By Roger Costa
NO DATE, NO SIGNATURE
After the tremendous success of Oscar winning director Asghar Farhadi, Iranian filmmakers have been working efficiently to give new shape and design to the thriller/courtroom genre. Awarded at Venice, writer-director Vahid Jalilvand’s sophomore feature is an intrincate and alarming suspense that connects the lives of a struggling family, a pathologist, his assistant, a car accident and the food poisoning issue. When a young boy suddenly dies, everyone’s lives turn upside down as painful doubts hunt them: what exactly was the cause of the child’s death? who is it to blame? A triumphant take on human virtues, moral dilemmas and righteousness, it delivers superb performances from the entire cast, but Navid Mohammadzadeh is outstanding in the role of the desperate father, on the edge of madness till he figures out the tragic occurrence. Masterly crafted, thrilling and heartbreaking, director Jalilvand conceived a victorious drama, and with such command, proves to be one filmmaker to watch. (Distrib Films US. 8/1. Film Forum.)
SCARRED HEARTS
In this bizarre, contemplative and atmospheric drama, a poet is confined to bed as he suffers from a rare disease. Considered one of the greatest and most controversial Romanian writers, Max Blecher participated in most literary movements, such as Surrealism and Avant-Garde, an influential force to Modernism. After his wonderful “Aferim!” award-winning director Radu Jude, once again, investigates historical figures and decisive artistic moments in his native country in a unique, distinguished perspective. Centered while stuck in bed, moving around to clinics and houses, interacting with lovers, friends and partners, the film presents intriguing insights and philosophies on existence, divine influence, gifts, life and death, as it’s cleverly punctuated by the protagonist’s creative process of ideas and writings. A multiple winner at Locarno, Jude crafted a stylish epic production, an absorbing tribute to avant-garde art. (Big World Pictures. 7/27. Anthology Film Archives.)
THE CAPTAIN
The commander of a massacre in a concentration camp, covers his ears and shouts in anguish as he watches the bloodshed. A moment of ambiguity, such as the entire film, his reaction towards his own killing-orders exposes significant components of his character: an Army deserter escaping from his duties and stuck to a Captain’s uniform he stole along the way. This complex persona embodies the authority figure in passionate and twisted forms, as he was running from his duties, and now engages in a simulation of a higher power, ordering reckless killings. Astonishingly shot in a thick, somber B&W, writer-director Robert Schwentke composes an efficient, innovative dark comedy that is as shocking as it is cynical and allegorical. Max Hubacher gives a breakthrough performance, a courageous, revelatory take on a likable monster figure, full of eccentricities and mysterious reasons. He’s able to convince a group of lost soldiers to follow him, as well as persuade everyone at a military camp with his identity-theft game. Based on true facts and Winner of the Best Director and Best Actor awards at BIFEST as well as the Top Jury Prize at San Sebastian Film Festival, it’s a seductive (and macabre) comedy about madness and manipulation on the last days of war. (Music Box Films. 7/27. Quad Cinemas.)
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