AFI Fest, the longest-running international film festival in Los Angeles, took off at Hollywood Boulevard. Over the past week, directors from around the world, including new auteurs and renowned award-winners, made appearances at the TCL Chinese Theater, the Egyptian Theater and the Dolby Theatre to support their newest projects, with numerous awaiting fans in tow.
A&E; senior staffer Sebastian Torrelio attended AFI Fest this week, scoping out the newest selections on the festival circuit and films that may be coming to American audiences in the near future. On the sixth day of AFI Fest coverage, supremely talented directors from around the world presented their stories of the human condition, each heartbreaking and sentimental in their own right.
“Breathe (Respire)”
Directed by Mélanie Laurent
A couple things are very clear about “Breathe” upon first viewing it. First, Mélanie Laurent is an incredibly talented, though annoyingly playful director – every shot that Laurent makes feels planned out, delicate and tender with an aura of meaning behind it that the audience must figure out for themselves. Second, “Breathe” has one of the best concluding shots in recent memory. That only adds to the gorgeous work done behind the scenes – “Breathe” is minimalistically transfixing, letting even its more boring moments, of which there are indeed a handful, flow together like a work of modern art. Whatever Laurent’s intentions may be, she clearly has the talent needed to fit the bill.
“Breathe” mainly follows Charlie (Joséphine Japy), your regular teenage girl, in high school with friends and a loving family. When Sarah (Lou de Laâge) enters her life, things turn a bit haywire. Charlie is a bit too ordinary, easy at succumbing to the peer pressure always around her, but knows cool when she sees it. That cool is Sarah, a bold, pretty and interesting girl who sits next to Charlie in class when she is introduced. The two become best friends at a rapid pace, too fast for Charlie to fully understand the kind of person Sarah is: a person who will bring out the worst of Charlie’s insecurities. The interactions and perceptions of youth, and what drives the girls’ relationships, are what “Breathe” does an impressive job with. It can turn ugly and pulpy at times, but “Breathe” gets how young feminine friendships work, and analyzes them fruitfully.
“Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere”
Directed by Diep Hoang Nguyen
“Flapping in the Middle of Nowhere,” by first time Vietnamese director Diep Hoang Nguyen, is such a rare treat not because of any contextual work inside the film, but because of what its existence represents. In her Q&A; after the movie’s presentation, Nguyen was asked several questions about how her film relates to her home country’s culture – Is it allowed to be shown there? How is censorship blocking it? Was it difficult finding talented actors who could work under such mature conditions? Nguyen was able to describe the events that unfold when a young, poor couple discover they are having a child, in terms of what they represent in Vietnamese culture, and how everything in the film has an underlying, often societal, symbolism.
The leading couple in “Flapping” are very different personalities who live in the slums of Hanoi, Vietnam. The young girl Huyen (Thuy Anh Nguyen) is desperate for money to take care of her forthcoming child, while the self-centered Tung (Ha Hoang) is only upset at the news that he has to deal with more expenses. The film plays out as a sly journey through Vietnam’s streets as the two turn to more unconventional means – prostitution and cockfighting, respectively – to meet their goals. Nguyen knows how to make the most out of subtext, whether it be political or social, just enough to give her characters a purpose to overcome their many dramatic, if not uncomfortable, scenes.
“Mommy”
Directed by Xavier Dolan
Roadside Attractions
There are many characteristics in Xavier Dolan’s “Mommy” that can be considered crowning achievements. Namely among them, his inspiring use of score and musical cues, and his choice of acting talents, none of whom are anything less than exceptional. The mommy in question is Diane “Die” Després (Anne Dorval), widowed mother to her brat of a son Steve (Antoine-Olivier Pilon). Steve is tempermental, and at many times during the day drives his mother to the edge of insanity, frequently breaking household items and screaming in her face. Die has had nearly enough when one of her neighbors Kyla (Suzanne Clément) enters into her life. Kyla has speech problems of her own caused by stress and, as a teacher, wants to try relating to Steve.
From Kyla’s introduction onwards, “Mommy” becomes heartwarming and pleasantly adorable, with montages of Kyle, Steve and Die all making the best of friends with one another. Dolan shoots “Mommy” in a 1:1 aspect ratio, letting his characters remain in a squarely focused frame. It’s a genius move, and one of many that puts a pioneering scope on Dolan’s emotional family tale. Every conversation in “Mommy” feels justified, important to developing these molding personalities as they interact with each other. Through chaos, anger and unwarranted antagonism, these characters feel like they are growing and aging on screen. “Mommy” carries its deceivingly cute title with an auspicious glimmer, never letting the audience know what will happen next. The film assures the audience of the control held in Dolan’s hands, and the breathtaking level of perfection within his sight.
“Red Army”
Directed by Gabe Polsky
Sony Pictures Classics
The most impressive aspect of Gabe Polsky’s documentary “Red Army” is its understanding of perspective. Polsky manages to take the the Soviet Union national hockey team, a group resented in America during the 1980s, and make its story utterly sympathetic. “Red Army” focuses mainly on the Russian Five, a group of players that dominated the sport, but takes a central look at their de facto leader, Viacheslav “Slava” Fetisov. Fetisov comments on the joy of playing alongside his friends, but also the rarely described negatives of the Russian team – Viktor Tikhonov, the head coach during the team’s most dominant years, is viewed as tyrannical. “Red Army” looks at Tikhonov’s tireless training practices as well as his control over the team as the players wished to leave for the NHL.
Polsky does an impressive job questioning his subjects, getting vital information and interesting details out of the somber Russian Five. With sharp cuts and fast transitions between archival footage and interviews, “Red Army” is entertaining to a healthier extent than most documentaries. What sets it apart, however, is its keen regard for the other side of the legend. Polsky’s view of international ice hockey lays each historical moment heavily, letting the emotion play as if decades of time haven’t changed the impact of history. “Red Army” lays on the social commentary hard, carrying a deep passion for the sport on its shoulder without distracting from the lessons to be learned from the past.
– Sebastian Torrelio