Spanish Film Festival Review
VIVA : Spanish and Latin American Film Festival
www.vivafilmfestival.com
www.cornerhouse.org
The 14th annual festival of Spanish and Latin American films arrives once again to the Manchester Cornerhouse. They don't believe in doing things by half and once again the programme is packed with feature films, short films, documentaries and Q&A's.
Spread over three screens and 12 days, here is a selection of reviews by QUAD Film Officer Adam Marsh from just two days of the incredibly varied festival programme.
Los Ladrone Viejos : Las Leye (15)
The Old Thieves: The Legends Of Artegio (15)
Thu 13 Mar 2008 - 1.40pm, Everardo Gonzalez, Mexico, 2007, 97 mins
"From the director of LA CANCION DEL PULQUE (Viva 2005), the award-winning LADRONES VIEJOS is the story of a generation of thieves that were widely successful and equally notorious in 60s Mexico. Using an incredible wealth of archive images from film and television vaults, it reveals the codes of conduct and ethics that ruled the criminal underworld. The historical footage is intercut with contemporary prison interviews with the elderly criminals. The old boys are cheeky, charming - and chillingly ruthless. A fascinating insight into criminals and society's fascination with them." - Copy from the VIVA Film Festival brochure.
This was a documentary on Mexican thieves, taking the 'honour among thieves' message, as it's focal point. The film centres around interviews with four incarcerated thieves, all 60 plus, about their lives and experiences. All these thieves have nicknames that they are known by; Fantomas, El Carrizos, El Burreo and Xochi, and all of them tell their tales with honesty and a slight cheeky twinkle in their eyes.
As a documentary it didn't seem to have an overall point or driving story but the thieves are the real characters that bring the documentary to life. Tracing the careers of the thieves mainly through the 1960's and 1970's, it intercuts the contemporary interviews with period news reports and interviews to great effect evoking a real sense of the times that these people were living through. You can't help but smile when listening to El Carrizos regal stories about the time he burgled the President of Mexico (twice, once by accident).
Adam's rating: Excellent stuff! 4 out of 5 stars
Cabeza de Perro (15)
Doghead (15)
Thu 13 Mar at 3.50pm, Santi Amodeo, Spain, 2006, 93 mins
"The Andalusian director of ASTRONAUTAS returns with this lively and quirky tale of Samuel, a young man with a neurological disease that makes him feel completely cut-off from the world. After having been overprotected all his life, at 18 Samuel unexpectedly finds himself in Madrid. There he meets Consuelo (Ugarte) who's almost as out-of-it as he is. Skewed shots, distorted imagery, and Amodeo's idiosyncratic music suggest Samuel's strange view of the world, yet don't overwhelm the film's excellent performances and emotional richness." - Copy from the VIVA Film Festival brochure.
This film owed a lot to Jean Pierre Jeunet and Michel Gondry, with it's visual style mimicking elements of both directors films. The nice little visual flourishes don't make up for a rambling story that seems to struggle to stamp any kind of direction. People enter the title character's life seemingly at random; other characters service the story then disappear for good.
The acting is good all round, with Juan Jose Ballesta putting in a great dislocated performance in the central role. The film however, shares that dislocation throughout then decides that it needs a 'ending' which rounds out the film but makes the rest of the film seem underdeveloped.
Adam's rating: Has a lot to like about it but also lots to dislike. 2.5 out of 5 stars.
Candida (15)
Thu 13 Mar, 6.10pm, Guillermo Fesser, Spain 2006 103 mins
"Fesser and his co-writer brother Javier have already received critical acclaim for penning LA GRAN AVENTURA DE MORTADELO Y FILEMON (2003) and EL MILAGRO DE P. TINTO (1998), and now their quirky brand of comedy continues with Guillermo's directorial debut. Candida (Villar) is a lowly Madrid housemaid, well beyond the age of retirement, continuing to take care of the insensitive employers who are generally oblivious to the daily trials of her personal life. Her constant malapropisms and down to earth determination allow a rather tragic life to be cast in a comic light; and as she inspires hope in others, her own dreams start to become a reality." Copy from VIVA Film Festival brochure.
http://www.candidalapelicula.com/
Imagine Wes Anderson driving a car with Napoleon Dynamite and they collide with the old folks from Last Of The Summer Wine who are giving a lift to George and Mildred. From the mangled wreckage emerges Candida.
This is called Candida after the title character but it could easily be called "Old People Say The Funniest Things". Its humour is strangely dated in parts, modern in others. For example the on running 'gay jokes' were dated in the 1970's never mind here but the character comedy between Candida and her sons is very contemporary.
