VARDA PAR AGNES

France, 2019, 115 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Agnes Varda.

At the age of 90, photographer and director, Agnes Varda, participated in an illustrated lecture for an audience as well as opening it out to a documentary overview of her long and prolific career.

She is a genial presence, short and a little stout, multi-colours in her hair. And she speaks with some affection to the audience – but is not afraid to be a bit sharp in her comments.

The film takes us back to her early years and upbringing, her becoming a photographer with some success. In the late 1950s and into the early 1960s, she became involved with a variety of directors, many of those contributing to the French New Wave. She became a photographer for some of them, including Jean-Luc? Godard.

While the film shows her work for other directors, it also concentrates on the films that she made, some features, some documentaries. There is her personal analysis of her celebrated first fiction film, Cleo from 5 to 7. However, there are many more clips from her variety of documentaries over the decades as well as her detailed explanation of why she was interested in documentary, observant in details, concerned about the people who were the subject of her films.

She was also devoted to her director-husband, Jacques Demy, working with him in his films, travelling to California when he had worked there, tending him during his illness, devoted to her children.

This is an interesting and entertaining documentary, an introduction to Agnes herself, a retrospective on her life and work, a perspective on her various films and her approach to photography and film-making.

LEFT BEHIND

US, 2014, 105 minutes, Colour.
Nicolas Cage, Chad Michael Murray, Cassi Thomson, Nicky Whelan, Lea Thompson, Gary Grubbs, Alec Rayme.
Directed by Vic Armstrong.

This is a version of the bestselling novel by Jerry B.Jenkins and Tim La Haye. There were very popular, especially during the 1990s amongst American religious readers with the coming of the millennium.

The original film was sponsored by Kirk Cameron, an evangelist for the books and the films, with two subsequent sequels.

This version is a star vehicle for Nicolas Cage as an airline pilot, captaining the plane where people disappear, the clothes remaining. The phenomenon happens all over the world. The language to describe this was “The Rapture�, where God took millions of people who are faithful from this earth to heaven.

While the rapture was popular in the 1990s, it also defied credibility of beliefs in the vast majority of people. The rapture seems to have been a particularly American interpretation of some quotations from the New Testament.

With the Kirk Cameron films, there was a strong emphasis on the religious dimension, on the nature of faith, belief in God and in the rapture, in the need for repentance. This is not so much to the fore in this particular version.

The first 30 minutes are much like any other action film, the establishing of characters, a young student (Cassi Thompson) coming home for her pilot father’s birthday, the problems of her very religious mother (Lea Thompson), separation from her husband, his having affairs with flight attendants. At the airport is the very popular television journalist, played by Chad Michael Murray who befriends the young student, meets her father, is a passenger on the rapture plane. There are suggests some suggestions of religious faith, especially with an intrusive woman arguing apocalyptically at the airport who is contradicted by the student.

At various times throughout the film, sceptical attitudes towards religion, towards God, towards the rapture are expressed, the point of view of many who might be watching the film.

After half an hour, the rapture happens and in the following 30 minutes or so the audience sees the people deal with the experience, the bewilderment, people disappearing, the clothes remaining. While there is a lot of attention given to the passengers on the plane and how the pilot and the flight attendant with whom he was having an affair deal with the situation and the upset passengers, one even taking a gun and threatening, the other area of rapture shown is in New York City with the student out with her brother, his disappearing, the rioters’ reactions and looting as a consequence, deadly accidents with small planes crashing into cars, and her return home to find her mother has disappeared as well.

The last part of the film brings on the religious dimension more explicitly. The student goes to see the pastor who has not disappeared and finds that he did not have enough faith in himself. This makes her more sceptical and she is in phone contact with the journalist as well as her father. There are some heroics with the plane, the plane to land at Kennedy airport if possible given the low fuel and the damage to the structure of the plane. However, there are quite some heroics with the daughter, who climbs a very high tower, possibly to contemplating killing herself, but getting the phone call just in time, using quite some initiative in getting vehicles, finding an alternate highway for landing, clearing debris, setting a large fire to guide her father for the landing.

The message of this particular stage of the film might be “God helps those who help themselves�.

Audiences might find it rather difficult in hearing rapture language from Nicolas Cage, remembering what his wife had told him, very seriously expressing himself with belief in the rapture and urging prayer. There are also some other conversations amongst the passengers on the plane, with a very hardheaded dwarf who is continually complaining and sceptical, with a Muslim who wants people to pray, with a businessman who has neglected his family and talks with a woman who has realised what is actually happening.

Popular ingredients for an action film. Popular ingredients for an explicitly religious film. But, the explicitness will probably be too much for most audiences – and, the time of the rapture seems to have passed (and cynics commenting at the time that the two authors of the books had not been taken in the rapture but left on earth to profit by their bestseller status!)

