Film Festival Circuit 2008

[Nothing]

Did you write that article contrasting the reaction to TROPICAL MALADY between Bangkokites and the countryfolks?

Nope. Er, I'm not Tom Waller, either.

This is the most ludicrous statement I've seen yet: "Incidentally, Apichatpong also excludes western foreigners from his work, despite the vital and extremely visible role they play in the Thai society and economy."

I guess you wouldn't care to explain why it is ludicrous.

I simply am in a different camp from you.

This much is true. And I believe I've demonstrated my original point - that your dismissal of Soi Cowboy is politically motivated.

Don't you think that, for the sake of neutrality, you should program both Soi Cowboy and Citizen Juring and then hold a debate between the two directors? Throw in an Isaan taxi driver who thinks they're both a pair of idiots and I'd definitely buy a ticket to see that...

I'd rather be an elitist Thai rather than an elitist farang.

Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't have either a chauffeur or a maid.

After all, this isn't your country.

Don't worry, I've grown extremely used to nationalist xenophobia over the past decade.

[Grimfarrow]

This much is true. And I believe I've demonstrated my original point - that your dismissal of Soi Cowboy is politically motivated.

Don't you think that, for the sake of neutrality, you should program both Soi Cowboy and Citizen Juring and then hold a debate between the two directors? I'd buy a ticket to see that...

It's not politically motivated. I think it's bloated and pretentious. That's not political. I simply don't like Thomas Clay's filmmaking. Only you are saying that the film is somehow political, as if it is magically the antithesis for JULING.

And a debate between the two would only be interesting to...you, alas. If you want neutrality, then ask Tony Rayns - he's not programming either films. That's true neutrality.

ADDENDUM: that was fast! I was just reminded of the following: Apichatpong did a 60-minute video called HAUNTED HOUSE in 2001 - the film is in Isaan and features Khon Kaen villagers (I saw this at the Centre Pompidou, funnily enough). And he's doing an installation that will be focused on Isaan. His new book is on the suppression in one village in Nakorn Panom (in Isaan) during the 60s-70s.

Thanks very much to whoever that forwarded this thread to the relevant party

[Nothing]

a 60-minute video called HAUNTED HOUSE in 2001 - the film is in Isaan and features Khon Kaen villagers

Okay, I haven't see this. 1 point to you.

But... If I understand you clearly, what you are now proposing is that the existence of one virtually unseen student short, a film which doesn't even show up on the IMDB (indeed I'll have to take your word for it that this film exists) - that the existence of this one film counters the absence of Isaan working class representations in Apichatpong's entire body of mature work and the rest of Thai cinema in general? That Soi Cowboy, a film which focuses on a relationship between a foreigner and an Isaan sex worker (in an unsensationalistic manner, somewhat amazingly), that reduces it's recognisable Thai actors to bit parts whilst placing an Isaan prostitute in the starring role, that depicts the miseducation and corruption of the working classes in the home and in the school, with a two-part structure that emphasises the racial/class divide, that then ends in a tableau of power and suffering in a private sex club decorated in the Thai national colours - that this film is not political? Pardon me if I have to take this with a pinch of salt.

As for the new installation / book that you mention - let's hope. If P'Joe can take a leaf out of Clay's book and address the suffering of Thailand's underclass honestly, without descending into a diversionary anti-Thaksin tract, this would indeed be most welcome.

