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Cannes 2011: My Reviews

2011-06-02T11:51:00.020+03:00

It's true that the Cannes Film Festival is like a club of filmmakers who always present their latest works there, with recurring names in every selection. This edition is no different: Lars von Trier returns in Melancholia after the controversial Antichrist, Terrance Malick finally presents his much-awaited Tree of Life, Pedro Almodovar reunites after 20 years with Antonio Banderas in The Skin I Live in, the Dardennes Brothers present their fifth consecutive feature in Cannes while Nuri Bilge Ceylan is screening his forth. It's also an edition of surprises (Melancholia is not so controversial) and anti-surprises (the direction of the festival lashes out at von Trier and bans him from the festival after his anti Jewish/Israeli joke-gone-wrong during the press conference of Melancholia). I found the calling of LVT persona non grata is much more shocking than his stupid talk. But I'm sure if he trashed Iran or Syria, he would have been applauded. Oh well, politics.

As to the themes of the selection, many have been shared by various films. Sequestration of youth (pedophilia in Michael, kidnapping in The Skin I Live in, children protection from crimes in Polisse, using a child for the sake of art in My Little Princess), the addressing of refugees (Polisse, Le Havre), questioning of Life and Death (Tree of Life, Hanezu and to a certain extend Melancholia and Once Upon a Time in Anatolia). But what has been striking is that children are at the core of plenty of films this edition, playing major roles (a boy looking for his father in Kid with a Bike, a girl used and abused by her artsy mother in My Little Princess, a young African refugee trying to make it to London in Le Havre, a boy locked in a basement in Michael).

But enough with the random talk. Here are my comments and rating on the 21 films that I saw in Cannes this year.

Caution: LOTS of spoilers ahead!

1. Michael
By Markus Schleinzer
Austria
Official Selection: Official Competition
B-

SYNOPSIS
MICHAEL describes the last five months of 10-year-old Wolfgang and 35-year-old Michael’s involuntary life together.

→ Interesting to say the least. I did not see this film coming. And I had no idea what to expect really. A pedophile who locks a 10-year-old boy in a basement while leading a completely normal life. But will his secret be revealed?
I thought it was a fine film, if not surprising one, especially since it’s a first film. The shots were long and repeated to show the routine life, but it’s nicely mastered and I liked the build-up. The story is relevant with all what is happening lately in terms of stories in Europe so it was very timely. The ending left me cold, but I take it it was not the director’s intention anyway.

2. Arirang
By Kim Ki-duk
South Korea
Official Selection: Un Certain Regard
B-
WINNER: PRIX Un Certain Regard (Ex-æquo)

SYNOPSIS
Arirang is
about Kim Ki-duk
playing 3 roles in 1.
Through Arirang I climb over one hill in life.
Through Arirang I understand human beings, thank the nature, and accept my life as it is now.

→ I want to hate this because it could be detestable. I used to love some of Kim’s works. But what the hell was that. Shooting himself on camera and having literally a meltdown on everything and bashing himself, his assistants, cinema and life in general and then sobbing over a sequence taken from one of his films while claiming he makes art and he is a top filmmaker and so on. And it runs for one hour and forty minutes? I almost lost it. And still, he brings up interesting questioning on life matters that I felt it was honest, if not gripping. He questions everything and kind of makes sense. But then again, this honest talk if not random (and almost unedited) talk, you’d rather hear at home or sitting in a bar. Not in front of the screen.

3. L’Homme au Velo (The Kid with a Bike)
By Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne
Belgium
Official Selection: Official Competition
C+
WINNER: GRAND PRIX (Ex-æquo)

SYNOPSIS
Cyril, almost 12, has only one plan: to find the father who left him temporarily in a children's home.
By chance he meets Samantha, who runs a hairdressing salon and agrees to let him stay with her at weekends.
Cyril doesn't recognize the love Samantha feels for him, a love he desperately needs to calm his rage.

→ As any Dardenne brothers film, the script was brilliantly put together, as are most of the scripts by the Dardenne brothers. Every action is well studied and justified. And the young guy who plays Cyril does a flawless job. However, I did not feel anything. The emotions were there, but they were not conveyed to me even if I tried to reach out to them. Many things I found recycled (were they trying to remake L'Enfant in another story?). It’s much more enjoyable than the last one, Lorna’s Silence, but I miss the early days of the Dardenne Brothers.

4. Et maintenant on va ou? (Where Do We Go Now)
Official Selection: Un Certain Regard
By Nadine Labaki
Lebanon
C+

SYNOPSIS
On the edge of a cratered road, a cortège-like procession of women solemnly makes its way towards the village cemetery. Takla, Amale, Yvonne, Afaf and Saydeh stoically brave the oppressive midday heat, clutching photographic effigies of their beloved menfolk, lost to a futile, protracted and distant war. Some of the women are veiled, others bear wooden crosses, but all are clad in black and united by a sense of shared grief. As they arrive at the cemetery gates, the procession divides into two congregations; one Muslim, the other Christian.
Set against the backdrop of a war-torn country, "Where do we go now ?" tells the heart-warming tale of a group of women’s determination to protect their isolated, mine-encircled, community from the pervasive and divisive outside forces that threaten to destroy it from within.
United by a common cause, the women’s unwavering friendship transcends, against all the odds, the religious fault lines which crisscross their society and they hatch some extraordinarily inventive, and oftentimes comical, plans in order to distract the village’s menfolk and defuse any sign of inter-religious tension.

→ After her acclaimed Caramel a while ago, Nadine Labaki had so much pressure as to what the follow-up to such a success story would be. Where Do We Go Now is surely much more mature than Labaki’s debut pic. But it has its flaws, particularly in the script that needs more writing and the religious Christian-Muslim treatment. And yet the filmmaker masters the direction and shoots a beautiful film. Acting wise, most of the characters are consistent, except for Labaki herself who plays, just like in Caramel, the leading role. And while she’s beautiful, she does a better job than in Caramel, but it still is subpar to the rest, especially since they all have a villagers’ accent while she does not, and it is clear in her big dramatic monologue. The whole lot of witty rhetorical and spontaneous sentences from the ladies in the village give the film an extra punch and a add to its humorous touch, and it is in a way, a segue to Caramel in the style Labaki is following. But still, I felt the film was finished hastily and made on time just to be presented in Cannes. It could have been on a much higher level had the filmmaker taken the proper time to finish it.

5. Be Omid E Didar (Goodbye)
By Mohammad Rasoulof
Iran
Official Selection: Un Certain Regard
C+
WINNER: DIRECTING PRIZE of Un Certain Regard, 2011

SYNOPSIS
A family tries everything to leave Iran

→ The film builds up nicely although to be fair, I had no idea what the director wanted from me, or what he wanted me to understand throughout the film. It wasn’t until way after the middle that some explanations were brought to the thick plot. And for this, I couldn’t feel sympathy towards the character. The mood is very nice though, very icy-like. But still, I expected more, and got so less.

6. The Artist
by Michel Hazanavicius
France
Official Selection: Official Competition
B
WINNER: BEST ACTOR (Jean Dujardin)

SYNOPSIS
Hollywood 1927. George Valentin is a silent movie superstar. The advent of the talkies will sound the death knell for his career and see him fall into oblivion. For young extra Peppy Miller, it seems the sky's the limit - major movie stardom awaits.

→ What a little gem. A dash of brightness in the festival’s gloomy selection. You would feel that the film is full of clichés, made seven hundred times, tells you nothing you haven’t seen before, but fuck it works! And it works beautifully. And it brings a smile on your face to be watching a silent film from 2011 and not Eisenstein’s 1925 Battleship Potemkin. Jean Dujardin OWNS the film. He is excellent in his role and the main actress has so much grace and is beautiful throughout. And the dog steals the show. All in all, really liked it.

7. The Tree of Life
by Terrence Malick
USA
Official Selection: Official Competition
C+
WINNER: PALME D'OR

The Tree of Life is the impressionistic story of a Midwestern family in the 1950's. The film follows the life journey of the eldest son, Jack, through the innocence of childhood to his disillusioned adult years as he tries to reconcile a complicated relationship with his father. Jack finds himself a lost soul in the modern world, seeking answers to the origins and meaning of life while questioning the existence of faith.

→ The film is achingly beautiful. In its poetry, in its philosophy, in its studying of life and death, family ties, aging… But it is just too fucking long. Sean Penn doesn’t belong there. I couldn’t understand what he was doing, just walking in the prologue and the epilogue. There is a lot of preaching which bothered me at some point. And the 20 minute + National Geographic shots dragged a bit too much. The music is all over the film. You can make it poetic without putting music on every single shot. That said, I loved the performances of Hunter McCracken as the young Jack and Jessica Chastain whom I don’t know very well, as the submissive yet loving mother. Brad Pitt does his job, nothing more, nothing less. And I like the fact that it is non-linear, very much free-flow and leaves way to interpretation.

8. My Little Princess
by Eva Ionesco
France
Critics’ Week: 50th Anniversary Special Screening
B-

SYNOPSIS
Hannah and Violetta are an odd couple: an elusive mother and a little girl in search of maternal love, a fanciful artist and her reluctant model.  When Hannah asks Violetta if she would like to be her model, her life with her loving grandmother is turned upside down. From a normal childhood to muse of the trendy Paris art scene…

→ That was surprising to say the least. I went without even knowing what the film was about. But I love the fact that Huppert is doing so much work with new filmmakers as opposed to sticking to established ones. This is such a cohesive work and the gem is the little girl who plays Violetta with such affirmation and conviction. The film builds up gradually, crescendo after the other and tension throughout that accompanies the awakening of the girl with what her mother is making her do. Sometimes it’s a bit over the top, but it’s still a thrilling film.

9. Le Havre
By Aki Kaurismaki
Finland
Official Selection: Official Competition
B

SYNOPSIS
Marcel Marx, a former author and a well-known Bohemian, has retreated into a voluntary exile in the port city of Le Havre, where he feels he has reached a closer rapport with the people serving them in the occupation of the honourable, but not too profitable, of a shoe-shiner. He has buried his dreams of a literary breakthrough and lives happily within the triangle of his favourite bar, his work, and his wife Arletty, when fate suddenly throws in his path an underage immigrant refugee from the darkest Africa.
As Arletty at the same time gets seriously ill and is bedridden, Marcel once more has to rise against the cold wall of human indifference with his only weapon of innate optimism and the unwavering solidarity of the people of his quartier, but against him stands the whole blind machinery of the Western constitutionally governed state, this time represented by the dragnet of the police, moment by moment drawing closer around the refugee boy.
It's time for Marcel to polish his shoes and reveal his teeth.

→ Finally, a solid film. But then again, it’s Aki Kaurismaki, the man who made the delightful The Man without a Past. This one follows the same path. It’s in French, shot in the region of Le Havre, hence the title, with mostly French actors, but the great thing is that the film is not French at all, and it feels 100% Kaurismaki. It’s well put together, nicely paced, the actors do their roles with a punch, and on top of that, it’s still hilarious. I loved it.

10. Melancholia
by Lars Von Trier
Denmark
Official Selection: Official Competition
B
WINNER: BEST ACTRESS (Kirsten Dunst)

SYNOPSIS
Justine and Michael are celebrating their marriage at a sumptuous party in the home of her sister and brother-in-law. Meanwhile, the planet, Melancholia, is heading towards Earth...

→ Where shall I start. I thought the story was so so, maybe Melancholia – the planet – is just a pretext so that Von Trier can shoot whatever he had in mind. And this is the negative aspect of the film for me. Apart from that, it’s just a psychological and yet romantic (!) ride into the realm of two women, Kirsten Dunst, who is achingly beautiful as the bride, and who has matured so much in this film, and Charlotte Gainsbourg, flawless and who overshadows Dunst in the second half of the film. I thought she was even better than in Antichrist.
The film starts as what could be Von Trier going mainstream, while still being Lars Von Trier. But soon, the two-chapter movie becomes a psychological descent into the psyche of each of the actresses. The story looses itself within the complexity of the characters.
And just when you think that planet Melancholia is over, Von Trier brings it again and the film takes yet another direction.
It reminded me of Antichrist so much in various ways. First, Gainsbourg is there, and her Antichrist role is somehow reflected in Dunst’s role in Melancholia, and she even stated that herself. The film has chapters, just like Antichrist, the classical music is VERY prominent, and the slow-motion effect of the prologue is there in both films.
I did really enjoy it, especially the unveiling of how complex the characters were. The flow of the story is a bit disrupted because of that, the second part might be too long, but then again, I prefer to dive into the characters as opposed to dive into the story. The setting in which the story takes place is astounding. It might not be nessessairily my favorite Von Trier, but I think it’s still a well executed one, not as violent as Antichrist, but still enough to flip your mind.

11. Hanezu
by Naomi Kawase
Japan
Official Selection: Official Competition
B-

SYNOPSIS
The Asuka region is the birthplace of Japan. Here, in ancient times, there were those who fulfilled their lives in the midst of waiting. Modern people, apparently having lost this sense of waiting, seem unable to feel grateful for the present, and cling to the illusion that all things will move constantly forward according to one’s own plan.
In ancient times, there were three small mountains that people believed were inhabited by gods. They were Mt. Unebi, Mt. Miminashi, and Mt. Kagu, and they still stand. In that time, a powerful official used the mountains as a metaphor for a struggle inside his own heart. The mountains were an expression of human karma.
Time has passed into the present. Takumi and Kayoko, inheriting the unfulfilled hopes of their grandparents, live out their lives. Their tale continues a story of the ages, representing the uncountable souls that have accumulated in this land.

→ Let me state first how much I appreciate the cinema of Naomi Kawase. People could know her groundbreaking film Shara. But it’s her film The Morning Forest which has left a great impact on me a couple of years ago.
This one shares several similarities with Malick’s Tree of Life. Both evolve on life and death reflections. But whereas Malick has a clear establishment of the situations, even if dealt in non-linear style, here, it’s much more abstract. And the “national geographic” type of images from Earth and beyond used by Malick leave place to more intimate images of Earth used by Kawase, including drops of rain, birds giving food to their newborns… The film has so much compassion, has a great deal of depth, even if at times, it looses its oomph. But it still follows the path that Kawase has been excelling in: understand the human emotion.

12. 18 Days
by various Egyptian filmmakers
Egypt
Official Selection: Special Screening
C-

SYNOPSIS
Interior/ Exterior The day following the infamous "Battle of the Camels" on Tahrir Square, Mona decides to join the demonstrators. Mustafa, her husband, tries to prevent her. Their marriage is about to break.

Curfew: During the curfew , Ali and his grandfather get lost on the streets of Suez on their way home.

Retention: The film revolves around a variety of Egyptian characters who are patients at a mental institution. We learn that some of them were forcefully confined to the hospital by security police forces. As the events of the revolution begin, the reactions of the different characters to the daily incidents and to each other’s opinions start being revealed.
The position of the hospital administration also plays a key symbolic role.

19/ 19: One of the leaders of the revolution gets arrested one day before the big day.

#Tahrir 2/2: This film tells two parallel stories about two people who come from very different backgrounds and how being on the square on February 2nd (Battle of the Camel) has changed their lives for ever.

Quand le Deluge Survient: How two marginalized from a poor social class try and succeed in making financial profit during the revolution from pictures and flags.

God’s Creation: How a girl who sells tea on the street joins the revolution, and how she finds in it a way out of her repressed life. It changes the way she thinks and feels about things, even how she feels about the color of her hair.

Ashraf Seberto: The film tells the story of a barber whose shop suddenly turns into a field hospital treating protesters.

Window: 'Window' tells the story of a young man, who lives in his bedroom, the changes he goes through and his reactions to the revolution he did not take part in, while watching the girl who lives next door through his only window. He barely leaves his room, and we barely leave it as well. Going through many personal details, ‘Window’ reviews the main events in the Egyptian Revolution through Newspapers

→ This is what I call doing things hastily to present them at the Cannes Film Festival. Various filmmakers made a collection of shorts to be presented in one long film about the Egyptian revolution that took place in January/February and that ousted Hosni Mubarak. The idea is of course excellent. It’s just that you can’t make it in such a rapid (and hence graceless) way. It needs time, preparation. It’s not about making a scoop to go to Cannes and present it, even if the festival made an even bigger mistake to select in its official selection to make a political statement rather than an artistic one.
Bottom line, few good things here, lot of bad things. So it’s very much uneven. That’s too bad.

13. Ichimei (Hara Kiri: Death of a Samurai)
by Takashi Miike
Japan
Official Selection: Official Competition
B

SYNOPSIS
Seeking a noble end, poverty-stricken samurai Hanshiro requests to commit ritual suicide at the House of Ii, run by headstrong Kageyu. Trying to dismiss Hanshiro's demand, Kageyu recounts the tragic story of a similar recent plea from young ronin Motome. Hanshiro is shocked by the horrifying details of Motome's fate, but remains true to his decision to die with honor. At the moment of the hara-kiri, Hanshiro makes a last request to be assisted by Kageyu’s samurai, who are coincidentally absent. Suspicious and outraged, Kageyu demands an explanation. Hanshiro confesses his bond to Motome, and tells the bittersweet tale of their lives... Kageyu will soon realize that Hanshiro has set in motion a tense showdown of vengeance against his house.

