Nisimazine Karlovy Vary special
28th June- 6th July 2013
Intimate Parts Eat Sleep Die Karaoke Girl Crew
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picture of the day
Editorial Mirona Nicola (Romania)
The Czech press is all over John Travolta and his presence at Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. Nisimazine only has pictures of other people taking pictures of him. We’re keeping quiet in the background, doing what you know us for: covering the films of young, promising directors in the East of the West and Variety 10 European Directors to Watch sections. For the first newsletter we’re getting (very) up close and personal with the East in Intimate Parts. Then we are taking you on a trip down memory lane. First stop, Eat Sleep Die, which we first encountered in Tallinn- now on Variety’s ‘to watch’ list. We also stop by Rotterdam, where we met the director and cast of Karaoke Girl. In Karlovy Vary the film is part of the Another View section. We’ll give you a day to breath before our next newsletter and a few more before the e-book. Then, while you read it, we’ll be sound asleep dreaming of being back to Karlovy Vary next year.
NISIMAZINE KARLOVY VARY SPECIAL 28th June- 6th July 2013 /# 1
A magazine published by NISI MASA in the framework of a film journalism workshop for young Europeans.
EDITORIAL STAFF
Director Fernando Vasquez Editor and project manager: Mirona Nicola Layout Lucia Ros Photography and cover: Lucía Ros
CONTRIBUTORS TO THIS ISSUE
Jorė Janavičiūtė, Andrei Liimets, Fernando Vasquez
NISI MASA
99, rue du Faubourg Saint-Dénis 75010, Paris, France Phone: +33 (0)9 60 39 63 38 in Cannes: +33 (0) 6 32 61 70 26 europe@nisimasa.com www.nisimasa.com
reviews Intimate Parts
Natasha Merkulova, Alexey Chupov (Russia) – East of the West
In their black tragicomedy, Intimate Parts, first-time directing duo Natasha Merkulova and Alexey Chupov investigate more than the Intimate parts of contemporary Moscovites’ bodies. They also mock their deepest personal secrets and desires by stating that everybody is a pervert and giving a hyperbolized picture of society. Ivan, a hedonistic open-minded photographer, believes in a complete freedom and is convinced that people are born to be happy. Ivan is getting ready for the exhibition in which he closely portrays the genitals of men and women. Juxtaposed to this central character, Lyudmila is, at first sight, a typical soviet bureaucrat whose duty is to save the morality of the Russian nation, so she tries to prohibit Ivan`s exhibition. But after work, she hurries back home for another orgasm aroused by her precious dildo. Alexey can`t sexually desire his wife anymore, so he starts meeting his pshychologist friend to whom he gives away all his yearnings. A woman, obsessed with her unfulfilled maternity instict and her husband, realizing he is a homosexual. At a glance they all seem to have everything a person needs – a happy family, money, social status. But they still lack something, and they try to fill it with their own intimate desires. All the characters connected to the multi-narrative story break their limitations. But where can this lead? Intimate parts shares not only a strong dose of black humour, but also the strong and enjoyable visual and cinematographic qualities. The filmmakers show their interest in unconventional human body features
as the Czech photographer Jan Saudek. His nudes talk about the individual erotic freedom, and this films dose the same in a similar manner. The camera is concentrated on the faces of the actors. By using a mostly minimalist set, long shots and dim pastel colors, filmmakers either create the feeling of reality or distance the viewer from the action. The ironical notes are created not only by dialogues and situations, but also by associative, contrasting or similar editing strategies. Intimate Parts depicts Freudian ideas by digging out our desires and intimate secrets, making fun of all of it. And then it throws back into our faces: “Everybody is a pervert.” Just a pervert.
by Jorė Janavičiūtė (Lithuania) bles of a young, barely educated and rough-mannered immigrant looking for a decent job within today’s economy. The film also explores her relationships with her friends and her father, who despite his flailing health seeks for work abroad. Lukac is the standout from a cast on amateur actors and nonactors, many of them actual immigrants. The decision to work with non-professional actors adds to the overall naturalism of the film, emphasized with the documentary-like visual style. The shaky handheld camera finds interesting micro-emotions through a wide range of close-ups and scenes with the characters at their most intimate and vulnerable. Some of those are not far from great.
