CRONICA DI UNA FUGA

Argentina, 2006, 110 minutes, Colour.
Rodrigo de la Serna, Nazareno Casero.
Directed by Israel Adrian Caetano.

Above the title is the place and date, Buenos Aires, 1977. It is Argentina in the second year of the dictatorship of the Generals.

This film is both sombre and gruelling to watch. The screenplay is based on a book by the central character, Claudio Tamburrini, a young footballer whose mother and sister are questioned cruelly because of false information from a tortured informer and who is abducted, interrogated, tortured and imprisoned with cruelty and barbarity.

The screenplay is a Day one, day three… format. The unrelieved treatment of the men, the handheld camerawork and desaturated colour, make it difficult to identify fully and emotionally with the characters (except, perhaps, to wonder what we would do and say in such horrible situations). We observe, we are aghast, we are sorry. And we are emotionally disgusted with the brutality of the torturers and the guards.

At the end, when the naked prisoners attempt an escape from the villa where they are interned, the audience is much more able to identify emotionally with the desperation and the courage.

The stories of the Argentinian tortured and ‘disappeared’ can not be told too often. This stark film is a contribution to awareness of oppression and torture and abuse of human rights. Most of the central characters were able to testify to commissions set up in 1985 to deal with the Junta’s abuses.

1. The impact of the film? A portrait of the dictatorship, imprisonment and torture? Heroism?

2. The motivation for making the film – for Argentinians? To know their history? To prevent such things happening again? The abuse of human rights?

3. The setting of Buenos Aires 1977? The information given about the dictatorship of the generals? The military law? The disregard of human rights, the rounding up of people, torture for information? The ‘disappeared’?

4. The film based on a true story, the book by Claudo Tamburrini? His acting as an adviser to the film? Guillermo Fernandez as a character, as an adviser to the film?

5. The stark presentation of the film: the football match, the torture of Claudio’s mother, his sister? The confession of the traitor? The diary effect, the stark listing of the days? The build-up the escape? The dramatising of the escape? The credibility of this true story?

6. The focus on Claudio, the football match? His coming home, the torture of his mother? His mother not giving information? His being away from home? The man giving information about him – and the later revelation that his address and phone number were in his book and he had to give some information to avoid more torture?

7. The arrest of Claudio, the lack of charges, the brutality of those taking him? The blindfold? Taking him to the Sere mansion?

8. The treatment of Claudio, the different kinds of torture, the interrogation? The men conducting it, their callous attitudes? The physical torture, electrodes? The beatings? Handcuffed? Lack of food and water?

9. The other prisoners, their discussions, adjusting their blindfolds? Learning to live together? Some being released – and the humiliation before they were released? The man who seemed to be a spy, his more cavalier attitude, his being allowed to go?

10. Hugo, in charge of the house, his treatment of the prisoners? The touch of humanity at times? The Christmas celebration? His getting them to do house duties, cleaning? The possibility of escape with the keys on the table as the guards watched the football?

11. The final four, their interactions? Galego, Vasco, Guillermo, Claudio? Their being stripped and handcuffed? Their having to manage?

12. The possibility of escape? The plan, the timetable? The execution of the plan? The blanket, tying knots, lowering themselves down from the building? Guillermo and his scrawling on the wall? The getting out of the grounds? The storm and the rain? Their being naked? In the streets, hiding? Getting some clothes? Knocking on the woman’s window and her helping with some clothes and money? Guillermo and his going to his father, meeting with his father, the discussions with the taxi driver? The phone call?

13. The fate of the others, their hiding, their being able to escape, get clothes?

14. The information given at the end of the film, what happened afterwards? The return to testify at the cases and trials in 1985?

15. The emotional impact of the film – or the observation of what happened to these men, the injustices, the abuses and torture? The emotional effect of the attempt to escape, the sense of freedom – as they returned to the ordinary streets of Buenos Aires?

LA CALIFORNIE

France, 2006, 117 minutes, Colour.
Nathalie Baye, Roschdy Zem, Ludivine Sagnier, Mylene Demongeot, Radivoje Bukvic.
Directed by Jacques Fieschi.

Based on a novel by Georges Simenon, the film is very contemporary in its portrayal of luxury in Cannes and the effect of migrants in France from the Balkans. While there are crimes, including robbery and murder, this element is made quite secondary to the dramatic personal interactions.

With attractive locations, a stellar cast including Nathalie Baye, Roschdy Zem, Ludivine Sagnier, Mylene Demongeot, this is a glossy piece of popular French cinema, a kind of easy come, easy go entertainment that does have issues but does not press them.

1. A glossy entertainment? Set in Canne? The rich? The migrants? Relationships? Robbery? Murder? The story based on a Georges Simenon novel? The adaptation from Simenon’s time to the contemporary time?

2. The setting in Cannes: the use of the waterfront, the hotels, the streets, the countryside, the mountains? Authentic atmosphere? The beauty that is Cannes? The musical score?

3. The title: the transition from Simenon’s Dead End to the new title California, French California? The significance of France being a kind of California for the migrants from the Balkan countries?

4. The range of characters, the French, their backgrounds? The people from the Balkans and their backgrounds? The interactions together in Cannes?

5. The character of Maguy, her age, experience, her relationship with Mirko, drinking, whims? Her insecurity? Having walked out on her marriage, left her daughter? Gone to Africa, her business success? Living in luxury in Cannes? Her entourage and relationship with them? Her running out of money – yet her being extravagant, at the nightclubs? Finding the money for Helene? Her daughter coming back into her life, her not apologising, her wanting to do something for her daughter? The on-and-off relationship with Mirko, her dependence on him emotionally, for trivial things like shopping? Francis and his doing her hair, make-up, allowing him to live in the house? His relationship with Doudou? Her understanding of their relationship? The importance of her relationship with Stephan, his managing the boat, coming to the house? The meals and Stephan cooking? The way of life, her dependence on Katya – and then accusing her of stealing? Issues coming to a head, Helene not wanting to stay with her but live on the boat, start the business? Katya and her wanting to leave? Stephan and the accusation that he stole the ring, the search of his boat? Guilty and his running away? the falling out with Mirko? His confrontation with her, bashing her, her death?