FLATLAND

South Africa, 2019, 97 minutes, Colour.
Nicole Fortuin, Faith Baloyi, Izel Bezuidenhout, De Klerk Oelofse, Brendon Daniels.
Directed by Jenna Cato Bass.

A challenging film from South Africa.

The screenplay recognises the diverse racial backgrounds in South Africa, the main action taking place in Afrikaaner territory, an acknowledgement of the British influence (police organisation as well as television soap operas), the indigenous African background.

The film focuses on the stories of two women. The first is Natalie, a young woman, brought up by her mother, fond of an easily handing horses, with the opening of the film gets married to a young policeman, Bakkies. She moves away from the ceremony to be with her horse and, later, when her husband forces himself on her on the wedding night, she flees again to the stable, encountering the pastor who did the ceremony who lectures her then takes a whip to her. She has a gun. She shoots.

The other story focuses on a policewoman, Beauty (Faith Baloyi, accomplished in her first major film role). Her former fiance rings her after 15 years in prison and she goes to meet him. He has confessed to the killing of the pastor while drunk – but really wants to return to the security of prison.

The two stories come together when Beauty visits her old police partner whose son is Bakkies. Beauty does not think that her former fiance killed the pastor and is determined to use her detective skills to find out what happened.

A major climax of the film takes place at a truck stop. Natalie and her young friend, Poppy, escape and try to find the father of Poppy’s coming child, a truck driver. The truck stop is very rough. Poppy is upset when the father of the child dances with Natalie and there is a sexual encounter. In the meantime, she is threatened by the bartender at the stop, forcing her to strip at gunpoint.

Fortunately, Beauty arrives at this moment and the film moves towards some unexpected climactic moments. Natalie confronts her husband who expresses love but is again brutal and she escapes from him, taking Beauty’s car. Beauty in the meantime had a plan to rescue her ex-fiance and leave the country with her savings in cash – but that is the car that Natalie takes. In the meantime, Poppy is rescued and declares that her ambition is to appear on television.

1. A film from South Africa? Story, drawing on the history, race issues, apartheid, races and violence? Local culture, Afrikaaner culture?

2. The title, the landscapes, the contrast with city and countryside, the visuals of the scenery, towns, truck stops, church? The police offices? The musical score?

3. Natalie’s story: her age, friendship with Poppy, memories of her mother looking after the two children, the eventual resentment that her mother was not there for her? The range of friends, love for the horse and tending, as well is confiding as if to her mother, in it? The relationship with Bakkies, policeman, courting, the wedding and the ceremony, the words of the pastor, the people celebrating?

4. Natalie, the wedding night, resisting her husband, fleeing, taking refuge with the horse? The confrontation by the Minister, his speech, getting his whip? His being shot? The husband and his covering for Natalie?

5. Billy and Beauty, 15 years in prison, his crime, bashing his brother after the taunt, Beauty watching, arresting him? After 15 years, the phone call, the situation with the dead pastor, his confessing, his drinking, wanting to go back to jail and security?

6. Beauty’s story, seeing her at the shooting range, her skills, in the office, Billy’s phone call, and her insistence on watching the episodes of the soap opera and its themes of love, divorce, reconciliation? Her driving 500 miles? Love for Billy, her work as a detective, wanting to find the truth? The visit to Billy, the visit to Jaap, memories of his son? Their previous collaboration in police work?

7. Beauty with Billy, his denials, organising his escape? Getting her cash, getting her hair done, pursuing Poppy and Natalie, building up to the shootout and the wounding of Jaap? Natalie taking her car – and the irony of taking all the money?

8. Natalie and Poppy, riding the horse? Poppy’s pregnancy, the story about Branko, his being a driver, the men at the bar, rough? The bartender and his knowing the facts, violently aggressive?

9. Natalie, her fears, Poppy and her behaviour, Branko arriving, inviting Natalie to dance, the sexual encounter and its effect on Natalie?

10. The bartender, with Poppy, forcing her to strip, the effect on her, her anger at Natalie because of Branko?

11. Beauty, control of the situation, taking the girls, exposing Bakkies?

12. Bakkies, his involvement, cover, obeying his father? With Natalie, her turning against him, his violence?

13. Poppy and her ambitions to be on television, Natalie and her fleeing (after falling from a horse and Beauty shooting it)? Billy and Beauty together?

BASMATI BLUES

US, 2017, 105 minutes, Colour.
Brie Larson, Utkarsh Ambudkar, Scott Bakula, Saahil Sehgal, Tyne Daley, Donald Sutherland.
Directed by Don Baron.

