Venice Film Festival Short Reviews

Mother – Darsena. Day zero is the day Mother Theresa was created. Born in Albania, she became a nun and relocated to a convent in India. In addition to her devotion to the church, she was driven to care for the poor, the sick and the children of her new home. In the time before day zero, she endured many religious and personal inner conflicts. They eventually drove her to abandon her catholic robes. She donned the blue-trimmed white attire of Indian women, the clothes she became known for. Day zero, she walked into the congested streets of Kolkata and a new life. The film was enthusiastically received by the audience at this, its world premiere.

Otec (Father) – Darsena. In spite of the blistering hot heatwave, the father goes for his morning jog. Returning home for a cooling shower, he’s met at the door by his wife who has a long list of errands for him to run. One of them is to drop their two-year-old daughter off at preschool on his way to work – she’ll pick her up. Before seating their daughter in his car, he proudly shows his daughter her new tamper-proof car seat. She’d escaped the previous one and run off – he doesn’t want that to happen again. He drops her off at school waving goodbye and hi to her teacher.

At work, he’s inundated with issues, a new boss, failed AC, calls from his previous wife, disgruntled coworkers and finally a call from his wife. She is at the daycare center and says their daughter is not there. He dashes out of the office to the lot where his car is parked. A tragic true story sensitively told. The film is worthy of a film festival premiere.

Secret of a Mountain Serpent – Giardino. The Biennale College of Cinema awards several 200k euro grants annually. This film received one and what a waste of money! The film is dark, moody with lots of unintelligible dialogue and literally no movement. After the first 20 minutes, people began to leave the theater. After 30 minutes, heads started to droop in sleep. I for one, belong to the latter group. One didn’t miss much in these restful interludes because nothing much was happening anyway. The only change in action is the scene of six naked women walking into a river – for some reason or another. There were many misspelled words and much flawed grammar in the subtitles. The moment the screen credits began, viewers stampeded to the exits.

Cover-up – Grande. Twenty years ago, Seymour Hersh declined the offer to make this documentary. Thankfully, he changed his mind. He didn’t set out in life to be a political journalist, but that’s what he became – possibly the best. One of his first successful exposés was the My Lai massacre, one covered up by the highest levels in the White House, US military, CIA and FBI. Culpability was bounced around DC like a tennis ball in a tournament. The film continues with documenting the extensive research and the many people Sy interviews before his stories go to press. Actions by famous people like Henry Kissinger are honestly revealed. At the close of the screening, the audience jumped to their feet clapping and cheering. Sy stood and appeared almost embarrassed by the loud lengthy ovation. This film will be shown at several other prominent film festivals this fall.

Dinti de Lapte (Milk Teeth) – Darsena. The faces, both young and old, show no expression. The landscapes are bleak. The interiors seem abandoned. The dialogue is delivered like the reading of a will. What’s to like about this film? Nothing. The story revolves around a missing girl, but nobody really seems to care. Scene after murky scene only offer the audience a chance to catch up on texting and sleep. There were flashes from iPhones throughout the audience and a few nodding heads. Mine wasn’t one of them as I was curious to know what the title had to do with anything – very little.

Handbag – Perla. Life for this handbag begins in the factory of the Italian fashion house of Miu Miu. It is sold as a birthday gift for the daughter of a wealthy family. The bag’s new home is elegant, making it feel at home. Quite by accident, it’s stolen and sold to a female criminal. It is then involved in a murder and acquired by the police as evidence. On its way to be destroyed, it falls from a truck and found by some wandering campers. Hearing gunshots in the early morning, the group runs for cover, leaving the bag behind. The bag sighs – “I’m finally free.” (Short subject)

Venus – Perla. A young Black woman wanders into a museum, pausing before paintings by great artists that have included Black people. These persons are all servants serving food, pouring wine or dressing White people. They are all posed in slave capacities. The scene then skips to a busy Black neighborhood. (Short subject)

Short Summer – Perla. Another gloomy film with little acting or action and an underdeveloped story filmed in dreary settings. A family of three drive in their rickety car to their remote rundown summer home. Most of the film shows people wandering in weed-filled fields with the occasional scene showing children kicking a ball around in the distance. A loud train passes by – and? It would appear that these sudden blasts of loud noises – car mufflers, motorcycles engines and door slamming – are to wake the audience from brief naps.

Nuestra Tierra – Grande. The long opening scene shows spacecrafts drifting around outer space – for some unknown reason. Next is drone footage of a desolate landscape in Argentina – at least we will discover why later on. Indigenous peoples have lived here for 350 years and have been in constant conflict with those wishing to move them out. Court appearances never happened – until now. During a confrontation with developers at the border to their native land, someone is killed. Now there has to be court time. The constant drone photography and the endless repetitive court scenes make this, what could be an interesting story, tediously dull and boring.

A Sad and Beautiful World – Perla. Even in war-ravaged Beirut, true love can be found – even if it’s only between two elementary school students. On the way home from school one day, the two pause at the site of abandoned railroad cars. Here, they profess their love for one another and plan their escape from the horrors of bombs and gunfire that plague their city. They will meet later and run away. Well, they do meet later, but as adults. He inadvertently crashes his speeding car into a building. She represents the building owners who want payment for damages to their property. Their much delayed meeting takes place in his restaurant where everyone is to meet and hopefully reach a settlement. He recognizes her immediately, she recognizes him eventually. And eventually the flames of their love are rekindled.

[Note: More VFF short reviews will be published in an upcoming edition of the Beachcomber.]