6. Mirko, his background, from the Balkans and the background of his brutality as a thug? Life in Paris? Coming to Cannes, friendship with Stephan? With others from the Balkans? His personality, his relationship with Maguy, taking her money, shopping, the boat? His friendship with Stephan? Their visiting the church and the different religious attitudes? His antagonism towards Helene, in the house, on the boat? His confronting her and Stephan’s intervention? His place in the household, his antagonism towards Maguy, his final exasperation and killing her? His going back to the Balkans, looking for Stephan – having framed Stephan for the robbery? The confrontation with the thugs, meeting with Stephan? Violence and death?

7. Stephan, the Balkans, his friendship with Mirko? Looking after the boat, doing the cooking? His religious background, trying to be ethical? A gentleman? The attraction of Helene, her thrusting herself at him? The relationship? In the church – and her not wanting to stay there? The Feast of St Nicholas, his patron? With Mirko at the club, his getting drunk? His being accused of the stealing, his upset, his leaving? His return to Serbia, in the shelter, with Mirko? The violence? The end?

8. Katya, a companion to Maguy, her place in the household, cheerful? Her being accused of stealing, her justifying herself? Her finally getting the courage to leave?

9. Francis and Doudou, their helping Maguy, their living in the house, their relationship, their camp style?

10. Helene, her arrival, with Frederique? Frederique’s role, friendship? Her leaving? Helene and her alienation from her mother, not wanting to stay in the house, going to the boat, the relationship with Stephan, her falling in love? Her asking her mother for the money? Going to Paris, establishing herself, the choice of bookbinding? Her mother having examined the prospect and suggested an accountant? The separation from Stephan, finding that he had disappeared? Seeing her at work and successful in Paris?

11. Popular ingredients for a French-style drama with the touch of the thriller?

RE-CYCLE

Hong Kong, 2006, 109 minutes, Colour.
Lee Sinje.
Directed by Danny and Oxide Pang.

The Pang Brothers have shown that they can do tough (Bangkok Dangerous) and they can do spooky (The Eye). At first it looks as though this time they are doing some genteel drama leading to spooky. A moody novelist is at the press conference after the screening of the first adaptation of one of her books. The title of the next is announced: Re-cycle. However, she has not really begun it.

Back in her apartment, water overflows from a bath (the Pangs have seen Dark Waters), the phone rings mysteriously (the Pangs have seen the Ring films). Is this what they mean by ‘re-cycling’? Then the ghosts start to appear and we find that we have been misjudging them altogether. What follows is a cinematic tour-de-force of imagination and effects.

If you want to know what a phantasmagoria is and see a very stylishly produced one, this is it. At the end, reincarnation is mentioned and mysteriously visualised. The phantasmagoria is akin to Dante’s tour of the inferno and the purgatorio (not very much paradise at all), an other-world divine comedy. The impact is overpowering, overwhelming. There is a pounding score and sound engineering to match.

At the core of the journey, where our novelist is advised by a grandfather figure and then led out of mazes to ‘The Transit’ to this world by a little girl is the neglect of ancestor worship. The novelist experiences a horrendous attack by ghoulish spurned ancestors. More central is her journey through a blood and fiery red environment like blood cells and the womb. It is here that aborted babies survive and grow. This segment is frighteningly powerful.

What begins as ‘we’ve seen this before’ moves into a film that we’ve never seen before, quite a cinematic achievement.

1. The career of the Pang brothers? Their observations on social life in Thailand, Hong Kong, China? Their interest in the horror tradition? Their blending these two themes in Re-Cycle?

2. The title, the obvious meaning of recycling and using old things again? As applied to the horror genre – the flooding water from Dark Waters? The phone calls from The Ring? The mysterious presences in The Grudge? The first half hour of the film seemingly recycling old trends? The film then breaking through into new dimensions?

3. The Hong Kong settings? Apartment – ordinary and then mysterious? The press conference? The ordinary social life in Hong Kong?

4. The contrast with the imaginative sets for the fantasy? The apartment, the transition from the apartment into the ruins and the old building, the transition into the interior of the human body with its red colour, its shapes, its suggestions of physical organs? The babies in this scene? The transition to a more peaceful time? The old man and the sitting giving advice? The transition to the land of the dead, the special effects for the ancestors, their coming to life, threatening? The terrain, the mountains? The different landscape? The overall effect of this fantasy?

5. The significance of the musical score, its atmosphere, the booming, the sound engineering, the ominous sounds at the back of the fantasy?

6. The portrait of the writer, her success with her romance novels, the fact that one of them was filmed, her going to the press conferences? The questions about her personal life? Her saying that the central character no longer lived? The irony of her meeting him on the steps? His pursuing her, their going to the restaurant, the discussion with her friend about him? His divorce, his wife being pregnant? Her not wanting contact with him? Her ordinary life, the editor of the books, the plan for the next novel, her wanting to do something about ghosts and the supernatural? Her scepticism, the questions about her own experience? The revelation that in her relationship with the man eight years earlier she had become pregnant and had had an abortion? The consequences for her?

7. Her working in the apartment, writing the manuscript, the pages, the computer? The computer taking over? The appearances of the ghosts?