This is an American production with an American cast, but the main action takes place in India, all the atmosphere and colour of India, religious rituals, the political and social conditions. It is also a musical in the vein of the Bollywood musicals, the main cast, especially Brie Larson, all singing.

Ultimately, it is a film supporting Indian culture, Indian work conditions, justice – and the resistance to American capitalistic imperialism.

Brie Larson portrays a scientist in the US who is working on modified rice. She is praised by the authorities, especially by the officials of the company, Donald Sutherland and Tyne Daley. At short notice, she sent to India to persuade farmers there to make contracts with the company and buy the rice.

It is a new world for her (which she expresses in song), is generally welcomed, well accommodated, but also encounters a young man, a student, on the train to her destination, later meeting with him by chance, their clashing, differences of opinion, yet an attraction which will develop, of course, into a love relationship (and songs and dancing).

She meets with locals, especially the family of the young man. She also goes to laboratories, where there are facilities for her to continue her work. However, she is also required to consult with farmers and growers to argue the case for their taking on this imported rice. An ambitious local young man works with the American company, indulges in some intrigue, especially in dealing with the farmers.

It soon emerges to those concerned that this is an exploitation of the Indian farmers, that they will be compelled to buy the rice, that they will not be able to grow their own. At first, they do not realise this so powerful is the propaganda, even with the arrival of the two officials.

However, she is supported by Scott Bakula who comes to India to work with her.

There are demonstrations, hostility towards the Americans as well as applause for them and the initiative.

However, ultimately she sees through what has happened, defies the authorities, joins the local farmers in promoting their own crops and labour.

Probably best to be in a good mood to be able to accept this American- Indian blend, the bursting into song, the repercussions for the social issues between India and the US.

 

 

 

 

THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND

2019, 115 minutes, Colour.
Maxwell Simba, Chiwitel Ejiofor, Aissa Maiga, Lily Banda, Joseph Marcell.
Directed by Chiwitel Ejiofor.

This is a story from Malawi, 2001. It is a true story with photos and comments from the central character during the final credits. And, speaking of credits, the story is a credit to William Kamkwamba, the boy who harnessed the wind.

The film also seems to be a labour of love for actor turned director, Chiwitel Ejiofor, very well known for his work on the London stage as well is a range of films from Amistad to 12 Years a Slave. He has written the screenplay as well as directing and has taken on the role of William’s father, a good man, a farmer in Malawi, and bewildered by changes in society, holding to traditions and challenged in time of drought and poverty.

The film was photographed in Malawi, giving it authentic feel, the landscapes, some gentle countryside, some desert and drought locations, fields with crops and tobacco, with corn.

This picture of Malawi society is quite multi-cultural, multi-religious. The central family is Christian and the film opens with a Christian burial with preaching. However, highly-masked and decorated mourners also come to attend and are welcomed, representatives of traditional religions. However, the majority religion in this part of the country is Islam, a Muslim chief, is also buried at the end of the film and the local traditional mourners arriving again.

The focus is on the Kamkwamba family, Trywell the father, Agnes the devoted mother, Annie, an older teenager, into some kind of rebellion and in love with a local teacher, faced with the dilemma of staying at home or going off with the teacher to a safer place, especially as the drought and famine increase. There is also a baby but there is William, the young teenager, eager for education, delighted when his father buys the school uniform, attending class with his friend, Gilbert, the son of the chief.

Education is fairly basic and depends on the principal's demands that fees be paid in advance. Trywell is unable to pay, given the poor wages for the tobacco crop, given the increasing drought and the meagre corn crop. However, he is allowed to work in the library and his intellectual capacities are excited by studies on energy, on pumps and batteries, on the possibility of supplying water from the well in the village for maintaining the crops. He sets up a small windmill to test his theories. He gets his friends to help him build a large windmill and install it. However, he needs some wheels and rotation for the windmill to work and asks his father for his bike.

This brings a striking confrontation between father and son, the father not understanding what his son is able to do, wants him simply to work in the fields to support the family. Ultimately, rebuked by his wife, Trywell gives over the bike – and the windmill is a success, vegetables are planted as a temporary resource, the famine is overcome.

The film is also political in its presentation of a visit by the campaigning president to the village, the fanfare for him, the attending military, a defiant and challenging speech by the chief which leads to him being beaten and, ultimately, to his death. More African political corruption.

This is a film which is interesting in itself, has good performances but also is most worthy in its intentions, portrait of African poverty and famine, the possibility for bettering themselves, an image of achievement for the 21st century.

1. The true story? Malawi? 2001? The people, pool, the role of government? Exploitation?

2. Filmed in Malawi, the village, homes, the school in uniforms, the library, the tobacco crops, the corn, the trees, crops failing, poverty and famine? The stored grain, the trucks? The fruitful feels? The musical score?

