Cannes 2010 Diary – Day 8

CARLOS
Apparently there is a 2hr 30min version of this film about the life of Carlos The Jackal. That would have been nice, I sat through the 5hr 33min version. That much time following any character will test your patience, that much time watching a film about a man who says things like “weapons are an extension of my body” and “behind every bullet will be an idea” – well, by hour 4 I was starting to re-write history, willing Carlos to be caught, or better yet, for him to accidentally blow himself up sometime in the mid-eighties. Ok, it’s not THAT bad if I’m honest, I’ve seen worse films, just not worse 5hr films that’s for sure. Apparently made for TV, that’s where it belongs!

OVER YOUR CITIES GRASS WILL GROW is a film about the work of renowned German artist Anselm Kiefer, directed by Sophie Fiennes. In a derelict silk factory in Barjac, Kiefer created a series of elaborate installations. The film shows the underground tunnels he has dug out, which connect pavilions built to house paintings, and also shows the artist at work on his large-scale canvases. OVER YOUR CITIES GRASS WILL GROW is more contemplative than a regular documentary, with no voiceover. It is demanding of its audience but then so is Kiefer’s artwork. 10.30pm wasn’t the best time to see a film like this as tiredness kicks in (I could hear a couple of snores from someone), but it kept me engaged throughout. An interesting exploration of not only the art of Anselm Kiefer, but also the creative process in general.

POETRY
What a beautiful surprise this Korean film was. The synopsis sounded so so: a profound story of an elderly woman in search of the fundamental poetry of her life. Wasn’t expecting it to be so great but it just kept unfolding and the film stayed with me all day, along with its central character and her moral and aesthetic struggles.

CLEVELAND VS WALL STREET
Not having been here for Wall Street, I went for this instead – quite a different deal. Its a documentary about Cleveland, Ohio where many people have been evicted from their foreclosed homes in recent years. The whole film is a mock court case, putting Wall Street on trial. It was ok. Didn’t tell us much that hasn’t already been said, but keeps you aware of the devastating fallout of the subprime mortgage markets.

TWO GATES OF SLEEP
A simple tale of two brothers living in the country. Their mother is close to death. They help her prepare for it and then, refusing to allow anyone to take her body, they set off up river with her corpse in a home-made coffin to bury her as she wanted. The journey is arduous as they have to carry the coffin most of the way. Striking cinematography and sound design made this a mesmerising treat.

HEARTBEATS
Everyone was talking about this one. I saw his first feature in Directors Fortnight last year ‘I KILLED MY MOTHER’ and thought it was OK, but this was much better. A tad pretentious and a lot of JULES ET JIM and Cocteau’s ENFANT TERRIBLE about it. Looks gorgeous with great photography and slow-mo but what stood out was the interspersed docu-style interviews about love which are really funny.

I think we can honestly say this isn’t a vintage Cannes, plenty of ‘good’ films and one or two ‘wonderful films’ (ANOTHER YEAR, OF GODS AND MEN, POETRY) but still nothing like an A PROPHET or WHITE RIBBON or even an ANTICHRIST, the kind of films that set the festival alight. We wondering if it will be Venice or Toronto that have the cream of cinema this year. We need a rave!

We are arguing today about whether POETRY should go into the number two spot over OF GODS AND MEN. I’m swinging in favour of the monks and as I’m typing, POETRY gets the number three spot.

Top 5
1. Another Year
2. Of Gods and Men
3. Poetry
4. The Myth of The American Sleepover
5. Silent House