Monday November 16, 2009
Tour of Europe
By AMY DE KANTER
15 countries in 10 days. Only in cinemas.
WITH more countries represented and more films (19!) than ever before, this year’s European Union Film Festival has something for everyone and then some: dramas, comedies, romances, documentaries, multiple award winners (including Oscar and Golden Globe nominees), critically acclaimed films and popular favourites.
Three of this year’s films are for children. At least one of those and one or two more will appeal to teenagers.
Hannahannah is one of the films playing at the European Film Festival 2009. Spanish, Italian, French and Dutch films are back, of course, and Germany brings us Cherry Blossoms, a film that has been high on my wish list for too long.
From Eastern Europe there is the Czech Republic’s Night Owls, and Poland is showing two movies this year, including Big Animal, about a couple in a small Polish village who wake up to find a camel outside their window. Also contributing two is Sweden, including Golden Globe nominee Everlasting Moments, while Finland puts everyone in early holiday mood with the magical Christmas Story.
As if it were needed, this year there is the added incentive of RM30,000 worth of prizes for ticket holders.
Zoo Rangers In South America The European Film Festival 2009 runs from Nov 12 to 22 at GSC cinemas in Mid Valley, Pavillion and 1-Utama, in the Klang Valley. Synopsis and the festival schedule are available at gsc.com.my and euff2009.com.
Here’s what you can expect from a handful of movies we previewed:
Lapizlazuli, Austria
Twelve-year-old Sophie’s father has remarried which his daughter feels is a betrayal of both her and of her dead mother. A mountain holiday with her stepmother and stepsister prove too much for Sophie and she runs away.
This is when she meets Bataa, a Neanderthal boy who spent centuries frozen in mountain ice until a meteor thawed him out just days before. Although communication is difficult, the two children manage and become fast friends determined to look out for each other in the wilderness.
Then Bataa expresses a wish for something so horrendous to Sophie that she simply cannot accept it and betrays him for the first time.
With plenty of adventure, some laughs and gorgeous views of the mountains, Lapizlazuli explores the true meaning of family and friendship. Before it is too late, Sophie must put her feelings aside to help this boy lost in time.
Fountain For Suzane, Slovakia
This film surprised me with a trip back to the 80s: Big shoulder pads, bigger hair and teen movies about little else than feeling misunderstood.
The girls look like Sheena Easton, the boys look like those A-ha members. The neighbourhood includes incidental adults (mainly there to make the kids feel even more misunderstood or to inspire them with cheesy revelations) and is centered around a big fountain that has been dry for years. Smart, beautiful (and, of course, misunderstood) Suzane longs to see the fountain work (why it does not work is one of those cheesy revelations). This gives her sensitive, misunderstood admirer a way to prove that he is a “good bad boy”, as opposed to the “bad bad boy” Suzane has been going out with.
Like any good 80s film, Fountain For Suzane rides on music as much as dialogue and is a sweet reminder of what that decade was all about.
Hannahannah, The Netherlands
This light romantic comedy is among my favourites so far. Hannah wakes up after a one-night stand to find she is running late for a family photo. Only the man she slept with, Viktor, has no interest in saying good-bye and good luck. He goes with her and meets her six brothers and sisters, their spouses, their families, a chaotic bunch.
The photo is an anniversary photo for Hannah’s parents and Viktor, still refusing to be pushed away, joins in the planning for their anniversary party.
The family pity Viktor. Hannah is undependable and prone to mood swings. Viktor sees for himself that the fun and sunshiny woman he likes so much turns into a sulky, contrary child when she is among family. Yet he hangs in there and through this “perfect” man Hannah begins to discover that one does not have to be perfect to be loved.
With Your Permission, Denmark
This comedy has its moments but works better at the beginning than at the middle or end. Jan is someone who takes rules seriously, to the extreme. This makes him highly unpopular on the ferry where he works. Not only does he sack employees for the smallest infraction, he calls the police on customers for ridiculous things such as offering a french fry to someone who did not pay for the buffet.
The reason Jan himself has not been fired is because the captain is concerned about his well-being. Jan comes to work every day sporting new bruises and it is obvious he is getting them at home.
Although I appreciated the effort to tackle the underexamined topic of domestic violence towards men, and even got the joke about him ending up in the wrong support group, relationships become less believable as they progress and the ending which should have been triumphant simply feels forced.
Zoo Rangers in South America, The Netherlands
This is not the kind of film I would have expected to see in a film festival, but likely would have been a blockbuster at home. It is one of a series of a group of eight friends; four girls, four boys, who work at a zoo and fly around the world having adventures.
The characters are very Scooby-doo-ish, diversity is in their personalities. There’s the nerd, the gorgeous guy, the punk chick, the beauty queen, the daredevil – you get the picture.
There is also the guy who is destined to be the butt of bodily function jokes (he’s the one you’ll see racing across plains with his pants down, chased by a wild animal).
It is aimed at a younger crowd, but if you like the S Club 7 show, the Cheetah Girls or the old Ace Ventura movies, you wil enjoy this, regardless of your age.
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