8. The fantasy and the journey, her strength of character, her fears? The relationship of her experiences to the novel she wanted to write? Her own subconscious, her psychology? The pursuit by the ghosts, her in the never-never-land, her fears, the ugliness, the booming sounds, the colours and images? Her breaking free, the old man, his advice – the grandfather image? The appearance of the little girl, her following her? The reality of the aborted foetuses, their growing in this land? The explanation by the little girl? The revelation that she was her aborted daughter? The issue of whether the mother loved the aborted child or not? The effect on the writer, her conscience, her fears, her love for her daughter? The daughter leading her to escape this particular terrain? The discovery of the ancestors, the ancestors being neglected? The importance of this reverence for ancestors in Chinese religion? The visual appearance of the ancestors, so many of them, their being vengeful? The offering of the flowers as a tribute? There not being enough flowers? The paper money and its distribution? Rituals for the ancestors? The little girl leading her on, out of the clutches of the ancestors? The barriers? The Transit? The little girl not being able to go any further, having led her mother to this point, her mother making the transition? The grandfather and his advice and her understanding it?

9. Having to leave her daughter behind, coming back into life? The finishing of the novel? The irony of the reincarnation of her self? The living and the dead? The two women confronting each other? Who was the author and who was not? Who was the authentic character?

10. The background of Chinese religion, traditions, worship of the ancestors, the reality of killing of children and foetuses? Reincarnation?

11. How will did the Pang brothers combine plot, characterisation, religion and tradition, horror, and imagination on a grand scale?

INDIGENES

France, 2006, 128 minutes, Colour.
Jamel Debbouze, Samy Naceri, Roschdy Zem, Sami Bouajila, Bernard Blancan.
Directed by Rashid Bouchareb.

Anyone who has experienced a European colonial past will resonate with this war film and its message. It is an eye-opening and memory-jogging tale of how a colonial power took it for granted that it was superior to other peoples and that they could use them in patriotic defence of the motherland. The focus here is on the Mediterranean countries of northern Africa but it is just as true of colonies in Africa, Indochina and British colonies everywhere.

Every reviewer will probably refer to its use of traditional war movies conventions – and it has, with films, especially, like Samuel Fuller’s The Big Red One. But that is merely a classification rather than a review. Indigenes shows considerable skills in recreating the battles in Italy and France between 1943 and 1945. This looks like a big-budget war film. And it keeps the interest as such.

But the underlying theme is what is really important. The film opens with recruiting in Algeria and Morocco, the French officers glad to have the men but snobbily regarding them as inferiors, incapable of leadership. Throughout the film, there are sequences of disdain and humiliation of the Africans, the different treatment of the French nationals, seen as heroes, the taken-for-granted attitudes towards the men from imperialist France. This is combined with what now seems extraordinary patriotism on the part of the Africans most of whom had never been to France before. On their tombstones in Alsace, we read that they gave their lives for love of France.

The plot follows, as war films so often do, a small group of men: the intelligent and well-read corporal who is overlooked in promotion, the sniper who falls in love with a Marseille girl, two brothers and an illiterate young man who is servant to their sergeant who keeps his North African origins hidden. We follow them through Italy, Provence, the Vosges into Alsace, their comradeship, their tensions, their being put down yet their unswerving loyalty.

The postscript in 2005 when a survivor visits the cemetery and we are given information about the French government’s reluctance to honour pension promises, means that we leave the theatre moved and chastened.

1. The impact of the film? For French audiences? African audiences? Worldwide? A portrait of World War Two in the classic style? A message about tolerance and understanding for the 21st century? The acting award at the Cannes Film Festival?

2. The North African settings, Algieria and Morocco? The war in Italy and France? The seasons, the terrains, the hills, the forests? The difficulties? The musical score?

3. The staging of the battles, especially the siege of the Italian hill? The Vosges, the forests and towns of Alsace?

4. The message concerning France, its colonial power, influence, especially in Africa? The Algerians and others seeing France as a motherland? Their patriotism, loving France, on their graves, dying for France? Yet the initial officer and his disdain of the troops? The discrimination throughout the war – the incident with the tomatoes, the fact that soldiers should be able to read? The decision that they were unable to exercise leadership? The derogatory names? The highlighting of the French soldiers – as heroes over and above the Africans?

5. The impact of the ending, the old man visiting the Alsace cemetery, the number of graves, the crosses on the Christian headstones? The Muslim headstones? The inscriptions – and the dying for France? The pathos of the visit? The fact that the men were buried in France where they had never lived? The Muslim background? The film’s comment on pensions, French legislation, the going back on legislation?

6. The opening recruiting scenes in Algeria and Morocco? Said and his relationship with his mother, her not wanting him to go, his motivation for joining up? The others in Morocco? The motivations of Abdelkader, Messaoud and Yassir (and his brother)? The officer and his snobbery, his speech to the troops? The Africans marching, in uniforms, the drill? One hundred and thirty thousand indigenous soldiers from Africa joining the army for France?

7. The sergeant and his command, his personality, the photo of his mother, keeping it secret, his being north African? His treatment of the soldiers? A military man? The training, the drill? Said and the grenade, his throwing it? His leadership, the fighting at the hill? His adopting Said as his servant? The bond between the two? His exercise of leadership, the dispute over the tomatoes? His handling the situation with the officers? The issue of reading? Pleading the cause of the Africans? Issues of promotion, his own promotion? The final clash with Said, the discussions about the photo after giving Said the whisky? His being wounded in Alsace, Said and his anger with him, Said coming to save him – and their dying together? His finally being shot by the Germans, his grave?

8. The battle scenes in Italy, the strategic nature of the hill, French pride and its defeats, the first victory in World War Two? The soldiers and their fears, the trenches? The preparations to go up the hill? Facing death, the running up the hill, the barrage from the Germans, the soldiers being wounded? The throwing of grenades? The victory and the pride of the French? The pride of the Africans?

9. Going to Provence, being in Marseilles? On leave? The French greeting the liberating troops? Irene and her presence at the welcome, her meeting Messaoud, her being with him, the dance? The relationship? Their night together? His writing the letters, her writing the letters, going to the office to see whether he was dead or not? The censors and their destroying their letters?

