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Film: Of Gods And Men
Release date: 3rd December 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 121 mins
Director: Xavier Beauvois
Starring: Lambert Wilson, Michael Lonsdale, Olivier Rabourdin, Philippe Laudenbach, Jacques Herlin
Genre: Drama
Studio: Artificial Eye
Format: Cinema
Country: France
After winning the Grand Prix at the 2010 Cannes Film Festival, Of Gods And Men has now become France’s submission for the Best Foreign Language Film at the upcoming Oscars. Directed by Xavier Beauvois and based on the true story of seven French Trappist monks mysteriously beheaded in Algeria in 1996, the film focuses primarily on the events leading up to their deaths.
Set in rural North Africa, the movie is centred on a quiet monastery overlooking a quiet village. The eight monks who live within have developed a warm relationship with the villagers, dispensing advice and selling them their produce. More importantly, one of the monks, Luc (Michael Lonsdale), is a practicing doctor offering free out-patients treatment to the locals.
Their part in the peaceful community is threatened when Islamic Fundamentalists began to cause trouble in the region – culminating in the massacre of a group of Croatian construction workers. When the terrorists later seek medical attention at the monastery - following an unrelated incident - a moral dilemma over whether they should treat them occurs. This is the least of their problems, however, as it becomes increasingly apparent that their lives are in danger and their faith will be strongly tested…
Of Gods And Men is an understated, nuanced film. There are no set pieces, no dramatic speeches, no unnecessary flourishes. It opens simply, showing the quietly contemplative monks praying and singing. It’s an early indication of the measured simplicity of Beauvois’ approach to the subject matter. He efficiently establishes the warmth of the relationship between the monks and the villagers by following a young Algerian as he moves in and around the monastery, greeting the Frenchmen and chatting idly with them. It’s a clever scene, quickly introducing a rich cast of characters, a sense of their lifestyle and the community which exists between the Trappists and the Muslims.
Further illustrating the point, a wonderful tete-a-tete between Luc and a local girl makes explicit the respect in which the monks are held. She asks him what it feels like to be in love and his response indicates that he has had a substantial life prior to his being ordained as a monk. Luc’s evocative description of the emotions love engenders is utterly endearing and cleverly played – initially it seems that Luc’s love is for God. It’s only in the latter part of the conversation that it is made explicit that he has been in love a number of times prior to his finding God – his truest love. These hints at a previous life (and the fact that he is a doctor) are the only clues we are given to any of the monks’ back-stories.
Lonsdale is fabulous as the gruff Luc - Of Gods And Men is a film worth watching if only for the joy of seeing an ensemble cast of elderly men lighting up the screen with their very presence. The performances are uniformly excellent, suffused with warmth and sensitivity. Lived-in, wrinkled faces are well equipped to convey the quiet emotion contained within this film - a rueful smile, a slight wince or a crinkling of the eyes says as much as a thousand scripted words. Every single actor - regardless of the size of their role - imbues their character with an individuality created entirely through their own skill (even the sparse clothing of the monks offers no scope for individuality). A perfect example of this is Amédée (Jacques Herlin), the oldest of the monks, who probably has the least to say. Herlin‘s performance is pitch perfect - a beguiling mixture of tenderness, confusion and tolerance conveyed almost wordlessly through his expressive face.
As things become increasingly fraught, and the danger to the lives of the monks become increasingly tangible, their faith is tested and their resolve questioned. As they toy with the idea of leaving the monastery, they each have their own crises of confidence: how can there be a God in a world so cruel; do they belong in the wider world; can they abandon the village when it needs them most? Beauvois’ stance is to maintain a position of neutrality meaning that despite the enormous part which religion plays in the movie, enjoying it requires no religious faith on the behalf of the viewer. As the monks discuss their predicament and come to terms with their position, faith and religious belief are obviously at the head of the agenda. Yet the fact that they have such difficult decisions to make – even in the light of their religiousness – is not glossed over. One of them even invokes Pascal’s famous assertion that “Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from a religious conviction.”