3. The focus on the family, the death of the brother, his bequest, Jeremiah his son inheriting the farm? His brother not inheriting? The decision about the trees, the removal, the consequences for the environment? Jon, his hard work, his wife and children? William at school? The baby? Devoted and strong?

4. The issue of crops, the tobacco crops, harvesting, prices? Calling corn, storing? Difficulties, the weather, crop failure, the dry?

5. The background of religion, the traditions, the images of the mourners, the going through the countryside, the character on stilts? Attendance at the funeral? Christianity, the priest, his sermon? The Muslim population of the town, with the chief? The question is receiving the mourners, dialogue between Christianity and traditions? Culture? The local culture, the languages, the English tradition in the British government? The government rallies, corruption, the chief and his speech, outspoken, taken and bashed? The trucks with the corn, the military guard?

6. The theme of education, school, the small staff, the stern principal, librarian, the teacher and his friendship? The issues of payment beforehand? Classes, expulsion? William, his knowing about the teacher’s relationship with his sister, being allowed into the library, his research? His friendship with Gilbert, Gilbert is the son of the Chief?

7. The family unable to pay, William, going to the library, learning about dynamos, the production of electricity, his ideas, creative physics?

8. The portrait of the famine, the men moving about the countryside, threats of rape, stealing corn? The desperation of the ordinary people? The desperation of the family?

9. The character of Annie, in love with the teacher, the meetings, his invitation for her to go, her dilemma, the strangest threats of rape, her mother slapping her? Her going?

10. William, expelled, encouraged by the librarian, the discussions with his friends, their thinking they should move away?

11. William and his inventions, his study, the well and the water, the pump, the boys scavenging in the dumps, the small windmill, testing it out with the radio, the boys helping?

12. William and his father, his father wanting his education, but not understanding it, wanting to work in the fields, slapping him? William’s request for the bike for the windmill? His father’s anger? William loyal?

13. Agnes, devoted to her husband and family? Confronting her husband, telling him that she had lost everything over the years by being with him?

14. The bike, sawing it in pieces, everybody helping, construction of the large windmill?

15. The chief, his death, Gilbert inheriting, the solemn funeral, the official mourners coming again?

16. William and his success, the water, the planting of the vegetables, the growth, fruitful, the village surviving the famine?

17. William and his achievement, the credits and the pictures of William, his words, the information?

 

 

LES NUITS FAUVES/SAVAGE NIGHTS

France, 1992, 126 minutes, Colour.
Cyril Collard, Romane Bohringer, Carlos Lopez, Corine Blue, Maria Schneider.
Directed by Cyril Collard.

This is a film which emerged at the end of the first decade of the AIDS epidemic, released in the early 1990s. It is very much the work of the writer-director, Cyril Collard, who had written a novel, adapted for the screen, composed music and songs for his film seeing them), directed and took the central role of Jean. He has a genial presence, engaging the audience.

The film was nominated for a number of Cesar awards, winning four. However, Collard, as his character in the film, was HIV positive and, in fact, died four days before the award ceremony. Which makes the film have even more impact, a sadly true story.

Jean works in the media, photographer, opening with scenes in Morocco. In Paris, he keeps in touch with his parents, his father having had a stroke. But he also indulges in quick sexual encounters in the underpasses and under the bridges in Paris. He visits the doctor and acknowledges the diagnosis, often cheerful, sometimes beginning to be overwhelmed.

He has some photos of a young woman, 17 years old turning 18, Laura, Romane Bohringer, who comes from audition, is attracted towards Jean, beginning a tempestuous (to say the least) sexual relationship, he impotent but in love with her.

Romane Bohringer gives an intense performance, love moving into obsession, bursting out of times in rage. Her mother tries to intervene, Laura ultimately having to agree to go to an institution for treatment after her incessant phone calls to Jean, stalking him, absolutely besotted.

In some ways, the story is inconclusive, Laura somewhat improving and able to be away from Jean, but Jean having to face the reality of his illness.

1. The An award-winning film of 1992? The director, AIDS, his novel, his film and performance – and his dying before he was able to receive his Cesar awards?

2. The background of the Moroccan settings, people, religious practice? The main action in France, Paris, apartments, restaurants, the streets, the dark bridges and underpasses, hospitals and institutions? The range of the musical score? Composed and performed by the director?

3. The film coming from the early 1990s, the 1980s experience of AIDS, epidemic, the number of deaths, fears from contamination by blood contact, the atmosphere of fear?