→ I thought this would be a full Samurai movie. Turns out I was wrong. And for the better. I am not a fan of Samurai films. But this had a kind of Samurai prologue and epilogue (the prologue being the harrowing hara-kiri scene) while the epilogue a fully-fledged Samurai fiesta of swords. The story is woven very intricately, and it took me by surprise. The only problem with the film is that somewhere in the middle, it becomes too melodramatic that it slows down its pace. It’s good though that there are some emotions in this part, because Japanese have a tendency to mask all kinds of emotions, especially in such tales. The 3D, is absolutely unnecessary. I just enjoyed it to watch the beautiful shot of the snow falling, but apart from that, I felt better without. All in all, a very nice and unexpected surprise.

14. La Piel que Habito (The Skin I Live in)
by Pedro Almodovar
Spain
Official Selection: Official Competition
B-

SYNOPSIS
Ever since his wife was burned in a car crash, Dr. Robert Ledgard, an eminent plastic surgeon, has been interested in creating a new skin with which he could have saved her. After twelve years, he manages to cultivate a skin that is a real shield against every assault.
In addition to years of study and experimentation, Robert needed a further three things: no scruples, an accomplice and a human guinea pig. Scruples were never a problem. Marilia, the woman who looked after him from the day he was born, is his most faithful accomplice. And as for the human guinea pig...

→ Here you have a situation of extreme anticipation. I really like Almodovar’s core of work, but some things have been hit or miss lately. In his newest one, I felt like he is keeping on recycling those themes that distinguished him from other top filmmakers. I get the idea that he loves to play with the sexes and the complicated family issues and the mad characters. But it’s just that we’ve seen those a lot already. That said, the story is very complex, and it is treated in a pseudo-thriller way, which is innovative enough for Almodovar. But he didn't push it as far as he should have. I found Banderas extremely good, even if he still has Banderas under his skin, but it was refreshing to see him in a different light after several years of Hollywood stupidity. But the real threat was Elena Anaya who plays the leading role facing Banderas. She just haunts you with her beauty. Young newcomer Jan Cornet also gives a captivating performance. The sets and shots are extremely studied by Almodovar. Sometimes just a single shot make you instantly know it’s Almodovar behind the film. My main “technical” problem though is the music. It’s like the film has one big score that runs from the beginning until the end. Even if it shifts every now and then, from classical to house, it’s still everywhere, and it leaves no space for silence in the film.

15. The Day He Arrives
by HONG Sangsoo
South Korea
Official Selection: Un Certain Regard
B-
SYNOPSIS
Sungjoon heads to Seoul to meet a close friend who lives in the Bukchon area. When the friend doesn’t answer his calls, Sungjoon wanders around Bukchon and runs into an actress he used to know. The two talk for a while, but soon part. He makes his way down to Insadong and drinks makgeolli (rice wine) by himself. Some film students at another table ask him to join them--Sungjoon used to be a film director. He soon gets drunk and heads for his ex-girlfriend’s house.
Whether it’s the next day or some other day, but Sungjoon is still wandering around Bukchon. He runs into the actress again. They talk and soon part. He eventually meets his friend and they head to a bar called Novel with a female professor his friend knows. The owner of the bar has a striking resemblance to Sungjoon’s ex-girlfriend. He plays the piano for her.
Whether it’s the next day or some other day, Sungjoon goes to the Jeongdok Public Library with his friend and mentions that it was the first place he chased after a woman. Later, they have drinks with a former actor who had been doing business in Vietnam. The same female professor joins them and the four go to the bar called Novel. Sungjoon gets drunk and ends up kissing the owner of the pub...
Sungjoon may have spent a few days in Seoul with his friend, or it may still be his first day there. He may have learned something from the encounter with his ex-girlfriend, or may have to meet the woman that resembles her again, for the first time. As life presents itself in no more than today’s worth of time, Sungjoon also has no other choice than to face his "today".

→ OK I just noticed that the synopsis is longer than the 79-minute film! I really like HONG Sangsoo. It’s true he made so many films, sometimes two per year, so he is prolific, but that can harm some works. He can use the same topics over and over and produce a film is little time so it can feel undercooked. That said, I enjoyed this one. I liked Ha Ha Ha (produced just last year and screened and awarded in Cannes) more, but this one is so witty and warmhearted. There are many characters and situations that feel either repeated or put together hastily, but this is the problem of making a film very fast.

16. Okhotnik (The Hunter)
by Bakur Bakuradze
Russia
Official Selection: Un Certain Regard
C

SYNOPSIS
Farmer Ivan Dunaev gets up early. He feeds his piglets, does paperwork, fixes the tractor, and weighs the meat he'll take in his old pickup truck to the market to sell. He has a wife, a teenage daughter, and a young son. And he loves to hunt. His world revolves around these things. Then, one day, two new workers, Lyuba and Raya, on work release from the local prison colony, arrive on the farm. Ivan doesn't notice it at first, but something begins to change…

→ In this beautifully shot Russian dark tale, things have a tendency to be long. And stagnant. The synopsis says things begin to change, well they do. Only not as much as one wants them to. I know some things need to be repeated over and over to show continuity in the story but we after two hours of seeing the pigs, and slaughtering the pigs and feeding the pigs, I couldn’t see pigs anymore!
Still, it is beautifully shot. The characters could have been pushed more. But they talk a lot in their silence.

17. This Must Be the Place
by Paolo Sorrentino
Italy
Official Selection: Official Competition
C

SYNOPSIS
Cheyenne is a former rock star.
At 50 he still dresses "Goth" and lives in Dublin off his royalties.
The death of his father, with whom he wasn't on speaking terms, brings him back to New York.
He discovers his father had an obsession: to seek revenge for a humiliation he had suffered.
Cheyenne decides to pick up where his father left off, and starts a journey, at his own pace, across America.

→ Ok, how many films will still be made about the Holocaust? Because clearly we’ve had our share now. The topic is harrowing and poignant and you name it, but it’s just too many films using it as a backdrop that it becomes tedious by now. This one’s no exception. I found the theme of the Holocaust just a pretext because it could have been anything, really.
Sean Penn stars as Cheyenne, and is really transformed here. Even he metamorphosed himself for the role, and comes as a very witty rock/pop star, he just falls flat by stagnating throughout the whole film with not a single change in the tone of the character.
As to the other characters, and as it’s a road movie, you don’t understand where some of these persons come from and why they are parachuted as such in the film. Why certain situations happen. The script feels undercooked. Not that it has to be flawless, but the flow of the story suffers from it. Like the old man whom Penn meets at the gas station. He drops him off in the middle of the desert and we don’t hear about him. Why? What’s the purpose?
The setting is beautiful, the shots are elegant, Sorrentino and Penn make a nice pair, but the film fails.

18. Drive
by Nicolas Winding Refn
USA
Official Selection: Official Competition
C+
WINNER: BEST DIRECTOR

SYNOPSIS
DRIVE is the story of a Hollywood stunt driver by day, a loner by nature who moonlights as a top-notch getaway driver-for-hire in the criminal underworld. He finds himself a target for some of LA's most dangerous men after agreeing to aid the husband of his beautiful neighbor, Irene. When the job goes dangerously awry, the only way he can keep Irene and her son alive is to do what he does best-Drive.

→ This is one of those films that leave absolutely no impact on you. You enjoy them and that’s it. It’s a straightforward mafia action movie with car chasing, blood and mafia battles. Oh and some gratuitous violence too.
The story is nothing special, very much a déjà-vu. The special thing though here is Ryan Gosling who gives a great performance here. He has this special young aura that adds to his mysterious character. Carey Mulligan also does a fine job, and there is a nice chemistry in the couple on screen. The lighting is also beautiful in the film. Apart from that, well…

19. Elena
by Andrey Zvyagintsev
Russia
Official Selection: Closing Film Un Certain Regard
C+
WINNER: SPECIAL JURY PRIZE Un Certain Regard

SYNOPSIS
Elena and Vladimir are an older couple, they come from different backgrounds. Vladimir is a wealthy and cold man, Elena comes from a modest milieu and is a docile wife. They have met late in life and each one has children from previous marriages.
Elena’s son is unemployed, unable to support his own family and he is constantly asking Elena for money. Vladimir’s daughter is a careless young woman who has a distant relationship with her father.
A heart attack puts Vladimir in hospital, where he realizes that his remaining time is limited. A brief but somehow tender reunion with his daughter leads him to make an important decision: she will be the only heiress of his wealth. Back home he announces it to Elena. Her hopes to financially help her son suddenly vanish.
The shy and submissive housewife then comes up with a plan to give her son and grandchildren a real chance in life.

→ This is just the opposite of the other Russian film I saw yesterday. It has a story, a flow, a beginning and an end. With such a direct storyline, it doesn’t leave any space for a deviation, you just go straight with it. And maybe this is why I thought it was a bit easy with its treatment, there was no build up, no climax, it ran smooth until the end. The girl automatically reconciles with her father, she doesn’t have a full argument with her step-mother, the ending is too good to be true… The lead actress is very good and so is the directing. The film left me cold though.

20. Bir Zamanlar Anadolu’da (Once Upon a Time in Anatolia)
by Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Turkey
Official Selection: Official Competition
B+
WINNER: GRAND PRIX (Ex-æquo)

SYNOPSIS
Life in a small town is akin to journeying in the middle of the steppes: the sense that "something new and different" will spring up behind every hill, but always unerringly similar, tapering, vanishing or lingering monotonous roads...

→ My only B+ this festival. It’s a bit too long and it’s not your average film, it’s cinema at its best. Every shot is perfectly composed. The directing is flawless. Under the simple storyline lies a talk about life that runs in a very fluid way. Every “action” has a beginning and an end and still leaves space for reflection. This is the cinema of Nuri Bilge Ceylan which is still surprising me with every film he makes. Anatolia was no exception, it was even a revelation, not only by failing to disappoint, but by managing to go even higher than Climates and Three Monkeys.
The only film I nominate for the Palme d’Or this year.

21. Polisse
by Maiwenn
France
Official Selection: Official Competition
B
WINNER: JURY PRIZE

SYNOPSIS
The daily grind for the cops of the Police Department's Juvenile Protection Unit - taking in child molesters, busting underage pickpockets and chewing over relationship issues at lunch; interrogating abusive parents, taking statements from children, confronting the excesses of teen sexuality, enjoying solidarity with colleagues and laughing uncontrollably at the most unthinkable moments. Knowing the worst exists and living with it.
How do these cops balance their private lives and the reality they confront every working day?
Fred, the group's hypersensitive wild card, is going to have a hard time facing the scrutiny of Melissa, a photographer on a Ministry of the Interior assignment to document the unit.

→ I did very much enjoy it. The documentary feel in the fiction works, it reminded me of Laurent Cantet’s Entre les Murs. Some of the characters are very strong and the stories connect very well. Now there might be too much in a way but it’s still effective, and gives a broad idea of what happens in such a tough space.

Tori in Luxembourg: Smells Like Teen Spirit

2009-09-20T13:46:00.020+03:00

Place: den Atelier, Luxembourg

Mood: Ecstatic

Song: Smells Like Teen Spirit * Tori Amos

Tori at the Meet and Greet

September 18. That’s a date to remember. My first Tori show in a year, my first with the band, my first time to Luxembourg, and most importantly, my annual vacation!

Sylvain and I in the agonizing wait

After a rough start with a hectic day at work and a long night flight with kids crying on the plane, I arrived to Luxembourg.

12 years for this!

I thought I’d go to the venue, which was very close to the hotel I was in (thanks Rami!), to exchange my electronic ticket. But the Nazis at den Atelier did not want anyone to go in before 8. Seeing there was no one there, I left.

Tori and Sylvain :-)

My wonderful friend Sylvain made a surprise visit from France and I knew at that moment that it would be a fine day. I went with him to Dranouter to attend that special gig in 2008 and I was so glad he came. Next we went to the venue again and that’s where I met some lovely people: Shirin (ChasingTornados), Rachel (ViolentIndigo), Lenore (lenoreva), Marla, Deborah and Mr. Steven. So we waited all afternoon unsuccessfully hoping Tori would show up. And then just when Sylvain and I decided to grab something to eat, Rachel sends an emergency SMS telling me the meet and greet would happen. So we rush to the venue and there she was! All beautiful!

It was my first time meeting Tori in more than 12 years of listening to her music. I was delighted. Shirin pushes me to the front and Tori comes to me and says “hello, how are you today?” I was like “today”? Did we speak yesterday? So I said I come from Beirut, Lebanon, my name is Rabih and this is my first time meeting you in more than 12 years. She was like OH! Anyway, I asked her a question, and that was about the song Me and You which I told her was gorgeous and wondered if it would ever appear on a compilation or live or anything because the quality that we have is not the best. And she was like “hmm no. That song was just done for the moment. It was special when it was made but I don’t think it will go beyond that.” So good thing she still remembers it but sad that it will not emerge anywhere.

Anyway I got a photo with her and she took the time to talk to everyone there. We were approximately 20. She told someone that they couldn't get the Hammond organ to the venue, and hence, she said the show might be different.

Then she went to sound check and it was a rather lengthy one. She played respectively Caught a Lite Sneeze, Body and Soul, Amber Waves (3 times) so yeah, we heard it four times today, Bells for Her, Hotel, Carbon Lust, Northern Lad (twice), Cars and Guitars (!!!), Juarez and two lines of Beauty and Speed.

A sheet with Carbon was sticked to the piano but later removed

I was praying not to have Cars and Guitars at the show because once at the soundcheck was enough and thank god it was not played!

Me and the beautiful Shirin in the venue

The doors opened at 8 and the opening act started some twenty minutes after that. We were up in the front, just some centimeters from the stage, which was too tiny. We wondered where Tori would be coming from since it all seemed too cluttered with plugs and things. Tori did not come until 9:35 and Shirin and I were wondering if she would cut the set because there’s no way she would perform after 11. And with the Hammond not being there, we knew that Strong Black Vine would not close the set.

So at 9:35, the place goes wild. This being a General Admission show, everyone was shaking at a time or another. I love Give and I think it’s a great song to open the show with. I dig the dark intro and the general feel of it live. Caught a Lite Sneeze was next. Now since I missed the Posse tour, and this was my first show with the band, I wanted Body and Soul and Beauty of Speed so bad. And since Sneeze was second, I knew that my chance to see Speed was almost over since it always comes second. And Body and Soul was performed the night before in Amsterdam. But anyway. I knew she would be playing many singles tonight, this being her first show in Luxembourg. Then she introduces Matt and John and that was the only time she spoke, before launching into Cornflake Girl for which the place went wild and she seemed to have so much fun playing that.

Icicle was fabulous. I was looking forward to see it after hearing so many people raving about it and it did not disappoint. I loved the addition of Matt and John even before the “getting off” part. Matt was doing some cool sounds all through that gave some kind of icicles crashing feel. Take to the Sky / I Feel the Earth Move rocked the house, and then I about lost it with Hotel / Lust / Beauty of Speed played back to back. Venus being my favorite record, I was glad I was getting Lust, even though I thought the bass was a bit overpowering. And Beauty of Speed was just as I imagined it to be.

Then comes this tour’s debut of Amber Waves. Now I’ve been to three Tori shows. I’ve heard this song at all three. Is that luck or does Tori really want me to connect with this song? She forgets some of the words in Glory of the 80’s but continues as if nothing happened. And then she played Flavor, which I thought was odd, considering the fact that she never does 11 songs before the Lizard Lounge. Flavor is among my favorites from the new album and I was delighted to see it. I loved the additions on the other keyboards. They give it such a spacey feel.

The stage being so small, there were no Lizard Lounge signs. The guys left the stage and Tori launched into an emotional combo consisting of Smells Like Teen Spirit and Silent All These Years. I thought Spirit was too mellow first but the two final words were belted and almost shouted. I expected SATY since Leather was performed the night before, and I knew that we would get that or Winter. Then the band returns and I wanted to tell Lenore that Northern Lad would be next (she requested it and it was sound checked) even though I freaked out at the idea of having Cars and Guitars after, Lad and Cars being the combo of this tour. But she played Bells for Her instead, and Lenore thought it was her biggest nightmare. She only wished that this song won’t be played tonight since she has heard it at almost each of the concerts she has attended. I thought it was exquisite and the dark instrumental portion before the final verse was violent and almost threatening.

Marys of the Sea was next and I was glad we got this one over any other Beekeeper song. This was the beginning of a hot streak of upbeat rocky songs. As soon as the prerecorded sounds of Body and Soul started, I went over the moon. It rocked the house. Matt played some cool things in the bridge that I have not heard before. Such an appropriate song for a GA show. With the absence of the Hammond, Fast Horse/Talula were not played and they were replaced by Juarez which was played on all four keyboards, although not all were really audible. I couldn’t believe I was hearing a third song from Venus! This tour’s version of Juarez with the band is the rockiest since ’99 and is much more powerful than the ‘02/’03 and ’07 versions. But I couldn’t but wonder how I could be jamming like every one else to the loud drums when it’s such a harrowing tune!

Precious Things was the main set closer and it was the only song I did not want to listen to prior to this show to get something to be excited about, after reading that she made some changes to it. The Matt and Tori interaction in the middle was awesome. It was like a song within a song. I’m glad she brought some life to it. By now Shirin and I were wondering if we’ll get any encore since it was past 11.

Rocking a Raspberry Swirl

But the lights were still on, and the guys started to play a long sassy intro for Raspberry Swirl before Tori reemerged with a goofy grin. Actually I have never seen her this happy. She was smiling all the time in the encore. I think nothing beats the ’98 version of Swirl but this was much better than the mess of the ’07 version. Tear in Your Hand was next and I thought it would be the final song of the evening. But she played Big Wheel and the poor security guy didn’t understand what’s the deal with the crowd singing ‘Don’t you forget’!

Gimme 8! Gimme 7! Gimme 6! Gimme 5! Gimme 4! Gimme 3! Let's go!

