Falling Slowly “Once” Again

A beautiful film, a special song, and many soulful words of thanks...

Scratching my head…

I’m sorry but I need to vent.

I’m afraid I don’t quite understand the effusive critical reception for No Country for Old Men. Something’s not right with the Group Think surrounding this film. A guy finds a suitcase of money and a bad guy chases him… for two hours. Sounds like a drive-in movie to me…

I think this is one of those films that the Academy, too, will scratch their heads about as they reflect back on this award five or ten years down the road. Even films that some deemed unworthy for Best Motion Picture in the past (Chariots of Fire, Driving Miss Daisy, etc.) have transcendent elements about them. Great art lasts because of its ability to transcend. What’s transcendent about this film?

I fully respect the talents of Javier Bardem and the Coen brothers. But even ardent supporters must admit that their efforts in this film are less substantial than that of much of their previous work. I believe that this Best Motion Picture award for No Country… says more about the state of filmmaking in Hollywood today than anything else.

Was it just me or did Javier Bardem’s character remind you of the Michael Meyers character from the 1978 film Halloween?

Another actor, Sir Anthony Hopkins, won an Oscar for portraying a serial killer. Are the characters of Hannibal Lector and Anton Chigurh even in the same league? Revisit Silence of the Lambs to witness a multi-layered, highly nuanced acting performance. Where have our standards gone?

Does No Country for Old Men really deserve more Academy Awards than The Godfather?

Thank you for this opportunity to vent. I feel much better now…

Final thoughts

The film selections of this year’s Berlinale, considered sub par by many festival veterans, was a true treat to this American Catholic filmmaker, long tired of formulaic Hollywood blockbusters. Foreign cinema and independent film have been, and continue to be, my artistic oasis. I left the festival with lifted spirits, feeling much better about the general state of humanity than when I first arrived. And this is a powerful statement on the resonating and transformational power of art. It reinforced my awareness of the transcendent dimensions of life, including family, spirituality, hope, shared human values, and most especially -- love. Share your love today for you never know what tomorrow may bring.

Ah yes... it’s good to be alive.

Theme

One theme that I became aware of early on and continued throughout the festival was that this year’s program contained an abundance of stories about children. We experienced films that dealt with the moral struggle to save a terminally ill child (Zuo You – “In Love We Trust”), children used as a pawn for capitalism (There Will Be Blood), and children struggling with the painful loss of a parent (Lake Tahoe). We saw three films (Julia, Lady Jane, Gardens of the Night) that dealt with kidnapped children, one of which additionally addressed the horrors of sexual abuse (Gardens…). There was a story of children yearning for the love of a parent struggling to make ends meet (The Song of Sparrows). We saw in two separate films (Elegy, Restless) the venom that resonates and spews forth from a grownup who was abandoned by a father when only a child. There was a wonderful film (Kirschblüten – “Cherry Blossoms”) about a widower fulfilling the life dream of his recently deceased spouse highlighting how his adult children have all but abandoned him in today’s modern commuter society. He later found a platonic kindred spirit in a relationship with a homeless girl who was still grieving with the loss of her own mother. We experienced and I really mean “experienced” a violent police drama (Tropa de Elite – “Elite Squad”) centered around a man with a very dangerous job as he tries to pave the way for his retirement due to his wife’s pregnancy and his desire to remain alive to experience fatherhood to his soon to be born child. Another film (Bam Gua Nat – “Night and Day”) focuses on a man torn between two relationships who is lured back to his wife based upon a false pregnancy claim while he leaves behind his pregnant mistress in another country. We observed children (Kabei – “Our Mother”) reacting as their father is whisked away by the state to prison and witnessing their mother’s strength as she raises them in a time of war. Another film (Caos Calmo – “Quiet Chaos”) focused on a girl who serves as the central figure to help her father through the grief of the loss of her mother and his wife. We witnessed the triumphant message (Feuerherz – “Heart of Fire”) of what turning the other cheek really means for a child soldier in war torn Africa. And we contemplated a film (I’ve Loved You So Long…) showcasing the grief, struggle for forgiveness, and hope for rebirth of a woman recently released from prison. Her crime? She committed infanticide and we see how her conscious act has since infected the remainder of her family. And finally, a film (Ballast) that features a son who has recently lost his father set against the deep grief of his father’s twin.

