By Roger Costa
Presented by the Museum of the Moving Image in New York, First Look Festival, an innovative platform showcasing new talents from around the globe, will screen Premiere works from emerging filmmakers whose creative experiments in storytelling and their unconventional use of cinematic techniques, have qualified them as an inventive group of promising new artists. In its seventh year, the 2018 edition runs January 5-15 and here are 10 reasons to look forward to:
Directed by Mouly Surya, MARLINA THE MURDERER IN FOUR ACTS is a fast-paced, violent Indonesian western that evokes the works of Tarantino with amazing results. After being attacked at her home by a group of men, a woman goes on a journey for redemption, revenge and confession, crossing paths with eccentric, strangely aggressive figures while running from sexual predators. Filled with breathtaking images of the desert and impressive angles of claustrophobic spaces, it’s a funny and accurate commentary on the country’s predominant abuse against women.
Ziad Kalthoum’s award-winning, visually arresting TASTE OF CEMENT is a beautifully composed portrait of Syrian refugees, construction workers living in exile in Beirut while their houses are being bombed by the horrors of war. A deeply heartbreaking account on the issue, shot with exhilarating unusual camera positions that create poetical images of the workers’ routines, their perseverance and memories.
Structured as a blend between Nouvelle-Vague and Avant-Garde, the Portuguese drama COLO directed by Teresa Villaverde, deals with the emotions of a family in crisis, examining the individual dilemma of father, mother and daughter. A very rich, personal, intimate portrait of existential conflicts such as love, doubts, abandon, ambition and privacy narrated with poetic, contemplative depth.
A compelling look at the solitude and willingness of young children at a fishing village in Norway, TONGUE CUTTERS introduces the lives of two kids, while they truthfully expose their sorrow, joy and expectations with touching testimonies about the importance of family values. Director Solveig Melkeraaen conceived a delicate, emotionally-charged piece of reality art.
Telling the story of an elderly farmer lady and her incredible devotion to her animals, especially a wild boar that becomes the center of her world, Pierre Creton’s VA TOTO is a gorgeously shot and captivating portrait of respect and love for nature and for the cycle of life with a fascinating presence of nostalgia.
Brazilian artist and actor Marcelo Novais Teles is the center of the experimental, personal footage doc THE EXILED, following him through his interactions with other aspiring artists in Paris, including renowned actor, producer and director Mathieu Amalric. Documenting his cultural clash, reactions and ambitions, the film paints an exquisite portrait of his passionate, honest devotion to art lifestyle.
A group of canoeists, laborers working the jungle in Cameroon and their perspectives on traditions and evolution, are the subjects of TINSELWOOD, a deeply observational and mysterious film by Marie Voignier. The claustrophobic GHOST HUNTING reunites a group of former Arab prisoners to re-enact the experiences during their visit to the “interrogation room”; Raed Andoni’s film is a provocative psychological look at the consequences and traumas of war. The lovely COMMUNION is the portrait of the bond shared by a sister and her autistic brother, as they engage in their school, religious and educational activities. Polish director Anna Zamecka follows them, brilliantly capturing natural demonstrations of innocence, co-dependence and the thrills of childhood. In the course of a few months French director Hendrick Dusollier documented the routine of a village in China in LAST DAYS IN SHIBATI, revealing the process of its demolition, forcing the residents to re-adapt in order to survive. The hope and determination found in the subjects, such as a kid, a street lady, and a couple at a housing-lottery, are remarkable examples of resilience.
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