10. The transition to the Vosges, the arguments, Messaoud wanting to go AWOL, his being in the prison? Abdelkader and his leadership of the men, his position? His wisdom, discussions about reading? His defying the authorities, going to prison? The discussion with the colonel, the promise of promotions, his saying he was a man of his word? The Africans volunteering to go on the expedition? Their achievement – and the officer passing by in his vehicle? Ignoring them?

11. Said, his story, his being wounded, his love for France, being in France, his devotion to the sergeant, the others saying that he was a slave? The incident with the whisky, the photo, their falling out? Their dying together?

12. Abdelkader and his being the corporal, his exercising of leadership, reading literature, his courage on the hill? Defying the authorities, going to prison – his part in the town siege? His surviving?

13. Messaoud, his being chosen to be the sniper, seeing him in action, on leave, the relationship with Irene, his wanting to get away, prison?

14. The two brothers, their significance of their visit to the Catholic church, looking at the crucifix, one telling the other not to rob the poor box? Their discussions about the French massacres in Algeria – and the alleged pacification?

15. The brief sketch of Irene, welcoming the troops, fascination with Messaoud, her love for him, the night together, the letters?

16. The group volunteering to go to the town, their being trapped by the mines, the few survivors, their trek through the snow and the mountains, arriving at the town, the people absent, gradually coming out to welcome them? Their ambush of the German troops? The next wave of Germans, the siege of the town, their skill in fighting, their deaths and courage?

17. The cumulative effect of this experience of a classic telling of a war story? Permeated with the civil rights message?

TRANSYLVANIA

France, 2006, 103 minutes, Colour.
Asia Argento, Amira Casar, Birol Unel.
Directed by Tony Gatlif.

Tony Gatlif has a passion for music, especially ethnic music and songs which he arranges (and composes in the vein of the country where his plots take place). This is to the fore with a musical tour of the countryside of Romania.

He has also been fond of gypsy stories and road journeys. Again, Transylvania is a journey. As regards the gypsies, we have prejudice against them as well as showing their kinder and more hospitable side.

The plot is archetypal but a bit thin. A woman comes from France to find the man she loves and who has made her pregnant. She is played by Asia Argento, on of the least maternal actresses one could find (xXx, Madame Du Barry in Marie Antoinette). She is an intense, sometimes savage, screen presence and sometimes unleashes this on screen here. Amira Casar appears as he close friend and mentor but then disappears, her place being taken by a travelling tinker who buys gold from the locals. He too is a wild man, (the powerful lead of Head On).

Gatlif, of course, captures the spirit of this dilapidated post-Communist countryside as well as the age-old traditions both pagan and religious (Orthodox). He prefers over-the-top zest for life than comfortable and quiet drama.

1. The reputation of Tony Gatlif? His interest in gypsies? Wandering people? Different countries? Road movies? Ethnic music? This film combining all his interests?

2. The Transylvania locations, the countryside, the devastation after the communist regime, factories? The rural countryside? The rural towns? Modern, ancient?

3. The importance of the music? Gatlif and his compositions, arrangements? The traditional gypsy music, the music of Transylvania? Sacred music? The insertion of the songs and the dancing into the film?

4. A road film, the journey of the three central characters: Zingarena, Marie, Tchangalo? Their interactions? Crises?

5. The portrait of Zingarena: her name, the overtone of gypsy, Italian background, living in France? Asia Argento’s screen presence, fierce, intense? Her searching for Milan? Her pregnancy? Her reliance on Marie? The encounter with Tchangalo? Going into the town, the deserted town, finding the people, the bar, the search for Milan? Finding him – and his rejection of her? His running away from her? Her reaction, fierce sadness? Letting Marie go, the decision to stay in Transylvania? On the road, people giving her help? Travelling with Tchangalo? The various experiences – and the ritual exorcism, standing in the basin, the milk poured over her? Her pregnancy? Giving birth – and the difficulties? Her calling the peasant women witches? Her being content with the birth of the child? The bonds with Tchangalo, accompanying him, the music, falling in love with him? His return? Her future?

6. Tchangalo, his buying gold from the peasants, offering the money? Their selling and bargaining? His intensity? Drinking, drinks for everyone in the hotel? Dancing and intensity? His interest in Zingarena? The encounter on the road, travelling together, their experiences together? The exorcism? His continuing to buy various objects? The lantern and setting it alight with the electricity poles? His fear at Zingarena and her birth, his escape? His return? A future together?

7. Marie, her helping Zingarena, the search in Transylvania? The bond between the two women, her being a mentor to Zingarena? Their interchangeable appearance? The crisis, her trying to get Zingarena back to France, arranging the ticket? Zingarena’s disappearance from the car?

8. The guide, her knowledge of Transylvania, helping the two women, questioning people? The abrupt way in which Zingarena terminated the arrangement?

9. The picture of Transylvanian people? The old people in the town, their heritage under the communist regime? The older traditions as visible in the singing, the dancing, the objects they were selling? The bars? The pianists, the performers? Milan and his virtuoso performance? The processions, the traditional dances? The religious ceremonies and music?

10. The gypsies, their friendship, taking Zingarena in? Her dressing like a gypsy – and people’s reaction to her? The Transylvanian people and their attacks on gypsies? Spurning them? Prejudices?

11. A glimpse of an eastern European culture? Its past, the transition to the present? What hopes for the future?

ELECTION 2

Hong Kong, 2006, 91 minutes, Colour.
Louis Koo, Simon Yam, Mick Cheung.
Directed by Johnny To.

No, not public or government elections. Rather, the election of the head of a traditional Chinese gangster mob. Johnnie To has shown in recent years that he can direct smart, political action films like Breaking News and the original Election.

There is nothing new in Triad rivalries and warfare and they are presented here in all their ruthlessness and violence – some particularly nasty hammer murders and some dismembering mentioned just in case audiences may feel squeamish. What is new is the increasing investigation into the relationship between the Triads and the Chinese mainland government or, at least, some of their security representatives.