These films are not only about children but also about redemption, hope, and rebirth, whether through forgiveness from loved ones or from society, or just the deep longing for an opportunity to start over.

The Berlinale has a long history of showcasing films with a distinct political message. And this may be a year of films with similar intimation. Jung’s collective unconscious is glaringly apparent as a good many of these stories share similar circumstances and themes. And as much as these films are about children, they are about death and resurrection as well. So, are these shared stories made by filmmakers from disparate parts of the world telling us that we are living in a culture that is essentially killing its children, effectively squashing our beautiful innocence? Are they asking if we are living in a time of transition between the death of certain cultural mainstays and waiting for the rebirth of others?

Only hindsight will tell us for sure…

By the numbers

From the time I first arrived at the Berlin airport to the closing night ceremony, this year’s Berlinale was a wonderfully hectic and truly rewarding film going experience. I was consistently impressed by the monumental organizational effort behind this festival and always reminded of it by the ever-present Berlinale bear festival logo. The official statistics stated that this year’s festival visitors came from 125 countries to see the 383 films that were shown at 1,256 screenings. An astonishing 430,000 people attended at least some aspect of this year’s festival.

Boris Despodov (3rd from left) with his producer (to his right) for "Corridor #8," winner of the Ecumenical Prize for Best Documentary.

Making our way home

We leave Berlin today and make our way to Frankfurt where we depart for home tomorrow.  I've posted some of the missing descriptions of the films, so if you have an opportunity, please scroll down and look at some of the older posts.

I will take the next day or two to consider this slate of films in more depth and will post more about this whole experience when I return home.

What a fantastic artistic experience for me (and my wife)!  I appreciate the incredible hospitality of everyone involved in the Berlinale and especially my fellow jury members from SIGNIS and INTERFILM.

The Ceremony

Philippe Claudel, writer/director of "I've Loved You So Long..." with his award for Best Film from the Ecumenical Jury.

The Winners

Jury deliberation room

We just handed out our Ecumenical Jury prizes.

- The main prize was given to I've Loved You So Long..., a French film directed by Philippe Claudel. This is a compelling and heartfelt story of family, redemption, and rebirth. This film artfully addresses the sinful topic of euthanasia, not in a glorifying manner, but by honestly portraying the process the soul takes having served society’s penance, and the long and arduous path towards forgiveness. It is a film about the transcendent dimensions of life, and as we view the main character’s struggle to find her way in the world once again, eyes focused firmly in the past, it is joyful to hear the final words in the film when she acknowledges, “I’m here.”

- The Forum prize for best documentary went to Corridor #8, directed by Bulgarian Boris Despodov. This is an honest and open look at an area of the world suffering from a lack of connection. This film is really about hope, healing, and man’s shared humanity. In the Balkan countries of Macedonia, Albania, and Bulgaria, echoing the footsteps taken by the disciple Paul so long ago, the film asks, “Why do these countries have no means of common transportation?” As borders, walls, and fences dominate man-made politics, this is an important reminder of Christian responsibility and human progress.

- The Panorama prize for best film from a 1st or 2nd effort from a director was given to Boy A, an Irish film directed by John Crowley. I wasn't part of the Panorama panel and so I did not see this film.

- We also gave a special commendation to the film In Love We Trust. This film was in the official competition and is a beguiling, tightly woven tale that asks important questions about modern relationships and how far should one go to save the life of a child. Ultimately it is a film about the universal impact of love. It also shows us forgiveness and grace and reminds us of what it means to be part of the human family.

The Berlinale Offical Awards Ceremony is in a few hours time. I plan to post some final thoughts and fill in the blanks for any missing film descriptions soon. Until then...

Day Eight - The Final Films

Friday was the last day of films before we made our decision.  The final three films were:

• Flipping Out (documentary)
• South Main (documentary)
• Ballast

So that's it.  Thirty five films in eight days. 