The scene for which the film will be most remembered sees the monks gathered around a table sharing red wine. To say too much might give away the denouement of the story, but it’s safe to say that it’s one of the most wonderful scenes committed to celluloid in recent years as music from Swan Lake plays over their silent thoughts. The soundtrack might lack subtlety, but the performances do not. As the camera sweeps around the table, it seems to capture the inner thoughts of each participant. There is joy, sadness and - above all - love visible on every face. It’s a scene drenched in emotion and an acting masterclass from all concerned. Truly magnificent stuff.
Of Gods And Men is a beautifully made film, eschewing the high drama contained in the source material in favour of quiet contemplation and a celebration of humanity which, although informed by religion, is not defined by it. The calm, quiet direction allows the marvellous individual performances room to take the limelight - and they are thoroughly deserving of it. RW
This is an English-language release from the master of J-horror, Hideo Nakata (Ring, Dark Water).
When five teenagers meet online, innocent friendships are forged. But soon one dysfunctional member of the group, increasingly drawn to the darker side of the online world, singles out the most vulnerable in the group and seizes the chance to erase his own past. A chance to manipulate, to make a statement: a chance to lead someone down the path of no return.
Set in both online and offline worlds, this smart psychological thriller has a poignant relevancy, exposing the chilling reality of what happens when the lines between reality and cyberspace become blurred…
Film: Chatroom
Release date: 24th December 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 97 mins
Director: Hideo Nakata
Starring: Aaron Johnson, Imogen Poots, Matthew Beard, Hannah Murray, Daniel Kaluuya
Genre: Drama/Thriller
Studio: Revolver
Format: Cinema
Country: UK
German-made CGI-animated children's feature. Originally released in German but rerecorded by a British cast for its UK release. Available in 3-D at selected cinemas.
In Africa's Okavango Delta, all the animals are waiting for the annual flood, which should have come gushing down from the mountains weeks ago. As both their thirst and anxiety increase, cheeky meerkat Billy and his friend Socrates, a gentle mountain lion, decide to gatecrash an international summit at a luxury hotel resort in an attempt to discover where the precious water has gone.
Along the way, the duo meet various animals from all around the world, who have flocked to Africa in search of a better life, and enlist their help in their quest.
Film: Animals United
Release date: 17th December 2010
Certificate: U
Running time: 93 mins
Director: Reinhard Klooss & Holger Tappe
Starring: James Corden, Billie Piper, Stephen Fry, Dawn French, Vanessa Redgrave
Genre: Animation/Family
Studio: Entertainment
Format: Cinema
Country: Germany
A Parisian bookseller, Lestingois, fishes Boudu, a vagrant, out of the Seine after seeing the man throw himself into the river. He befriends the tramp and puts him up at home.
Boudu’s coarse and irreverent behaviour shocks the whole household at first but he agrees to change his appearance and Madame Lestingois succumbs to his charms. Boudu, however, only has eyes for the maid, Anne-Marie, who happens to be the bookseller’s mistress.
Events take a different turn when Boudu wins 100,000 francs in the lottery.
This release of 1932’s Boudu Saved From Drowning (Boudu sauve des eaux) has been restored through the 2K digitalisation of the original nitrate negative image and a “safety” print. The original 1.19 aspect ratio has been re-established. It is worth noting that a previously missing scene was by chance conserved in the original negative, thus allowing presentation of a more complete version of the film.
Film: Boudu Saved From Drowning
Release date: 17th December 2010
Certificate: PG
Running time: 84 mins
Director: Jean Renoir
Starring: Michel Simon, Charles Granval, Marcelle Hainia, Severine Lerczinska, Régine Lutèce
Genre: Comedy
Studio: Park Circus
Format: Cinema
Country: France
Film: Enemies Of The People
Release date: 10th December 2010
Certificate: TBC
Running time: 93 mins
Director: Rob Lemkin & Thet Sambath
Starring: N/a
Genre: Documentary
Studio: Dogwoof
Format: Cinema
Country: UK/Cambodia
Filmmakers have long been obsessed by the Vietnam conflict. From Kubrick to Coppola and all stops in between, the war has been a cinema staple for years. Somehow, the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia has failed to ignite Western interest to anywhere near the same extent. Remaining in the shadow of its neighbour, a genocide which saw the massacre of up to two million people in the aftermath of the Vietnam War has rarely been represented on screen.