All in all, the concert was very good. I couldn’t be happier with the song selection. I got the three songs I wanted to see the most (Flavor, Beauty of Speed and Body and Soul), three songs from my Venus, and watched Tori from the closest point I could ever dream of! Add to that wonderful people who made this concert an even more memorable experience! Thank you guys!

See you in Prague!

Gibran on Mercury, Mira in New York

2009-09-09T02:30:00.001+03:00

Place: A crater on Mercury
Mood: Blurred
Song: Don't Give Up * Peter Gabriel feat. Kate Bush

Could Mercury have its own prophet? Or is it the first Lebanese stepping on the smallest of the solar planets?
News is that the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has just approved in late August to have a crater on Mercury to hold the name of the Lebanese renowned poet, writer and artist Gibran Khalil Gibran.

Mercury is known for its craters, all of which hold names of deceased authors, painters and artists. These names facilitate the work of researchers studying the planet.

Gibran Khalil Gibran had to move from Bcharre in Lebanon to the US with his family in the late 19th century and that's where he fulfilled his studies and his artistic and literary career flourished. But his heart remained in Lebanon, for he wanted to be buried in his native land.

In mid-August, my dear friend Mira has decided to head to the US and follow her dreams. What I love about her is that once she has an aim, she achieves it no matter what. And now that she's in New York, I have full faith in the path she'll be pursuing for the next couple of years. I don't doubt a single minute that she'll be successful and get the positions that everyone dreams about.

But before that, and I know the road is tough, I'll be taking it next year, I wish she'd enjoy things as they come. She has enough to worry about and hope she'll have a kick at this. And then we, the close gang, will always be there!

"Rest your head
You worry too much
It's going to be alright
When times get rough
You can fall back on us
Don't give up
Please don't give up"

Here's what I would like to tell her:
You know you can and will make it, just jump into the waters. They'll be cold at first, but they you'll enjoy them. You can't be a good swimmer if you're afraid of water!

And you know you have to make it because Gibran needs another Lebanese on Mercury. And it won't be just any Lebanese.

Good luck beautiful Mira! :-)

The Warmest of the Cold

2009-09-01T10:58:00.013+03:00

Place: Ridge A.

Mood: Warm

Song: Suleima * Rima Khcheich

Welcome to Ridge A., Antarctica. A land where it is believed that no human could have possibly walked upon. What makes this place special? While looking for the perfect location to build an astronomical observatory, a team of American and Australian researchers have discovered Ridge A., the "coldest, driest and calmest place on Earth" (www.livescience.com).

Head of Study Will Saunders claims that it is as calm that "there is almost no wind or weather there at all."

There, the temperatures reach -70 degrees Celsius, you could hear your own breathing and see the stars twinkling.

And I bet you would feel so warm in such a cold heaven.

But if you find Antarctica way too far, and you'd like to reach such a state, here is another alternative.

In a genuine initiative from the Beirut Art Center (BAC), singer Rima Khcheich reunited with musician Rabih Mroue to present a thematic night entitled "One Minute Late." The BAC, known for its art galleries, video screenings and lectures, aimed to prove that it was a real center for Arts in the Lebanese capital by bringing to its small stage a musical performance.

The hall in which the concert was to take place is a small 70-something-seat that is shaped in a vertical yet conspicuously narrow manner that its only public entrance is through its right side.

Rima enters the stage in a black ensemble, a scintillant necklace, a yellow scarf and her unmistakable signature smile. She is accompanied by Rabih Mroue on flute. And then she greets the audience by introducing what the evening is about. Now although the presentation looked fuzzy and I did not quite get the true essence of it, it looked to me like Rima was intimidated by the place as much as I am. I felt confined in a coffin and was almost suffocating. Rima made several light mistakes in her speech but she was so elegant in her presentation that actually it made me smile rather than feel more confused with what she was trying to convey.

Onto the first part of the concert: "One Minute Late from Reality" or actually 33 minutes late as Rima introduced it since it would be a 33-minute piece. The original text of the song is written by Abbas Baydoun and ended up being performed in its entirety.

Mroue set the infrastructure by playing a tender flute intro that reminded me of the flutes of the Andes Heights in South America. And then Rima would sing Baydoun's lines a cappella. For the next 33 minutes, Rima and Rabih would alternate between her graceful singing and his crescendoing flute play (especially on the unsettling yet powerful third stanza which he mastered beautifully) only to meet at the very end in a perfect harmonized cacophony before Rima chants a final "I always arrive on time to the meeting, yet it's Time who's late."

Part two is introduced by Mroue as four traditional old poems which will be sung by Rima, all written between 1926 and 1928 by the likes of Ahmad Chawki and composed by Abdel Wahab. Mroue said that Rima would be making a unique composition out of the four poems, comparing that to a screwed up computer which would mix its files when they would be printed. I know this was supposed to make the audience smile because of the heavy performance that was coming up, but comparing a poetic composition to a deflated machine certainly wasn't the most intelligent association to come up with.

The actual composition surely felt like perfect territory for Khcheich. I have never been a fan of real 'tarab' but I certainly came a long way to finally learn to appreciate it. She made the poems breathe through her velvet voice and her yellow scarf felt so warm against these concrete blocks that she was surrounded by. Her voice was like a gymnasium undulating between high and low notes and it felt like she was on the edge of a cliff refraining from jumping.

The concert was rounded with the always welcomed Suleima, in an even more stripped and dirge-like rendition through the distinct sound of an accordion played by Mroue. By now, Rima has taken off her golden scarf to let Suleima cry more freely and wrap the concert.

And that was it. After an hour and some ‘minutes late’, Rima managed to enchant the small crowd no matter the circumstances, and no matter the place. And I’d bet that she’d charm the spectators anywhere she might be, even if it were on Antarctica's Ridge A.

Let's Shoot Stars!

2009-08-16T19:16:00.016+03:00

Place: Comet Swift-Tuttle

Mood: Stargazing

Song: The Stars * Patrick Wolf

"And all the Unseen came into sight

The pull, the scales, the dark, the light

Mama, Papa, voila! The night!"

From The Stars by Patrick Wolf

Who said comets bring bad omens to Humans? Well actually they might. And the origin of this post came with me having a funeral and a wedding on the same day, that is Wednesday the 12th of August. Bad fate for some and better fate for others? I don't know if this is a true potion coming from a comet or rather the Wheel of Life, people coming and people leaving.

In any case, here we are inside Comet Swift-Tuttle, the main originator of the greatest meteor shower of the Perseids that peaks generally in this period of the year. So wait, we're not exactly talking about a Comet anymore here, but about this meteor shower which radiant is in the Perseid constellation, hence its name, the Perseids, with more than 100 shooting stars during its peak.

In any case, I'm not the strongest defender of the comets bringing bad omens, but I certainly am a staunch advocate of making wishes when you see a shooting star, just for the sake of it. And I did, that night, during the wedding.

I did not have to wait too long for the answer I was expecting, for a couple of hours later, I got a phone call that would answer my request. And since I am having a troubled time at my office, that phone call was everything I needed to reassert my faith in the path I was about to follow.

So maybe you won't be able to witness a comet in your life. But you'll see plenty of shooting stars. Who knows what they could bring you!

And to accompany a magical night, here's a magical setlist with the songs I have been enjoying lately.

01. The Stars (by Patrick Wolf) - from the album The Magic Position [2007]

Mama, I saw the stars tonight

Orion, the plow, the burning bright

Cannot recall where I drove

An empty lane, the lonely road

Home

So to kick off this journey, what's better than Patrick Wolf's own journey towards the stars? I love this little song. It's dreamy and takes you straight to the Kingdom of the Stars. Each one has a special star, why don't you check if yours is waving at you tonight?

02. New Age (by Tori Amos) - from the album Strange Little Girls [2001]

Had a funny call today

Someone died, someone's married (...)

And something's got a hold on me

It's the beginning of a new age

Oh you little sick little fucks, yes

It's the beginning of a new age

And through the distinct sounds of the Wurlitzer, Tori (or Tori's character anyway, the Librarian pictured here) launches this cover of Velvet Underground's live version of New Age, which opens her cover album Strange Little Girls. It's the song that pushed me to write this entry. How can you have a wedding and a funeral during the same day. And how many people are born, how many die, how many give birth, how man get married, how many divorce in one day. Is that Karma? Is that the true balance of life?

03. If You Want a Rainbow, You Must Have the Rain (by Annette Hanshaw) - from the Sita Sings the Blues OST [2008]

Take your share of trouble

Face it and don't complain

If you want a rainbow

You must have the rain

And speaking of Karma, here comes this exquisite animation film by Nina Paley who brings the voice of late 1920's jazz starlet Annette Hanshaw to recreate the story of Sita, wife of Rama, in this Indian tale. I have never heard this song prior to watching the film, and I must say it's everything I could think of at the moment. Without rain, no rainbows. So if I truly wanted the rainbow that's about to change my life, I know I have to get rid of all the rain that has been pouring on me.

04. The Time Is Now (by Moloko) - from the album Things to Make and Do [2000]

Tempted by Fear, and I won't hesitate

The Time is now, and I can't wait

Give up yourself onto the moment

Let's make this moment... Last

Whatever this moment is. As long as it's enjoyable, let's make it last. I truly enjoy this song by Moloko. Now I still like Roisin Murphy's solo career, but I think Moloko had a distinct sound. And this album, while less electronic and more organic than its predecessor, is still a beautiful treat to the ear. Murphy challenges her voice all through. So wether it was the phone call I received, the wedding I was enjoying, or the meteor shower, I wished the moment lasted longer. And hence I advise anyone to enjoy the true moments while they last.

05. Feelin' Love (by Paula Cole) - from the City of Angels OST [1998]

What would I place with your hot conscious

Oh baby babe babe babe

I will be your death the moon light

Take your time

You make me feel love

Last thing I would expect from the passage of a comet, from a dozen shooting stars, from wishmaking, is to discover love. Or rediscover love. Or feel love. Or feel loved. Normally I am not into this type of songs, but this has to be the sexiest sassiest hot and steamy lovesong ever. Is it the sensuality of Paula's voice, is it the direct horniness of the lyrics, is it the oh-so-awesome steadiness of the drums? I don't know. But this song WORKS. And to this amazing person, among the numerous ones, who has been making feel love and loved lately, bless you wherever you are :)

Magic...

2009-07-23T01:18:00.013+03:00

Place: Beiteddine

Mood: Enthusiastic

Song: Dance Me to the End of Love * Madeleine Peyroux

It all happens if you believe in magic. Unfortunately, if you don't then you're missing on a lot of matters. A tad lot of things can be experienced only if you believe in the power of magic to transcend you into another realm.

And here are two perfect examples of pure magic, in completely different settings.

Last night, on the 22nd of July during the Beiteddine Festival in Southern Lebanon, came an enchantress whose enthralling voice could transpose you into her own personal universe. And one could only enter her realm if he believed in magic.

I was introduced to the music of Madeleine Peyroux exactly a year ago by my dear friend Oskar while on a trip to Iceland. I was instantly charmed by the distinct voice of this lady who reminded me in a strange way of Billie Holiday. And in a couple of months, I got my hands on her three albums, eventually purchasing her latest upon its release. And when I knew she would be performing in Lebanon, I couldn't but get tickets instantly.

Madeleine Peyroux said she had been long awaiting to sing in Lebanon. And finally she was here, performing a seemingly short yet consistent one and a half hour set.

While the beginning was slow (the first couple of songs did not ring strong with the audience), it all fell into place gradually, leaving the audience asking for more. The folksy singer alternated between jazz and blues, sometimes mixing the two and reaching different heights with each song. She interacted with her band, was extremely chatty (in French and English) with the audience, and smiled throughout her set.

She played songs from each of her 4 studio albums, from the delicious "I'm All Right" (which she introduced as "a cheerful breakup song") from her masterpiece Half the Perfect World (2006), to the oh-so-touching "This Is Heaven to Me" from her equally brilliant Careless Love (2004) as well as songs from her debut 1996 album Dreamland including the encore "Walkin' After Midnight". She also introduced new songs from her latest album (Bare Bones, 2008) such as the extended yet still impactful version of "Instead", the album opener, during which she presented her four-piece band).

But some of her real treats were the covers of her mentors Leonard Cohen (the exquisite "Dance Me to the End of Love") and Bob Dylan ("You're Gonna Make Me Lonesome") which both got raving applause, as well as two well-known French tunes, "J'ai Deux Amours" and the singalong finale "La Vie en Rose".

My personal favorite of the night had to be her rendition of Serge Gainsbourg's "La Javanaise" which already is flawless on CD. Yet last night, it was ethereal and much more intimate with the whole band joining Peyroux in half a circle facing the audience.

And while I believe the concert in itself was not extraordinary, it was what was needed to "dance to the end of love." And if you had that pinch of magic that was conveyed by Peyroux throughout her performance, then you sure were delighted as much as I was last night.

Shifting into another kind of magic, a Natural one this time. Or rather a celestial one. The July 22nd Solar Eclipse which was visible totally in India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, China and up to Japan.

Believed to be the longest total eclipse of the 21st century and clocking at 6 minutes and 39 seconds at its longest, it was seen by millions who traveled to witness it, particularly to India where many aimed at taking a spiritual bath in the sacred waters of the Ganges River just as the eclipse was happening, as you can see on the photo below taken in Varanasi, India, where the Ganges was flooded with visitors (photo credit bluerasberry/Wikipedia).

There, superstitious astrologers were defying scientists by presenting the nefarious consequences of the eclipse, usually thought to bring bad omens in ancient times.

But whether one believes in these omens or not, one cannot but contemplate the sheer beauty that is presented to his eyes, especially with the coming of the diamond ring spectacle.

Ain't that magic too?

(photo by Lutfar Rahman Nirjhar from Bangladesh)

Absolutely Flawless

2009-07-21T00:23:00.003+03:00

Some of my favorite people that made my Spring look as lovely as Spring should be, and my Summer as smoking hot as it ought to be...

(Photos are in chronological order, the first taken in early May and the final in late July 2009).

Introducing this photo album not with a person, but with a place, the setting of Mon Oncle by the one and only Jacques Tati. Everything is reconstructed carefully to take you back to the universe of the hilarious Mr. Hulot.

So we have here Loig, myself and the Alfa for the a last smile at Boulogne-Billancourt and a final stop in Paris before each paves his own way...

Catching up with Sylvain (Or simply catching Sylvain between two flights to Istanbul)...

And with Chadi before heading to frenzy Cannes!

In Cannes, while some are watching films, others are simply enjoying the sun!

And when you get out of an 11:30 PM screening, your faces would look exactly like that!

Introducing Zeina, Queen of the Reddi Carbat (as they say on Nile Sat for the Cairo film festival). Except we're not on Nile Sat, and this is a real red carpet!

Who said all my favorite people should be tangible? After having organized a retrospective for Michelangelo Antonioni and screened 5 films in which starred the sublime Monica Vitti in April in Beirut, here I am reunited with the Goddess in Cannes, one month later.

With Emile, I can't remember if we ate the infamous crepes in this photo or not, but we sure were enjoying our last moments in Cannes in 2009.

Back to Beirut, with Rami and Nathan, between a dish and a dessert, at Il Siciliano. While the food was good, the memories are better. Photo credit: Rami's camera

And from Beirut to the North, in this Kazdoura ilal Koura with office mates Sarra and Roy. Oh how good does it feel to be OUTSIDE the office and to nag about it!

Onto Yuri and Pauline's wedding where the night was saucy! An LAU rated photo with former mates and friends Wafa', Nadine, Chadi, Joyce, Mira, Souraya, Petra and Suzy before dancing the night away.

Ex-wife and I. Alright don't be fooled by the looks, we are NOT back together!

This photo doesn't need any tags. It could as well be Mira all alone for all I know! <3>!

And the Active Ant (Al Namle al Nachita) on one of its numerous Summer activities, here rafting in Southern Lebanon with my teammate Zeina. But let's not talk about the team shall we?

Dj'ing for the Tori Night at Walimat. With the wonderous Rania and Mounir, Body and Soul!

And to end this in sheer beauty, with one of my favorite creatures. I secretly wish to be able to have her brain for one day!

Don't Vote if You Are...

2009-06-11T23:49:00.003+03:00

Place: Lebanon
Mood: Perplexed
Song: Give * Tori Amos

So with our Lebanese legislative elections over, here are the results:
The faces are the same.
The level of dumbness is the same.
The people are still as stupid as ever.
And the corruption will still prevail.

That's when you know that your duty as a citizen, which is to vote, has never been more jeopardized. Who shall we vote for if, not only no one represents you, but worse, no one is worth being voted for. It's like the Royal / Sarkozy death match in France.
And that's when you know that voting white is your best option, you would have accomplished your duty as a citizen without tarnishing your tormented mind.

And speaking of voting, many of the 54% of the Lebanese who did vote had other conceptions than mine, and voted for this against that, some others have been bribed to do so. And for those who believe that change will come through the same leaders (or heirs) that led us to civil war, well I don't think that's the best option, because more sin will not lead us to a better Lebanon.

And speaking of sin,
Let's present
Abnormally Attracted to Sin

the title of Tori's 10th studio album which has been released in late May. "Sin" still holds the excruciating length of its predecessors (clocking at over 70 minutes), and eventually contains filler material which disrupts the flow of the good tracks that are in there. Because there ARE some pure gems in there.

The usage of synths and some electronica reminds of the Venus days but there's a particular aura there emerges out of the good tracks and makes these a cohesive collection, had the album been shortened.