4. Jean’s story? Cyril Collard as writer and director, composer and singer of some songs, his performance, adaptation of his novel? His screen presence, vitality, verve in life, apprehensions about death, exploring relationships, wanting commitment? And the irony of his being ill and dying? The story and the performance made more authentic?

5. Jean and his story, his age, photography, the media? His friends and collaborators? Laura coming to the audition? His having her photos? Her performance, serious, passive, aggressive? Her success? The attraction towards Jean?

6. Jean and his background, the later visit to his parents, their concern, his father’s stroke, his mother and her loving care? You will, reckless and
his driving, the crash…?

7. Jean, his orientation, his behaviour, partners, HIV positive, visits to the hospital and nurses? His prospects? His behaviour with the men at the underpasses, his explanations about this kind of sex experience?

8. His friendship with Samy, visits to Samy and his family? Sammy and his attraction to Jean, living with Marianne? His wanting to please Jean? Affection? The issue of sexual contact? Samy and his going to the brothel, the man chained, punching him, the effect? The owner of the brothel and his card – and the final confrontation with Samy, in the streets, the bashing, Jean coming to the rescue, threatening the owner with blood contamination?

9. The portrait of Laura, age 17, wilful young woman, her relationship with her mother? The infatuation with Jean, the relationship, his impotence, yet his devotion to her? The dilemma about telling her the truth about HIV, his telling her, her reaction, demanding to be told, yet loving him, risking, the contraceptives?

10. Laura and her job in the store, arrange and outburst against the saleswoman and leaving?

11. The relationship, the outings together time together, declarations of love? Her becoming more obsessive, possessive? Her angry reactions with her mother? The phone calls, going away for a time, her stalking Jean? Her finding him with his former girlfriend after the night out, with Samy, the confrontation, the friend trying to console Laura?

12. His reactions, the need for some breathing space, yet his wanting to love her, the phone calls, ignoring them, going to see her? Discussions with her mother?

13. The eventual breakdown, the doctors, her frantic behaviour, smashing things, raging outbursts? Yet her eventually going to the institution, the analysis, the open ward?

14. Jean, facing death, attitude taught to death? Laura, her calming down, at the institution? The bonds between the two?

15. Her future? From her experience with Jean? His future, coming to terms with death?

DIVINO AMOR

Brazil, 2019, 101 minutes, Colour.
Dira Paaes, Julio Machado, Teca Pereira, Emelio de Mello.
Directed by Gabriel Mascaro.

What might the future like be in Brazil, in 2027? While there is an emphasis on developments in technology, there is also an emphasis on a changing religious perspective. There is an announcement that Carnival has been replaced by the celebration of Divine Love.

In recent decades, Catholicism has declined in many areas of Brazil, Protestant denominations, Pentecostal communities on the rise. This film follows this line, no mention of Catholicism, but the prevailing of Divine Love, quoting the Scriptures, especially 1 Corinthians 13, with its personal gurus, with a drive-through consultation of pastors for advice, baptisms of immersion…

This film focuses on sexuality in the context of Divine Love.

Joana, the central character, works for the bureaucracy especially in terms of interviewing those wanting to be divorced. With her complete commitment to Divine Love, her specific God language, her earnestness in intervening, she sometimes alienates applicants for a divorce but also becomes involved in experiences that are meant for reconciliation. There are some explicit moments in the film illustrating these experiences, naked spouses washing each other, scenes of copulation and changing of partners…

Joana has wanted to humanise the bureaucracy with the officials explaining that this cannot be.

The bureaucracy is strong, follows everyone, surveillance on everyone, and information readily available and publicised. This is particularly true for Joana. She and her husband, Danilo, have not been able to have a child, he going for medical inspections, their sometimes desperate attempts to procreate. But, when she goes into a department store, information comes up on the notice that she has an unregistered fetus. She is filled with joy at her pregnancy.

While had been talk in Divine Love of the coming Messiah, the screenplay seems to indicate that he is about to come, Joana pregnant but not by her husband. When she tells him, he is in dismay and files for divorce.

There has been a voice-over throughout the film, questions by a child – and, after a difficult birth sequence, it emerges that it is this child who has done the narration, who is to be the new Messiah…

Provocative and evocative.

1. A Brazilian story? Brazilian society? Brazilian religion? The traditions of Christianity, the emergence of cults?

2. 2027, the world of bureaucracy, progress? Individual surveillance? Everything on chips, information available, files? A future?

3. The Brazilian city, homes, offices, centres for exercises, Divine Love? The musical score, the hymns?

4. Information that Carnevale has been displaced by Divine Love?

5. The Deva tees, the God language, quoting scripture, one Corinthians 13, the leader and her meetings? The immersion? The fellowship? Baptisms in water?