Flipping Out
An Israeli critical look at the tradition of its military members, after serving the mandatory three years, taking their 15,000 shekel bonus, and going to India to live a drug-induced life as they reflect on their deeds during their service and their post-military life. A good many of these former soldiers (men and women) “flip out” mentally, whether due to the massive amounts of drugs or finally coming to terms with some of the horrors of war isn’t clear. A well-made documentary though I felt manipulated by two of the episodes that I believe were artificially created by the filmmakers purely for dramatic purposes.

South Main
A look at three women in South Central Los Angeles and how they’re dealing with life after being forced by the city to move from their apartments, which were condemned due to the number of gang murders in the dwelling. Each lost loved ones during the period of killing.

Ballast
Set in rural Mississippi, this is another film that takes a look at how a person handles grief. A black man has just lost his twin to suicide and after a failed attempt on himself, struggles to get back on the tracks of life. His deceased twin’s wife and son have their own problems but by the end of this story there is hope for all three. A slow film shot beautifully in a hand-held, grainy, documentary style. I’m not sure the filmmaker gives us enough of a story to hold onto as this film moves slowly. A good many of the press members left this film throughout the screening as it apparently didn’t hold their attention.

And the winner is...

__________ from the main competition, __________ from the Forum (documentary) section, and __________ from he Panorama section.

It is now 10:40 a.m. on Saturday. Our jury saw its final film last night and after much deliberation chose our winners. At noon today we will have our (Ecumenical Jury) award ceremony with the winning filmmakers and once that has finished I will fill in these blanks for you.

I also would like to complete my effort to say a little something on each of the films before I announce as well.

The main ceremony for the overall winner from the main jury takes place tonight. We will be in attendance and I have good reason to believe that our chosen film will be the same as theirs.

Stay tuned...

Misc. photos

Friday's weather

We've been quite fortunate with the weather so far. No rain. No snow. And it hasn't really been that cold... until today...

Mid teens.

Potsdamerplatz to Alexanderplatz

The area in which the festival is located is known as Potsdamer Platz. This was a barren area, basically a no-man’s land, near the Wall on the Western side during the Cold War. After the Wall came down, this was one of the first areas targeted for rebirth. It is a haven of culture now.

Because of the great number of films showing at the festival (some 350 or so), not all films are able to play at the theaters in Potsdamer Platz. Wednesday provided me my first opportunity to see a film at Cubix theater, which is in Alexander Platz, the former center of East Berlin, about a 45-minute walk away.

Along the route were some remnants from the Wall and a line of inset stones tracing the path of where the Wall once stood.

Day Seven - The Best and the Worst of the Fest

Thursday's slate of films include the following:

• Feuerherz ("Heart of Fire")
• Restless
• I've Loved You So Long...
• Lemon Tree (Panorama)
• Mafrouza/Couer (documentary)

The original plan was to see only four films but a special screening was arranged just for our jury to see Lemon Tree, an Israeli film that has received much critical acclaim but not in the main competition.

Feuerherz 
A German production based in Eritrea, which borders Ethiopia. The filmmaker used what is known as “imbedded filmmaking” in creating this film by using as actors local Eritreans that have lived the horrors of warfare. The film has a strong theme concerning what “turn the other cheek” really means and we see this lived out through the journey of an 8-year old girl. We follow her path from student in a Catholic elementary school to her kidnapping and induction into one of the rebel groups. She learns to fire a rifle that stands taller than she is. She witnesses death and questions why her group is killing other Eritreans. She eventually escapes to freedom. I enjoyed this film, even if it was made (according to the filmmakers) for children. There were many protestors from Ethiopia outside the screening of this film, which provided more tension and excitement for the event. Eritrea has been in a controversial struggle to establish its independence from Ethiopia.

Restless
An Israeli film shot partly in New York City and partly in Israel, we follow a pugnacious man coming to terms with his lack of success in life, and the wife and child he left behind twenty years before in Israel. The wife has just died and the son, now in the Israeli army, has his own deep hatred of his father to deal with. There are some false moves in the story with the man’s attempt at finding love again, but this film has a nice finish as father and son attempt reconciliation.