So without much talk, here are my top 5 songs of the album, in random order:

Give (Track 1)
There are some
Some who give Blood
I give Love
I give

I know
know that I must give
So that I
can live

Talk about a powerful opener. The vampire-like lyrics, the synthesizer/piano combo, the fusion of drums that remind Portishead and Massiva Attack, make this such a broody track. And the vocals in the chorus soar to higher levels. Easily a favorite and Tori's best opener since 2001's Strange Little Girls' New Age

Abnormally Attracted to Sin (Track 11)

She may be dead to you
But her hips sway a natural kind of faith
That could give your lost heart a warm chapel You'll sleep in her bell tower
And you will simply wake
Abnormally attracted to sin

Tori has a reputation of producing excellent tracks that hole the title of their respective albums, from her haunted Little Earthquakes, that closes her debut album, to Scarlet's Walk which has powerful lyrics at the core of her debut Epic release and until The Beekeeper, perhaps her most ambitious and dark work in the 2005 album, this is no different, if not to say it surpasses maybe anything she has released lately.

I cannot express how much I love this song. The psychedelic drums in particular, the very fine usage of the organ, the bridge which jumps at you all of a sudden, the eerie effect of the synths, the dreamlike vocals. Everything about this is just perfection, and no wonder this is my favorite off the record.

Lady in Blue (track 17)

What is left?
What is right...
You may understand I left
the right man said the Lady in Blue
"I left the right man"

When I heard this back in March after the first live performance in support of the soon-to-be-released album, I couldn't believe it. A deep and soulful blues meets jazz number that reminds of Billie Holiday. I was over the moon. And then when the rumors emerged that this will have a big band moment outro, I did not know what to think of it.

So the song is in two parts, the first very dirge-like, dark jazz. The coupling of piano and synths with the torchy vocals could have not been any better. But then comes the second part. A different animus, almost a different song. The awakening of the dead warrior. The drums kick in, the piano gets to the front, the guitars ressucitate. And a desperate call from Tori that resonates and still finds its place within the harmonious band.
I only wish that the guitars were less loud and the piano more upfront, but it's perfect the way it is, really.

Flavor (track 4)

Who's god then is god?
They all want your jurisdiction
In the Book of Earth
Whose god spread fear
Spread love
What does it look like
This orbital ball
From the fringes of the Milky Way

This was not an instant favorite. But a couple of spins later and it sucks you in to the far ends of the galaxy. This one screams To Venus & Back. Electronic and acoustic drumming, ethereal vocals, piano notes that look like droplets of rain of and atmospheric guitars that could be the best on the album. The whole sound of this reminds of Tori's song Lust from Venus. These could easily be twins on a music level.

But there's so much more to it. It elevates you somewhere else and has a very particular "flavor".

Oscar's Theme (UK Bonus Track)

Warm autumn breeze gliding in
In the distance a tailspin
Languid is Oscar's them
He awaits Juliette's landing

The real b-side. Like B-sides are meant to be. The thing is that many other tracks on this album feel like B-sides and yet they're A-sides, in a time when the album would have been much better without them and would have gained a more cohesive approach. As to this little gem, it's sad and simple but most importantly it doesn't pretend to be something it's not. It could be utterly bittersweet and devastating in its melody.

As to other tracks, save the seemingly b-side material like 500 Miles, Mary Jane and Fire to Your Plain, there are several good tracks sprinkled throughout the album like the Tear in Your Hand meets Scarlet's Walk (the album) Fast Horse, the rockus Strong Black Vine which reminds Led Zep's Kashmir, the instant Tori classic Curtain Call, the experimental Starling, the complexly layered single Welcome to England and the one that's taken straight from a musical, That Guy, with its lush vocals and equally lush instrumentation.

And with that, Tori takes us on yet another ride, a challenging and different one, and minus some cliffs on the way, the ride was sure a perfectly executed one.

Cannes 2009: The Reviews

2009-05-31T01:25:00.008+03:00

Cannes 2009.
With the iconic Monica Vitti chosen to be the festivals' 62nd edition image, one could not but expect to have a grand cinematic threat.

I saw 36 films, including all 20 in the official selection.
Films that talk about sex, religion, cinema, horror but never about the crisis that is affecting the globe. Or maybe it's the festival's decision to keep that aside.

The competition could highlight the happenings of the 20th century, starting in 1914 with Michael Haneke's White Ribbon right before WWI, and merging into the 1920's with Marco Bellochio's Vincere, which resuscitates the secret wife of Mussolini. And from Mussolini to Hitler through the 1940 Inglorious Basterds in which Quentin Tarantino imagines another death of the Fuhrer. 1948, the creation of the State of Israel in Elia Suleiman's The Time That Remains which runs until the modern days. And because we've had it with wars, we'll take a break in the 1960's when the hippies are Taking Woodstock with Ang Lee in what would become the most important music festival of all times. But if you want to go way beyond that century, you can sink into the universe of poet John Keats in 1818 (Jane Campion's Bright Star).

That's on a historic level. But conceptually, it's a whole different story. Sex is at the core of the festival. It was indeed sex in all of its forms: violent (Lars Von Trier's Antichrist), morbid (Brillante Mendoza's Kinatay), homosexual (Lou Ye's Spring Fever), vampire-like (Park Chan-Wook's Thirst), polygamous (Andrea Arnold's Fish Tank) or simply abundant (what else could it be except Gaspard Noe's Enter the Void).

And with sex comes an excessive usage of violence. Blood appears in each of the films mentioned above, especially the first two, but also in Jacques Audiard's prison-inferno A Prophet, Johnnie To's says-it-all title Vengeance, and Isabel's Coixet's Map of the Sounds of Tokyo where blood looks more appealing than lipstick on a bathroom mirror.

But the best surprise is yet to come: the abundant usage of "film within a film" in this year's edition. Many filmmakers used this concept to come through with their new ideas, starting with Mateo Blanco recalling his late lover who played in his film (Pedro Almodovar's Broken Embraces), Shoshana Dreyfus planning a major coup during a Nazi screening in her own cinema (Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds), and Kang-Sheng Lee recreating the myth of Salome on film in the Louvre (Tsai Ming-Liang's Face).

And since not all men are in the movie business, there are simple ones leading their daily lives (or trying to, at least), like Georges Palet who's fancying the woman behind the purse he found next to his car in Alain Resnais' Wild Grass, Eric Bishop's chaotic mess of a life whose sole salvation is Manchester United (Ken Loach's Looking for Eric) and Paul (or Philippe, depending on the circumstances) a small-time crook who's just been released out of prison and went on to build a highway (Xavier Giannoli's In the Beginning).

With that said, here are the reviews of all 36 films I saw in Cannes this year, by category and in their chronological screening order, as well as my grades.
Country-speaking, I'd say this was the year for South Korea, Palestine and the Philippines, with a grand return to France:

The official selection:
Competition (films competing for the Palme d'Or)
Un Certain Regard
Out of Competition

The parallel sections of the festival:
The Directors' Fortnight
The Critics' Week

I - Official Selection: Competition (20 films seen - all films in competition)

Fish Tank
by Andrea Arnold

UK, 2009, 124 minutes
Grade: 4/5
Jury Prize Ex-aequo, 2009

Andrea Arnold. Sure she doesn't make much films, maybe one every three to four years. And I don't mind that. I loved her 2006 Red Road. I think many like me were surprised by that film, which snatched the Jury Prize in Cannes that year. So I was eagerly anticipating her newest one.

Fish Tank started off roughly, and I thought no, a teenage angst movie. But boy was I wrong.
The story is about 15-year-old Mia (Katie Jarvis) who's life is turned upside down when her mother brings a new boyfriend Connor (Michael Fassbender) to their messy home. The slow start quickly evolves into an intricate and complex story and the second part is revelatory. Parts of this remind the realism of Ken Loach, but other parts are simple Andrea Arnold.
I really like this one, if not to say more than simply like.

Katie Jarvis is a revelation, and Michael Fassbender who was previously spotted in the delightful and poignant Hunger (by Steve McQueen) is just a breath of fresh air in this tumultuous neighborhood.

I had the feeling Arnold would get an award from the beginning, as this was the first film showed in competition, and she went home for the second consecutive time, with the Jury Prize. Not bad eh?

Spring Fever (Original Title: Chun Feng Chen Zui De Ye Wan)

by Lou Ye

China, 2009, 115 minutes
Grade: 3/5
Award for Best Screenplay, 2009

This is an intricate gay story in the heart of China. The filmmaker has been banned to make films in China because in his previous work Summer Palace, he filmed in the Tienanmen Square several sensitive topics and the film was screened in Cannes without approval from the Chinese government.

As to his new film, it's overtly sexual with many explicit gay sex scenes which won't solve his issues with the government. He managed to shoot everything without being arrested. The story itself is based on a Chinese poem from the 1920's adapted to today's society. Several scenes drag and it is at times over dramatic (especially the wife which did not impress me at all). There are some nice things going on but sometimes it's meh. But it's still a beautiful tale in which all characters get fully involved.

I was surprised by the amount of people from the older generation who left the theater because they thought it was too gay and could not digest the gay sex scenes. I could hear them chat about that actually. Talk about intolerance, even in Cannes, the biggest FILM festival!
The Award for Best Script dazzled many. But oh well.

Brigt Star

by Jane Campion

New Zealand/UK, 2009, 120 minutes
Grade: 1/5

Ahahaha. NO. What the hell happened to the awesomeness of Campion? I have no idea. This is atrocious! I'm going to be flamed but I did not like this at all.

The secret love affair between English poet John Keats with fashion stylist in 1818.
It feels like this has been made so many times! Poetry and history and tragedy and class clashes that prevent marriages. My god. What the hell happened to Campion? The critics might like the beautiful work, because mind you, every shot is beautiful. But "beautiful" lighting, "beautiful" acting, "beautiful" image does not work here at all. It's plain BORING! I almost fell asleep.

And needless to say, the critics' drooled over this. Why? Again, I have no idea.

Bright Star is not bright at all. I give it barely One Star.

Thirst (Original Title: Bak Jwi)

by Park Chan-Wook

South Korea, 2009, 133 minutes
Grade: 4/5
Jury Prize Ex-aequo, 2009

Do you remember the film Old Boy (2003)? Here comes Park Chan-Wook's newest sensation.
I hate horror films, vampires, blood scenes. Yes I am a very sensitive guy. But I LOVED everything about this film.

Vampires are at the core of this love story and it looks nothing like Twilight. A priest who was thought to be miraculous was indeed hit by a mysterious sickness and he discovers that in order to stay alive, he must drink blood.

The final scene is utterly beautiful and the whole cinematography is brilliant.
There was a 20-minute plus standing ovation and the cast ended up being very emotional.
I knew this would be among the winners and I was so right!

A Prophet (Original Title: Un Prophète)
by Jacques Audiard

France, 2009, 150 minutes
Grade: 3.5/5
Grand Prix, 2009

Irony of sorts: after having seen Korea's priest the night before morphing into a vampire, I was to witness this gripping story with Muslim-heavy background in an Arab sector of a prison in France.

Malik El Djebena, a 19-year-old fragile new prisoner of Moroccan origins, has no acquaintances with other detained when he arrives to the Centrale. But in order to survive in this dog-eat-dog world and finish his 6-year sentence, he has to service the leader of a Corsican gang, while backing away from his Muslim "brothers." And that in order to gain the gang's leader confidence in order to gain some benefits. With that achieved, Malik would be intelligent enough to secretly accomplish what he has on his mind.

The film stars Tahar Rahim, an unknown actor who plays the role of Malik marvelously. And the film is well directed and keeps you hooked until the denouement. There is not a single weak moment in the whole saga.

What I thought was lacking are the actual themes. There's nothing new or exceptional here that we don't know in the worlds of French prisons. But I can forgive that because the delivery is made of win.

From the start, this has been a favorite for the prestigious Palme d'Or among the press and the critics.

Taking Woodstock
by Ang Lee

USA, 2009, 120 minutes
Grade: 2.5/5

A fine and fun ride back to the origins of Woodstock and the hippy days.
The small motel in upstate New York run by Elliot Tiber's parents is threatened to be closed by the bank. Elliot (played by Demetri Martin), a gay interior designer who hasn't assumed his sexual identity, returns to help his folks although he doesn't know how yet. When a festival is not given license in a nearby town, Elliot decides to take things in his own hands and gives the producer and call, for what would be the starting point of the Woodstock Festival.

It's nice that Ang Lee decided to change styles and instead of dramas, he opted for a comedy. But let's face it, this is nowhere near Brokeback Mountain nor Lust, Caution, Ang Lee's 2005 and 2007 renowned films that won plenty of awards at the Venice Film Festival and the Oscars, among others, save the on-growing international fame for Lee.

But although nice, this feel forgettable. This is not a step forward for the Taiwanese director, unfortunately.

Kinatay
by Brillante Mendoza
Philippines/France, 2009, 100 minutes
Grade: 3/5
Best Director Award

I'm unsure about this one. It has a very particular feel and at the same time, it's too horror-like for my taste. But one cannot but talk about the filmmaker, Brillante Mendoza, who's been constantly the target of critics'.

After his 2008 official competition entry Serbis which was trashed by the whole-Cannes, comes an even harsher feature which many could not handle. And while Von Trier's Antichrist is violent enough, it doesn't come anywhere close to what Kinatay is.

The film follows criminology student Peping for a full day a Manila, from his marriage during the day to his "descent to hell". In order to feed his wife Cecile and their child, he has to make some living, and for that he's ready to do whatever it takes, including helping a schoolmate and his gang get rid of a prostitute because she's late in paying her "fees".

Several have left the theater. And the reason, the butchering of a woman live on screen in a never ending scene. And though I found the mood terrific and the score accompanying the film overall intriguing, I thought Mendoza was searching for provocation. Most of the film has been shot in a bus at night (some could argue about the quality of shooting, I found it very well done), and add the chopping scene, he sure was not looking to gain new fans save keep his older ones puzzled over explicit sex, violence and a morbid story.

On a side note, Tarantino said it was his favorite film in Cannes.

Looking for Eric
by Ken Loach
United Kingdom/France/Italy/Belgium/Spain, 2009, 116 minutes
Grade: 4.5/5

Meet Eric. A postman. Or let's say a troubled postman for he's not envied for the life he has. Two stepsons of the wildest caliber. A wife that he still loves after he left her 30 years ago. A job that's becoming tiresome for a man who was full of life. To deal with this, Manchester United. Or to put it directly, Eric Cantona, who's emerging from his exhaustion to help him move on. And when Eric meets Eric...

Simply a gem. Or the gem I have been waiting for. I loved every second of it. At first, I was perplexed as to why football god Eric Cantona is there, it was forced and the story is so much better without him. But then it all unveiled as the film evolved. The film is funny, serious, simple and to put in cinema words, it's simply Ken Loach.

After his Palme d'Or for The Wind that Shakes the Barley (2006), his defensive It's a Free World (2007), Loach proves that he's a master in showcasing reality. And even if he takes the comic aspect of it in Looking for Eric, it doesn't mean it's less poignant.

Vengeance
by Johnnie To
Hong Kong, 2009, 108 minutes
Grade: 1.5/5

Hmm yeah. The straightforward story of a man coming to avenge the death of her daughter's family in Hong Kong. Casting French mega rock star Johnny Hallyday to play the role is just a sales boost. I felt he has nothing to do with the film nor the whole environment he was implanted in.

I don't have much to add about this one.
Very meh.

Broken Embraces (Original Title: Los Abrazos Rotos)
by Pedro Almodovar
Spain, 2009, 129 minutes
Grade: 4/5

With every new Almodovar film, you cannot but raise your level of anticipation. And with Penelope Cruz in it, the expectation even doubles. After all, she was the only interesting thing in Woody Allen's trite Vicky Cristina Barcelona, IMO, and gives a stellar performance. And she's Almodovar's muse, making Volver such a refreshing change from the director's previous dramatic works. And here she did not disappoint.

So it's the story of Mateo Blanco, now known as Harry Caine after the death of his beloved Lena in a car accident. Since then, Harry has been blind and ceased to be a filmmaker. He's now a writer. And when the son of Lena's former husband emerges to the story, Harry's life is about to change, and his past will take a different shape.

An intricately woven story (or shall I say stories within stories) because Almodovar excels at intertwining stories to make a whole film that works from beginning to end.

Here everything was so perfect. The music accompanied beautifully the flawless performances of the cast (notably Blanca Portillo), the shots were extremely beautiful. There were some tributes to cinema there too, and there is a film that is being made within the film.

The flip-side of the coin is that Almodovar adventures in the same topics over and over, sometimes you know that what he's told this story before, or at least parts of it. The ending was kind of expected but screw that, the film is made of win. I wouldn't say it was his best, but it ranks among his finest.

To sum it up, I don't know if it's Cruz paying a tribute to Almodovar or if it was him who was paying tribute to her.

Antichrist
by Lars Von Trier
Denmark, 2009, 104 minutes
Grade: 4/5
Best Actress Award (Charlotte Gainsbourg)

With this film, you either adhere to the trip Von Trier is taking you to, or you simply don't. You can't stay indifferent to what he's presenting.

Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg are retreating to a forest they call Eden to help themselves overcome the loss of their child and rebuild their fragile marriage. That's the main line. Apart from that, images. The film starts with a prologue, albeit a brilliant one. Slow motion, black and white, opera music with harpsichord. What more could you want in a scene where the protagonists are making love and the child is ready to jump off the windows on a snowy night.
And then the film is constructed in chapters, and ends with an epilogue.