Enemies Of The People aims to remedy that as Thet Sambath concludes ten years of work by bringing interviews and testimonies of Khmer Rouge killers to the cinema for the first time. It’s a deeply personal quest for Sambath, whose family were killed by the ‘Organisation’.
Central to the whole documentary is Nuon Chea, the party’s ideological leader, breaking a thirty year silence on camera ahead of his war crimes trial in front of the United Nations…
Thet Sambath is an admirable character. Calm and thoughtful, yet tenacious and determined, his perseverance in making this film is incredible. An early scene puts into context exactly how much he has sacrificed in his quest to shine a light on Cambodia’s shameful history: saying goodbye to his children and wife, he climbs into his car and heads into the countryside to record more of his meticulously catalogued interviews (later on his wife explains how much she misses him – but never complains). It’s typically low-key, and an early demonstration of the unassuming manner which Sambath has utilised to maximum advantage in gaining the trust of his subjects.
One of those whom Sambath courted was Nuon Chea – number two to the tyrannical Pol Pot at the helm of the Khmer Rouge. Together, they presided over a period of ethnic cleansing and extreme communism which their country is still recovering from. Chea is a chilling presence on screen: cold and emotionless. Having spent three years ingratiating himself, Sambath gains access which others can only aspire to - yet manages to remain non-judgemental.
Sambath’s impartiality is all the more impressive given his circumstances. Early in the documentary, he describes his father being stabbed and kicked to death as his brother watches on. It’s deeply moving, and all the more so given that the story is spoken over images of Chea surrounded by his smiling family. It’s a jarring and powerful juxtaposition - and a brilliant piece of editing.
Whilst Chea is unwavering in his belief that the Khmer Rouge’s aims were just and peaceful, a more moving journey takes place in the hearts and minds of Suon and Khoun, two men who killed on behalf of the regime. They are introduced by the banks of a river, and with tears in their eyes describe the surrounding ditches in which bodies were piled thirty or forty deep. It falls to a passing woman to create the film’s most arresting moment as she describes water “boiling” due to the rotting, bubbling flesh it contains. It’s such a striking idea that you can almost see it.
By and large, Sambath is a participatory observer in proceedings. Only once does he choreograph a scene – one in which Suon demonstrates how he murdered people. It’s an awkward encounter initially, but soon gives way to powerful unease as a plastic knife is run across a prone volunteer’s throat. At times, Suon’s hands ached due to the amount of killings he committed.
Sambath ensures that Suon and Khoun are portrayed in a sympathetic light, and it’s impossible not to feel for them as they relive horrifying memories from their past. Whilst refusing to act as an apologist on their behalf, Sambath gives them adequate space to demonstrate their regret – lingering shots of tear-filled eyes are as powerful as anything they say. Their attempts to help uncover fellow murderers and those who gave the orders are admirable – and the sense that they are actually enjoying exposing people is palpable.
Whilst the changes in those at the bottom of the pyramid are obvious, further up there is no such sense of self-awareness. Chea is incapable of self-criticism, and still firmly believes that his regime was justified in its actions. Always filmed centrally, his figure dominates the screen in a manner disproportionate to his frail frame. This also means that even the most minute facial expressions – a sneer, a sly smile – are writ large.
He’s a deeply unpleasant man, and Sambath has recorded plenty of material which proves it. His sympathies with Saddam Hussein during his televised hanging are testament to his mindset, and the euphemistic way in which he refers to killings as “problem solving” indicate a man at ease with his past actions. He’s also a shameless politician. During a meeting with Suon and Khoun, he disgracefully dodges their direct questions and manages to turn the conversation to Buddhism – clearly believing that in his next life he will escape censure for the atrocities he has committed in this one.
