiration, Sinan finds himself running first into Eylul, the daughter of Izzet, who owns the hotel where he’s booked to stay, and then into soap opera star Faruk, his former good friend and present enemy.

At Cappadocia, a world-famous tourist spot, Sinan, a scenario writer falls in love with Eylul. However, she is getting married to an actor who used to be Sinan’s friend. Although “Boss Wants a Happy Ending” is not a musical, the film’s presentation and atmosphere reminds me of a Bollywood entertainment film.

This film’s title, “Boss Wants a Happy Ending” becomes a key point of the film itself. Sinan starts writing a scenario based on himself and Eylul. But, he thinks that he should not realistically spoil others’ wedding and returns to his home in Istanbul. His scenario also means ending with his broken heart. However, his boss, a studio tycoon is really unsatisfied with Sinan’s scenario. The boss said, “The audience never wants such a sad ending. Once you wrote about yourself, in order to write a happy ending, you must win this love!” While this sounds logical, but actually it does not make any sense at all. The boss gives Sinan his speech purely from money and business, while in the steam bath, surrounded by almost naked beauties. Anyway, Sinan is encouraged (?) by his boss and returns to Cappadocia in order to make a reality that he and his film wants. It is a romantic and funny metacinema. (18 May 2016)

[Film] Phoenix (Phoenix)

14 May 2016

“Phoenix (Phoenix)”---European Union Film Festival

Release Year: 2014

Country: Germany

Director: Christian Petzold

Cast: Nina Hoss, Ronald Zehrfeld

Location I watched: Golden Village Suntec

Story from the programme booklet:

Narrowly escaping with her life but severely injured, Nelly (Nina Hoss), a Jewish concentration camp survivor returns to Berlin to piece together the fragments of her past. In the care of her friend Lene, Nelly recovers from her facial reconstruction surgery, after which she bears a mere resemblance to her former self. When she meets her husband Johnny, he fails to recognize Nelly, convinced that his wife is dead.

Although “Phoenix” is set in the period just after World War Two, it is a minimal psychological drama, with a small cast and limited locations. A man tries to revive a dead woman using a new woman, but actually those two women are the same one woman. This concept is similar to Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo”. However, the story of “Phoenix” is told throughout only from the woman’s point of view. Unlike Kim Novak as Judy who wants to leave herself dead, here, Nelly, the “dead” woman wants to get back to her past self with the man, her husband Johnny. But unlike James Stewart as Scottie, Johnny wants to leave her dead. He is trying to make the new Nelly his wife Nelly only for getting her inheritance. He does not recognize they are the same person.

An old acquaintance, a housekeeper auntie could recognize Nelly because she was wearing a familiar red dress and made up like before. Johnny, however, could not recognize the new Nelly when he saw her at a nightclub for the first time, even though Nelly was unnaturally staring at him, just a nightclub waiter. Perhaps, it showed his inner desire that Nelly stays dead because of his guilt. Johnny secretly divorced Nelly to save his own life during the War.

The husband’s betrayal was revealed to the audience in the early part of the film, so throughout the rest of the film we observe Nelly uneasily when she finds the truth. That is the central suspense of the film and keeps us drawn. Finally Nelly realized that no matter how strongly she longed for the happy past, it would never return, never revive. The actress, Nina Hoss playing Nelly with strong eyes, sings Kurt Weill’s “Speak Low”, hiding a flood of emotions. Even if she killed Johnny or killed herself, there would not be anything to help her. What Nelly lost by the war, what was more important than her original face cannot be taken back anymore. That is a real tragedy of war in “Phoenix”. (16 May, 2016)

[Film] Cowboys (Kauboji)

European Union Film festival in Singapore came back in May 2017. Before introducing this year’s films, here are a few film reviews from 2016.

14 May 2016

“Cowboys (Kauboji)”---European Union Film Festival

Release Year: 2013

Country: Croatia

Director: Tomislav Mrsic

Cast: Sasa Anocic, Zivko Anocic

Location I watched: Golden Village Suntec

Story from the programme booklet:

The film Cowboys is a comedy based on a Croatian hit theatre play. It is the story of eight outsiders who are trying to create a theatre play while breaking every rule of theatre craft. Genre-wise Cowboys is between social drama and comedy with an emphasis on clear stories and functionally profiled characters.

Although adapted from a theatre play, “Cowboys” does not seem to have been a play because the story does not go forward only by dialogues. It was an enjoyable film, so I felt sorry for less audience.

In a dull industrial town, seven guys and one lady try to create a theatre play to get back something meaningful in their lives. The plot is similar to the film “Full Monty”. However, unlike other films where losers team up and try to achieve something, “Cowboys” is more pleasant because it does not emphasize the emotional side to make audience weep. It always tries to keep the humour. Even in a potentially weepy scene when the characters, the amateur actors visit their dying theatre director at the hospital, there is a funny gag in the background with a patient in the same room almost getting accidentally killed by one of the actors. There is a likable spirit to the film.

“In 15 years later, theatre art culture will bloom in this town. That is fine. Now I never request you to make a masterpiece. And nobody hopes to become a professional actor.” The theatre prompter told the theatre director. As the result, what has completed is…an unexpected “physical theatre”! To put it nicely, the show by the eccentric amateur actors is avant-garde. To put it badly, the show is like a school play. Considering that all actors are novice, the result has reality. Their western play reminds me of the play by Athens citizens within Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. This amateur play’s scene looks ridiculous totally, but for some reason, the moment when Thisbe kills herself feels quite touching. Like such a direction style, “Cowboys”’ amateur western was also moving and gave their audience satisfaction at the end, for some reason.

However, in the last scene of the film, the director passed away without seeing his success. Even the scene of his death does not try to make the audience cry. It was just indicated. --- In our life, we just try to do the best what we can do, whatever the result might come. While unleashing silly gags, it seemed that the film has such a cool detached view of life. I like that point. (16 May 2016)