The Unsophisticates Update #6

SFF - Lola (Drama)

‘Lola’ is the word for Grandma in Filipino. This moving film from Filipino director Brillante Mendoza, follows the journey of two grandmas, Lola Sepa and Lola Puring, as they try to come to some peace with the fact that one of their grandsons has been stabbed to death by the other’s grandson during a robbery. ‘Lola’ is a beautifully filmed story with family and loyalty at it’s heart, and with the Manila rainy season as the backdrop which adds to the beauty and the struggle inherent in the film.

The director of Lola, Brillante Mendoza definitely lives up to his namesake – he is quite simply brilliant and the rate at which he churns out top quality films must make him one of the most prolific film makers today! During the Q&A session following the film, Mendoza described his films as “truths, not box office hits” and the no frills way he shoots certainly helps reinforce that he is simply telling a real life story about real people. Right from the first scene you get a sense that Mendoza’s storytelling style is unique as the bumpy camera follows Lola Sepa and her youngest grandson on a long meander through the bustling Manila streets to find the place where her other grandson was murdered so that they can leave a burning candle in his honour. With minimal dialogue he manages to convey so much about the grief they are experiencing, the strong connection between grandmother and grandson, and the many struggles that are their life.

Aside from being a beautiful story about these two grandmas, their families, and the tragedy that they are forced to deal with, ‘Lola’ is also a commentary on the poverty that exists in a place like the Philippines and the day to day survival decisions one must make when faced with such poverty. The film also explores the justice system in such an environment, and the fact that sometimes, the notion of justice in such poverty stricken societies becomes something that is quite malleable and quite personal.

After watching ‘Lola’, it’s not at all surprising that this film has already won several awards, including the Dubai and Miami film festivals, and that it drew significant crowds at the recent Tribeca Film Festival. Firstly, the acting is brilliant and so understated that at several times during the film I thought I was watching a documentary. Secondly, the film is shot in a way that really matches the realness and the simplicity of the story and makes you feel like you are a silent observer. Thirdly, there are so many simple, beautiful and moving scenes to enjoy. For example, the scene where the two grandmas have to first confront each other at the police station. Or the scene, during which Lola Sepa comes face to face with her grandson’s murderer. Or a scene in the family house when you start to feel that the Sepa family luck might be turning as fish start appearing spontaneously in their well!

Lola is definitely worth a look. It’s an amazing insight into a culture, a way of living, and a poverty that most of us will only ever truly experience through film. But Lola is more than just educational – its heart wrenching, it’s astonishing, and it’s uplifting. And after spending a couple of hours with Lola Sepa and Lola Puring, you’ll feel like you spent the night with your own Grandma!

The Unsophisticates Update #5

SFF Film - The Oath (Documentary)

Wow! Straight up I have apologise to the person who was sitting next to me seeing as I think I sat there with my mouth agape for most of the screening. This film was gripping. The title of the film - ‘the oath’ - is the name given to a brief pledge sworn by new members upon their induction into Al Qaeda. This compelling documentary tells the story of two men and a fateful encounter in 1996 that led them both to Osama Bin Laden and then onto an extraordinary course of events. The first man is Abu Jandal who was once Osama Bin Laden’s bodyguard and is now a taxi driver in Yemen. The other man is Abu’s brother in law (and Bin Laden’s former driver), Salim Hamdan, who since became a prisoner at Gauntanamo Bay and was then the first man to be taken to trial under the military tribunals that the Bush Administration devised post 9/11.

This film is directed by American director Loira Poitras. Her first Oscar nominated documentary - “My Country, My Country”- was made in occupied Iraq and explored the lead up to the 2005 Iraqi elections. For ‘The Oath’, Poitras apparently shot all of her footage alone in Yemen which she filmed over a two year period, and a dozen trips to Yemen. A brave woman you might say! Brave because of the obvious danger she puts herself in when filming as a female foreigner in war torn territories, but also brave because her documentaries put forward a perspective that is often counter to the one US promotes. Just one of the many reasons that make her latest film such a compelling watch.

She describes her approach as ‘macro-micro’ which essentially entails “following an individual story to look at the bigger questions”. The individual story that is used in ‘The Oath’ is that of Abu Jandal. The film mostly looks at the war on terror from his point of view and he’s a particularly engaging storyteller but presents with some contradictions that as a viewer, I found myself constantly trying to reconcile (e.g. he has renounced terrorism but still supports Al Qaeda). He’s articulate and full of charisma and oozes charm, which at times made me wonder if I wasn’t being seduced by him myself! The continual close ups of Abu Jandals face, as he is being interviewed or while he is driving his taxi, had the effect of making me feel a very close and personal connection with him. Whilst we do not get the same opportunity to connect with Salim Hamdan given we don’t actually get to meet him during the film, we do meet his family, and we do get to hear some of his letters from prison which all adds to the emotion in the lead up to the trial.