6. Issues of marriage and divorce in future society? Joanna and her desire to remedy marriage breakups?

7. The character of Joanna, absorbed by Divine Love, extremely devout, her God language, wanting a child? Her relationship with her husband, his infertility? Going to the hospital, the tests about sperm and same in? Her prayer? The consulting the pastor at the drive through consultation? Not achieving pregnancy? The visualising of the attempts?

8. The issue of sex therapy, explicit activities, the washing of bodies, copulation, changing partners? Rolling over partners lying on the floor?

9. The angry reaction to some of those divorcing, not wanting this kind of remedy?

10. The authorities, Joanna, bureaucracy not to be humanised as Joanna wanted?

11. Joanna, her pregnancy, going to the shop, the signal of an unregistered fetus? Her checking on the DNA, not her husband, but other acquaintances?

12. Confiding in the pastor, his inability to help, his moving on to other clients? The platitudes in his advice?

13. The decision to tell her husband, his wanting a divorce, is not believing his wife?

14. The issue of God, conception, miraculous pregnancy, the difficult birth of the child?

15. The visuals of the child, the voice-over and all questions throughout from the child? Urinating? The tone? A future Messiah?

MARIGHELLA

Brazil, 2019, 155 minutes, Colour.
Seu Jorge.
Directed by Wagner Moura.

The name Carlos Marighella would be familiar to Brazilians, especially older Brazilians. However, his name would not be well known outside the country.

This portrait of Marighella has been written and directed, his first directed film, by popular Brazilian actor, Wagner Moura. A labour of love, a tribute to Marighella, a criticism of the dictatorship from 1964 to 1985 – and possible critique of the 2018 elected government and its move to the far right.

Marighella was the grandson of Sudanese slaves coming to Brazil. He was well educated, lectured, wrote books which were translated, was active in government and opposition.

The film opens with a raid on a train, 1968, Marighella and his group taking government arms from the train, and storing them in a church with the help of Dominican friars. The government has been targeting Marighella but is more intent on destroying him and his rebel movement.

The film moves back to 1964 with the takeover by the fascist government. Marighella has made the option to go into opposition and work on the philosophy of an eye for an eye. He is concerned about his son who goes to school in the north but, by 1968, is kept under surveillance by the government, using him as a bait to tempt Marighella to come so that he might be arrested.

Seu Jorge is intense as Marighella, engaging in many ways, fully committed to his movement, drawing quite a number of followers who are seen in action in 1968, robbing a bank with some fatalities, and the assassination of an American military advisor, a very strong anti-Communist stance who has been brought in to support the government. The media is censored.

The film shows that Marighella could not quickly organise his rebel group and that there were always people ready to betray the rebels.

Of particular interest to a Catholic audience is that this is the period of the emergence of Liberation Theology, especially in Latin America, later to fall under the disapproval of Pope John Paul II and Cardinal Ratzinger and the office for the Doctrine of the Faith. There were conferences in Paublo and Medillin. There are Dominican friars in this film, willing to hide the arms in the church, one friar particularly friendly with Marighella, discussing issues with him, supportive, instrumental in arranging the appointment to meet his son – but, caught and tortured and giving up Marighella.

In more recent decades, cinema history of Latin America has tended to concentrate on Argentina, the period of the generals, the experience of the Disappeared. Here is a very interesting companion film.

1. The history of Brazil? 20th-century politics? The 1960s? Dictatorship, lasting 21 years? Comparisons with the 21st-century?

2. Audience knowledge of Marighella, an opportunity to learn?

3. The initial historical information, 1964, the taking over of government, dictatorship? The rise of rebellion? Guerilla tactics? 1968 and the events?

4. The stances of the screenplay?

5. Introduction in 1968, the train robbery, carrying arms, no threat to the passengers, the group taking the arms, personalities, treatment, driving away? Government anger?

6. The return to 1964, the focus on Carlos Marighella, his background, Sudan, grandparents slaves? His education, lecturing, writing books and their being translated, government and opposition? His stances, going into action, an eye for an eye?

7. The portrait of the associates, Bronco and his age, always wearing suit and tie, committed to the cause? The bearded man and his capacity for killing? Jorge and his family, the girls and their mother? The men and women in the group? The appeal to the young? The need for organisational development?

8. Marighella, his son, their talking, at the beach, his mother and her care, in the cinema, the boy escaping, his arrest? America and his wife, her fears?

9. The government reaction, the inspector, representing the authorities? The American influence? Cash? Arms? Political interference? Ideologies? The role of the press, censored, the government and the papers, television and radio announcements?

10. The editor, his confrontation with Marighella, defying him? Marighella later apologising? The commitment of the editor, the radio broadcast, his publishing the speech? Arrest, death?