[Fierias]

Slumdog Millionaire won the People's Choice Award

As for what I saw:

*****
Un Conte de Noel
Synecdoche, New York
24 City
The Wrestler

****
35 Rhums
Dernier Maquis
Hunger
Birdsong
Sut

***
O'Horten
Goodbye Solo
Of Time and the City
Four Nights with Anna
Liverpool
Vinyan
Blind Loves

**
The Sky Crawlers
Jerichow
Treeless Mountain
Nuit de Chien

*
Tale 52
Adam Resurrected

[PimpPanda]

1. Le Genou Artemide * (Jean Marie-Straub)
1. 35 Rhums (Claire Denis)
1. Liverpool (Lesandro Alonso)
4. 24 City (Jia Zhang-ke)
5. Un Conte de Noel (Arnaud Desplechin)
6. RR (James Benning)
7. Still Walking (Hirokazu Koreeda)
8. Birdsong (Albert Serra)
9. Tokyo Sonata (Kiyoshi Kurosawa)
10. JCVD (Mabrouk El Mechri)
11. Of Time and the City (Terence Davies)
12. Waltz with Bashir (Ari Folman)
13. Sut (Semih Kaplanoglu)
14. Salamandra (Pablo Agüero)
15. Wendy and Lucy (Kelly Reinhardt)
16. Tony Manero (Pablo Larrain)
17. Achilles and the Tortoise (Takeshi Kitano)
18. Nuit de Chien (Werner Shroeter)

*means short

The first fifteen are all good to near-masterpieces. 16 and 17 both have redeeming qualities. 18 is dire.

I'm thinking about moving Sut up to the top ten but there's one shot in the film that may prevent me from doing it:

Spoiler

It is when he drops that giant catfish, while his mother is with his chicken. I hope that it was supposed to be ludicrous on purpose. That symbolism is honestly ridiculous.

[Fierias]

Spoiler

It is when he drops that giant catfish, while his mother is with his chicken. I hope that it was supposed to be ludicrous on purpose. That symbolism is honestly ridiculous.

I felt the same way, but I felt that the last shot made up for it.

[PimpPanda]

I agree about the last shot!

Spoiler

The contrast really works for it, and numbs the impression of it. I still can't help but feel that it should have been handled differently. It was very sad when people yelled "Thank you!" when the final shot ended.

[Cronenfly]

Did you really find Adam Resurrected to be such an utter misfire, Fierias?

[Fierias]

The film failed in every way for me. Every attempt at humor fell flat, often cringe-inducingly so. The presentation of the "dogs" was embarrassing. I thought Goldblum in general was awful, with a fake German accent that was absent more than it was present, and smirking most of the time to show that his character was an important but light-hearted and fun guy! I didn't care about anyone or what any of them were doing, and I'm sure that my audience felt the same way.

[PimpPanda]

I've heard the same from other people. The only real misfire that I saw was Nuit de Chien, I really can't imagine anyone having a good reason for liking it. I'm honestly in disbelief that it was even programmed, just such an immature and fatuous film.

[Cronenfly]

The film failed in every way for me. Every attempt at humor fell flat, often cringe-inducingly so. The presentation of the "dogs" was embarrassing. I thought Goldblum in general was awful, with a fake German accent that was absent more than it was present, and smirking most of the time to show that his character was an important but light-hearted and fun guy! I didn't care about anyone or what any of them were doing, and I'm sure that my audience felt the same way.

Schrader apologist that I am (though I concede that he hasn't done anything truly worthwhile since Auto Focus), I really tried to like the movie, but ultimately I concur that it was a wasted effort on the whole. It was good to see a novel approach to the Holocaust attempted (and perhaps the book actually carried it off), but the whole enterprise was sloppy and tonally schizophrenic to an unforgiveable degree (especially considering it deals with such delicate material). I thought Goldblum had some worthwhile moments, but his extremely variable accent and overall smarminess (which isn't as acute here as in some of his other performances, but is still pretty bad) do even those in. I sincerely hope Schrader finds his footing again with his next project.

[colinr0380]

The latest episode of The Speakeasy with Dorian is a chat with Kent Jones about the festival. I particularly like his comment on Happy-Go-Lucky that it could be thought of as Mike Leigh's version of The Idiot!

[Sanjuro]

The list of films showing at Tokyo Filmex this November is up (in English) at the site.

Is anyone in Japan headed that way? There seems to be an interesting selection of films again this year.