Our hero is such a clean-cut, good-looking seeming family man that it is difficult to think of him as a villain. However, he has made his fortune, to the admiration of fellow Triad members, with pirate DVDs, especially pornography, on the mainland. Now he wants to go legitimate. Will his conscience allow him to be elected as the Chairman? Will the other members? Will the Chinese government? These are the dilemmas as we watch the internecine warfare and its cynical outcomes.

1. The popularity of the first Election film? A portrait of the triads? Hong Kong in the 21st century? Politicking, gangsterism?

2. The sequel, the spirit of the original? Continuing the exploration of the triads? The introduction of themes of the Chinese government? Chinese business practices?

3. The Hong Kong settings, the city itself and its streets, buildings? The surrounding countryside? Mainland China? The musical score?

4. The credits: Lok and his close-up, speech? The explanation of the triads and their traditions? The long history, the domination of people, business? The election of the chairman? The rules? Lok wanting another term?

5. The transition to the country site, the plan for the new business centre, the highway? Those present, Jimmy Lee and his business interests, the Hong Kong interests? The representatives of the Chinese government?

6. The election situation? The inner council doing the electing? Canvassing votes? Lok and his alliances? Other possibilities – the gangsters thinking they could be chairman but their merely being used? The suggestion that Jimmy stand for chairman?

7. Jimmy Lee, the hero of the film? Dubious hero? His age, experience, background? Presentable and with charm? Pirate videos and DVDs? In mainland China? Pornography? Admiration for his business sense? His wanting to go legitimate? The pressures on him to stand for election? His visits to his uncle? The visit of the Chinese security officer? Meals, discussions, networking, politicking? His realisation that to be legitimate he had to be elected? His involvement with his henchmen, the brutality exercised? The bashings, pursuits? His being involved in brutal practices? The ugliness of the thug killed, the axing of his limbs, their being minced – and fed to the dogs? Jimmy and his wife, hopes for his children, the house on the hill, his children being lawyers and doctors? The election, his acceptance? The thug running in the streets and his decision to pick him up? Hostility? The meals, the delivery of money, warnings about police being present in restaurants? The different targets? The final opening of the business site for building? His going up the hill with the security man? His realisation of the government manipulation? His having to be a mediator? His plans for the future?

8. Lok, his ambitions, his ruthlessness? The meetings, discussions with Jimmy? His henchment and their loyalty? Their brutality?

9. The various henchmen, personalities? Their obedience? Willingness to bash and to kill? Their being put in cells? The dogs? The pursuits in the street? Jimmy and the car, the manoeuvre to get the coffin with the official in it? The thugs jumping in the back of the van, their brutality?

10. The importance of Hong Kong, relationship with the mainland? The governments? The Chinese way of doing business? The Chinese way of saving face, of manipulating behind the scenes? A picture of a way of government? Possibilities for corruption, violence?

UNITED 93

US/UK, 2006, 110 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Paul Greengrass.

It is almost five years since the hijacking of the American commercial planes on September 11th 2001, the crashes into the twin towers in New York and into the Pentagon in Washington DC. The fourth plane was United 93, from Newark to San Francisco. The passengers overcame the hijackers but were not able to save the plane which crashed in the Pennsylvania countryside. 2006 is the year for American films re-creating these events. We have United 93 and in September the release of Oliver Stone’s World Trade Center.

All events are media events and most of us remember where we were when we first heard the news of the crashes. The national critics were at a screening of the British comedy Greenfingers. Without any preparation, the projectionist interrupted the final credits with Sky television news. Put off-balance, we wondered whether this was something to do with a disaster movie. Then we saw that this was real time and these were actual events.

With all the radio and television reportage, analyses and interviews, the world was well aware of what happened. Now it is the time for the movies.

It is a good thing that the first film has been entrusted to British film-maker, Paul Greengrass. For almost twenty years, he has been a careful documentary film-maker. He is careful in his research and in his quest for accuracy and truth even when he is interpreting events. He is best known for Bloody Sunday (2002) which brought the Northern Ireland events vividly alive – and won Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival as well as the Ecumenical award. Since then he has ventured into big-budget film-making and directed the successful and exciting Ludlum adaptation, The Bourne Identity.

These are the qualities he brings to his screenplay of United 93. He has, first and foremost, the support of relatives of those who died in that plane. He has spent hours interviewing them as well as traffic control personnel both civil and military (quite a number of whom play themselves in the film). He has listened to the phone messages from the passengers, one of the features of this terrible experience: that many were able to phone from the plane, discovering what had happened in New York, realising what was going to happen to them and sending last loving messages. This aspect is emotionally powerful in the film.

The duration of the film coincides with the duration of the ordeal.

However, the film is broad in scope insofar as it covers the morning of September 11th. While attention is given to the everyday details of boarding a plane and activity at Newark airport (with which audiences who fly will immediately identify), we are taken to the world of the air traffic controllers and how they handled the increasingly puzzling situation until they saw the World Trade Center crashes on television. We are also taken into the military command in Washington, facing the mystery of what was happening, checking authority and rules of engagement, especially for bringing down the hijacked planes. But, everything happened very fast.

Glimpses are given of the hijackers themselves, young men, praying, committed to their cause, but also more than a touch nervous even when they are acting brutally. That they are suicide bombers is taken as a given – there are no attempts at any explanation of their motivation. (At this point, the recent film Paradise Now can be recommended as one of the best films taking us into the minds and motives of suicide bombers.)

The editing and pace of the film is quite extraordinary, a mosaic of often very short pieces building up into a tense film that recreates the events as well as showing us how ordinary men and women make decisions to cope with crises they never dreamed they would be involved in.

1. The impact of the film? For American audiences? Worldwide audiences?

2. The film made four years after the events? The consciousness at the time, subsequently? The response at the time, bewilderment and shock? Fear? The president’s hesitation? The grounding of all flights? The move to the war against terrorism? The collapse of the Twin Towers, the impact of the terrorism, the deaths? The crash into the Pentagon? United 93 crashing into the Pennsylvania countryside?

