argia.eus
INPRIMATU
Official Section. 6.eguna
Flee from death forward
Gorka Peñagarikano Goikoetxea 2024ko irailaren 26a
'Bound in Heaven' (Zeruari kateatuta) filmeko bi aktore printzapalak Kursaalaren atzealdean, Zurriolari begira, asteazkenean. Argazkia: Zinemaldia - Garai Garaialde

There is sometimes a feeling that everything is tied. It will be possible to see everything, even in the Official Section, always under a framework. We have seen some touches of humor, weeping dramas, suspenses, documentaries, even a horror film – which we will analyze at the end of this chronicle.

On Tuesday in Euskalerria Irratia, I was asked whether they can be grouped together. In a way, he said yes. By themes, attempts at oppression and empowerment of women have been made visible in different histories, as well as care work, represented by women. Among the movies that could appear on this list are, among others, The Flashes, The Place of the Other and I'm Nevenka.

The framework has been closed much more in two of the three actions that have been carried out this Wednesday. And so we should get back to the idea before the metafilm. We've seen two films revolving around the moments before death: Le dernier souffle and Bound in Heaven, one French and one Chinese.

They have a rather different focus, but they both keep the same message: even though they are in recent times, you have to live.

Bound in Heaven

Let's start with Bound in Heaven, if we had to put it in a ranking with the other, I would put Chinese higher. It was very interesting. Filmmaker Xin Huo debuts in the feature film with an unbeatable level. He's been able to run over people and he'll know it outside the Festival.

It hasn't been very original, though, in character creation. The protagonist is an attractive woman about 30 years old, with a stable and economically good life model, living with her husband. Man hits him brutally, and that's what we most know about him. Then, the woman meets in the street another man who is dedicated to resale tickets for major events and lives in a precarious situation. As you can imagine, that second man is the one who seduces women the most – because it is understandable, friendly and humble.

The problem is this new man has a terminal illness. We're not going to know very well what, because he doesn't go to the doctor, it can be because he doesn't have money, but he doesn't seem to want either. It puts into practice the motto that you have to live to death. She will try to do everything she wants, or can, with the help of the woman, to the limit of her health. This is a film that shows a great romantic love, but that is very well and very well worked, without falling into that reflection of an exaggerated romance.

The film is sad and so it is, but it also has a powerful message of optimism. That can make it so hard. The film has a beautiful picture, the combination of image and sound is beautiful, and I found the image it has of China especially interesting. I've had a very different representation, a lot more urban, a lot more real.

It's a beautiful movie, and I have the feeling that all the viewers are going to take a surprise, because the movie is even more beautiful than they expect.

Le dernier souffle

Let's go with the second one.

Filmmaker Costa-Gavras has made a masterpiece. The Greek director, a man of a political and committed film, has also shown this line-up, at the age of 91, in the film Le dernier souffle (The Last Breath). The public likes it, as can be seen in the comments of the corridors, and we have also noticed it in the Kursaal Hall of Acts, although more than one has closed his eyes and a little snore has been heard ... It's the sixth day and it weighs the table.

Costa-Gavras in Donostia / Photo: Film festival - Jorge Fuembuena

Gravas's film talks about palliative surveillance from a medical point of view. Patients will also appear, of course, but the two protagonists will appear gown dresses. Fabrice Toussaint is a first-rate writer. He has written numerous books on medicine, on science from the human point of view, and now he goes into the field of palliative care to write a new book, under the direction of the expert in this specialty Augustin. But Fabricio not only has the questions and concerns inherent in the writing of the book, but they have just found a small spot in his stomach. He takes him in secret, only his wife knows.

We will see a lot of patients who are at the end of their lives and will go away as they have come. That's what makes the movie special. On the turn, as if from a chapter of a series were treated, we will meet the patient and his family, and once his case has been channeled, the next patient will be on par. But it's by no means Grey's Anatomy or something -- because there's no sporadic affective love, to start with.

A patient, a world. It also tells us that the doctor will tell the patient or his family evidences, complete truths, half-truths or half-lies, and also, of course, the fear of death, acceptance... To arrive with dignity to breathe the last sigh.

The film is slow and hard. The thread can be easily followed, but that doesn't mean you don't have to prepare yourself to watch the movie. In any case, and that is what Gavras rightly said, Le dernier souffle is a positive film.

Llanto

A totally different film: horror, serial and not so good, but worth seeing.

The Spanish delegation of Amazon Prime has presented its great autumn product: Crying. Compete in the Official Section. One of those ideas from José Luis Rebordinos, director of the Festival, is that a horror film competes for the Golden Shell. It's not a bad decision, because it's not that common. But you have to get the movie right.

The session of 08:30 in the morning has not attracted people to the streets. If one quarter of the tickets have been sold, less badly. It seems there is fear of fear, or the hour did not help... But the truth is, it wasn't that terrible. The trailer misses a bit, because it looks like it's a very tense movie ... But well, that's what trailers are for, to attract people.

I liked the way the film was organized: it has a prologue, two large parts and an epilogue. The main plot is explained in this first large part and then further deepens. From one day to the next, Aurora (Ester Extac), a 20-year-old girl, begins to see an old man she doesn't know, as if she was chasing him. It happens macabre, it's scary, it's a real mystery: it's only seen in videos and photos, not in human eyes, and it doesn't look so good. But the story of that old guy goes beyond the pictures, because he's not only afraid, he's going to kill a person. Aurora is the only one who sees the event and, as in many horror films, no one believes in the victim.

In that first stem, we will gradually delve deeper into the mystery. Aurora is adopted, of Argentine origin, and her mother will die a month before the beginning of the film. Aurora had no news of her, as current parents assure them that it was not “convenient” to know them. Here's another mystery. The film goes back to the youth of Aurora's mother, the second of the tricks of the film.

The film is not bad, it is entertaining, and seeing it on the big screen can be worth it because it has beautiful sounds and images, especially in the second part of the film. In spite of everything, it is clear, and it is noticeable, that this is a film facing the platforms. And if I did a little longer, it could be a quiet series. In addition, it has scenes that are not convincing and some passages that are too hopeful and do not help the film too much.

The actress Ester Exposito, who captured the foci of El llanto.

What will probably help the film is the presence of actress Ester Exposito. It's shown in the photograph on the cover of the film and in all the frames that you've opened so far. He himself has said that terror is his favorite film genre. That is what he said at the post-concentration press conference. At the press conference he also answered questions that were not addressed to him explicitly. Along with him was Mathilde Olliver, who passed through his mother; if at the half-hour press conference he spoke a minute, half wrong.

Criticism of criticism, if you want to book a space for a weekend and see them, you will be entertained by the movies. It will be screened in cinemas first.