Il Ya Longtemps Que Je T’aime… (“I’ve Loved You So Long…”)
This was a wonderful treat. A story that I wished to have written myself. An emotionally honest film that stayed with me longer than any film since “In Love We Trust.” A woman with a heavy soul, just released from a 15-year prison term, is taken in by a sister she barely knows. The woman struggles with society’s efforts to keep her as a prisoner. Even though the concrete walls are gone, others remain. It’s hard to forgive a woman who killed her 6-year old son. But this artfully woven tale allows us a deeper look into her soul as it is revealed that the child had an extremely painful terminal disease. This is a film about family, life, forgiveness, redemption, and rebirth. It’s a weighty film and probably my favorite so far. It also has one of the most perfect endings as the woman replies to someone looking for her – “I’m here.” And indeed she is.

Mafrouza/Couer
This was the worst film of the 35 that I saw as a juror. Set in a slum in Egypt, it was basically a camera that was turned on and only turned off after more than three hours of nothing happening. How this got accepted into this festival I will never know.

Happy Valentine's Day...

... to my beautiful wife.  

She's been a true sport to put up with me during this crazy busy time.  Thankfully she's here with me and able to see many of the films as well. 

Bears Bears everywhere!

Gummy bears, Berlinale logo, and these...

Day Six

Q&A with filmmakers from "Seaview"

It's Wednesday and there are five films on the docket.  

• Kabei ("Our Mother")
• Victoire Terminus, Kinshasa (documentary)
• Lady Jane
• Caos Calmo ("Quiet Chaos")
• Seaview (documentary)

Kabei 
A Japanese film set in the period just prior to WWII. An anti-government writer is sent to prison for his nonsupport of his country’s imperialistic extensions into China. This film is an interesting historical look at one family and how it copes with the loss of its head of household and the sacrifices needed during war.

Victoire Terminus
Set in the Congo, this film highlights a boxing coach and his entrepreneurial efforts to legitamize female boxing as a spectator sport in this politically charged environment.

Lady Jane
A modern French film noir. A retired trio of thieves is forced to reunite when one of its members has her child taken hostage and held for ransom in revenge for a misdeed from long ago. A well-made film but not for our jury.

Caos Calmo 
The only Italian entry in the official competition. This story centers around a successful professional father that suddenly loses the wife he’s neglected for years. He is forced to engage once again as a father to his young daughter and spends his days in a park across the street from her school.

Seaview
An Irish documentary highlighting the plight of asylum seekers in Mosney. Once a resort with room for 6,000 Irish vacationers, it is now home to 400 illegal immigrants seeking a new life in Ireland. Some have been waiting for an answer for as much as six years. This was a visually stimulating look at a politically divisive situation. I really enjoyed this film, however, I believe it would have served the filmmakers to add some footage with the point of view from government officials as well as the (wo)man on the street.

Day Five

Just four films today.  Seems like a breeze compared to yesterday...

• Bam Gua Nat ("Night and Day")
• Yasukuni (documentary)
• Standard Operating Procedure
• Happy-Go-Lucky

Bam Gua Nat
A Korean film based in Paris. An artist flees to Paris to escape arrest in his home country, leaving behind a wife. Lonely in a city where he doesn’t speak the language, he establishes a relationship with a younger Korean female. An overly long film but does show elements of a man struggling with sin and temptation.

Yasukuni
A controversial documentary made by a Chinese director taking a critical look at the Japanese war shrine of Yasukuni. A professional effort that has brought threats of death to the Chinese director prior to its Tokyo release in April.

Standard Operating Procedure
An Errol Morris attempt to dig deeper behind the photographs from Abu Ghraib. A failure as an engaging documentary.

Happy Go Lucky
Mike Leigh brings us a character piece about a woman; cheerful in nature, and the effect she has on those around her. Not much dramatic action here to sustain my interest.

A bit about Monday's films

Tropa de Elite
A pretty hard-hitting look at a special police unit that operates in the slums of Rio de Janeiro. Fantastic cinematography, probably the best I’ve seen in quite some time. Very honest film.

Interesting history regarding this film. Precisely one DVD was stolen (pirated) two months prior to the completion of the post-production process, which was then subsequently copied and seen by more than 11 million people around the world, mostly in Brazil. This is an instance of piracy that has actually helped the film’s buzz before it’s public debut. 