Does anyone have any recommendations out of this lot? (Apologies for mixing up first name/surname orders throughout):

Competition
Waltz with Bashir - Ari Folman
I Want to See - Joana Hadjithomas, Khalil Joreige
Chouga - Derezhan Omirbaev
Strizh - Abai Kulbai
Survival Song - Yu Guang-yi
Cucumber - Zhou Yao-wu
Perfect Life - Emily Tang
Treeless Mountain - Kim So-yong
Passion - Hamaguchi Ryusuke
Non-ko - Kumakiri Kazuyoshi

Special Screenings
Linha de Passe (Opening) - Walter Salles, Daniella Thomas
Delta (Closing) - Mundruczo Kornel
Welcome to Sao Paulo - 18 assorted directors
+ Cry me a River Jia Zhang-ke (Short - shows with above)
+ From Visible to Invisible - Manoel de Oliveira (Short - shows with above)
One Day You'll Understand - Amos Gitai
Cloud 9 - Andreas Dresen
Vegas: Based on a True Story - Amir Naderi
I am from Titov Veles - Teona Strugar Mitevska
Sparrow - Johnny To
Night and Day - Hong Sang-soo
Love Exposure - Sono Sion

Kurahara Koreyoshi Retrospective
Daisan no Shikaku (1959)
Kaitei Kara Kita Onna (1959)
Jigoku no Magarikado (1959)
Warera no Jidai (1959!)
Aru Kyohaku (1960)
Kyonetsu no Kisetsu (1960)
Nikui Anchikusho (1962)
Glass-Hearted Johnny (1962)
Kuroi Taiyo (1964)
Shuen (1964)
Yoake no Uta (1965)
Ai no Kawaki (1967)

Joaquim Pedro de Andrade Retrospective
Macunaima (1969)
Garrincha, Joy of the People (1963)
Cinema Novo (showing with Garrincha) (1967)
Guerra Conjugal (1975)
Couro de Gato (1960)

Personally I definitely want to catch Macunaima. No matter how many bad reviews of Delta I read, it still seems appealing to me. I haven't seen any Johnny To films (last year Exiled was one of the only films shown without English subs) perhaps Sparrow is a bad place to start though?

[Cde.]

I wish I'd seen more, but definitely check out Sparrow and Night and Day.

[Sanjuro]

Great thanks for that!

Going to catch an early train to get there in time for Night and Day so it's nice to hear a recommendation beforehand.

I was on the borderline with Sparrow since I haven't seen any of Johnny To's other work and a couple of reviews were saying it wasn't as good as his other stuff or it's a bad place to start. But my friend wants to watch it too, so I guess it's going on the schedule.
It means missing Kurahara's Intimidation though, but you can never see everything (well, theoretically I could take all week off work and catch the lot, but I don't think I'll do that).

I'll see if I can find Exiled or Mad Detective before I go.

Going to have to miss Macunaima which is a shame. The only films I can catch in that retrospective is a double bill of Garrincha, Joy of the People and Cinema Novo. Seems like watching a documentary about films I'm not going to be able to see might be disappointing so I may just spend the day at the Kurahara retrospective instead.

[The Fanciful Norwegian]

I'll see if I can find Exiled or Mad Detective before I go.

I have nothing against either of these films (I'm especially fond of Exiled), but I don't consider them ideal preparatory viewing for Sparrow, which is part of the more light-hearted strand of To's crime films -- Yesterday Once More treads superficially similar ground, although Sparrow is much better. Running Out of Time is a good intro, but Throw Down -- another To pet project -- might be more what you're looking for. On paper they don't have much in common, but tonally it's of a kind with Sparrow (and check out the way they both use music -- even Throw Down has moments where the cast seems about the break into a dance number).

[Sanjuro]

Very useful information as it seems neither Exile nor Mad Detective are on DVD here yet. But Yesterday Once More, Throw Down and Running out of Time all seem to be out to rent.

Other Johnny To in the video store include Election, Diet Love and um...'Muscle Monk'?!