‘The Oath’ is really a commentary on the consequences of American foreign policy. Both during and after the screening you can’t help but wonder about the implications of deciding someone is guilty by association, about whether the human consequences of political decisions are sufficiently considered, and about the fairness of legal systems that change the rules part way through the game. In fact it seems the only thing you aren’t left wondering about, is that in these situations there is always so much more grey than black and white. Interestingly, Poitras is aiming for a post 9/11 trilogy, with the third documentary potentially exploring the controversial topic of US surveillance.

This movie definitely moved me. Regardless of your opinion on Al Qaeda and the war on terror, this is a rare opportunity to gain some insight into a perspective that isn’t often publicized and will no doubt help us all to understand the region, and the associated issues a little more and what harm could possibly come from that? I swear I was blown away by ‘The Oath’, its Oscar nomination is well deserved and I for one will be hanging out for the third installment in Poitras’ trilogy.

The Unsophisticates Update #4

SFF Film - Life During Wartime (Drama/Comedy)

I can’t remember the last time I laughed at so much sadness! To be honest it felt kind of awkward at first, particularly during the opening scene of ‘Life During Wartime’ when I realized I was laughing out loud as I watched both Joy and her husband cry miserably throughout their anniversary dinner. But once I realized the rest of the State Theatre was laughing along with me, I started to feel quite relaxed about seeing the amusing side of other people’s misfortunes. And I’m quite sure the writer, Todd Solondz, wouldn’t have minded at all. In fact I think he would’ve been quite chuffed had he been sitting in the Theatre on Saturday morning with us. After all, he does use the delightful phrase – “sad comedies” - to describe his films. And whilst I totally loved all 96 minutes of this film, I did wonder at times if it could’ve been more aptly described as a “funny tragedy”.

‘Life During Wartime’ is directed and written by Todd Solondz and is the sequel to his 1998 film Happiness. In his latest film, Solondz picks up on the same characters a decade later, albeit with a completely different set of actors. And for those of you that were going to give this film a miss on account of not having seen the prequel, I would strongly suggest you revisit that decision. It’s perfectly coherent and fulfilling as a standalone film. I for one have not seen ‘Happiness’ (although I added it to my Netflix cue as soon as I got home) and I still found this film thoroughly engaging and enjoyable and at no stage during the storyline did I feel like I was missing out on some assumed prior knowledge.

‘Life During Wartime’ is about the three Jordan sisters and their complicated relationships with men, each other, and their own parents. The performances of the three sisters are all amazing. Shirley Henderson, who plays the youngest sister Joy, is so convincingly crazy I’m still having trouble reconciling the real Shirley’s character when she was introduced by Festival Director, Claire Stewart at the start of the film. Allison Janney, as the single mum Trish, is so entertaining in her honesty and frankness that I just loved every minute she was on screen. And Ally Sheedy as Helen (the arty sister who has been hooking up with Keanu) is hilarious and made me realize that it’s been way too long since the Breakfast Club! And finally the noteworthy performance of Trish’s son, Timmy (played by Dylan Riley Schnyder) – a character who is central to so much of the story as he tries to come to terms with difficult feelings towards his dad as well as his mum’s new relationship - made me think he must have been through a lot in his short life to be able to portray such a messed up little kid.

This film explores the topic of forgiveness, and the amazing capacity we have as humans to forgive people for incredible hurt caused – particularly by family members. There’s also interesting discussions about what’s ‘unforgiveable’ and it’s enlightening to watch each of the different characters wrestle with their own limits regarding what can and can’t be forgiven. The film is also a commentary on suburban American life and the fact that clean, issue-free lives and relationships might be more abnormal than normal. Yet normal still seems to be what we’re all striving for…

Whilst the subject matter is heavy and at times a little depressing, I actually found the film oddly uplifting. I think this is partly due to the hope and persistence all of the characters share about relationships, in spite of all the terrible things that seem to come from being in one. As Trish exclaims during a date early on the film, she’s just stoked to meet someone who isn’t “sicko–pervy”! The other thing about this film which helps to overshadow the tragedy, is the beauty and exactness that is evident in every shot, filled with contrasting colours and deliberately positioned backgrounds. It would’ve made for a beautiful series of still colour photographs.

Many of Solondz films have been controversial (in fact ‘Happiness’ was dropped by the initial distributor) and this latest film is likely to be no different, raising its own controversy on account of pedophilia themes, open discussions regarding rape and homosexuality, and questionable parenting styles. But better to be controversial than predictable don’t you think? ‘Life During Wartime’ certainly doesn’t bear any resemblance to conventional Hollywood storylines and as Solondz once said “I don’t think I’ll ever write a film that is meant to appeal to everyone” – but sad-comedy or funny-tragedy - it certainly appealed a whole lot to me.