Eh! U Film Festival

Eh! U Meet The Europeans

The 4th Annual European Film Festival begins Sunday November 16th and goes on till the end of the month.  Showcasing will be an abundance of hits of more than 30 films from 23 countries:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden.

And the best thing about the eurofilmfest is that all the films are free.  Admission is on a first come first serve basis with a suggested $5 donation.

The best picks of films are:
ENTRE LES MUR (France 2008) (the Cannes Palme d’Or winner)
COLOSSAL YOUTH (Portugal 2006) and
HUNGER (Ireland 2008) ****

For more information on showtimes, venues and films, check the film festival website at:
http://www.eutorontofilmfest.ca

Below are capsule reviews of films previewed:

AND ALONG COME TOURISTS (Germany 2007) ***
Directed by Robert Thalheim

AND ALONG COME TOURISTS can be considered to be a coming-of-age story for Sven (Alexander Fehling) who chose to do his National Service abroad in Auschwitz where he comes to terms with his German past.  Sven ends up forced to care for elderly Stanislaw (Ryszard Ronczewski), a former camp inmate who has never left the Nazi camp but spends his time giving witness to the past horrors while repairing suitcases.  Though the idea of this kind of bonding being used as a tool to get an idea across is not novel, Thalheim’s film does contain a few neat touches - the local Poles taunting the newly arrived German at the pub; Sven helping his girl’s brother but making a fool of himself instead.  A romance is also thrown in for good measure.

CLOSE TO THE EDGE (Greece 2006) *
Directed by Savvas Karydas

This totally depressing and angry (what happened to happy in this story?) film concerns Andreas, a young lonely taxi driver, doing his rounds in a chaotic mega city.  The catch is that he hears stories of people but he himself has stories to tell.  All this is well and a good premise but the characters introduced and stereotyped and uninteresting.  Worst still is the silly soundtrack that is played continuously from start to end.  The film’s funniest (and silliest part) comes when the film calls for a dramatic moment at the climax and the soundtrack comes inappropriately on again.  Much has to be improved of the film’s continuity scenes as well.  The swim in the sea scene looks as if it was filmed in a swimming pool from the lighting.

HUNGER (Ireland/UK 2008) ****
Directed by Steve McQueen

Winner of the prize for best feature at Cannes this year, HUNGER documents in graphic detail the last 6 weeks of the life of IRA Bobby Sands (Michael Fassbender) in an Irish prison.  The prisoners undergo a ‘no wash’ and ‘blanket’ protest till a hunger strike begins.  Steve McQueen (a photographer) shoots his film with long takes, most ending with a punch.  Though it might appear that not much action is taking place in most scenes, the contrary is happening.  McQueen is building up emotions in the viewer.  He shows not only the points-of-view of Sands and the IRA sympathizers but the prison guards involved in the brutality as well.  McQueen’s camera crosscuts to the facial expression of one guard behind his helmet shield.  McQueen also follows long segments with little to no dialogue to ones containing talk non-stop (the debate between Sands and the priest).  Though HUNGER is not everybody’s cup of tea (be prepared for close-ups of maggots, decaying food and excrement), McQueen gets the purpose for his film more than effectively across with disturbing clarity.

MY NAME IS JUANI (Spain 2006) ***
Directed by Bigas Luna

Director Bigas Luna’s (JAMON, JAMON which shot Javier Bardem to fame) latest film concerns a girl called Juani (veronica Echegui).  Juani has boyfriend, family and career problems.  She leaves everything for the big city of Madrid to become an actress.  Of course, things do not turn out that smoothly but director Luna treats his audiences to fast music, bright colours, impressive movements and fast cars in his film that is full of life.  Though this film is not the best of Luna’s work, one can forgive him as the film’s odd humour and often laugh-out loud moments are entertaining enough.  Like the film’s best line when Juani tells her boyfriend” “You think I would like him despite what he’s got?” MY NAME IS JUANI showcases the Spanish best at what they are – full of energy and fire. 

KATYN (Poland 2007) ***
Directed by Andrzej Wajda

Veteran Polish director Andrzej Wajda’s (MAN OF MARBLE) piece on another atrocity of WWII is at times too serious for its own good.  You can tell he is trying very hard when the film ends with somber music on a blank, background for several minutes as if Wajda is forcing his audience to think.  The KATYN forest is where it all happened – the slaughter of innocent Polish military officers by the Soviets.  Wajda describes the tragedy of a generation by focusing on the deeply affected lives of four Polish families.  Again the debate on the dilemma – should the world forget so that the Poles can go on living their living or should the world remember so that the horrors will never occur again – is tackled.  Wajda’s film is beautifully shot (using the new revolutionary technology known as 4K), often with elegant women in expensive dresses walking behind a backdrop of mist and gloom.  KATYN was the Polish entry for the Best Foreign Film Oscar and it won the Best Film at the 2008 Polish Film Awards.

MIND THE GAP (Sweden 2007) **
Directed by Helena Bergstrom

Two highly different girls entering the police academy, Elin (a Swede) and Yasmin (a Turk immigrant) forge a friendship that apparently knows no bounds.  They overcome pride and prejudice, bad romances and come to grips with their respective fathers who seem to have problems relating to them.  MIND THE GAP (the title comes from the announcement Yasmin’s dad makes as a tube driver) meets all the criteria for being picked for this film festival – new film; Canadian premiere; showcases diversity culture; a hit – but this well intentioned film is totally bland and unimaginative in its storytelling.  Everything works out too well for a happy ending, spoilt worst by a horrid soundtrack of pop songs (I’m Coming Out – by Diana Ross) inserted during the film, the volume of which appears turned up or down, as if by hand.  Too warm and fuzzy for its own good – this film in a film too family-oriented to be realistic.

VENDREDI OU UNE AUTRE JOUR (Belgium 2005) ***
Directed by Yvan Le Moine

The title VENDREDI OU UNEAUTRE JOUR (English: FRIDAY OR ANOTHER DAY) refers to Man Friday in this odd period take on the Robinson Crusoe tale.  The 18th century!  Comedie Francais’ famous actor Philippe De Nohan is shipwrecked and the sole survivor on a desert island.  Thankfully, the island is large enough for him to tour and turn one spot into a little paradise.  Time passes before he discovers natives, one of whom he recruits as his servant (more like a black slave) to suit his fancies.  As things turn out, De Nohan undergoes a transformation with Friday becoming the master.  All this is not as easy to take in as it sounds as director Le Moine fills his film with disturbing scenes like the killing of Friday’s mates and De Nohan’s bigoted thoughts of superiority.  The cinematography (of the sea, island and surroundings) and sets (the old ship) earn top marks in creation of atmosphere and mood.