For the most part this film takes Candida's persepective, showing her reacting to the 'crazy' antics of her neighbours, family and employers. It is mostly lightweight with its poor attempts at social commentary falling flat and ending up feeling flippant. It has some pretty weighty issues contained within, drug use, suicide, domestic violence but it handles them all with sensitivity you'd expect from Love Thy Neighbour.
Adam's rating: It does display a good sense of comic timing throughout, and has some genuinely funny moments but it is not enough. 3 out of 5 stars
Ladrones (15)
Theives
Thu 13 Mar 8.30pm, Jaime Marques Olarreaga, Spain 2007 105 mins
"Ballesta gives another outstanding performance in this lyrical feature debut by Olarreaga. After leaving the institution where he's been raised, Alex finds work in a hairdresser's. Due to his criminal past, his colleagues are suspicious of him until Alex is finally pushed into confirming their prejudices. After leaving, through constant practice, he hones his pick-pocketing skills to profitable effect. Then one day he falls for middle-class shoplifter Sara (Valverde) and decides to take on an apprentice and partner. Beautifully crafted, LADRONES eschews the usual gritty realism for a poetic, almost dreamlike depiction of marginalised youth." - Copy from VIVA Film Festival brochure.
(See image) In a combination of this and The Old Thieves earlier in the day, I spent most the following week paranoid that I was going to have my wallet stolen, or lifted as it were. Ladrones tells the story of Alex, a young thief just released into wide world and is intent on searching for his mother.
Attempting to go straight he gets a job at a barber's shop but soon succumbs to criminal impulses. He witnesses a young woman shoplifting and decides to help her out by pick pocketing her before she is caught by the store security. He then enlisted her as an accomplice in pick pocketing on buses and the underground.
All this is in an attempt to find his mother. The driving force behind the film is the search for the mother and the burgeoning relationship between the young woman and the thief.
It doesn't quite work. It is a first feature and has lots of flair and consideration throughout but it has moments that just don't ring true. Which lets it down overall.
Adam's rating: It is well acted and directed but more work was needed on the story. 3.5 out of 5 stars.
La Zona (15)
Fri 14 Mar at 1.55pm, Rodrigo Pla, Spain 2007 97 mins
"Pla's feature debut is a taut social thriller that brutally reveals the dangers of growing polarisation between have and have-nots. 'The Zone' is a wealthy guarded and gated estate in Mexico City. When three teens from the slums on the other side of the wall break into the compound, they soon discover that privilege equals power and that inhabitants of 'The Zone' only uphold its own laws. Miguel manages to escape further into the neighbourhood where he encounters Alejandro, a local rich boy of a similar age. Winner of the FIPRESCI Critics Prize at the 2007 Toronto Film Festival." - Copy from VIVA Film Festival brochure.
I think the problem I have with La Zona isn't that it is a poorly made film, or poorly acted. Because it isn't, the actors throw themselves into the roles with vigour. The direction is excellent the problem lies with the unoriginality of the story.
Treading the well-worn path of a society so terrified of the evils of the world that they lock them outside. As the outside world threatens to encroach on their paradise, they go to increasing extremes to protect themselves ironically turning into the very evil they were protecting themselves against.
Yep a storyline covered throughout the history of cinema, a particular rich stream appeared in the 1970's / early 1980's which was probably the inspiration for this film. I'm thinking that A Clockwork Orange and Escape From New York were at the forefront of Director Pla's mind when making this.
The problem was the story, the character's acted exactly how you expect them to act, and do the things you'd expect them to do.
Adam's rating: There was no twists or quirks in the telling and as a result the film ends up being unsatisfying. 3 out of 5 stars.
Encarnacion (15)
Fri 14 Mar 4.05pm, Argentina, 2007 93 mins
"This story of identity and independence is the second feature from director of UN ANO SIN AMOR (VIVA 2006). Encarnacion - Erni for short (Perez) is an aging actress whose 15 minutes are behind her, yet she keeps her hand in with adverts, a self-run website, staying fit. Erni's life in Buenos Aires is free and single by her own choice. Then she receives an invitation to her beloved niece's 15th birthday and decides to return to her rural hometown. Ana (Juncadella) adores her glamorous aunt, but the others don't care for Erni's freewheelin', slutty ways.
A brilliant and brave feature debut from retired model and TV star Perez is at the heart of ENCARNACION." Copy from VIVA Film Festival brochure.
I'm torn over my feelings on this one. It is well directed and well acted but as with La Zona it is a story I've seen time and time again, aging actress can't get work because she's old and all the other actresses are younger and prettier...The thing I kept thinking whilst watching this film was, should I feel sympathy for this character? She is the same person who twenty (twenty five) years ago would have been that young pretty actress taking work from the older actresses and frankly wouldn't have cared less. So why should we care now?