There are LOTS of heavy symbolism on religion and a rich lexicology (or study) on grief.
But be prepared for real violent (and shocking) scenes once the film really kicks in around an hour after it started. I won't tell you what you're up to, if you decide to see the film, but you should know that many people left the theater and couldn't take it. Some even shouted. I thought it was a bit too much of violence, but mind you, this violence is not free.

Von Trier might have been seeking provocation, but he mastered it perfectly, whereas others claim to be provocateurs, and instead offer nothing.

As to other thoughts around the Cannes screening, Von Trier didn't continue the official screening. 4 women fainted during the film. And the press screening went bad. The negative reviews were everywhere the next morning.

However, I am SO glad Gainsbourg took the award. She pulls an amazing performance. She said in an interview that it was too painful for her to shoot the film, and cried a lot and even screamed at various stages of the shooting. She said her mother helped her a lot in the construction of the character.

All I can say the film is VERY rich. The symbolism is VERY strong. The shots are VERY good. The acting is VERY fine. What more could you want?

Inglorious Basterds
by Quentin Tarantino
USA/Germany, 2009, 148 minutes
Grade: 4/5
Best Actor Award (Christopher Waltz)

I'll start by saying that I am NOT Tarantino's biggest fan. His filmography is filled with hit or miss. His last film I thought was pure crap.

BUT, I enjoyed this one tremendously. It's a radical departure from his previous works and the story of the American "Basterds" fighting against the Nazis in the 1940's is told in a very straightforward way. Of course his signature is still here and it shows in his intricate dialogues, the music, and the way the story is told. The film is constructed in various chapters, and like Almodovar's Abrazos Rotos, there is a film within a film here.

Some we're in the early 40's. Nazis are occupying France and they're searching for every possible Jew to exterminate. That's when Shosanna Dreyfus witnesses the execution of her family under the commands of Colonel Hans Landa. After her escape to Paris, she manages to become the owner of an art house cinema.

And this cinema will be at the heart of this tale in which a group of Jewish American soldiers, known as "The Bastertds," who's mission is to hunt for Nazi leaders.
In a who's hunting whom way, the final scene is set in Shosanna's theater where she will take revenge of the killers of her family.

The acting, well, I will be very honest and say I was absolutely turned off by Brad Pitt's performance as the leader of the Basterds. He was too posy and did not give his best for such a demanding role. You cannot be funny but not that shallow. It left me cold unlike French actress Melanie Laurent who was a veritable tour-de-force and gave a sumptuous performance, and Austrian actor Christopher Waltz as Colonnel Landa, the real revelation in the film, saluted by the jury with an award.

I believe Tarantino was up to the challenge in changing directions with this film. Is it good or bad? I prefer to say it's a refreshing change.

Vincere
by Marco Bellochio
Italy, 2009, 128 minutes
Grade: 2.5/5

I don't know what it is with Italian films in Cannes. In 2006, filmmaker Nanni Moretti presented Il Caimano (The Caiman) about Berlusconi. In 2008, Paolo Sorentino presented Il Divo about ex-prime minister Giulio Andreotti. And in 2009, Bellochio is presenting a film about Mussolini's illegitimate wife, entitled Vincere.

So the story is about her, Ida Dalser, and her son, Benito Albino, who has not been recognized by the Duce. It's the fight of this woman to prove to the Italian society that she indeed was married to Mussolini and had a son from him.

The story is indeed powerful. But the treatment, too theatrical, opera-like, bombastic music, early footage of the era and a mega production, left me cold.

Giovanna Mezzogiorno as Dalser pulls a powerful performance though.

So now what's next for the Italians, Berlusconi's scandal with that 18-year-old hottie?

In the Beginning (Original Title: A l'origine)
by Xavier Giannoli
France, 2008, 150 minutes
Grade: 5/5

"You've built a section of the highway?
Yes.
Where's the road? Where does it go?
I don't know..."

There are things you don't need to explain. A L'origine is one of them.
My Cannes' only "five".

The White Ribbon (Original Title: Das Weisse Band)
by Michael Haneke
Austria/Germany/France/Italy, 2009, 144 minutes
Grade: 2.5/5
Palme d'Or

Some weird incidents are taking place just before WWI, in a small protestant village Northern Germany.

I had higher expectations for Haneke, frankly.

This two-hour and a half long Black and White feature drama with too many kids, families and stories is surely well composed. But I got confused and lost interested.

And with the ending that no one kind of expected, I was even more perplexed as to his intentions before making his film. I had no idea what he wanted me to see with this.

I knew this would win something but not the Palme. But one could kind of have seen it coming with Huppert being the president of the Jury, but I did not want to think of it that bluntly, since she won the best actress award back in 2001 in Cannes for Haneke's The Piano Teacher. Talk about coincidences or simply the president's decision against her jury?

Wild Grass (Original Title: Les Herbes Folles)
by Alain Resnais
France, 2008, 104 minutes
Grade: 4/5
62nd Cannes Festival Prize: Lifetime Achievement Award

Let's face it. This is not Hiroshima Mon Amour nor Last Year at Mariembad. But this was not near as bad as what the harsh critics made it look.

Resnais pulls a gentle comedy in which a man finds a wallet next to his car in the parking that leads him to find the owner, a woman who has a pilot license.

The first part of the film has an "old" feel, especially with the voice over. It's clear that Alain Resnais is the director and not some French new filmmaker.

This film ought to be taken as it is. And if you do, you'd understand its true beauty.

As to the award Resnais won, it felt like Michelangelo Antonioni's 1982 lifetime achievement when he won the same prize for his film Identification of a Woman which I thought was among his least interesting films. So it was kind of expected to use a grand filmmaker's newest work in order to hand him the lifetime achievement award.

The Time that Remains
by Elia Suleiman
Palestine/France/Belgium/Italy/United Kingdom, 2009, 109 minutes
Grade: 4.5/5

I love it when a filmmaker is intelligent and puts his intelligence forward to produce intelligent films.

After his acclaimed Divine Intervention (Cannes Jury Prize, 2002), here comes the new self-centered entry of Palestinian filmmaker Elia Suleiman, a gripping four-chapter tale that starts in 1948 with the declaration of the State of Israel and runs until today.

The film, written and directed by Suleiman, is inspired by his father's notes, the letters of his mother, and his personal memories, all of which make this story a tour-de-force against the occupation.

It is extremely funny, well directed and every shot makes sense, even if the several locations can be seen in his previous films, which I believe was the point to bring them back into this one.

Clearly the filmmaker has never been Israel's BFF and will never be. And this film will spark more controversy because of its honesty. So in short, if you feel nothing towards this, you simply have no soul.

And clearly, Suleiman deserved a prize, although, as expected, left without any. Although that doesn't need any explanation, does it?

Face (Original Title: Visage)
by Tsai Ming-Liang
Taiwan/France/Belgium/Netherlands, 2009, 138 minutes
Grade: 4/5

By far the most artistic film of the competition. Or let's say the one with the biggest artsy/experimental feel.

If the Orsay Museum produced The Flight of the Red Balloon, the Louvre Museum is producing Face. After Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao Hsien ventured in the French territory for the production of his 2007 feature The Flight of the Red Balloon (Le Voyage du Ballon Rouge) casting Juliette Binoche and shooting in French, here comes Malaysian filmmaker Tsai Ming-Liang (Vive l'amour - 1994, The Wayward Cloud - 2004) to recreate the experience with the French.

The story is about a Taiwanese director who wants to recreate the myth of Salome in a film he's shooting at the Louvre. And while he does not speak French nor English, his cast is composed, among others, of a French actor to play the role of the King Herod while Salome is played by international top Model Laeticia Casta. Because of the sudden death of his mother, his producer, Fanny Ardant, follows the director to his home country for the funeral. But when both return, the shooting would have taken another feel.

The film in itself is a nod to Truffaut. Tsai Ming-Liang chose to pay tribute to the legendary filmmaker by casting Jean-Pierre Leaud to play the role of king Herode and calling him Antoine (Leaud played the role of Antoine Doinel in The 400 Blows) as well as Fanny Ardant, Jeanne Moreau and Nathalie Baye, all of whom have played in Truffaut's films.

There are some scenes that are surreal in their beauty. The long and complex dress that Casta wears at the end is adventurous in itself, and the sounds produced by its jewelry are a soundtrack themselves.

Some might think it's too slow. Some others might consider it too long with the storyline being vague and the action very rare (SO many people have left the screening).

But for the real fans of Tsai Ming-Liang, you won't be disappointed. He might be shooting in France with French-speaking actors, but he hasn't lost his touch.

Enter the Void (Original Title: Soudain le Vide)

by Gaspard Noe
France/Germany/Italy, 2009, 162 minutes
Grade: 3/5

I am not expecting everyone to have seen Irreversible, Noe's scandal 2002 film. But I assume everyone knows about it. So when the French filmmaker comes with a new film in competition in Cannes, the buzz is already there. Will this be as irreversible as Irreversible?

Needless to say, the film was presented at the very end of the festival simply because there are no credits neither in the beginning nor in the end. And part of me thought this was a working copy and not a final one. And with that said, the film runs for 152 minutes unlike what's written in the festival's program (140 minutes).

Onto the film. Oscar and his sister Linda live in Tokyo. He's a drug dealer while she's a stripper. As children, and after their parents' death in a car accident, they promised each other to stay together until they die. When the police shoots Oscar, his spirit refuses to abandon his sister.

The whole film is shot in POV style, the camera always looking at the world from above, as if the spirit is watching. This spirit has access to the whole action in the city, moving deliberately from a building to another. A panoply of colors are offered to the eye. And with every powerful color, you get to access a psychedelic universe that Oscar used to have access to through drugs.

The first hour of the film is extremely well done. The presentation sets the dark and trippy mood of a city that could be Tokyo or anywhere else really, the world of Oscar, his hallucinogenic trips, the universe of drugs and sex...

But it quickly goes downhill after that fine hour. He recreates how Oscar has been shot (even though we know what happened) and then takes us to interminable childhood flashbacks that are unneeded, and the hallucinogenic trips that return every 10 minutes are understandable at the beginning but then they become annoying. The whole sex battalion at the end was what killed the film for me. I mean of course, there HAS to be a lot of sex in a Noe film, but that was too much.

All in all, the film kicked in perfectly. Had it been edited differently and more concisely, this could have been a masterpiece. It kills to give this only three stars because it is worth much more.

Map of the Sounds of Tokyo
by Isabel Coixet
Spain, 2009, 109 minutes
Grade: 3.5/5

The final film of the official competition stars Rinko Kikuchi (who played superbly in the Japanese part of Inaritu's Babel) as Ryu, a Japanese solitary girl who lives in Tokyo and leads a double life: in the night, she works at the Fishmarket while during the day she's a hit-woman.
She is contacted by Ishida, whose boss Mr. Nagara has lost his daughter, Midori, after she committed suicide. Nagara blames David, the Spanish husband of Midori who runs a wine business. Ishida, who has always been secretly in love with Midori, hires Ryu to get rid of David.
The whole thing is captured by a sound engineer, fascinated by Ryu and the sounds of Tokyo.

Kikuchi is superb as a mostly silent girl who does not want to listen to others nor share things about her personal life:
Ryu: "Why do we have to talk?"
David: "What do you mean why? Listen..."
Ryu: "I'm not going to listen to you. I don't want to listen to you. I don't need a speech now. I'm tired. I'm hungry. And I'm cold."

Coixet knows what she wants from the actors and delivers a well handled film from beginning to end. Although what happens is a bit predictable, I did not mind. After her acclaimed Secret Life of Words (2005) and Elegy (2008), Coixet, presenting in Cannes her first film in competition, has firmly placed herself on the cinematographic map.

Ending the film with Anthony and the Johnsons' One Dove elevates the film to pure magic.

II - Official Selection: Un Certain Regard (8 films seen)

No One Knows About Persian Cats (Original Title: Kasi Az Gorbehaye Irani Khabar Nadareh) / Opening Film Un Certain Regard
by Bahman Ghobadi

Iran, 2009, 106 minutes
Grade: 3/5
Un Certain Regard Special Jury Prize Ex-aequo, 2009

Enjoyable. It's a film about an Iranian duo (Ashgan and Negar) who wants to form a band a leave to England to play music in a festival. Through their story, you get to discover some real musicians from the country.

The actual story is filled with all sorts of problems that they would face, from passports to VISAs to preparing a gig to convincing a producer to make a CD...

It kind of reminded me of another documentary made a couple of years ago on the underground music groups in Teheran. A bit of deja-vu but works fine. And the music in the film is very good. If there will be a soundtrack for this, I would definitely get it. The music is very rich.

Police, Adjective (Original Title: Politist, Adjectiv)

by Corneliu Porumboiu

Romania, 2009, 115 minutes
Grade: 4.5/5
Jury Prize - Un Certain Regard, 2009

Yes! Yes! Yes! This was one of my much anticipated films this year. After his award winning 12:08 East of Bucharest, I did not want to be disappointed. A bit slow in its take off, it goes a bit on and on in some scenes, but if you manage to enter his trip, well you're up for a surprise.

Cristi is living a weird dilemma. He's a cop and at the same time, he's refusing to arrest a teenager offering hashish to his school mates, in a time when “offering” is punished under the Romanian law. He believes that hash is becoming regularized in European countries and thinks his local law should change. But his superior does not share the same opinion.

It has this dark irony that is HILARIOUS! And as with his previous one, the scene before the last is very long and it's made of win. A tour de force if you ask me. A great follow-up to his previous must-see film.

Porumboiu is a filmmaker that needs to be followed. It's a pity that this film was not taken to official competition. The award it won is obvious as I repeat, this intelligent film is made of win.

Samson and Delilah
by Warwick Thornton

Australia, 2009, 101 minutes
Grade: 4/5
Caméra d'or, 2009

Teenagers Samson and Delilah move from Central Australia, leaving their aborigine village for a city they do not know. But with no money and no food, they'll have to rely on something else to keep them together: love. The scenery is very good and so is the acting.

Thornton's camera captures vividly the harshness of the setting beautifully. Samson doesn't speak a single word in the film, save uttering his name somewhere near the end. And Delilah is impressive with all the bruises she has amassed throughout the film. Very surprising.

I thought this would be a very strong contender to the Caméra d'Or, awarded every year in Cannes for the first feature film, in all sections. As example of winners, in 2002, Japon by Carlos Reygadas, in 2006 12:08 East of Bucharest by Corneliu Poromboiu and in 2008 Hunger by Steve McQueen. And I was right, for the film won the award.

Mother
by Bong Joon-Ho
South Korea, 2009, 129 minutes
Grade: 3.5/5

From the director of Memories of a Murder (2003) and Host (2006). This is definitely the year for South Korea.

After Thirst a couple of nights ago comes this enrapturing drama in which a mother is ready to do everything to prove her son's innocence. After the death of a teenager, mentally unstable 28-year-old Do-joon is incarcerated. His mother who has been widowed for ages, decides to take him out, whatever the price is, even if she had to do it all alone.

Kim Hye-Ja, a very famous star in her home country, plays the role of the mother so convincingly. She even pulls surprising body performances (for a woman of her age) required for the role and makes the story alive.

I thought it was a very strong film overall, although it feels "easy" at times.

Independencia
by Raya Martin
Philippines/France/Germany/The Netherlands, 2009, 77 minutes
Grade: 3.5/5

So we're in the early 20th century in the Philippines, just before the arrival of the American troops who could be threatening the lives of many in the city. That forces a mother and her son to move and remain hidden in a shelter in a middle of a forest. But they can't stay hidden forever...

A painting of sorts. The cinematography is majestic in black and white and adds to the harrowing tale that Martin is portraying as a metaphor in tortured Philippines before the arrival of the American troops to the territory.

After his Short Story of Indio Nacional, Martin is pushing further the limits of cinematography. Even if the pic is only and hour and fifteen minutes, it felt like a century, with the happenings being so slow.

Dogtooth (Original Title: Kynodontas)
by Yorgos Lanthimos
Greece, 2009, 96 minutes
Grade: 3.5/5
Un Certain Regard Prize

Save Angelopoulos with his Ulysse's Gaze and Eternity and a Day, I'm not that much familiar with the Greek cinema, frankly. And so were they in Cannes, when Festival Director Thierry Fremaux presented this film, he said it's a pity that there are not much Greek films in Cannes.

As to Dogtooth, the story is very surprising. A family of five live in a villa on the outskirts of the city. The three children never left the house and don't know what it is like outside. They are educated by their parents who even invent a whole new terminology of words to distort reality and make them fit to their imaginary realm. "Zombies" are yellow white flowers while "Telephone" means salt. They even invent their own games to distract themselves, with the absence of technology.

A security guard at the father's company, Christina, is the only person allowed to visit the house. She practically is the sextoy of the son, and the father brings her especially for that. But when the eldest daughter discover tapes of Bruce Lee in Christina's bag, things are about to change.

The film is hence hilarious at times but can be so visceral at others. The violence is palpable. What misses most are the emotions which are practically non-existent since the characters are almost robotic.

The top Un Certain Regard award was a pleasant surprise.

Nymph (Original Title: Nang Mai)
by Pen-Ek Ratanaruang
Thailand, 2009, 109 minutes
Grade: 3.5/5

A photographer on a mission to forest. While his wife is awaiting him in their tent, he stumbles upon a weird tree. A spirit lives in it and the man vanishes without leaving a trace.

The opening shot, a single take that runs for about 10 minutes in the forest is the starting point to a visual delight that you're about to witness.

The acting is quite good next to the visuals. The downhill is the end, there is some unneeded preaching about the spirits and their importance. Had the story ended differently, it would have been stronger.