It's half price rentals this weekend so I'll probably go on down to the store and get some unfortunate member of staff to round up the lot for me.

[esl]

I am now living in Yokohama. Thank you for the heads up on this. The Kurahara retrospective holds the most interest for me. I am thinking of attending both the Saturday and Sunday showings.

[Sanjuro]

OK. Don't know if you've been to the National Film Centre before - it's a nice enough venue but a bit of an annoying process. Unlike the films at the other theatres there's no advance tickets for ones here so you have to line up for quite a while, then get back in line as soon as your film finishes to catch the next one. They open the doors 30 minutes before each film starts.

They also don't sell anything edible so if you're watching lots in one day I suggest packing lunch.

Other than that it's a really nice festival. Not quite as nice as Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival of course, but I'm just biased that way...

[Nothing]

To return briefly to the discussion earlier in this thread (and being unable to move it all elsewhere, since this is perhaps not the most appropriate place): I wonder, have the recent events in Thailand made any impact at all on the opinion of grimfarrow or others?

Regardless of the dispiriting outcome, It would seem that the airport hijack has awakened a greater international understanding of the politics involved, with the bulk of international opinion now leaning against the anti-democratic, ultra-conservative elements that, true to their privileged class and background, AW, Ing K and others firmly support.

Some sample articles from mainstream news sources, for those who haven't been keeping pace.

Are you not beginning to find this slightly uncomfortable? Have you not begun to consider the possibility that you may have accepted the opinions of your rich Thai filmmaker friends too readily?

[Cde.]

Noted, thanks for the tip-off.

[tavernier]

Didn't want to start a new thread for this important 2009 festival news...Schwarzbaum's gone!

NEW YORK—The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced today that the New York Film Festival will return to its traditional home, the newly renovated Alice Tully Hall, for its 47th edition, Sept. 25 – Oct. 11. This year’s selection committee also welcomes a new member as film critic Melissa Anderson joins The Film Society’s Richard Peña and Kent Jones and critics Scott Foundas and J. Hoberman in choosing the approximately two-dozen features that will make up the 2009 slate.

“Melissa Anderson is one of the most perceptive critics writing in America today,” says Peña, program director at The Film Society and New York Film Festival selection committee chairman. “She will, I’m sure, be invaluable to the New York Film Festival.”

Anderson has been a film critic in New York since 2000, when she began writing regularly for The Village Voice. She was film editor and a film critic at Time Out New York from November 2005 to January 2009. She is a member of the New York Film Critics Circle and a frequent contributor to Film Comment magazine.

“The New York Film Festival has always been—and will always be—the premiere cinema event of our city, one where I’ve had some of my most fantastic movie-going experiences,” says Anderson, who is introducing a Saturday, Feb. 28, screening of Robert Aldrich’s “The Killing of Sister George” during the Film Society’s Film Comment Selects series. “It’s a true honor to serve on the selection committee.”

She replaces Entertainment Weekly critic Lisa Schwarzbaum, who completed her five-year term on the selection committee last year.

Additionally, the 47th New York Film Festival will mark the 60th year of the People’s Republic of China with the first major U.S. retrospective of the remarkable cinema produced during the so-called Seventeen Years. The period, between establishment of the People’s Republic in 1949 and the beginnings of the Cultural Revolution in 1966, was a time of intense political and aesthetic ferment when the arts, film in particular, were searching for a relevant and influential voice within the newly Socialist society.

Also scheduled for the 2009 New York Film Festival is an expansive tribute to Hindi director, producer, and actor Guru Dutt, frequently credited with ushering in the golden era of Indian cinema in the 1950s and ’60s. These sidebars will screen during the festival at The Film Society of Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theater.

[Barmy]

Just get rid of Painya, Jones and Foundas and I'm THERE =D>

[tavernier]

And keep Hoberman? :-k

[Barmy]

They can lose him as well. \:D/