Let's get to the heart of the festival

(from Cannes Luigi Noera and Marina Pavido – Photos are courtesy of the Cannes Film Festival)

Wednesday 17 May, Finally, the 76th Cannes Film Festival has kicked off in full swing. Among many surprises and some disappointments, here are some of the main films presented on the Croisette.

COMPETITION

MONSTER di KORE-EDA Hirokazu

Second film made in Japan by the now famous Korean filmmaker Kore-eda Hirokazu, Monster turned out to be a pleasant surprise within the competition Cannes 76. Intimate, delicate and not trivial at all, the feature film fully falls within the canons of the author's cinema, revealing himself perfectly capable of finding new ways to tell a story every time.

Teenager Minato lives alone with his mother following the death of his father. The woman, for some time, she is very worried because of her son's behavior, that, observed from the outside, it would seem to lack any logic. The boy looks, indeed, suddenly become wicked – as well as making senseless speeches – e, after coming home with an injured ear, accuses one of his teachers of hitting him. How will things really be?

Monster retrospective-diagonal, in reality, a much more complex and layered story than it might initially seem. And so, while watching, the same slowly composes as if it were a puzzle through three points of view: that of the mother, that of the teacher and, finally, that of Minato.

Poetic images of teenagers running happily through the meadows – finally far from the “adult world” – and who make their special refuge out of an old abandoned bus, together with a painful history of violence and a love that would risk not being understood by anyone do, therefore, as absolute protagonists. Kore-eda Hirokazu, Once again, did not disappoint the expectations of audiences and critics and with this its valuable Monster it was decidedly honored within the competition of this one 76° Festival of Cannes.

LE RETOUR by Catherine Corsini

In competition a Cannes 76 was also presented The Feedback, the latest effort by French director Catherine Corsini. It deals with, also in this case, of an extremely intimate and personal story that, however, does not see one, but three protagonists.

Khédidja, therefore, she is a middle-aged woman with two teenage daughters, Jessica e Farah. Left Corsica when her daughters were still very young, the woman will return together with them fifteen years later, in order to work as a babysitter for a wealthy Parisian family. While for the woman to return to what was once her homeland is a painful dive into memories, his daughters, at the same time, between crazy runs on the beach and through the streets of the town, they will grow up, they will have new experiences, they will meet love.

The Feedback, therefore, refers completely to the canons of coming-of-age beyond the Alps opting for a discrete staging that is sufficient, but at the same time, extremely close to its protagonists, without ever going over the top. Within a location like Corsica – here presented to us as a timeless place o, even better, as a place where time seems to have stopped – the stories of the three women find their ideal dimension, for a painful one, ma, at the same time, extremely delicate and at times touching family history. Just a pity that (non) a few inconsistencies in the screenplay and some unjustifiably suspended elements caused the entire feature film to lose several points.

IN SOME PERSPECTIVE

THE ANIMAL KINGDOM by Thomas CAILLEY – Film d’apertura

An adventure between a father and his son, in a world where some humans have started mutating into other animal species. Luigi Noera saw it for us (REVIEW).

OUT OF COMPETITION

OCCUPIED CITY di Steve MCQUEEN

The documentary is based on the book Atlas Of An Occupied City, Amsterdam 1940-1945 by Bianca Stigter and explore the personal stories and daily life of the inhabitants of Amsterdam during the Second World War. Director Steve McQueen, known for his historical works, has chosen to bring to the screen the gripping story of life under Nazi occupation in the Dutch capital. Occupied City highlights the challenges and experiences of Amsterdammers during this dark period in history. Luigi Noera saw it for us (REVIEW).

ANSELM (THE ROUND OF TIME) of Wim WENDERS

Documentary about Anselm Kiefer, painter and sculptor. Luigi Noera saw it for us (REVIEW).