The Wind Journeys (Original Title: Los Viajes del Viento)
by Ciro Guerra
Colombia/Germany/Argentina/The Netherlands, 2009, 117 minutes

Grade: 3.5/5

Accordion player Ignacio Carillo plans to make a journey throughout Colombia to return his believed-to-be cursed instrument to his mentor, after the death of his wife.

This beautifully shot film across the South American country contains dazzling landscapes and every shot has indeed a beautiful setting. One might think National Geographic at times. Because there are so many locations used, the film tends to drag and lose its original impact.

But the actor, a real accordion player in life, is acting with his heart. And the scenes during which he plays the instrument are divine.

III - Official Selection: Out of Competition (2 films seen)

Agora
by Alejandro Amenabar
Spain, 2009, 141 minutes
Grade: 3/5

I'm a sucker for astronomy. And highlighting such a topic in a 4th century mega-production (the most expensive in Spanish cinema) surely was not to disappoint.

But unfortunately it did. It felt overstuffed and flat sometimes. The shot that presents Alexandria from above doesn't need to be repeated that much.

Rachel Weisz plays the role of Hypatia, an atheist astronomer, in search for answers for her multiple questions. But she faces the troubles of the Christian church taking over the Roman Empire in Alexandria during the 4th century, inciting her to convert to Christianity.

Weisz plays the sole female role in the film, facing several men, and for that, she is saluted.

I like it when directors come to screenings of fellow filmmakers. Amenabar received a standing ovation from both Jane Campion and Pedro Almodovar who were in the official screening.

The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
by Terry Gilliam
United Kingdom/Canada, 2009, 122 minutes
Grade: 2.5/5

How shall I say this. Gilliam's newest (and much anticipated) film is surely enjoyable. But unfortunately, not that much. It's entertaining but sometimes feels trite. Heath Ledger's last film won't be his most memorable one. Same for Gilliam. Imaginarium is nowhere near Brazil or Twelve Monkeys.

Christopher Plummer is Doctor Parnassus, the owner of a small traveling show, through which the spectator is giving the chance to access an imaginary world through a magic mirror. His assistants are Percy, his main collaborator, Anton, the presenter and Valentina (Lily Cole), his daughter, who doesn't seem to know all about her father, particularly the deal he made with the Devil (played by Tom Waits). While on the road, they save a young man, Tony (Heath Ledger) who quickly joins the team.

Ledger died before finishing the film. To shoot the scenes behind the mirror, which are the ones of the imaginary realm, Gilliam asked for the help of Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell who all accepted to play Tony to replace Ledger.

IV - Directors' Fortnight (4 films seen)

Tetro / Opening film of the Director's Fortnight

by Francis Ford Coppola

Argentina/Spain/Italy, 2009, 129 minutes
Grade: 2.5/5

The script is delicious. And an almost autobiographical one for Coppola. An almost 18 year old sailor goes to Buenos Aires to reunite with his older brother whom he did not see since a long time. The film is shot in black and white, and it works marvelously. The actors are good enough, even though the younger brother, played by Alden Ehrenreich, looks like the angelic version of both Leo DiCaprio and Matt Damon, both of which I cannot stand.

Now the film starts very simply, different from any other Coppola film. And that works. BUT! When the flashbacks emerge, in color, and the directing evolves into something more grandiose, it becomes a mega-production that ruins the whole thing. The last scene is useless. I was really disappointed that he revealed to us every single thing in detail.

I read today that he directed, wrote and produced the film by himself, which is very good, claiming he made a film he wanted to make, the way he wanted. But I am not sure this is as art-house oriented as he says. There are definitely signs of that in the first part, but the whole thing is overshadows by the Hollywoodian treatment of the second part, even if this is shot in Argentina.

Amerrika (Original Title: Amreeka)
by Cherien Dabis
USA/Canada/Koweit, 2009, 92 minutes
Grade: 4/5

Palestine is transported to America, through the story of a mother and her son, who are searching for new horizons after they found themselves trapped in their native land. I thought this could easily turn into something very cheesy. But simply it did not.

I have already seen a short film by filmmaker Cherien Dabis, called Make a Wish, which I found poignant back in 2006, and I was curious to see what she has to offer in her feature debut. Needless to say, I was not prepared for such a beautiful tale that is well handed by Dabis from beginning to end, it flows well and it doesn't turn into a melodramatic film. And most of all, I could feel that the film is coming from the heart. It's very honest.

My only minor problem with it is Hyam Abbas. While she's still good (actually the whole cast is good, especially the lead Nisreen Faour who plays the mother), we've seen her so much in almost the same roles over and over, namely in Tom McCarthy's The Visitor.

So yeah, there are still films coming from Palestine that are not pretentious, overly judgmental and full of clichés. Amreeka is the living proof of that.

I Love You Philipp Morris
by Glenn Ficarra, John Requa
USA, 2008, 96 minutes
Grade: 3/5

Jim Carey and Ewan McGregor as a gay couple. The first is Steven Russel, an indefinite ex-something (ex-cop, ex-husband, ex-prisoner, ex-model and the list goes on), the second is shy and introverted Philip Morris. They meet in a prison, Russel's second home. And with their love story getting stronger, Russel will do anything to stay close to his loved one. And ANYTHING should be written in capital for this man is capable of everything.

That was like a big sketch with Jim Carey doing what he does best: having a good time. But truth it, it gets monotonous after a while, I thought I have seen this side of Jim Carey in almost 70% of his films. The real revelation is Ewan McGregor. He knew which emotion to showcase without exaggeration, making his character a solid and believable one. Apart from that, the film's alright. Lighthearted but that's about it.

Ajami / Closing film of the Director's Fortnight
by Scandar Copti, Yaron Shani
Israel/Germany, 2009, 120 minutes
Grade: 2/5
Camera d'Or - Special Distinction

Politically speaking, I cannot say anything about this film. Arabs are evilly portrayed (jobless, drug dealers, terrorists) while the Israelis almost saints.

Cinematographically, the film is constructed around a series of events in the neighborhood of Ajami, a town in which Muslims, Christians and Jews try to live together.
But that ain't easy. In this turbulent environment, the gun is king.

Evolving around several stories, the film takes shape before both directors (an Israeli and an Arab-Israeli) unveil at the end how it actually happened. While gripping, I fear having seen this already.

V - Critics' Week (2 films seen)

Farewell Gary (Original Title: Adieu Gary)

by Nassim Amaouche
France, 2009, 75 minutes
Grade: 3.5/5
Critics' Week Grand Prix

I really like the short films that Amaouche had directed, mainly Few Crumbs for the Birds which he shot in Jordan, so I was interested to see what his first feature would look like.

Factory worker Francis lives in a city that has been long deserted by its inhabitants. He has two sons, one of whom is Samir who has just been released from jail. Francis is having a secret affair with his neighbour Maria. Her son believes his father whom he never saw is Gary Cooper, and he ends up agonizingly waiting for him every day.

That's the setting, the characters and the story. The film is short (75') and finishes way too quickly. But it is very honest, the camera work flows nicely and there are couple of notable travelings. The Western-like feel adds a particular angle to the story. It's a shame that the plot was not explored further, it could have been much better.

Whisper with the Wind (Original Title: Sirta La Gal Ba)

by Shahram Alidi
Iraq, 2009, 77 minutes
Grade: 4/5
Young Critic Award

The greatest thing about festivals, and Cannes in particular, is that you get to discover films from all over the world. There were of course the big masters like Almodovar, Loach, Von Trier and others in this edition. But there were also films like Whisper with the Wind, from a Kurdish filmmaker, who allow you to discover not only films from relatively dark and unknown places in the planet, but also these particular places. And while Iraq is near Lebanon geographically, I had no idea that a film so beautifully shot could take shape in such a place.

Renowned postman Mam Baldar is a constant traveler in Iraqi Kurdistan, recording and broadcasting people’s messages to their families living far away. A partisan commander who's wife is about to deliver, asks him to make a recording of his newborn child’s first cry. But Mam's mission is not easy, for the commander’s pregnant wife as well as all newborn children, have been evacuated to a remote valley. Mam has no choice but to go there.

The desolate setting of Kurdistan reflects on the mood of the characters which are stuck in time. There is a scene in which several old radios of all genres are hung on a tree and it's just glows in the light. Achingly beautiful.

Kurdistan is not even a country, and that says more about the real motives behind the film, the Kurds' whose only friends are, like their proverb says, the mountains.

Michelangelo Antonioni: Identification of a Filmmaker

2009-05-01T11:57:00.023+03:00

Place: Antonioni's Realm
Mood: Contemplative
Song:

My ratings for the Antonioni retrospective that took place at Metropolis Cinema, which could have been my favorite event that I took part in organizing.

Cronaca di un Amore (Story of a Love Affair)
(IT, 1950, 98')

B+

Positive surprise! He kicked off pretty well with his first feature! Very intricate work, although very linear.

I Vinti (The Vanquished)
(IT, 1953, 110')

B-

Surprising. I was not expecting anything. The stories are well made, although it feels like he's still maturing.

La Signora Senza Camelie (The Lady Without Camelias)
(IT, 1953, 105')

C+

Not my favorite. While it's not bad, it's not that good either.

Le Amiche (Girlfriends)
(IT, 1955, 104')

C

I did not really feel this one. Too cluttered, and more Egyptian drama. The good point is how the female rights are upfront, in 1955.

Il Grido (The Cry)
(IT, 1957, 111')

A

Who said Antonini can't pull a film with the lower class? His best from the pre-Avventura period.

L'Avventura (The Adventure)
(IT, 1960, 142')

A+

I don't have words for this one. It was and still is one of my all time favorite films. The cast is superb and I'm not only talking about the actors.

La Notte (The Night)
(IT, 1961, 122')

B-

Vitti is made of win. And so are the shots. But it feels flat and predictable at times. I can't stand Moreau, but she was actually good in the film. The last scene is very good. And so is the scene inside the car with the rain drizzling.

L'Eclisse (The Eclipse)
(IT, 1962, 118')

A

I knew this was good. It had to be, after the disappointment of La Notte. Pairing Vitti with Delon is made of win. The last 10 minutes make the film.

Il Deserto Rosso (The Red Desert)
(IT, 1964, 120')

A

The surprise. I was so not expecting a change of mood with the change of colors. Vitti at her most challenging. The colors changed Antonioni for the better.

Blow-Up
(IT/UK, 1967, 111')

A

Wonderful. Though I felt at many places that this was not Antonioni, because of the radical changes from Italy to the UK. But his themes are all there (park, isolation, shattered building in the beginning…)

Zabriskie Point
(USA, 1970, 110')

A-

I was not prepared for this. I wanted not to like it. But the wrapping scene is exceptional in every way. And god knows how many tried to imitate it.

Professione: Reporter (The Passenger)
(IT/US, 1975, 119')

B+

Stunningly beautiful. Every shot is a threat to the eye, and the last sequence is mindblowing. Great to see Jack in his early years! Still a bit bleh though

Il Mistero di Oberwald (The Mystery of Oberwald)
(IT/DE, 1981, 129')

C-

Ahahahaha. No. I got color-blinded. The C- is only for Vitti who aged so well.

Identificazione di una Donna (Identification of a Woman)
(IT, 1982, 128')

C-

No. No. No. There was nothing I liked about this film, and more importantly, I couldn’t see Antonioni in it.

Absolute (A) LIVE

2009-04-18T19:23:00.028+03:00

Place: Metropolis Cinema
Mood: Elated

Song: One Way or Another * Blondie

"The time I like is the rush hour, cos I like the rush

The pushing of the people - I like it all so much

Such a mass of motion - do not know where it goes

I move with the movement and... I have the touch"

from the song "I Have the Touch" by Peter Gabriel

April.

Let's talk about it, shall we?

Well, I have always dreamed to eradicate that month out of my agenda. And yeah, I still do. It has always been the busiest month for me all year round, since three years now, refusing to let me rest for good. But somehow I always enjoy it. It makes me come Alive.

March was the nightmare this time. I was co-organizing two events that would take place at Metropolis in April, the first being the fifth edition of Les Ecrans du Reel, a documentary film festival organized with the French Cultural Mission (April 1-10), and the second being Michelangelo Antonioni: Identification of a Filmmaker, a retrospective on the late renowned Italian filmmaker who died in 2007, in partnership with the Italian Cultural Institute and supported by the European Union.

The work was nothing short of exhausting. From the press to the visual material to the preparations, the website, the mailing and yes, even Facebook takes a roll call. Dealing with the journalists, the printing company, the avid fans, it feels like you're in a whirlwind that is pushing you a bit more until the event is there.

And when it is there, you know there's no turning back. You forget the tiredness, you forget your office work and you just hit the cinema. It's like a performer. He's someone in the studio and when performing live, he'll be someone else (But we'll talk about that later on).

So after the decor is set, the movie is ready, the people are getting their tickets. You get to greet them, ask them if what they saw the night before (because some of our beloved spectators come every night, no matter the film, and for that we thank them), ask what they're most excited to see next... This whole chat can be so heartfelt and this is what makes our work so much of a platform to talk about the films rather than being a dull place where you get to see the film and leave. And this is what makes the whole thing come Alive.

During the Ecrans du Reel I got to introduce most of the films in Arabic while Benedicte from the French Cultural Mission would do the talk in French. At first I saw myself translating what she would say. But then I thought it was more interesting to make my own presentation in Arabic rather than repeat what she's saying. So I had to research the film, the director, improve my Arabic... And that's part of the process...

And then I had to present the General Delegate of the Marseilles International Documentary Film Festival, Jean-Pierre Rehm, which I thought was a moment in itself. He's such a mastermind, kind of a film encyclopedia of sorts and I felt odd being there next to him. But then when the first words are pronounced, you let yourself go, and that's when everything gets Alive.

And so the whole thing ran smoothly. The first event is over, the second has kicked off this week (more about the Antonioni retrospective in a later post).

But comes the unexpected next. Last Friday I was off duty during the day. So I randomly met two British who were on a surprise visit to Beirut. I agreed to take them on the shortest tour ever because they were running out of time.

So we went to Harissa, with people I have never seen in my whole life, and had a supremely amazing moment. It's odd when you meet acquaintances like that and everything falls into place. I felt like I have known these persons all my life and enjoyed every second with them even though it felt in terms of real time, less than seconds. Moments like these are what make a person feel Alive.

And to conclude this post in beauty, I chose five live songs that I have been listening to a lot lately and they keep me jumping up and down and constantly excited and awake. Sometimes an artist is not that interesting in the studio. And this is why you have to see him or hear his live performances to make a proper judgment on him. Here are my choices for fine live and funky renditions:

01. So Lonely * live (by The Police) – live in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil [December 08, 2007]

02. Bouncing off Clouds * live (by Tori Amos) – live in Indianapolis, USA [November 02, 2007]

03. Reach Out for the Sunrise * live (by Duran Duran) – live in Buenos Aires, Argentina [March 12, 2003]

04. One Way or Another * live (by Blondie) – live at Glastonbury, England [June 25, 1999]

05. Just Can't Get Enough * live (by Depeche Mode) – live in Milan, Italy [February 18, 2006]

These five songs seemed like a much-needed blood injection in March/April. This version of Police's So Lonely quickly became my anti-depression anthem. The only person who's more fiery than Sting (save his personalized vocals) is the drummer. He's simply wild. The whole second part is made of win. Oh and the studio version pales in comparison!

And while we're onto poorly produced studio versions, let's talk about Tori's Bouncing off Clouds. Live, it takes a whole different dress. The drums are much funkier, the vocals powerful and the synths are much more audible. That and of course Dan Phelps' guitars kick Mac Aladdin in the butt! And that last vocal... *swooooooooons*

For Duran Duran, I should have chosen the epic Wild Boys. But who needs the Wild Boys when you can Reach out for the Sunrise. I really like this version. So melodic and groovy.

Next we head for Blondie's One Way or Another. I like how live it builds up to a climax with the drums and vocals combo race fighting for the win.

And finally, Depeche Mode's Just Can't Get Enough. Because, let's face it, neither them nor their fans can't get enough of this song. It's always great that this almost 30-year old hit still manages to capture the crowds and engage them in one of the most memorable sing along ever! And the trio seems to have a blast when performing this one too, so yeah. Just can't get enough!

2009: An Anticipated Year in Music

2009-03-03T21:30:00.003+02:00

Place: the Music Map
Mood: excited
Song: Wrong * Depeche Mode

So much in one year. My top 5 artists are all releasing an album in 2009, and those are Tori Amos, Depeche Mode, Madeleine Peyroux, Peter Gabriel and Murcof. Well technically 3 of them, since the latter two are not confirmed yet. And that makes me goddamn-frenzy! So here is a peak at what I already know. I'm also sharing some favorites from each, in case you'd like to discover my musical world.

01. Madeleine Peyroux, Bare Bones
Expected release date: March 10, 2009 through Rounder/Universal

Screw the much-publicized Norah Jones, Peyroux is just the best voice in Jazz currently. Often compared to Billie Holilday, she has a singular touch, and with each release, she has consolidated her place on the music map.

I was introduced to Madeleine Peyroux by my dear friend Oskar, very lately, in summer 2008. And since then, she won me over.

