By 
By Roger Costa
ZOMBI CHILD
After his exquisite “Nocturama”, Bertrand Bonello returns with another raw, inclusive and accurate take on Millennials’ perspectives and behavior. Blending mysticism, social commentary, environmental issues, horror and teen drama, Bonello scores another goal with this efficient, Gothic-infused coming-of-age story. Mysteriously seductive, it depicts the strong and ambiguous bond of a group of girls forming a special club where they reveal their most dark secrets in order to prove loyalty. Their newest member is a Haitian refugee still in process of adaptation. The story connects past and present, the zombified culture in Haiti, its devastating earthquake, victims and survivors, the current refugee situation in Europe, all seen through the girls’ experiences. A powerful statement on prejudice and the quest for freedom and acceptance, Bonello extracts wickedly fascinating performances from the young cast, while guiding the audience through a haunting, unique experience. (Film Movement. 1/24. Film at Lincoln Center and Quad Cinemas.)
BEANPOLE
Two young women share an intense, ambiguous bond after fighting together in the front line during World War II in Russia. Iya is sent back home due to her medical issue causing “frozen fits”, bringing along Masha’s baby who stayed there seeking to avenge her husband’s death. Marked by a tragedy in many senses, they’re brought together after war ends, working as nurses at the local Hospital and developing a risky co-dependent attachment, as each pursue a different goal, though relying in each other’s strength and determination. Masha is deliberately trying to fulfill the void caused by death with pregnancy; Iya ultimately demonstrates her feelings and desires, willing to satisfy any of Masha’s requests. They will experience the traumatic consequences of war, reflecting their loneliness and madness, but prevailing with their feminine privilege. Russia’s official entry for the 2020 Oscars, Director Kantemir Balagov’s sophomore project is a visually-arresting psychological drama centered on the turbulent emotions of the pair as they deal with reversal roles: men become objects of use in their process to achieve. Masterly crafted and shot with gorgeous, rustic saturated colors resembling a Picasso’s painting, it delivers profound, convincingly dramatic performances from the two newcomer actresses, while the narrative maintains a heart-pounding sense of eroticism and mystery with its subtle feminism. Suspenseful and delicate at equal levels, the film won two Un Certain Regard Awards at Cannes, including Best Director, and just earned 8 nominations for the Russian Guild of Film Critics Awards. A promising new cinematic force, Balagov conceived a deeply touching and mesmerizing work of art. (Kino Lorber. 1/29. Film Forum NYC.)
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