3. Media information, instant? The effect on world audiences? Analyses? Subsequent television programs?

4. This film made with the consent of the relatives, based on interviews with them, the tapes of those killed in the plane and their calls?

5. The work of Paul Greengrass, his documentary background? His concern with terrorism, especially in Ireland? His move into action features with The Bourne Identity? His ability to combine elements of both for this film?

6. The cast, the choice of unknown actors, their seeming authentic? The persuasive performances? Naturalistic? Audiences identifying with them and their reactions? Sharing their fears, apprehensions, action?

7. The structure of the film: the opening with the terrorists, the move to New York Airport, ordinariness of September 11th, the control tower, the ordinary day? The plane, the staff, the check-in, boarding, security, the showing of other control centres at other airports? The information about the lost American Airlines plane, the contact with the military and their surveillance? The lost planes, the crash into the World Trade Centre? The control staff watching CNN? The military and the need for rules of engagement? The crash into the Pentagon? The focus on United 93, the detail and the build-up to the climax?

8. The skills in editing and keeping the pace, interest? A mosaic of what happened? The action happening in real time?

9. The opening, the terrorists, their age, background, praying? Their getting ready, shaving, getting the explosive? Going to the airport, the film not giving any background or explaining their motivation, audiences assuming this? Their age, nerves? Going through controls? The man in command? On the plane, waiting, praying, the timing, the impatience of the younger men?

10. The crew, familiar faces and characters, their chatting? The flight attendants and their work? The passengers, the detail, waiting, boarding, a cross-section of people, the meals? Settling in? The wait, the take-off? The fine day in September? The flight, talk?

11. The air traffic control, the arrival of the superior, the other members of the staff, the flight controllers at their screens and working, the film’s detailed attention to the work of the traffic controllers, their advice – possible collisions, finding planes, giving advice? The American Airlines being lost? The puzzle? Its reappearance, the crash into the World Trade Centre? The handling of the situation, connection with other control officers? The crisis? The pressures, especially as it was shown in real time? The limits of possibilities for handling the situation? The checking with other centres? With the military?

12. The other control centres, the information coming in, contacts, communication?

13. The military, information, communication, the rules of engagement, the military decisions, the military personnel and their style? The liaison at Newark, seemingly ineffectual? The possibility of fighter planes going up? Those ready – unarmed?

14. The crash into the World Trade Centre, CNN covering it, bewilderment and shock? Authorities unsure, how many planes involved, who was responsible, Al Qaeda, what was the motivation? Immediate speculation? The decision to ground all flights in the United States? International flights coming in?

15. The flight, the decision for the taking over, the slashing of the passenger’s throat, the killing of the pilots, the taking controls of the plane? Impatience? Herding the passengers to the back of the plane?

16. The people’s reactions, ordinary – rather than those in disaster movies?

17. The use of the phones, receiving messages, giving out information, finding out about the World Trade Centre, people lending their phones to others to make final calls? Calls to family, to loved ones – all that was left when facing death?

18. The passengers, the leadership, the German with his hesitation? The decision to overpower the terrorists, the timing, the action, the attack, the flight attendant’s help, getting into the cockpit? It being too late, going down, the pilot having no option? The crash?

19. The information given at the end? The audience left with the sobering experience and having shared it? A greater understanding of terrorism?

PAN'S LABYRINTH

Mexico, 2006, 112 minutes, Colour.
Sergi Lopez, Maribel Verdu, Ivana Vaquero, Doug Jones, Ariadna Gil.
Directed by Guillermo del Toro.

Del Toro has two diverse groups of admirers: those who wish he made more films like the powerful dramatic story of children and teachers at the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War, The Devil’s Backbone, and those who admire him for his comic book actioners: Mimic, Blade II, Hellboy.

With Pan’s Labyrinth, he goes quite a way towards satisfying both niche markets. The setting is the Spanish countryside, a small company trying to root out Communist guerrillas in the forest. The drama is powerful with Sergi Lopez (who usually plays genial characters) excellent as a ruthless commander who will let nothing stand in the way of his will in all things. Maribel Verdu appears as Mercedes, who looks after him like a housekeeper but whose sympathies are with the rebels.

The comic-book fans will be intrigued by the vivid fairytale that comes to life in the imagination of the central character, Ofelia, whose mother has married the Captain, is pregnant and has travelled to be with her new husband. Ofelia is urged to call him ‘father’, but is immediately alienated. She has read a story of a subterranean kingdom where the princess has come up to earth, her memories are obliterated by the sun and she lives as a human being, joys and sufferings. Throughout the film, Ofelia takes refuge in this magic kingdom, led by a grotesque faun and some tough Tinkerbell fairies.

Del Toro brings these two seemingly irreconcilable strands together, creating satisfying parallel universes.

As Ofelia, Ivana Barquero gives quite a natural performance that makes her imagination and her actions believable.

1. The impact of the film? Perspectives on war, perspectives on the imagination? Two different styles of film blended into one?

2. The re-creation of Spain in 1944, the sense of realism, the forest, the headquarters, the fighting of the guerrillas?

3. The world of the imagination, the labyrinth, Pan, the pale man, the fairies, the labyrinth itself? Décor and costumes? Special effects? The musical score?

4. The framework of the dying Ofelia, her eyes, her imagination? The meaning of the princess story as dramatised at the beginning? Ofelia as the new princess?

5. The journey, Carmen and Ofelia in the car, Carmen ill, her pregnancy? The danger to her health in travelling? Ofelia and her relationship with her mother? Her dead father, the tailor? Her love of stories, taking the books, her imagination? The forest, seeing the grasshopper, the labyrinth, the grasshopper turning into the fairy?

6. The captain, hard, his treatment of his troops, style? The embodiment of fascism in the Franco era? His meeting the car, fifteen minutes late, asking his wife to sit in the wheelchair for his sake, Ofelia offering her left hand and his rebuke? Her mother wanting to call him 'father'?