Enemies Of The People closes with a poignant scene which demonstrates exactly how appalling life was under the Khmer Rouge. A series of images of the notorious S21 prison, tortured bodies, starved corpses and shackled skeletons are presented in stark black-and-white. They are deeply affecting and truly horrifying – but would have been better placed at the beginning of the film. Occasionally the film lacks context, and a prior knowledge of Cambodia’s history is certainly beneficial in making sense of it – a little more exposition at the start would certainly help those who are less familiar with the subject matter.
Enemies Of The People is a deeply personal film which, despite its harrowing content, offers a real sense of redemption to those who are both victims and perpetrators of the Khmer Rouge. More than just a labour of love for Thet Sambath, it offers a sense of closure and reconciliation - and serves as a powerful and unique historical document. RW
Bollywood comedy starring Sanjay Dutt and Akshaye Khanna as small time crooks and old friends, Yash and Raj.
When Raj decides that he wants to give up his criminal ways and start leading an honest life, Yash has other ideas.
Film: No Problem
Release date: 10th December 2010
Certificate: TBC
Running time: TBC
Director: Anees Bazmee
Starring: Sunil Shetty, Sushmita Sen, Kangana Ranaut, Akshaye Khanna, Paresh Rawal
Genre: Bollywood/Comedy/Crime
Studio: Eros
Format: Cinema
Country: India
This is an English-language release.
The tale of the notorious Countess Elizabeth Bathory, who has been recounted by historians, writers, poets, playwrights, musicians, painters, and moviemakers for many years. Tradition has it that Countess Bathory was the greatest murderess in the history of humankind – a fact documented by her entry in the Guinness Book of Records.
Stories have it that she bathing in blood and perfomed many gruesome acts of torture on her female virgin victims before killing them. But is that really true? In four centuries, no historical document has been found to reveal what had exactly happened.
Diametically opposing the established legend, Bathory is about a defenceless widow who owns more property and riches than the king himself, and who, as a result, becomes a victim of scheming from on high.
Film: Bathory
Release date: 3rd December 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 140 mins
Director: Juraj Jakubisko
Starring: Anna Friel, Hans Matheson, Karel Roden, Franco Nero, Bolek Polívka
Genre: Drama/Fantasy/History
Studio: Metrodome
Format: Cinema
Country: Slovakia/Czech Republic/UK/Hungary
The Khmer Rouge ran what is regarded as one of the twentieth century's most brutal regimes. Yet the Killing Fields of Cambodia remain unexplained. Until now.
In Enemies Of The People, the men and women who perpetrated the massacres – from the footsoldiers who slit throats to the party's ideological leader, Nuon Chea, aka Brother Number Two – break a 30-year silence to give testimony never before heard or seen.
Sambath is on a personal quest: he lost his own family in the Killing Fields. The film is his journey to discover not how but why they died. In doing so, he hears and understands for the first time the real story of his country's tragedy.
Film: Enemies Of The People
Release date: 10th December 2010
Certificate: TBC
Running time: 93 mins
Director: Rob Lemkin & Thet Sambath
Starring: N/a
Genre: Documentary
Studio: Dogwoof
Format: Cinema
Country: UK/Cambodia
The Thorn In The Heart (L'Epine dans le Coeur) is a personal look at the life of Gondry family matriarch, Michel's aunt Suzette Gondry, and her relationship with her son, Jean-Yves. Filmmaker Michel Gondry examines Suzette's years as a school-teacher, and her life in rural France.
During the course of filming the documentary, Michel unearths new family stories and uses his camera to explore them in a subtle and sensitive way.
The Thorn in the Heart had its world premiere screening in the official selection at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival.
Film: The Thorn In The Heart
Release date: 10th December 2010
Certificate: TBC
Running time: 86 mins
Director: Michel Gondry
Starring: Suzette Gondry, Jean-Yves Gondry, Michel Gondry
Genre: Documentary
Studio: Soda
Format: Cinema
Country: France
Joachim, a former Parisian television producer had left everything behind – his children, friends, enemies, lovers and regrets - to start a new life in America. He comes back with a team of new burlesque strip-tease performers whom Joachim has fed fantasies of a tour of France, of Paris!