FILMMAKERS' FORTNIGHT

THE GOLDMAN TRIAL (The Goldman Case) by Cédric Kahn – opening film

It's not easy to make an entire film rely almost exclusively on dialogue. To make this work, it is more necessary than ever, indeed, an iron script (over, obviously, to a particularly capable cast), perfectly capable of keeping the audience glued to the screen from start to finish. This, Fortunately, that was also the case with the feature film The Trial Goldman, directed by French director and actor Cédric Kahn and premiered as the opening film of the fortnight of the Filmmakers al 76° Festival of Cannes.

The story staged, as well as we can imagine, deals with true events. In 1976, indeed, far-left militant Pierre Goldman (played here by an excellent Arieh Worthalter) he is tried for the second time on charges of killing two people during an attempted robbery. The man decided not to call witnesses on his behalf, as more than sure of being able to prove his innocence. In case the jury finds him guilty, however, would risk life imprisonment.

In staging this his The Trial Goldman, Cédric Kahn has opted for a simple staging, free of unnecessary frills, which makes us better understand the context with two short captions, one at the beginning and one at the end. The music is reduced to the bone and almost the entire feature film takes place in the courtroom. A choice, the present, undoubtedly brave and risky, that, But, in this case, she has succeeded perfectly in her intentions, making this latest effort by Kahn a pleasant and captivating work, which perfectly manages to maintain a good pace throughout its duration, without ever losing its bite.

CRITICS WEEK

Competition

Tiger Stripes by Amanda Nell Eu

A pleasant surprise a Cannes 76, albeit with some small directorial ingenuity, it was the feature film Tiger Stripes, directed by the young Malaysian director Amanda Nell Eu and presented in competition within the Week from the Critique.

The story staged, therefore, is that of Zaffan a teenager in full puberty who lives in a small village with her parents. She is the first in her class to have had her period and for this reason she begins to be observed by her friends with distrust, till, even, to be heavily bullied. In noticing sudden changes in his body that almost seem to resemble the characteristics of a tiger, Zaffan will slowly be able to accept himself and bring out all his grit and beauty.

Tiger Stripes, therefore, it is the story of a change, of a crucial moment in the life of the young and magnetic protagonist. Accepting yourself and your body, but also important dynamics that are created within a society in which those who are different are constantly marginalized are the real cornerstones of this feature film by Amanda Nell Eu.

The director, its part, he created a work as delicate and fresh as a spring breeze, albeit, at times, especially with regard to certain directorial choices and special effects so false as to be clumsy, downright naive. and yet, considering that it is a first work, you are willing to "turn a blind eye" and wait curiously for the next surprises that the director will have in store for us in the future.

Special screenings

Ama Gloria di Marie Amachoukeli – Opening Film

This opening of the Week from the Critique of Cannes 76 it turned out to be particularly pleasant. It deals with, indeed, of the intimate and delicate feature film Or Gloria, directed by Cape Verdean director Marie Amachoukeli, as well as a tender story all about a six-year-old girl and her special relationship with her nanny.

cleo, just, she lives together with her father and was practically raised by her nanny Gloria, to the point of considering her almost a sort of acquired mother. When the woman will be forced for family reasons to return to her country and look after her children (which in the meantime he had left with his mother) Cléo will go into crisis, but he will console himself with the thought that, once the school year is over, he will finally be able to visit Gloria at her home. who, however, things will not go as hoped.

The love between a little girl and a "new mom". The always complicated family relationships. Certain dynamics that lead human beings to no longer understand each other. And then, not least, also a speech on colonialism and on how some women are forced to abandon their loved ones in order to be able to find a job away from home that can support them. All of these issues are, therefore, the great protagonists of Or Gloria and contribute to making this small and precious feature film by Marie Amachoukeli an extremely intimate and much more complex and stratified work than it might initially seem.

A composed and clean direction goes well with small animation inserts to let us know better the thoughts of the little girl. A little girl who appears on the big screen wonderfully magnetic thanks (also) to the talent of the young Louise Mauroy-Panzani. Or Gloria it is all of this and in its sincerity it proved to be a pleasant opening of this Week from the Critique.

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marina fears