7. The background of the Spanish civil war, the dictatorship of General Franco? The regime of the wartime government and representatives amongst the squad? In the house? He officers and their relationship to the captain? The captain's room, his shaving? The officers taking the two hunters, the brutality, the interrogation, shooting them and finding they were telling the truth about hunting rabbits? The meals and Mercedes serving him? His playing music? His orders, control? His concern about his pregnant wife - even to letting her die for the son to live? His wife dying, his reaction?

8. Mercedes, the staff, the doctor? Their work for the group? Their contact with the guerrillas? The guerrillas, Mercedes' brother, the man with the broken leg, the amputation, his courage? The physicality of the presentation of life in the forest? Pedro, the man with the stutter? The raids - the explosions of the trains, the captain coming too late, the wreckage? The motivation? The confrontation and the shootings? The taking alive of the stuttering man, challenging him to
count to three without stuttering, the torture? His agony, the doctor coming to him, the doctor injecting him and letting him die? Mercedes being found out, her always concealing the knife in the apron, the attack on the captain? Her wounding him, stabbing his mouth? The chase? Mercedes and her being pursued by the officers on their horses, the guerrillas and the attack, the slaughter? The second-in-charge and his return?

9. Ofelia and her story, the labyrinth and her fascination, putting the eye back in the gate? The fairies, taking her to the faun? The mandrake and its magic powers, the baby, in the milk, the drops of blood, under the bed? The captain and his discovering of the mandrake, his anger, Carmen and her horror, burning the mandrake? The vision of Pan, her getting the book, the pages coming alive to tell her what to do? Her going into the labyrinth, drawing the door in the wall, the décor of the corridors, going into the spacious room, the banquet, the pale man with no eyes? Her getting the key into the lock, getting the knife? Her decision to eat the grapes, thinking no-one would notice? The hourglass and her time running out, the escape? The appearance of the faun, his rebuke? His giving her another chance?

10. Mercedes, the attack and the chase, Ofelia and her wanting to save the baby, Mercedes and her protection?

11. The final confrontation, Ofelia taking the baby, going to the labyrinth, the wounded captain and his pursuit, getting lost in the labyrinth, the branches parting for Ofelia to pass through? Pan and his wanting the baby sacrificed? The full moon? The captain, going out to the guerrillas, the final confrontation, the legend of his father breaking his watch so that his son would know at what time he died, the guerrillas refusing this, the guerrillas refusing to let his son know his name? Their shooting him? Ofelia being shot, the close-up on her eye, the vision as she died? Her going into the palatial room, her parents enthroned? Her returning home - and the successful princess?


12. The finale, the background of D- Day in France? Spain to continue under fascism for another thirty years?

QUAND J'ETAIS CHANTEUR (THE SINGER)

France, 2006, 110 minutes, Colour.
Gerard Depardieu, Cecile de France, Matthieu Amalric.
Directed by Jacques Fieschi.

Gerard Depardieu is something of a miracle! How can someone who looks so ungainly, not so handsome at all, and not as young as he used to be, still appear so charming and engaging? This is one of his most pleasingly accessible films – and suggests that he could have an alternate career as a singer.

This is very French in story, characters and relationships. He is still a band leader and singer in these days of karaoke. She is a somewhat repressed estate agent with a son. He falls for her. She takes quite some time and then we are not always certain whether she falls for him. In between there are many songs and musical interludes, a lot of looking at prospective houses for him, some moodiness on the part of each, the prospect of a big concert gig – as well as a bout of vocal chord inflammation and other expected ingredients.

But, it all works nicely. Depardieu will consolidate his fan club and Cecile de France is a striking screen presence. It is the kind of story that Hollywood likes – a remake with Nick Nolte and Cate Blanchett?

1. The charm of Gerard Depardieu? A Depardieu entertainment?

2. A Gallic story, characters, music, songs?

3. The title and the focus on Alain? The song in the final credits? Humorously ironic touch?

4. The portrait of Alain: Gerard Depardieu's presence, appearance, his singing the songs, the halls and the dances, the old-fashioned style? His long success? His band, relationship with them?
Marie and Daniel, their career? Marie and Alain together? Their house, her singing, her opting out of the touring to become his manager? Her relationship with Daniel? The bond between Marie and Alain, love? Marie and Daniel and the decision to marry? Alain and his age, his reaction to karaoke? The discussion about contracts? His seeing Marion as he sang, attracted towards her, going to the table, the chatter, the sexual encounter? The aftermath? His going to the office, the variety of houses that they visited? The on-and-off relationship? Moods? When they were together, tensions, love? The child? The dance lesson, her leaving? Her having to sort things out, his asking her feelings? The inflammation of his vocal cords? Afterwards, seeing him at home, his records, Una Lacrima? Marie and the arranging of the concert, his agreement, his going to the hall, the dressing room, Marion's visit? His running away, in the café, the discussion with Marion?

5. Marion, going to Bruno to get work? Bruno filling in the story of her background, in love, the man dying, her marriage, the child? Seeing her with her child - the tension, the gifts, in the house, the visit to the volcano museum? Her work, cool and poised? At the table watching Alain, the verbal interchanges, going to his apartment, the sexual encounter, her leaving? His feeling insulted? Her reaction to his visit? Taking him to see the various houses? Resisting getting to know him? The
ups and downs of moods? The bond, sometimes thinking he was pathetic? The dance class, her going away, wanting to sort things out? Her return, her concern, going to the concert, not getting in, meeting Marie, going to the dressing room, afterwards in the restaurant?

6. Marie, the bond with Alain, the marriage, the separation, her marriage to Daniel? The contracts, the concert? Daniel and the bar, their shop - and Alain going to promote sales?

7. Bruno, his work, genial, friends with Alain, supporting Marion?

8. The world of the band, songs, dances, the audience? The old-fashioned style? Karaoke coming in and the bands going out?

