My third day at the New York Film Festival was another busy one with 3 features and 1 short film. Check out my thoughts on "The Old Man of Belem", "The Princess of France", "Two Days, One Night" and "Heaven Knows What".
Prior to "The Princess of France" we were treated to a short film called "The Old Man of Belem" from the 105-year old Portuguese director Manoel de Oliveira. Here's my brief tweet review of that film:
An elegant short that feels like the Cliffs notes version of a much larger film. Gorgeously conceived. #TheOldManOfBelem
— Shane (@filmactually) October 5, 2014
The film centers around a young man named Victor, an artistic mind who plans to recreate Shakespeare's "Love's Labour's Lost" for radio. To pull off the production, he enlists a troupe of previous associates, including a few girls with whom he had romantic relations. Victor is determined to succeed but his web of relationships causes distractions. In tandem with the rehearsals for the show, life begins to imitate art.
Piñeiro sets the scene with a striking opening. We see a group of young people playing street football (i.e. soccer) while a grand classical overture plays in the background. As if by planned choreography they soon funnel out into the night, dispersing into the city. Shot from overhead, it's the last wide shot we'll see in the film. As we hone in on the production of the play and the relationships between its players, Piñeiro commits to the closeup for nearly the entire duration of the film. For many a filmmaker this choice would stifle their creativity, but Piñeiro invigorates his film with his assured direction and writing. All throughout he defies the conventions that we tend to hold dear, for example the establishing shot or the "power of silence".
Indeed, the film is a near-breathless ride, with endlessly mobile camerawork and fluid editing. The script is also staggering, with unrelenting fast-paced dialog that would make Aaron Sorkin proud. You may not be able to follow along but you get a strong feel for what's going on. The early scenes are particularly sensuous, as the characters explore art and music to almost hypnotic effect.
It's a shame then that the film loses steam towards the end. Victor's relationship drama isn't sufficiently involving to sustain the film and the visual dynamism slows down considerably. A stronger final act would surely have improved the film. He certainly has an able cast and some interesting ideas.
Even though it disappoints in the end, I still have to commend Piñeiro for his vision. "The Princess of France" is an inspired film from an obviously talented filmmaker. It definitely made me curious enough to seek out his other interpretations of Shakespeare's work. Rating: ★★★1/2
Reviews of Two Days, One Night and Heaven Knows What coming soon.