11. The bank robbery, going wrong, the shots, the wounded, the wounded man taking to the girl’s mother, her care, getting out?

12. Jorge, his relationship with his brother, family, returning to his brother? His being taken? The threats to his wife and daughters? His role in the assassination of the American, arrest and torture?

13. The American military adviser, his gung-ho rhetoric, anti-Communist?

14. The big man, assassinating the American, his behaviour, the setups by his girlfriend? His being shot?

15. The son, his being watched by the authorities, in classes, reaction of the other boys, phone call from the Dominican, the appointment, his turning up, warning his father to get away?

16. The influence of the church, the role of the Dominicans, the man in his habit, stowing the guns in the church? Henrique, his clothes, liberal, sympathy for the cause, the discussions, work in the library, his conferences? The time of Liberation Theology emerging? The episode when he is
being tested about seducing the wife, Marighella’s joke, discussions about celibacy? The phone call to the son, his being overheard, the timid friar in the library, tortured? Henrique and his giving up the information?

17. The wife, the visit from her husband, love, wariness?

18. The inspector, participating in the torture, the verbal torture, Jorge and the details?

19. The inspector, defying the US? Patriotic?

20. Catching Marighella, in the car, the shooting, his death?

21. Remembering Brazilian history? Dictatorships and torture in Latin America in the 20th century?

SO LONG, MY SON

China, 2019, 180 minutes, Colour.
Wang Jinchung,
Directed by Xiaoshuai Wang.

This is something of an epic Chinese film, focusing on a family, but focusing on a group of friends and their contacts over the decades, from the young days, the Cultural Revolution, the one-child policy, the modernisation of China into the 21st century.

The structure of the film is shifting, moving (often without notice) from one time period to another, the audience having to gauge which period is being shown, from the look and locations, the age of the central characters.

The film opens with a key episode where the son of the central couple does not want to go and play in the water but is urged to do so by his friend who also pushes him into the water, leading to the death of the boy, the parents hurrying to take their son to hospital, his death. As part of this theme, the surviving boy grows up with a sense of guilt, becomes a doctor and very successful professional man but has the need to confess to the parents what he has done – and, at the end, he is so and receives their forgiveness.

The couple adopted another boy who is rather rebellious, resents his father who treats him severely, wants an identity card and leaves. Later in the film he too will return and there will be some kind of reconciliation.

In the meantime, there is also a focus on the friends of the parents, somewhat carefree and singing and dancing at the time of the Cultural Revolution, being imprisoned and indoctrinated, the group meeting again over the years, the effects of age, some deaths, adapting to a China that sometimes they do not recognise.

The actors portraying the parents won the acting awards at the Berlinale 2019.

1. Chintexttexta in the 20th century, the changes in the 21st-century? Film of retrospect?

2. The impact of the Chinese audiences, beyond China?

3. The city, the countryside, workplaces and factories, homes, water? The changes in development and modernising over the decades?

4. The structure, the ship time, the different ages of the characters?

5. The influence of Mao, the statue and the salute? Looking back to the Cultural Revolution and its consequences? To the one child policy? Strict interpretation or not?

6. The initial setting, the two boys, the boys playing in the water, the oddball protective, the smaller boy not wanting to play in the water? Being persuaded to go, his being bullied, pushed, his death? The guilt of the older boy, all through his life, the need to confess? The effect of confessing and being forgiven?

7. The smaller boy, his parents love, the news of his death, rushing to the site, hurrying into the hospital?

8. The adoption of the other boy, home life, his defiance, the strict father, his walking out, his being given an identity card?

9. The central group, friends, the younger days, the bonds between them, families, children, the strict mother and her upholding the law? The man wanting to dance, his arrest? Molli coming in and out of the story, the relationship with the father?

10. Their later reappearance, age, change, the effect of the years, illness, meeting, the woman dying, the death?

11. The young doctor, his help, his wife? His need to confess, the confession scene, the parents forgiving him?

12. The young boy, his return as a man, his girlfriend, the effect?

13. The portrait of the parents, the relationship over the years, love, work, death, change?

14. Meeting again – and the resolution of the issues of the past?

PHOTOGRAPH

India, 2019, 110 minutes, Colour.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sanya Malhotra.
Directed by Ritesh Batra.

Ritesh Batra made a popular romantic story about mistaken identities, The Lunchbox. It was an Indian story, especially with orders for lunches going out, mixups in orders, the consequences for the woman sending out for lunch and the man receiving it. This film, Photograph is basically the same story in another guise.

In the meantime, the director had made the film version of Julian Barnes novel, The Sense of an Ending, in the UK and a romantic film in the US, two of the little only people comforting each other, Our Souls at Night, reuniting Robert Redford and Jane Fonda.

