Wednesday, October 8, 2008

New York Film Festival, Press Week IV

AHENDU NDE SAPUKAI (I Hear Your Scream)
A remarkable single-shot short about the process of loss, told completely in silhouette. Just remarkable.

LA MUJER SIN CABEZA (The Headless Woman)
Take the skeleton of Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, then send it wandering off into the last half hour of Mulholland Drive but preparing for a Last Weekend at Marienbad, and you have the idea of where this remarkable mindmelter from Argentina's Lucrecia Martel. It so much subtler than any of those films, though, and filled with so much possibility. This and Synecdoche, NY are proving the films from this northward sojourn that I want to dwell in repeatedly, again and again. If there is any justice, this film will get some kind of further distribution.

C'EST DUR D'ETRE AIME PAR DES CONS (It's Hard Being Loved by Jerks)
A battering ram of a documentary that illustrates the trial of the publishers and editorial staff of French weekly Charlie Hebdo, which printed those infamous twelve cartoons which portrayed the prophet Mohammed. The film has countless things to say about the role of the press and the courts and religious authorities, and all of it is pretty fascinating even if lack of access to the actual courtroom proceedings lends a surreal air to the whole thing. Certainly worth seeing, and as provocative a way as any for me to finish up my time at the 46th Annual New York Film Festival.

2 comments:

Darren said...

I will happily drive over the mountains *at least* once if you all program The Headless Woman. Hell, I'll even buy you dinner and a beer. It was my most anticipated film of the year and, for whatever reasons, didn't play in Toronto.

Darren in Knoxville

Belcourt Theatre said...

Ahh...alas we must wait for some brave distributor to pick the film up. I'm psyched about this as well...Toby