Of her three albums, my favorite remains her third one, Half the Perfect World, which showcases a very mature Peyroux covering Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell, Tom Waits and Serge Gainsbourg brilliantly. With her fourth one

My 5 picks:
From Dreamland (1996): La Vie en Rose
From Careless Love (2004): J'ai Deux Amours, This Is Heaven to Me
From Half the Perfect World (2006): Half the Perfect World, La Javanaise

Peyroux will be touring starting March 10 in support of her new release in the US and moving to Europe.
More info: http://www.madeleinepeyroux.com/

02. Depeche Mode, Sounds of the Universe
Expected release date: April 20, 2009 through Mute/EMI

Depeche Mode doesn't need to be introduced at all. They have been making massive electronic music since their debut album in 1980. And while they have had rough times and lost key members, the now-famous trio Dave Gahan (lead vocals), Martin L. Gore (guitars, vocals, songwriting) and Andrew Fletcher (keyboards), has become sort of a legend, thanks to much-acclaimed albums like Violator (1989), Songs of Faith and Devotion (1993) and even their last effort Playing the Angel (2005) which was hailed by fans and critics as well.

I am pretty much excited about this release since I have high expectations after Playing the Angel. The band is as good as ever, judging by the leading single off the new album, Wrong. I thank my longtime friend Aleksandra for once sending me the Violator CD which stayed in my CD player for ages!

My 5 picks:
From Speak and Spell (1981): Just Can't Get Enough
From Violator (1989): World in My Eyes, Enjoy the Silence
From Ultra (1997): Home
From Playing the Angel (2005): Precious

The Touring the Universe world tour will kick off in May in Europe before hitting the US in the summer.
More info: http://www.depechemode.com/

03. Tori Amos, Abnormally Attracted to Sin
Expected release date: May 19, 2009 through Universal Republic

I have been listening to Tori Amos for more than 12 years, and no wonder she's still my favorite artist since ages now. She always moves me, whether it's her songs or compositions, or her intricate playing of the grand Bosendorfer piano, the harpsichord, the hammond organ, the Wurlitzer or the clavichord. And yes, she plays them all.

Her extensive catalog though is not only limited to the piano field. Sure she has hits that are piano-centered like the much acclaimed Silent All these Years, Winter, Crucify or Cornflake Girl, but she can also hit uncharted territories and experiment with electronica on songs like Hotel, Zero Point, Datura and Mountain which I tend to prefer over her intricate piano based songs.

In any way, her lyrics are not to be forgotten. She can easily take on another character to pen a full album (Scarlet's Walk) or a song, and yet she still excels when she writes songs about herself, ranging from sexuality (Icicle) to religion (God) and onto loss (Playboy Mommy). But Amos' real asset are the live performances, and thank god she'll be touring again in 2009.

My 5 picks:
From Under the Pink (1994): Yes, Anastasia
From From the Choirgirl Hotel (1998): Spark
From To Venus & Back (1999): Spring Haze
From Scarlet's Walk (2002): Virginia
From American Doll Posse (2007): Beauty of Speed

Amos will be headlining the SXSW's festival, playing La Zona Rosa on March 19, ahead of a tour to be announced soon.
More info: http://www.toriamos.com/

04. Peter Gabriel, I/O
Expected release date: 2009

Peter Gabriel has been in the music business since, well, 1967. He was 17 at the time when he founded Genesis. 10 years later, he released his first solo album. And ever since, he hasn't stopped. Needless to say that his work is colossal. Every album of his is a journey. And we are not talking about his exceptional soundtracks.

I believe everyone knows his hit (or is it hot?) single Sledgehammer which he performs at almost every concert of his. Well if you don't, then you must know the video, which is one of MTV's most played videos ever.

But lately his albums take so much time to be produced and we have been waiting for the successor of the magical Up since 2002. Let's hope 2009 will bring the release of the much anticipated I/O.

My 5 picks:
From Peter Gabriel III: Melt (1980): No Self Control
From Peter Gabriel IV: Security (1982): The Rythm of the Heat, San Jacinto
From So (1986): Red Rain
From Up (2002): I Grieve

Peter Gabriel will be touring Latin and South America in mid March.
More info: http://www.petergabriel.com/

05. Murcof, Oceano
Expected release date: 2009 through the Leaf label

I have already presented Fernando Corona (mostly known as Murcof) and his minimalist/electronic music when I reviewed his 2007 monumental album Cosmos.

And with that said, with each of his releases, the word monumental comes to mind, and it quickly erases its predecessor and makes me wonder what is coming next. Martes was an album of pure genius. Every track had its own mark. With Remembranza a more personal work was created. And its sometimes long tracks paved way for what Cosmos would be. A monumental album.

It has been said that the follow-up to Cosmos, Oceano, would see the light in 2009, as the 2008 Versailles Sessions is to be considered a commissioned project and not a follow-up to the 2007 release. And so after having explored so majestically the darker space with tracks like Cuerpo Celeste, Cielo and Cometa, I cannot but be excited over how Murcof will explore the Realm of the Waters on Oceano.

My 5 picks:
From Martes (2002): Mes
From Remembranza (2005): Recuerdos
From Cosmos (2007): Cuerpo Celeste, Cometa
From The Versailles Sessions (2008): Lully's "Truquerie" As Interpreted by an Advanced Script

Murcof has several tour dates in March and April in Europe.
More info: http://www.murcof.com/

Touring the Universe!

2009-02-13T19:00:00.004+02:00

Place: the Universe
Mood: Floating
Song: Weird Fishes/Arpeggi * Radiohead

This is apparently my 100th post. Or so says my blogger page. I've been blogging since July 2006. It looks like it was yesterday!

And to celebrate this, I thought it would be wonderful to Tour the Universe with me. A sultry ride from our neighboring planets to the far ends of the illuminated darkness. We could straddle a comet's tail and immerse ourselves in the realm of the unknown.

And that sounds suitable since 2009 has been named the International Year of Astronomy (IYA). In 1609, which is exactly 400 years ago, Galileo has pointed his first ever telescope to record (and discover) as diverse sightings as the craters of the moon and into the core satellites of Jupiter (which are now known as the Galilean moons since he discovered them first on January 7, 1609).
In 1609, Kepler has also published his lengthy 650-page Astronomia Nova in which he tackles the "laws of planetary motions." His oeuvre is believed to be a key work in Scientific Revolution.

Now to make this ride even more enjoyable, here's a setlist that attempts to match the bedazzling spectacle that will be offered to our eyes.

01. Mercy Street (by Peter Gabriel) – from the album So [1986]
nowhere in the corridors of pale green and grey
nowhere in the suburbs in the cold light of day
there in the midst of it so alive and alone
words support like bone

We start our journey with an inviting Mercy Street. A beautiful ballad which begins with what looks like scintillating stars slowly pinpointing above our heads and persuading us to pursue them. The song in itself has a very ambient feel and has such a soothing vibe.
Mercy Street was written as a tribute to poet Anne Sexton.

02. Lully's "Turquerie" As Interpreted By An Advanced Script (by Murcof) – The Versailles Sessions [2008]

Now that we're into the dark sights of the Cosmos, what better than Murcof to lead us into the sinuous paths of the universe and the obscure gateways to the constellations. Save its name, this track is sheer genius. It's like three songs are mixed together. It start has nothing to do with its finish and the singular effect of pipes intertwining with industrial electronica is ostentatious. The Versailles Sessions is a commissioned work, and is not the follow-up to the momentous Cosmos, which will be Oceano to be released sometime in 2009.

03. Spring Haze * live (by Tori Amos) – Legs and Boots Washington, DC [2007]
and I found out where my edge is
and it bleeds into where you resist
and my only way out is to go so far in
billowing out to somewhere
billowing out luna riviera

We are halfway in our journey. And you who thought the universe is a quiet place are just wrong. It's just full of guts. And sometimes action. You could feel buoying alongside the celestial winds. Spring Haze is a song that IS full of guts and action. And it is a song meant to be played live. In this 2007 mind blowing version in which the song resurrects and takes full shape, especially in the bridge during which a marriage between the piano and the organ takes places under Tori's tireless hands. Her last note resonates so well and long enough to remind you that you are IN the cosmos.

04. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi (by Radiohead) – from the album In Rainbows [2008]
In the deepest ocean
The bottom of the sea
Your eyes
They turn me
Why should I stay here?
Why should I stay?

As you reach the core of the thousands of burning and sometimes lurid galaxies, Radiohead takes you by the hand and pushes you to feel every possible sensation in your pulsating body. Weird Fishes/Arpeggi makes you want to run endlessly and effortlessly. I feel thousands of rainbows cuddling through the twirling guitars in this song. The lusciousness of the vocals as well as the wailing backing vocals is a winning combo!

05. Confessions Nocturnes * live (by Arthur H) – Showtime [2006]

La nuit est tiède
J'aurais tellement voulu
Déposer sur tes lèvres
Un autre baiser
Mais déjà tu t'en vas
Pourquoi la vie est si belle
Oh pourquoi la vie est si belle

To end our night out, here's grand finale in French, to take us back home in sheer beauty. Pourquoi la vie est si belle... (why is life so beautiful). This ballad is majestic. Arthur's voice complements the comforting arrangements.

After our intergalactic ride, I can only wish you starry dreams!

Could Happiness Be the Fourth Dimension?

2009-02-05T20:55:00.000+02:00

Place: the solar system, a distant galaxy or simply Home

Mood: Content
Song: Thank You * Alanis Morissette

How shall I begin to describe how I' feeling lately. I'll try to put some of these thoughts into words.

But first, why don't you take a look at this photo. I saw it randomly on the Net, and thought it actually fits with my mood. Imagine the planets taking some time off and resting on some beach? Maybe the Sun can give them some well deserved vacation!

Well to be frank, I don't want a vacation. And the reason is,

I am happy

It took me so much time to discover this. Sometime in January, I had a dinner, and my friend Bechir and I were talking about all sorts of things and it suddenly hit me that I was quite pleased with my life. The fact that I came to terms with my job, with my salary, with my friends, with my family, with my very own self, everything became clear. I do not need to brag, to lament, to hope for more because I am very satisfied with what I have.

It just hit me as a convulsion. And I am assuming it completely. It's like visiting a virgin territory for the first time. And I have to say I love it. I could be sitting next to Jupiter on this sand-infested beach in a matter of seconds. I feel at ease circling around my being every time I want to leave my body and travel through space and time.

Quite coincidentally, I rediscovered the song Thank You by Alanis Morissette. It's another healer of sorts. One evening, I couldn't stop listening to it:

How bout me enjoying the moment for once
How bout how good it feels to finally forgive you
How bout grieving it all one at a time

I feel that now that I am connecting so well with my own self, the whole world would be an easy ride. Once you're at ease with your mind, your mind will make sure you're at ease with your surrounding. And so you can sing:

Thank you providence
Thank you disillusionment
Thank you nothingness
Thank you clarity

To me, that's such a beautiful version of happiness. I wonder if there's another one.
And by the way, how does your own happiness look like?

The Best of Metropolis in 2008

2009-01-13T20:05:00.004+02:00

Place: Metropolis Cinema

Mood: Thoughtful
Song: Chicago * Sufjan Stevens

You came to take us,

All things go, all things go

To recreate us,

All things go, all things go (...)

I was in love with the place

In my mind, in my mind

from Chicago by Sufjan Stevens

So some of you know that I love my job at Metropolis Cinema. And what's not to love there. We used to screen films, organize film festivals and greet people, see if they liked what they saw and what they'd love to see next. The interaction with people used to be my favorite activity, apart from the organization. But with Metropolis shutting its doors on August 28, 2008, I felt like losing a certain part from my own being. The fact that we managed to pull one of our strongest events to date a month after the fatal closing, in another location (The Directors' Fortnight retrospective, September 2008) has led me to believe that closing a theater would not necessarily mean putting an end to what we've loved to do for three years.

But things are not as easy as they might sound like, and the future is all but certain. And while I want to be optimistic as to what it might bring to Metropolis, I'd like to recount some of our strongest moments in 2008. The small team of Metropolis has managed to present a selection of events with acclaimed partners:

- the prestigious French publication Les Cahiers du Cinema for a film week selected by its editor-in-chief Jean-Michel Frodon who came to present it himself - March 2008

- a rerun of Cannes' 47th Critics' Week (La Semaine de la Critique) with the presence of its artistic director Jean-Christophe Berjon, its general manager Rémi Bonhomme, the German-Iranian filmmaker Emily Atef and the French actress Anaïs Demoustier - July 2008

- a retrospective of Cannes' Directors Fortnight (La Quinzaine des Réalisateurs) in the presence of its general manager Christophe Leparc and the Egyptian director Toufic Saleh - September 2008

As to the films, a wide range of movies have been screened, from the celebrated 2007 award winners The Edge of Heaven by Fatih Akin and 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days by Cristian Mungiu to the newest gems of established filmmakers Hou Hsiao Hsien (The Flight of the Red Balloon) and Alexander Sokurov (Alexandra). Some Arab films have been also screened in Metropolis notably Danielle Arbid's A Lost Man and Toufic Saleh's The Dupes.

Finally, one cannot but mention the ciné-concert in November that saw Rami and Bachar Khalife recreate a soundtrack for Murneau's 1929 classic Faust.

I would like to thank everyone at Metropolis for having made all of these cinematic moments happen in the first place, notably Hania, Sarra, Ali, Zeina, Rémi, Tania, Ghassan, Beirut DC, and all those who contributed in a way or another, to bring these events to life.

And while I'm anxiously awaiting for what 2009 might bring, here's a closer look at what I believe have been the finest film moments of 2008 at Metropolis Cinema:

01
Japon [Japan]
by Carlos Reygadas - Mexico, 2002
(Directors' Fortnight Retrospective, September 2008)

02
Alexandra
by Alexander Sokourov - Russia, 2007
(Cahiers du Cinéma Film Week, March 2008)

03
4 Luni, 3 Saptamini, si 2 zile [4 Months, 3 Weeks, 2 Days]
by Cristian Mungiu - Romania, 2007
(Cahiers du Cinéma Film Week, March 2008)

04
The Edge of Heaven
by Fatih Akin - Turkey, 2007
(Film Release, May 2008)

05
Shorts:
(47th Critics' Week Rerun, July 2008)

Skhizein
by Jérémy Clapin - France, 2008

Ergo
by Géza M. Toth - Hungary, 2008

Next Floor
by Denis Villeneuve - Canada, 2008

06
Mies Vailla Menneisyytt [The Man Without a Past]
by Aki Kaurismaki - Finland, 2002
(Cahiers du Cinéma Film Week, March 2008)

07
Be With Me
by Eric Khoo - Singapore, 2005
(Directors' Fortnight Retrospective, September 2008)

08
Das Fremde in Mir [The Stranger in Me]
by Emile Atef - Germany, 2008
(47th Critics' Week Rerun, July 2008)

09
Al Makhdu'un [The Dupes]
by Tawfik Saleh - Syria, 1972
(Directors' Fortnight Retrospective, September 2008)

10
Better Things
by Duane Hopkins - UK, 2008
(47th Critics' Week Rerun, July 2008)

2008 in Films

2009-01-05T21:11:00.026+02:00

And my 10 favorite films of 2008 are the following:

Three Monkeys (Uc Maymun)
by Nuri Bilge Ceylan – Turkey

Because Nuri Bilge Ceylan managed to make the unimaginable happen: topple his previous opuses "Uzak" and "Iklimler". His directing at its best.

Delta
by Kornél Mundruczó –

Hungary

Because the shooting location meets the image meets the soundtrack meets the leading young actress are all made of win. Utterly beautiful.

There Will Be Blood
by Paul Thomas Anderson – USA

Because a film like this one redefines the concept of 'classic'. Daniel Day Lewis stands out.

Wall-E
by Andrew Stanton - USA

Because it pierces your heart, no matter your age. And who wouldn't want to have Wall-E around him for a day or two? A new beginning for Pixar!

Gomorra / Gomorrah
by Matteo Garone – Italy

Because this was one the gems of what many saw as Italy's cinema year par excellence. Keeps you holding your breath until the denouement of each of its five Mafia stories.

The Class (Entre les Murs)
by Laurent Cantet – France

Because Cantet brought back the light to the long forgotten French Cinema. I'll quote the New York Times: "Mr. Cantet (...) has done that rarest of things in movies about children: He has allowed them to talk."

Waltz with Bashir / Valse avec Bachir
by Ari Folman –

Israel

Because Folman pushed the boundaries of animation and redefined the genre by tackling it in documentary style to relive what he saw during the Israeli invasion to Lebanon in 1982. The opening sequence is a killer.

PA RA DA
by Marco Pontecorvo – Italy/France/Romania

Because real life and fiction can perfectly coexist in a film. A very touching tale on the street children of Bucharest.

Tulpan
by Sergey Dvortsevoy – Kazakhstan

Because I still believe that every once in a while, you'll get amazing surprises like this little gem. Heartfelt performances in the Kazakh steppe!

Eye of the Sun (Ein Shams)
by Ibrahim El Batout –

Egypt

Because you can feel when a director makes a film with his heart with as little means as possible. In terms of sincerity, the result cannot even compare to any multi-million Egyptian film in the recent couple of years. And you cannot but fall for the striking Shams.

Special Mention:

The One Man Village (Semaan Bel Day'a)
by Simon El Habre – Lebanon

Because you don't have to be a renowned filmmaker to make a personal story look universal through its striking image. And because such a striking image will make you a renowned filmmaker quite quickly.

"Vehemently Heinous"

2009-01-03T15:56:00.001+02:00

Place: Dark Matter
Mood: Angry
Song: Enjoy the Silence * Depeche Mode

Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm
from Enjoy the Silence by Depeche Mode

I know it's not very healthy to have my first post of 2009 as angry, but I find writing to be very healing. I dedicate Vehemently Heinous to every possible cunt who tried to make my 2008 miserable. Well, first, these so-called humans are less numerous than the number of fingers you have in a single hand. And second, needless to inform you that you failed lamentably.

