8 March 2024.
By Neptune
I GIACOMETTI / THE GIACOMETTIS **** (vo Italian, German, French)
This documentary about the Giacometti dynasty by Swiss director Susanna Fanzun is an eye-opener for any art-lover. Even for those who think they know all about this highly artistic family raised in the rugged Bregaglia Valley of Italian Switzerland.
Fanzun has created an exhaustive homage to them, starting off with father Giovanni, born in 1868, who was an impressionist with an affinity for strong colours. There was his wife Annetta and his four children, Alberto, Diego, Bruno and sister Ottilia, all with an artistic streak. But it was Alberto, with his distinctive thin sculptures, who became the most famous and prolific of this very loving and close-knit family (one of his works sold in 2015 for over 140 million dollars, the highest price ever paid for a sculpture).
Through interviews with close friends and family, visits to their mountain home, their various studios and excerpts of the many letters they wrote to each other, Fanzun brings us into the peaceful yet turbulent lives of these talented siblings – Diego as a renowned furniture designer and close collaborator of Alberto, and brother Bruno who became a successful architect. Sister Ottilia also dabbled in art, but sadly died in childbirth in her early thirties. All that and more is covered in Fanzun’s tribute to this exceptional family who lived contentedly in their dark valley, yet needed to get away to create their own lives.
An excellent film from 2017 by Stanley Tucci, “Final Portrait”, sheds further light on the private relationships of the brilliant yet difficult Alberto. But then, that’s what artists often are – gifted, hardworking but also single-minded and egocentric.
LA VIE DE MA MERE *** (vo French)
Agnès Jaoui is one of France’s finest cinematic talents, not only as an actress but also as a scriptwriter and director. In fact, she received an honorary Cesar this past month for her extensive contribution to the art of filmmaking, having often collaborated with the late Jean-Pierre Bacri.
In her latest film, by Julien Carpentier, Jaoui plays the mother of a florist trying hard to make a success of his shop. At an important moment for his business, his grandmother calls him to come urgently to her home. His mother, who is bipolar, has left the clinic where she has been interned. The rest of the story is about their few days together, the son trying to figure out how to cope with his mother’s wild mood swings, from her effusive mother love to outrageous irresponsibility and flirtations with any man around. Jaoui is excellent as the needy, untamed mother, as is William Lebghil portraying her bewildered, exhausted son.
Though a bit too pat and sentimental at the end, it is nevertheless a touching analysis of the thin line between love, responsibility and the weight of the umbilical cord…
RENCONTRES 7e ART LAUSANNE, 7-17 March For true cinephiles! Look into their site for all that is offered in this exceptional annual festival dedicated to the 7th Art that is cinema. Started off by the Lausanne-born but international actor, director and photographer Vincent Perez, it brings together film creators and the public.
This year’s theme is “LET’S DANCE!”, with many works, past and present, that represent the joy that dance can add to film, along with masterclasses and conferences with renowned actors such as Karin Viard, Raphaël Personnaz (of the soon to be released BOLERO, on Maurice Ravel’s creation), or directors Barbet Schroeder and the eminent Claude Lelouch and his many films connected with music.
A surprise flashmob of young dancers on the Esplanade du Flon in Lausanne kicked off the Festival on Wednesday, 6th of March with music from the multi Oscar-winning film, LALALAND. It was an amuse-bouche for the arrival of the film’s award-winning composer, Justin Hurwitz, who will conduct a ciné-concert at Lausanne’s Salle Metropole on March 14th. Check out the festival’s program and schedules through March 17th on rencontres7art.ch
TANGO CELLO - Prangins ! And more for music lovers – don’t miss a unique evening of TANGO CELLO and dance in Prangins on Saturday, March 16th at 20h. More info on prangins.ch and prangins-t.tickets.ch
Superb **** Very Good *** Good ** Mediocre * Miserable – no stars
By Neptune
Neptune Ravar Ingwersen reviews film extensively for publications in Switzerland. She views 4 to 8 films a week and her aim is to sort the wheat from the chaff for readers.
For more stories like this on Switzerland follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