Eat Sleep Die
Gabriela Pichler (Sweden) - Variety’s 10 Directors to Warch In Eat Sleep Die debutant director Gabriela Pichler deconstructs the Swedish welfare state, one that has been touted worldwide as the beacon of prosperous democracy and social acceptance. The film follows a seldom-seen narrative, that of people at the lower end of Scandinavian society, not completely belonging, not feeling accepted or valued. The film revolves around Rasa, played like a small force of nature by Nermina Lukac. She is a fiercely independent character who has been forced to grow up sooner than most youngsters her age. She packs vegetables at a factory but hard work is not enough to prevent her from being targeted for layoff after company cutbacks. She encounters the trou-
The described sense of insecurity reminds the themes of the Jason Reitman’s hit Up In The Air. Eat Sleep Die also plays out a bit like a Dardenne brothers movie set in Scandinavian context. Although mostly rather sombre, the film does find some humour, warmth and hope from the situations of its characters. For example, Rasa has an up and down relationship with his father as they, while hard pressed to provide even for themselves, try to be there for each other. The film’s social criticism is played out slowly and subtly. It probably reaches its climax when a gleeful motivational short film is shown to cheer the unemployed. Its sunny depiction of the dynamic Swedish society directly contradicts the often bleak existence of the main characters. While the film does not entirely transcend its subject matter - let’s be honest, the arbitrary lives of working classes just aren’t very interesting to begin with -, it will resonate with many audiences for being well acted, well directed and sincerely realistic.
by Andrei Liimets (Estonia)
interview strength that I found very attractive. How did you react to such a proposal Sa? Sa: At first I felt like “this is not true”. The film world was so different that I could not believe it. It took quite some time to decide. Then Visra opened herself to me and I found out she was for real and a decent person. We exchanged feelings and ideas and that made me much more comfortable and happy with it. In the film it was clear the family did not know the nature of Sa´s work in Bangkok. What did the family though the film was about? Sa: I told my family that there was going to be a film crew but they did not know what the story was really about. If the news about this film spreads I am planning to tell them the truth, I don’t want to hide it. I will tell them everything, I believe that they would understand.
Visra Vichit, Pornmanus Rattanavich & Sa Sittijun Director, producer & actress of Karaoke Girl ( The Netherlands) - Another View
After its screening at International Roterdam Film Festival, Karaoke Girl lands in Karlovy Vary. With so many films out there covering the issue, what led you to make another film about working girls in Thailand? Visra: I originally set out to find working girls that I thought had an interesting story to tell. I felt like there may be many but from the perspective I wanted there weren’t that many. I wanted stories from a women’s perspective, from the perspective of someone whose interests, history, background and future were not defined by their present tense. This story is not entirely in the present tense and that is why I wanted to make the film.
Once I met Sa it became obvious I wanted to make a film about her. Her situation and her work was not that important to me, I was just fascinated by her. Why did you choose her in particular? Visra: When I met her I was very attracted to her innocence and optimism. She had a certain vulnerability that was really engaging. There was something very special about her despite what she has been through; she maintains a self respect and
Visually you have managed to keep the film very intimate, even if the day scenes are drastically different from the night scenes. Why did you do this? Visra: We shot in a real karaoke bar. We had time to shot before the costumers arrived, during the daytime. I wanted the bar to feel very claustrophobic and a place where you were always surrounded by sound and people, with a raw and dark feel. I wanted the outside to be a release, even in the city, to be an antithesis from the bar. Even on the roof shots, I did not want it to be constrictive to the character and not to bombard her with pressure. What has changed in your life since the shooting was finished? Sa: This film was my turning point. When I finished it I left my night job. I have a new job as a sales agent for a Thai local products company and I plan to study now… if I get a chance I would really like to continue acting but I know it is very difficult. The theme song of the film inspired me to leave this karaoke place and begin a new life. When the film finished I decided it was time to move on (laughs). Interview by Fernando Vaszquez (Portugal)