But anyway, let me tell you something, if you're not up to what you write, don't write it, you'd only make a fool of yourself. Otherwise, and as the song says, Enjoy the Silence!

Vehemently Heinous

Stupid
Among other things you said
Would you sound any sweeter
If I were Dead

I heard you chanting your antinational anthem
Next to your fire of words
That you have just fed

But I was told it was too cluttered
And as the electrified flames sputtered
It chopped your body to shreds

I never knew you were so good at missiles
But when you shoot in another direction
Only you would morph blood-red

You might want to think it over
Before your bury yourself
In your own bed

Time is between us
And, who knows,
You might always be ahead

But in case you still think you’re Cupid
Just take those damn oranges with you
And wander instead

Because those who claim intelligence
Are still unwelcome
Even in the realm of the Dead

According the the scientific David Darling encyclopedia, www.daviddarling.info, Dark Matter is:

"matter that can't be detected directly, but whose existence can be inferred on the basis of how objects we can see move."

And I firmly believe that Dark Matter is not only found in space, but in some vile humans too.

Happy 2009!

2008-12-30T16:43:00.011+02:00

How do I feel by the end of the day,
(Are you sad because you're on your own?)

No, I get by with a little help from my friends
Mm, I get high with a little help from my friends
Mm, gonna try with a little help from my friends

With a Little Help from My Friends * The Beatles

Beautiful people, 2008 wouldn't have been the same with you :)

I would like to take the time to thank each and everyone of you for being here with me, hoping I was and will be with you whenever you need.
Oh and, keep on smiling! (at least most of you!)

I'd like to thank in particular:

My lifelong orbiting satellites:
Bechir, Maya, Mira, Sarra and Tania

My always shining stars:
Aleksandra, Oskar, Rami and Sylvain

My superfunky satellites:
Chadi, Joyce, Nadine, Pauline, Roy and Yuri
Dana,
Juliana,
Mo,
Sandra,
Sandro.

My 2008 exoplanets:
Cesar, Ian, Loig, Nathan, Grétar.

The circle of fantastic out-there creatures:
Elias and Tony,
Manuel,
Maya and Stephanie.

My wonderful constellation peers
Hania,
Eliane, Elie, Jad, Rima, Simon, Zeina,
Ali,
Aude and Menem.

In 2009 I'd like to be
As adventurous as Joyce and Roy
As ambitious as Hania
As amusing as Manuel
As brilliant as Rami
As clever as Nathan
As colorful as Nadine
As complete as Mira
As creative as Ali
As crispy as Sarra
As cultivated as Grètar
As daring as Sylvain
As enchanting as Rima
As enthusiastic as Chadi
As funkylicious as Dana
As generous as Elias and Tony
As gracious as Mo
As honest as Cesar
As indispensable as Aude
As intelligent as Menem
As in love as Yuri and Pauline
As knowledgeable as Sandro
As lively as Aleksandra
As obliging as Zeina
As perseverant as Sandra
As present as Jad
As principled as Juliana
As smile-infectious as Maya M and Stephanie
As structured as Simon
As supportive as Tania
As thoughtful as Ian
As tranquil as Elie
As trustworthy as Oskar
As unconventional as Maya K
As unique as Loig
As visionary as Eliane
As vital as Bechir

My DIFF Ratings

2008-12-16T11:47:00.015+02:00

I saw only 8 films at the Dubai International Film Festival, that's because I only came for the weekend. But out of these , 3 of them had children in the leading roles, and most of them are none professional actors. Sometimes they are far more impressive than affirmed ones.

Here are my ratings:

PA RA DA
Feature film by Marco Pontecorvo
Italy/France/Romania - 2008 - 100'
My Rating: 4 stars and a half
Pro: I can't believe how much I enjoyed the film. I did not know what to expect and I did not even know anything about the filmmaker, save the fact that he's the son of renowned director Gillo Pontecorvo (director of the 1966 The Battle of Algiers). It's about a French citizen who comes to Bucharest post 1990 and helps children of the street by installing a circus. Poignant and charming
Con: I could have done without the very end of the ending, but I can see why it's important to the film.

The Class (Entre les Murs)
Feature film by Laurent Cantet
France - 2008 - 128'
My Rating: 4 stars and a half
Pro: a genuine French film. I can't remember when was the last good French film that I saw lately. The cast is surprisingly good. I expected it to be a bit more violent but it's just perfect as it is. Teachers should watch this!
Con: -

Pranzo di Ferragosto
Feature film by Gianni Di Gregorio
Italy - 2008 - 80'
My Rating: 3 stars and a half
Pro: Italy has made wonderful films in 2008, including the much acclaimed Cannes winners Gomorra and Il Divo. I had no expectation for this comedy, but it turned out just fine. The scriptwriter and director is also the leading actor who's entertaining four irascible and annoying old women.
Con: sometimes it's a bit easy, and falls into the clichés.

Three Women (Se Zan)
Feature film by Manijeh Hekmat
Iran - 2008 - 94'
My Rating: 3 stars and a half
Pro: The script is brilliantly constructed. It reminded me of The Edge of Heaven by Fatih Akin. Iranians films are always a pleasure for the eye. The leading actress is made of win.
Con: I'd say the problem of generations and having three women portray it was developed so much already.

Days of Boredom (Ayyam El Dajar)
Feature film by Abdellatif Abdulhamid
Syria - 2008 - 93'
My Rating: 3 stars
Pro: Very enjoyable. It runs smoothly.
Con: Just as other films by Abdulhamid, it's not bad, but it's not exceptional either. The jokes are sometimes a bit too much.

China Is Still Far (Wa Law Fil Sin)
Documentary feature by Malek Bensmail
Algeria/France - 2008 - 118'
My Rating: 3 stars
Pro: another trademark documentary for Bensmail. Although not of the caliber of his 2004 Alienations, it was thoroughly enjoyable. The children add a lot to the general vibe of the film.
Con: a bit too long, could have been a lot shorter.

Dawn of the World (Fajr Al Alam)
Feature film by Abbas Fadhel
Iraq/France - 2008 - 100'
My Rating: 1 star
Pro: beautiful image. It reminded me of the Hungarian film Delta which was screened during the 2008 Cannes Festival.
Con: well, I couldn't see anything except the image. I was bored, the acting was extremely theatrical and, well I was bored.

Pomegranates and Myrrh (Al Mor Wal Ruman)
Feature film by Najwa Najjar
Palestine - 2008 - 95'
My Rating: 1 star
Pro: I don't know.
Con: I had high expectations for this one. And yet I didn't know what to think of it. I was too disappointed. It went in the same vein as Annemarie Jacir's Salt of this Sea. Several clichés and the film does not improve at all. The music was too much .

Dubai: to Be or not to Be?

2008-12-16T10:11:00.024+02:00

Place: Dubai
Mood: Confused
Song: The World Is Not Enough * Garbage

"If you can't have it all
Then nobody will"
from The World Is Not Enough by Garbage

If you can't have it all, then nobody will. That sets the tone perfectly for Dubai.

So I went to Dubai. Finally. And dare I say I wish I had not. It's the perfect place not to live in. If I want to describe Dubai in one adjective, it would be counterfeit, better known in slang as FAKE. Huge skyscrapers that galvanize everyday life and change the course of Dubai not on a yearly basis, but rather on a daily one. These abhorrent buildings are not even assembled geometrically to create some sort of harmony is this fricticious environment. Buildings, buildings and more buildings. And there's no such thing as this building is pretty because every damn building in Dubai is pretty. So it's nauseating at the end.

Now the Taxi, which is a chapter by itself. Save the fact that the drivers do not speak English (being mostly Indians or Pakistanis), they do not even KNOW Dubai! And yet they have GPS in their cars, but of course, they have no idea as to how to use it. So needless to say, they know where Dubai Marina is, but they have no single clue about what's in it, and where.

I went to Dubai for the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF) which was running in its fifth edition. If you can replace the above text with the words stars, red carpet, glamor, you'll get a close idea at how counterfeit the festival is. While everything is perfectly organized, it can be ruined by a computer dysfunction that can turn the whole accreditation office upside down on the opening night. Better, the volunteers. Do they know in Dubai what the term "Volunteer" means? I believe I know more things on the festival than these guys who. Ask them any lame question and they would disappear for five good minutes before they answer you 'I don't know, sorry'.

The films that I got to see will be blogged in a separate entry.

And now to the photos, which speak by themselves.

01. The Festival

With Zeina, a pillar of both Dubai Film Festival and the Cinema Days of Beirut. She looks like she's not tired at all ;)

The red carpet of the Madinat Theater. I bet this is DIFF's most important feature.

Why would Najwa Karam attend the gala screening of Pomegranates and Myrrh? No the real question should be, why would the festival invite Najwa Karam in the first place! What does she have to do with cinema?

A fun performance from PA RA DA after the screening of the eponym film. It was apparently a premiere to have a circus inside Madinat Jumeira!

02. The People

We kept looking at this man who had both of his feet ON the couch of a restaurant. And he's clearly a foreigner. I wonder if he'd like to have my feet on his bedroom sheets.

At the same restaurant, Nathan and I order a revolting sandwich. For the first time ever I think, I have a sandwich that doesn't taste anything at all.

It was Nathan's marvellous idea to bring us to mOre restaurant so that I could have a succulent Paella! (The smile was before I ate the enormous plate, as it was impossible to smile afterwards)

03. The Buildings

Burj Al Arab... during the day...

... and at night, sporting one of its numerous evening gowns, as it changes colors much more than I change shoes in a year!

What I saw from my friends' apartment. I have no idea what to think about this mess. So I'll let you make your mind.

So Dubai will be soon having its metro. And apparently you need a cab to go there as the stations are not near everyone's house, and another to leave it since one cannot walk during the day for the most part of the year. So what's the point of having a metro in Dubai exactly, especially since posh cars are cheap?

Dubai Marina bay. I am just an ornament to the picture. The skyscrapers are the real thing. Or maybe is it the opposite?

04. Some random sightings

Mall of the Emirates 1: Yeah -3 degrees at the Mall of the Emirates, so that some locals could enjoy and equally local snow. And the Christmas spirit, because they need it!

Mall of the Emirates 2: A Mosque in a mall? A MOSQUE? So you have the Mosque, the restrooms and the taxi pickups. Fair enough!

Mall of the Emirates 3: Why would you have countless Christmas trees if you don't even celebrate Christmas!!

So Rami explains that the Indians are the ones who write the names of the buildings in Arabic. The Views in Arabic becomes The View. Go figure.

If I Walk to Berlin...

2008-12-06T10:54:00.036+02:00

Place: Berlin
Mood: Less-than-cold
Song: Winter * Tori Amos

Berlin is such an amazing city. Screw the cold, screw the wind, just go. I'm always amazed at how easy and practical this city is, and how cheap it is compared to other cities like Paris or Barcelona.

So screw these, and go to Berlin, if you have the chance.

Now with the cold, it would be a more memorable experience, but I am told it is equally as beautiful all dressed in green in the summer instead of white.

My visits to Berlin are always so short, but here's hoping that the next one will be much, much longer. Here are some photos that document my latest visit. I would like to thank my dear friends Martin, Rami, Nathan, and Oskar in Berlin for being the fantastic persons that they are and being so generous with me.

Beirut, from the airplane...

... And inside the cockpit where my uncle (left) was wonderful enough to let me watch the take off from Beirut and the landing in Paris

How to enjoy your German Würstchen: Step one: Eat it with your eyes...

Step two: Launch the scathing attack!

Step three: Refresh with some hot chocolate or Glühwein!

A giraffe in the coldness of Potsdamerplatz.
That's not a dream, just the imagination of Lego!

I don't think I look any better than the giraffe. My eyes are torn out, my nose is icy and my lips are electrified. I wish I were made out of Lego too!

Nathan and Rami can't believe that they would be finally eating (yeah that and I would have a massage in this restaurant!)

The ladies are practicing the My-Love Game, that was created especially for them by Oskar and myself

Did I mention that we eat a lot in Berlin? Well, that was the American Brunch. Sausages, fruits, cheese, yogurt, jam, vegetables, toasted bread, orange juice and a gazillion other things!!! Long live walking!

Choose your dessert: a dreamy raspberry cheesecake or...

... an equally delicious forêt noire?

And speaking of sweets, this is the Brandenburg Tower... in chocolate!

Presenting the award for the silliest photo of 2008, and maybe of the century

At Alexanderplatz. Because what I needed at the moment was a fresh vibe from Beirut...

With one of the famous street bears of Berlin

Last Spring, it was there. Now it, well, disappeared.

Finally some gifts to you from Viktor and Rolf. And yes, she does that all day long. And the tourists love her!

As to the music that goes with the Berlin trip, here's what I bought and listened to there:

01. Adieu Tristesse (by Arthur H.) – from the album Adieu Tristesse [2003]

Adieu, Adieu
Adieu, adieu tristesse
Adieu les larmes, adieu la nuit

So I finally bought Adieu Tristesse. And I love it. And the title says it all: Goodbye Sadness. What a great way to trash sadness out and smile again in beautiful Berlin!

02. J'ai Deux Amours (by Madeleine Peyroux) – from the album Careless Love [2004]

J'ai deux amours
Mon pays et Paris
Par eux toujours
Mon cœur est ravi

We'll just have to replace Paris by Berlin, and this wonderful song will make perfect sense!

03. Winter – live (by Tori Amos) – Disc one - from the album Live in Montreux [2008]

When you gonna make up your mind
Cause things are gonna change so fast
All the white horses have gone ahead
I tell you that I'll always want you near
You say that things change
My dear

I finally rediscovered Winter. And I forgot how beautiful this song was thanks to this very early rendition. Of course, it was not agonizing like the 11 minutes that it has reached lately. Just passionate, and perfect for cold Berlin!

04. True Love Waits – live (by Radiohead) – from the album I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings [2001]

Just don't leave
Don't leave
I'm not living
I'm just killing time

And so I have to leave... Only to come back again :)

Ayam Beirut Al Cinema'iya

2008-10-12T15:15:00.018+03:00

Some films to be seen during Ayam Beirut Al Cinema'iya (17 - 26 October 2008)

Tears for Gala

2008-10-04T18:40:00.009+03:00

Place: any exoplanetary system
Mood: Fainting
Song: Cooling * Tori Amos

But I always liked a good storm
I'm always good for a storm

This is cooling
Faster than I can
Hey yes, faster than I can
Hey, this is cooling
This is cooling

What do you do when, out of nowhere, you burst into tears at the office?

I never thought about an answer to that question, save the fact that I barely imagined I’ll ever be faced to that inquiry.

But this week, at the worst timing ever, it did happen.

My dear friend Oskar has always told me if I continue with the way I am working every night until midnight with no weekends off, I’ll eventually explode. And while I refused to admit it, I knew he was somehow saying the truth.

We are currently working on this huge festival of ours, and I am giving it my all. It’s the fifth edition of our Arab Film Festival Ayam Beirut Al Cinema’iya (The Cinema Days of Beirut) which will take place between the 17^th and the 26^th of October 2008. It’s very exciting.

But the amount of pressure is very high. I am dealing with 65 films. Catalogue, press, film traffic, website, program, guests… Even if each of us at the company is putting his heart in the process to ensure its success, I feel that I am dealing with pretty much everyone and so I have to know about every single that is happening in every corner so that I won’t miss out on anything.

And that is making us all stay at the office until very late hours.

Yet my physical pain is not due to this festival but to the fact that since August 11, that’s when my vacations were over, I felt like I was on a train that has no stops. Because in September we had another very successful festival, and so I did not have time to rest ever since then.

And now onto Thursday morning.

I slept at 2:00 AM as every night only to wake up to an enormous uproar coming from the roof of the building at 7:30 AM. I instantly got up there only to know that we have a major issue with the water that has flooded onto the upper floors of the surrounding buildings. As parents were in the mountains, I had to secure everything to stop the flooding and hence cease the flow of the water at home. I had the lamest shower and then headed to the office.

There, no time to breath or raise your finger to ask questions. Chop chop chop, work work work. I had a doctor’s appointment to help me figure out what the hell are those tiny red speckles that have been covering my face since Tuesday. So I left the office at 7:00 PM and went to check my dermatologist. Problems in my face have been a nightmare to me since January, and I have been following several treatments. But this one was very serious as he explained to me. He gave another dosage of antibiotics and gels, a very nice bill and I dashed away. This was the very last thing I was expecting. But it’s my own health, and I cannot mess with it.

Onto the parking, where my car’s engine refused to work. One time, two times, three times and still nothing. So I left my car at the parking and decided to walk to the office.

With this 10 minute walk, I thought about a gazillion of things. And when I arrived to the office, I didn’t even look around. I sat on my desk and the tears started flowing. I barely had the time to hide my face with a tissue, but my boss had instantly noticed. I left the room only to discover that the whole office was present, at 8:30 PM.

I have never been as confused as I was in this moment. I felt I was a star around which were evolving several planets (and that’s not in a good way). Everyone being supportive and all came to me to see what went wrong, and eventually I had this long talk with my boss.

As such a time, I even forgot why I cried. The only thing that mattered was how to deal with it and make it look away, for ever.

I told her it’s not about pressure at the office, but rather pressure in my life. Maybe I’m just too tired.

To deal with that, I bought me a beautiful flower the next morning, after healing my car and my face in their respective pharmacies. I decided to call it Gala, the flower of reborn. I hope She will not fade out. Otherwise I think I would be doomed, for the moment.

Presenting Gala and her different moods (which could be my moods as well...)