Travelling from port to port, the curvaceous showgirls invent an extravagant fantasy world of warmth and hedonism, despite the constant round of impersonal hotels with their endless elevator music and the lack of money. The show gets an enthusiastic response from men and women alike.
But their dream of a tour culminating in a last grand show in Paris goes up in smoke when Joachim is betrayed by an old friend, and loses the theatre where they were due to perform. A quick return journey to the capital violently reopens old wounds...
Film: On Tour
Release date: 10th December 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 111 mins
Director: Mathieu Amalric
Starring: Miranda Colclasure, Suzanne Ramsey, Linda Marraccini, Julie Ann Muz, Angela De Lorenzo
Genre: Comedy/Drama
Studio: Artificial Eye
Format: Cinema
Country: France
No other nationality respects their food and family gatherings with the fervour and zest of the Italians, but when it comes to the Cantone family, some things are better left well away from the dinner table - and in the closet!
Tommaso, an aspiring writer, is the youngest child in the large, eccentric Cantone family who own a pasta factory in Puglia. He has come home from Rome for an important family dinner at which his father will hand over the management of the factory to him and his brother. Determined to assert his own personal choices, Tommaso plans to announce at the dinner that he is gay. But that evening, just as he begins to say “silence please,” he is upstaged by his brother who, to Tommaso’s surprise, and everyone else’s shock, reveals his own secret!
Film: Loose Cannons
Release date: 10th December 2010
Certificate: 15
Running time: 110 mins
Director: Ferzan Ozpetek
Starring: Riccardo Scamarcio, Alessandro Preziosi, Nicole Grimaudo, Ennio Fantastichini, Lunetta Savino
Genre: Comedy/Drama/Romance
Studio: Peccadillo
Format: Cinema
Country: Italy
A twisted tale of an adult film star’s horrifying descent into an almost unimaginable hell, Radivojevic himself describes the film as “a diary of our molestation by the Serbian government… It’s about the monolithic power of leaders who hypnotize you to do things you don’t want to do.”
Milos (Srdjan Todorovic) is a retired porn star leading a normal family life with his wife Maria (Jelena Gavrilovic) and 6-year old son Petar in tumultuous Serbia, trying to make ends meet.
Aware of his problems, Layla (Katarina Zutic), a former co-star, introduces Milos to Vukmir (Sergej Trifunovic), a mysterious, menacing and politically powerful figure in the porn business who wants Milos to star in his latest project, and is willing to pay him a fee that will provide financial support to Milos and his family for the rest of their lives. The only condition is that Milos signs a contract insisting on his absolute unawareness of the scripted scenes they are about to shoot.
Encouraged by his wife to accept the job, Milos turns up for the first day of shooting and is immediately drawn into a maelstrom of unbelievable cruelty and mayhem devised by his employer, the ‘director’ of his destiny. It soon becomes apparent that Vukmir and his crew will stop at nothing to complete his insane vision. The only way for Milos to escape the living cinematic hell he’s entered and to save his family life is to sacrifice everything to Vukmir’s art – his pride, his morality, his sanity, and maybe even his own life.
Confrontational, shocking, uncompromising, with hints of dark humour and absolutely unforgettable, A Serbian Film is an affecting and thought provoking work of cinema that ranks alongside the likes of Requiem For A Dream, Videodrome, Irreversible and Antichrist as one of the most provocative films of its time.
Film: A Serbian Film
Release date: 10th December 2010
Certificate: 18
Running time: 95 mins
Director: Srdjan Spasojevic
Starring: Srdjan Todorovic, Jelena Gavrilovic, Katarina Zutic, Sergei Trifunovic, Slobodan Bestic
Genre: Drama/Horror/Thriller
Studio: Revolver
Format: Cinema
Country: Serbia