9. Alain and his enjoying his work, seeing it as a vocation?

10. The separation - the audience watching, the parting of the two - Marion's return and the final kiss? And the humour of the final
song?

2.37

Australia, 2006, 90 minutes, Colour.
Teresa Palmer, Sam Harris, Frank West.
Directed by Mathuri K. Thaluri.

A very impressive first film. When one hears that it is about teenage problems and high school crises, expectations are that it will be a variation on the jocks and bimbos of American high school movies. It is not. It stands on its own, all the more striking that the writer-director has had practically no training and was born in 1984, making him 20 when he was working on the film. He had no Government assistance in making it.

The film is very serious. It was occasioned by the suicide of a friend of the director who dedicates his film to her.

We are introduced to six students in black and white talking heads interviews. The film opens with the suicide (but we don’t know which of the students it is) and goes back over the day at school. It uses the three steps forward, one step back technique to highlight how the incidents interconnect, making the drama more intricate and powerful.

There are the expected problems (what other problems are there?): measuring up to parents’ excessive standards, crushes and relationships, jock boasting, bullying and mocking, the newcomer from England with embarrassing disabilities, the marginalised gay character, pregnancy, going to counsellors… But they are all taken with appropriate seriousness and the young cast give of their best to make the problems compelling.

The film was screened in Un Certain Regard and was received with prolonged applause… quite exceeding the maker’s expectations.

1. The impact of the film? As a first film? As a young director? Young cast? The maturing of the film?

2. The title, the time of Kelly's death? The film dedicated to the director's friend who killed herself?

3. The city setting, the school, the rooms, the corridors, the toilets?

4. The musical score, especially the opening with the requiem of Faure and the use of Andrew Lloyd Weber's 'Requiem'? The incidental music, contemporary, the classics like Vivaldi?

5. The structure of the film: the suicide at the opening, the locked door, the teacher and the students banging, calling the janitor - seeing the blood? A puzzle as to who had died?

6. The introduction to each of the characters, the interviews? Black and white photography, talking heads? The information, the tone, the issues, the personalities, interests? The final comments of each of the characters on Kelly? Kelly herself being interviewed?

7. Life at school, the day, the students arriving, meeting each other, at the lockers, the chatter, mockery, classes, discussions, essays and marks, counsellor visits, the teachers, sport, the interactions? An ordinary day at school?

8. Kelly as an incidental character, with Marcus at the piano, offering the tissue to Steven, quiet? Her sadness, her walking around the school at the last minutes of her life, her motivations, the long suicide scene, contemplation, the scissors, cutting herself, the flow of the blood, her consciousness - and memories? A symbol of the expression of the others?

9 . Marcus, his emulating his father, wanting to be a lawyer? His father and his demands, criticism of Marcus's achievement, putting him down? The relationship with his sister, telling his mother about her charity concern? His demands, driving to school? Playing the piano, the duet with Kelly, their discussion? His failure to see anything wrong with Kelly? In class, getting eighty-seven for his paper, his overreaction and upset, the expectations of his father, going to the teacher, making demands, her rejection? In the library, the girl coming with the news about his sister's pregnancy? His storming out, his anger with his sister? The flashbacks and his relationship with his sister, the information, it being visualised? His final callow comments - that he would have helped Kelly if she had asked him?

10. Mel, the sadness in the morning, going to school with her brother, with her friends? Her discussions, the pairing with Luke? Her sadness, going to the toilet, the pregnancy test, the effect on her, it being seen by Sarah? The comments with the girl - 'slut', and audiences finally realising Sarah was meaning Mel? In class, her sadness, remembering her brother's assault? Her going out of class, Marcus coming, shaking her? Her going to the door, discovering the suicide?

11. Sarah, preening herself at the opening, her comments about marriage, criticism of the feminists? Her kissing Luke, glad that he had picked her of all the girls? Her seeing the pregnancy test, telling the others, her insult to Mel? The encounter with Luke, her being pleased, his later rejection and swearing at her? Her weeping? Her saying that she had not talked to Kelly for ten years?

12. Steven, at home, listening to the English soccer, his migration with his family, three months at the school, his explanation of himself, one leg shorter than the other, the two urethras, the accidents? His parents, all the attempts to remedy the situation? His family support? In class, his wetting himself, the smell, the reaction of the students, mocking him? His explanation of his change of clothes? His hopes, surviving for ninety days? Hearing Luke and his interaction with Sean? Luke punching him? Kelly offering him the tissue? His saying that Kelly was his friend?

13. Luke, sportsman, the jock type, running to school? At home, the masturbation (and the later revelation)? His friends, his putting down of education, saying that the material wasn't relevant? The sex talk with his mates? The harsh mockery of Sean? The discussions about Sarah, sexual relationship with her? Sport, the jokes, in the shower and his being upset? With Sarah, later swearing at her? Meeting Sean, the kiss, his violent reaction, his hitting Steven? His telling the counsellor that there were some things that couldn't be spoken about?

14. Sean, smoking, stoned? Talking about sex and the transition to admission he was gay? Telling people to get over it? The class, the class discussion about gay couple adopting, the students and the variety of attitudes? His going to the counsellor, talking about his family, his father's reaction, his mother, his ideal brother? His smoking in the storeroom? His laughing? His defiant attitude towards others? Meeting Luke, the kiss, Luke and the others and their mocking of him? His going to the counsellor, talking about his relationship, hopes for the future?

15. The absent parents, as perceived by their children, the generally hostile reaction except for Steven? Mel and her phone call to her mother, on holidays, the absent father? His demands on his
children?

16. The glimpses of the staff, the variety of teachers, their interactions with the students, helping, not helping? The counsellor and his listening?

17. A portrait of teenagers, at school, at home? A serious look at teenagers and their problems? Kelly and her depression - and the reality of teenage suicide?