15 March 2024.
By Neptune
TERRESTRIAL VERSES (Chroniques de Téhéran) **** (vo Farsi)
This series of vignettes showing interviews with ordinary citizens presents the utter absurdity of life within the theocracy that is Iran under the rule of the mullahs.
- A father comes to register his newborn baby’s name. He wants to call him David. The fellow in charge says it’s not possible – the ensuing conversation is a tragicomedy.
- A pretty student is accused by the school mistress of having a boyfriend – the girl’s evasions and pleas give rise to threats by the mistress, but all’s well that ends well…
- A scene of a job interview reminds us that sexual harassment at work is a universal dilemma.
- An elegant, elderly woman comes looking for her lost dog at the police station. Because dogs are considered ‘unclean’ in Islam, the results are once again tragicomic frustrations.
- A film director is trying to get past the censorship of his scenario – the effects are hair-raising.
- The brightest yet saddest episode is of a sweet little girl in a clothing store who is merrily dancing to her earphones, dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. Her transformation through the fully-covered religious outfit for a school ceremony is simply appalling.
And on it goes, interview after episode, succinctly highlighting scenes of power play, pressures and humiliations that people endure daily in Iran. Paring it down to essentials, each vignette shows only the interviewee. The last scene is literally shattering.
This brilliant, biting exposé of the cultural and institutional restrictions under a severe theocracy is the work of Ali Asghari and Alireza Khatami. In only 77 minutes, these two upcoming directors give us a gripping, unwavering panorama of Iranian exasperations. A masterwork.
(In Geneva, showing only at the NORD-SUD – at 18.30 – not to miss!)
C’E ANCORA DOMANI (Il reste encore demain/There’s Still Tomorrow) ***1/2 (vo Italian)
Was it really like that back then? This black-and-white Italian film is a fearless look at postwar Italy, and the suppressed role of women in it. With friendly American soldiers still patrolling the streets and change in the air, it zeroes in on an Italian household where domestic violence is a daily given.
Directed by and starring comedic actress and first time helmer, Paola Cortellesi, the film echoes the feel and sentiments of Italy’s great cinema era of neorealism, with its heartfelt melodramas dealing with human problems. As the opening film for last year’s Rome Film Festival, it impressed the audience with its fresh style – mixing shocking domestic beatings with moments of wry humour, expressive ballads along with a dance number and mysterious letters.
Delia (Cortellesi) and Ivano (Valerio Mastandrea) live a hard-working life in Rome with their three children. Delia meekly accepts the frequent beatings she gets from her boorish husband, for it seems to be the way of the times – the man is the ruler of the household. Their teenage daughter hates the demeaning situation, while the two younger brothers seem to be following in their father’s footsteps. There is also an old admirer of Delia’s who is ready to take her away, if she will.
And the kind black GI who wants to help but doesn’t speak the language. Something seems to be brewing… you should really go and find out what it is! It’s more important than you might think.
There are a few hiccups in this first film, but Cortellesi has a sure and deft hand and is a directorial talent to watch.
WICKED LITTLE LETTERS (Scandaleusement votre) **1/2
It’s the 1920s and a scandal is brewing in a seaside town in England. Lewd letters are being sent to different people in the town, with such filthy language that the public is in a tizzy. Basing it on a true event that became a national media uproar at the time, the film’s director, Thea Sharrock, has decided to make it a comedy, but also a whodunnit that is quite predictable from the start.
I personally was not amused, for it’s a typically tittering spoof about uptight English constraints, entailing a lot of overacting, both by Olivia Colman who plays the main stiff and proper character, and Jessie Buckley as her rowdy, nonconformist neighbor. There’s a lot of silly twists and turns and moral lessons along the way. Oh well, as it’s an intentional crowd-pleaser it’ll probably become a hit.
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.
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