Well we shouldn't. She is happy with her lot in life and just jogs along not caring about her lack of a settled life. She is free and easy. The trip out to the sticks to see her niece should be some sort of catalyst for a personal journey of some sorts. Instead stuff just happens and then she goes back to the city.
There are some nice character moments between her and her niece, starting off with sister relationship but progressing to a more natural maternal instinct by the end of the film. The pace of the movie is nice and languid and the direction is spot on. Maybe the story of a fifty something actress just doesn't resonate with a 31-year-old man. That said it's no Sunset Boulevard.
Adam's rating: 2 out of 5 stars
Mini review - No es Buena idea (It's Not A Good Idea)
Spain 2007 13 mins (Short screened prior to Encarnacion)
Excellent little short film about a young girl and her father as they learn the results of the girl's leukaemia treatment. Everyone keeps saying that allowing the girl to be there when they find out the results is not a good idea. Feel good and sad and all created in a matter of thirteen minutes.
Adam's rating: Excellent 4.5 out of 5 stars
Chaotic Ana (18)
Caotica Ana (18)
Fri 14 Mar at 6.20pm, Dir - Julio Medem, Spain 2007 116mins
"A new Julio Medem film is always highly anticipated - especially as it's been years since his last films. Ana (Velles) leads a secluded life on Ibiza until an arts patron (Rampling) admires her paintings (the work of Medem's late sister Ana) and invites her to join a commune for developing artists in Madrid. There Ana finds friends and love and discovers past lives she may have led. And so begins Ana's (and our) chaotic and disturbing journey across continents and eras. As would be expected, the film is beautifully shot and designed and is laced with stunning imagery. The world music inspired score is by British composer Jocelyn Pook." Copy from VIVA Film Festival brochure
Firstly I must confess to being a big fan of director Julio Medem, so my expectations were high with regards to Chaotic Ana. And there is a lot to like about the film. It is visually stunning and has a nice pace to it. The actress playing Ana, is wonderfully cast. She is beautiful but has a naivety that make you connect with her.
Then comes the hypnotism. I'm always dubious when films have hypnotism as a central premise. It seems too easy a way to unpack the character's emotions and display them on screen. In this case it is merely a means to an end. The hypnosis shows us Ana's past lives and reveals them to have been short and tragic. The film shows us Ana trying to cope with the pervading sense of doom them comes from this knowledge. Her carefree existence at the start of the film with her father in Ibiza is long forgotten as she struggles to make sense of these past lives.
The film, like the title, is chaotic. It is in places the best work of Medem's career and in others the worst. It is not for everyone, like all Medem's films it does require a suspension of disbelief but once you get into the flow of the film, it is an enjoyable trip.
Adam's rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Deficit (15)
Fri 14 Mar, 8.40pm, Gael Garcia Bernal / Mexico / Spanish / 2007 / 79 mins
"Garcia Bernal explores some of the issues of race, class and privilege addressed in Y TU MAMA TAMBIEN, but this time the acclaimed actor is also behind the camera for his first role as director. Cristobal (Garcia Bernal) is the spoiled son of wealthy parents who've fled corruption charges. Their country home is perfect for a hedonistic weekend party with all his mates. But he begins to lose control of the situation as drug problems, interrupted seductions, an 'uppity' young gardener and the imminent arrival of his girlfriend threaten to wreck his paradise." Copy from VIVA Film Festival brochure.
This movie has all the hallmarks of an actor's directorial debut. Over-reliance on improvisation, loosely scripted material and handheld camera work. The acting is good but needed serious editing. The characters are merely ciphers for the social commentary Bernal wanted to make.
They don't really serve any other purpose. There's the hippie sister, the spoilt rich kid friends, the 'real' girl, and the childhood friend now servant, all of them barely fleshed out beyond the description. Bernal's character Cristobal is the only one to have any sort of character. He is the son of an in exile white-collar crook, spoilt and used to the good life. He is aware that that good life isn't going to last for much longer with his father about to be arrested and Cristobal failing to get into Harvard. The pressure is getting to him, as everything seems to go wrong for him. He can't quite seduce the new girl, the gardener is showing him up and his sister is away with the fairies.
Unfortunately that is it for the film. Stuff just happens to characters that we don't care about. Shame really cause Bernal is a talented actor; unfortunately his director's eye has yet to develop.
Adam's rating: 1 out of 5 stars
Mini Review - Dolly (short screened prior to Deficit)
David Pinillos/Spain/2007/17 mins
22 year-old Dani is leaving for California, but before he goes he confesses his love to his best friend's girlfriend.
Not bad film but was really the first scene of a feature rather than a short film in itself. Dolly of the title is, of course, the epitome of all things Americana Dolly Parton!
Adam's rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
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