The film has been surrounded by much controversy and the director was arrested at one point and death threats made against him. Similar in style to TV’s “The Shield.” There were 1,200 killings by the Rio police force last year (which has a population of 10 million). This is in contrast to a figure of 200 people in the whole of the U.S. that were killed last year by police (population of 300 million) officers.

Grandmother’s Flower
A Korean documentary about a family secret that an aging grandmother would like to have out in the open before she dies.

Invisible City
An unfocused documentary on historical Malaysia.

Brides of Allah
This documentary seems to have established some buzz here. I believe it’s mostly for the topic rather the execution of the piece itself. This focuses on a prison in Israel (Sharon), which houses female Palestinians that have been arrested for planning suicide bombing missions. Most of these women have children of their own, yet they made preparations to murder themselves and others in the name of God. This is a favorite of my compatriots on the doc jury but I found it to be suffering from a clichéd approach and a bit claustrophobic.

Kirschbluten
A German entry about family, death, and the meaning of life. Not a perfect film but my favorite official entry thus far. A man’s wife dies before her desire to visit Mt. Fuji can be fulfilled. Heartbroken, the husband (who hates to do anything contrary to his established daily routine) makes the journey in her honor. The couple’s grown children aren’t much comfort. And there's a nice subplot with a kindred spirit in a Japanese homeless girl who recently lost her mother.  There are many nuances to this multi-layered film and it’s one of the few so far that I can highly recommend.

Man Jeuk
A Hong Kong story about the art of pick pocketing, which is centered on a love triangle of sorts. Light, whimsical, and fun in nature. I fell asleep.

Internet down

Sorry for the slow updates... the press room's internet was spotty yesterday... and crowded.

Day Four

The six films on Monday:

• Tropa de Elite
• Grandmother's Flower (documentary)
• Invisible City (documentary)
• Brides of Allah (documentary)
• Kirschbluten
• Man Jeuk

More on these later...

Six films to see on Monday

My apologies for the sporadic postings. As you can imagine, free time and access to the internet are hard to manage here. I will do my best to keep you updated. Stay tuned. Meanwhile, enjoy these pictures from Monday.

Our Awards

Every few days or so our jury meets to discuss the films that we’ve seen so far. This helps to hone a short list of those films worthy of consideration for our awards and makes our process more efficient.

We have three awards to give out – the main Ecumenical award for Best Film (Competition), another for Best Documentary (Forum), and a third (Panorama) for Best Feature film for a 1st or 2nd time director.

As of Sunday we have only three films in consideration for the main prize – Zuo You, Lake Tahoe (I was outvoted), and The Song of Sparrows. This will most likely change daily.

The carpet at CineStar (script from "Taxi Driver")

More Photos

Ecumenical Jury Reception

Our jury was introduced at an official ecumenical function on Sunday evening. This event was well attended (close to 200) by local dignitaries and made us feel especially welcome. The German Minister of Culture, Staatsminister Neumann, presided and introduced the two ranking Bishops (Catholic and Protestant) of Germany.  

The Media Bishop of Germany, Catholic Bishop Dr. Furst, highlighted the need for better storytelling in cinema today:  “Films that the cinema needs can only be made by creative people. This is why the churches believe it is necessary to improve the conditions promoting the creative forces. It is an art in itself to find viable resources to fund a film, but it is the mind of the author that sends out the actual creative spark, because he or she has an idea of how to tell a story in a new and appealing way; it is the mind of the director who sees the images that touch people so that they leave the cinema changed, taking the images with them.”

The Protestant Bishop Dr. Wolfgang Huber added:  “Beyond their entertainment value, cinema movies need an added value, a message that makes us set out – initially for the cinema, but then also on an onward journey. Films have only a long-lasting effect, when they do not lead us away from ourselves, but into our innermost being. They make us encounter our own fantasies, fears, and dreams, our own feelings, doubts, and hopes… A festival such as the Berlinale is a great occasion to celebrate the art of the cinema… The Ecumenical Film Jury will watch this year’s festival with close attention… It has to cope with quite a workload. I wish the jury good luck and staying power in its efforts…”

(Ecumenical Jury members from left to right:  Magali Van Reeth (France), Milan Simacek (Czech Republic), Wolfgang Hussmann (Germany), Julia Helmke - Jury President (Germany), Yours truly, Alina Birzache (Romania)