With Photograph, he is back in India, is in Mumbai. For overseas audiences, especially if they have visited Mumbai in the past, it is an opportunity to see the modern city, the blend of the old and the new, the new beginning to dominate. The scenes at the Gateway show tourists and photographers urging passers-by to capture the moment otherwise it will be gone.

The audience is introduced to two unlikely characters to be the focus of this. The first is a middle-aged photographer, trying to eke out a living with his friends, who has come from the country, wants to pay off his father’s debts, and is the main concern of his grandmother who really want him to get married (and threatens to stop taking her medication until he does). He is something of a morose man, living in a community of fellow workers, who talk, joke, trick, play cards – and talking about his not being married and his grandmother’s threats.

The other is a young student, from a wealthy family, seemed to shop with the family wanting to choose colours for her clothes, her past thoughts of being an actress but her studying to be a chartered accountant. At the Gateway, Rafi urges her for a photo. She agrees but, as he turns away, she is called and disappears.

And the audience is wondering how they will come again, whether she is the answer to Rafi’s dreams and his grandmother’s hopes, whether she will meet Rafi again.

Of course, they do.

The device is that Rafi sends Miloni’s photo to his grandmother who very quickly agrees to come to Mumbai to meet the young woman. Which puts Rafi into something of a panic, going around the city in a van search for the young woman, by chance seeing her in a poster advertising chartered accountant courses, following her, sitting next to her on a bus…

There are touches of wry comedy with the grandmother’s arrival, her summing up of the young woman, not wanting to at first, changing her mind, the two women bonding – even though Miloni has set up a completely false background story.

The film has a great deal of charm, although an impatient audience might want them to hurry up and resolve the situation. Otherwise, there is great pleasure in being in the company of Rafi and Miloni, the tensions for the young woman at home but good advice from the family servant about life in the country, Rafi and dealing with his grandmother.

There is a pleasant twist to the plot when it emerges that Miloni does not drink Coca Cola, remembering the Cola of the past, Campa Cola, which has stopped production. However, there is a story about an older man who had a factory because his wife love to drink Campa Cola. Can this have an influence on bringing about the romance between Rafi and Miloni?

The couple have been to see a film and she has been startled by rats scurrying across the floor of the cinema! However, they go again. She walks out and the couple sit on a park bench, he telling her about how the film will end up, about them getting to know each other, falling in love, a future together so that they did not have to see the rest of the film. And, of course, that is where Photograph ends as well!

1. An Indian story? Popular with the director – two unlikely people, a mistake in the coming together?

2. The city of Mumbai, the Gateway, the tourist world, the railway stations, buses, cafes, shops with material, the factory, the feel of India, the feel of by? The musical score?

3. The title, Rafi and his friends, the advertising for photographs, memories of a lifetime, otherwise gone? Moderate success? The need for money? Rafi and his grandmother, her concern about his marrying or not? Not taking her medicine? Rafi paying off the family debt? His companionship with his friends, talking, cards, drinking? Yet his morose personality as well?

4. Miloni, with her family, the shop, the colours of the materials sitting her? Stopping for the photo? The talk with Rafi, called away, going home? Her family and the sequences with meals, the servant in the house, Miloni and her studying, also morose, classes, the poster with her photo, passing the photo are rounding class, the professor’s response?

5. Rafi, his idea, writing the letter to his grandmother, including the photo, his search for her, seeing the poster, following her, the encounter in the bus, sitting together, talking, his proposal, her agreement, going to the station to meet the grandmother, the grandmother’s first reaction? The false name?

6. Miloni, sitting next to Rafi on the bus, her agreement, pondering the situation, asking for more photos, the consequences of the agreement, talking, learning more, the family story? Her creating a full story, the story about drinking Campa Cola, the materials for dresses, the bonding with the grandmother? Bonding with Rafi, the scenes at home, seeking the advice of the Serpent, life in the village? Her studies, past acting, chartered accountant?

7. The grandmother, strong personality, opinions, the past, bringing up the children, her hopes, coming to the city, her comments on Miloni?

8. The teacher, class, in the streets, Rafi thinking he was molesting Miloni?

9. His growing awareness, the reactions of the family, her not being considered pretty, her father and her father and his criticisms? Continuing with Rafi, going to the cinema, the rat on her feet? The second cinema outing, moving out, sitting in the vestibule?

10. Rafi, his work, the plan for his own company, the story about the Cola, the widow and his wife, getting information, going to the factory, the man making him a bottle of Cola?

11. The movie, leaving the cinema, the conversation, Rafi saying everybody knows the story – and everybody knowing this story and so the narrative stopping and the credits rolling?