Good Advice

“It is not the critic who counts, nor the man who points out where the strong man stumbled, or where a doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man in the arena whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs, and who comes up short again and again, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause. The man who at best knows the triumph of high achievement and who at worst, if he fails, fails while daring greatly, so that his place will never be with those cold timid souls who never knew victory or defeat.”
- Teddy Roosevelt

Day Three

Four films, a jury meeting, and an ecumenical reception. Actually, make that three films, the fourth film, it turns out, wasn’t in the official competition (“Fireflies in the Garden”) and, as it was a late film (10:30 p.m.), I took the opportunity to skip the screening..

• The Song of Sparrows
• Elegy
• La Frontera Infinita (documentary)

The Song of Sparrows
An Iranian film with an especially poetic tone. A family man fired from his job, struggles to make ends meet, and confronts the competing moralities of capitalistic Tehran and his simple working class life.

Elegy
Based upon a Phillip Roth novella. A tiring tale of a self-interested, immature, aging professor engaged in a hopeless affair with one of his students. Ben Kingsley as the professor. Penelope Cruz as the student.

I'm afraid that I can’t recommend this film on any level -- except for the cinematography.  It leaves one with a bad taste...  

La Frontera Infinita
A Mexican effort focusing on the struggles of Central Americans yearning to cross Mexico and illegally enter the U.S.  Pretty slow... and I fell asleep several times during this unfocused work.

This is for the fans in Yorba Linda

Day Two

I saw five films yesterday – three in competition and two documentaries:

• Lake Tahoe
• Julia
• Gardens of the Night
• My Winnipeg (doc)
• Be Like Others (doc)

Lake Tahoe
This is a second effort from a Mexican film director Fernando Eimbcke. Seems to be a favorite among our jury members so far but I’m the lone dissenter at this point. We experience one day in the life of a teenage son as he deals with the grief of recently losing his father. Slow paced and awkwardly directed at times. It has a heart but it requires quite an effort from the audience to find it.

Julia
Directed by French director Erick Zonca. Tilda Swinton gives a tour de force acting performance in this, playing an alcoholic on a fast track to self-destruction. It’s hard to watch at times as she continues to make one bad decision after another. Watch for her to pick up some acting hardware for this one.

Gardens of the Night
Continuing with the children theme so far, a disturbing tale of child abduction and molestation. Tom Arnold as the creepy molester “Uncle Alex.”

My Winnipeg
A Canadian’s homage to his hometown of Winnipeg. Absolutely brilliant artistically but put many audience members to sleep… including this one.

Be Like Others
A documentary on transgenders in Iran as they struggle with the decision to undergo sex change operations. Islamic law in Iran supports these types of operations whereby the penalty for homosexuality is death. Most who choose the operation know that they will be disowned by their families and friends.

Up at 6 a.m. and in bed by 1:30 a.m... knackered.  

50,000 +

"Musta Jaa" ("Black Ice")
A Finnish film that is part thriller, part melodrama involves the aged issue of a husband caught in an affair. His wife then pretends to be someone else and strikes up a friendship with the mistress. Somebody dies in the end but this film is about life as well.

I’m getting the feeling that cheating and especially children (or the lack thereof) will be strong thematic issues relating to the selection of this year’s films.

Corridor #8
A Bulgarian documentary that focuses on a closed railway connection between Albania, Bulgaria, and Macedonia. These Balkan countries were united at one time but politics and war have separated them for generations. With the rail closed, there is no direct route connecting these people. The filmmaker takes us on a journey similar to the one the early Christian disciples must have traveled long ago as they brought Christianity to that part of the world. Many interesting people are presented along the way that have been deeply affected by the separation from other family members for decades.

This has been a whirlwind experience so far and I'm already wondering what day it is (or even when I last ate). And it’s only day two! They tell me that’s the nature of these festivals. Get used to it. The confusion is compounded in that the films don’t play in one particular venue. They’re spread out across a fairly large area and it’s my job to create a schedule that allows me to see all of the films that are part of my judging responsibilities.

This is a well-attended festival. Some 50,000 will attend at least part of the festival. It’s refreshing to be among this many cinema lovers.