| BOLD GREEN, 28min., Germany, Romance/Drama Directed by Selon Fischer Alja just finished school and wants to be an astronaut, despite her fear of heights. Together with her best friend Konrad, who is suffering from multiple sclerosis, she trains to achieve her goal. CLICK HERE – and see full info and more pics of the film! |
Submit your Screenplay to the Festival TODAY
First thing noticeable is that there a lot of Sorbos involved in the making of this Christian movie. First and foremost, Kevin Sorbo stars (as Saul Hannity) and directs. His wife, Sam Sorbo co-writes and produces while their sons Braeden and Shane join in the acting cast (terrible though they are) playing Saul’s two sons.. The plot follows an atheist, Saul (Kevin Sorbo) who goes through a near-death experience in an auto accident and converts to Christianity.
Despite the film’s flaws, there are a good moments. The tenderness the couple go through in the time of Saul’s crisis is believable and touching. There are also a few genuine funny moments like the running joke of the doorman who lets anyone up to Saul’s apartment.
The script contains references like to Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew, though the referenced is explained, director Sorbo probably not believing that his audience is literate enough to get it. The naming of the main character as Saul is also biblical, the apostle Paul initially called Saul before his conversion to Christianity.
Another pleasure might be noting all the times the film gets manipulative – which is a whole lot. The best example can be seen in the scene where Saul is just recovering in the hospital, pushed in a wheelchair while he asked his ex-wife, Kate (Sam Sorbo) to carry his jacket. Her reply: “I am through carrying your baggage.” There is no need for him to ask her to carry his jacket as it is laid on his lap but he asks Kate to do so for that one-liner to be made. Dionne Warwick’s performance at the wedding reception is a neat surprise.
The character of Saul’s agent, Norm (Daniel Roebuck) wears a bow tie and is portrayed as a straight person (he requests Saul in one one scene for his mistress’s sister or cousin introductions) though it is clear he is a closeted gay, from his mannerisms. Homosexuality is always a no-no, so this portrayal is odd.
Saul’s conversion is difficult to take in, in the film’s key scene – maybe not so for believers but for non-believers. But there is a test of faith segment in the film’s last 20 minutes that should keep Christians happy and faith enhanced. Non-believers might shrug unless they love tearjerkers.
To Sorbo’s credit, his direction is effective and suits the film’s purpose. The conversion scene is a problem, so Sorby quickly moves the next scene to Saul’s baptism.
The film goes right downhill from this point. Christian believers might well be the only ones that will not complain. The film’s high point is the start when Sorbu’s Saul puts down Christianity and hails atheism. Worst is the romantic element pushed to the limit with Saul and his ex-wife Kate romancing again.
Why is the film called LET THERE BE LIGHT? Besides Davey’s words to Saul during his death moment, the other reason is the shameless spiritual promotion (a phone app?) of Christianity.
Submit your Screenplay to the Festival TODAY
There are two categories of chick-flick romantic comedies – those made by female directors and those made by male directors. The former category usually sees everything from the feminine perspective while glorifying the female while more often than not, debasing the male counterpart.
PERMISSION, the new romantic comedy debut by writer/director Brian Crano belongs to the second category. Like most films in this category the male filmmaker usually also takes the side of the female, giving them enough respect so as not to offend them. In PERMISSION, the female is clearly the more mature and intelligent of the couple. Since the film is written by a male, males cannot complain that this is a feminist film.
The film begins with a really short sex scene between the two leads. Anna (Rebecca Hall) and Will (Dan Stevens) are very much in love and have great (if not, too short) sex. Will intends to propose to Anna at her birthday celebrations at a bar with her brother, Hale (David Joseph Craig) and current male lover, Reece (Morgan Spector). But that is impeded by the suggestion of Reece and Hale to have Anna “test date” other men before she ultimately settles down. This results in the relationship turning open, meaning that Will can try other girls too.
The couple faces the obvious problems that result in an accepted open relationship though the film and the couple insist that dating others does not constitute an open relationship. My question to them is then: What then is an open relationship? The problems include jealousy number one followed by number two, the craving for wanting for sex with strangers. But the biggest danger of all is the probability that the stranger might be the better one to marry. These are two human feelings that cannot be removed, and unless a couple can deal with these two issues, an open relationship or a closed relationship with allowance for multiple sex partners should not ever be considered. Anna and Will together believe that their love for each other can conquer all. So the rest of the film goes on to see whether love can.
Writer/director Crano’s film runs into many problems. For one, the main premise of the couple is compromised by the introduction of Anna’s brother’s gay relationship. Worst still, Crano inserts a problem into the gay couple’s relationship – the adoption of a child. This distraction is boring and does not contribute to the main story at hand. The four characters are all too nice and likeable. The film would be more interesting if any one would be a complete asshole or one to be totally at fault. Some of the humour makes no sense at all, as in Will spitting into his lover, Lydia (Gina Gershon) mouth, while high and having sex.
One good insight the film provides is that it shows the hurt the people go through as a result of such an experiment. The film also surprisingly is almost saved by its ending.
Submit your Screenplay to the Festival TODAY
Tomohiro Maekawa (based on the play by),Kiyoshi Kurosawa (screenplay) | 1 more credit »
Before watching BEFORE WE VANISH or reading this review of BEFORE WE VANISH, it is best that a bit of background be known of the film’s director, Kiyoshi Kurosawa.
Kiyoshi Kurosawa is better known in North America as an art-house horror director with films like CURE and PULSE both of which I have seen but have not praised. His best film to date is PENANCE, made for Japanese TV but screened here at the Toronto International Film Festival and also played at Cannes which won Kurosawa the Best Director Award in the Un Certain Regard Section at Cannes. Korosawa’s latest, BEFORE WE VANISH (Sanpo suru shinryakusha), is a sci-fi thriller that also serves as a story about the redemptive power of love, played at Cannes 2017 in the Un Certain Regard sidebar. Not his best film, but interesting, nevertheless. It should be noted that the film is based on the play by Tomoshiro Maekawa, and co-written with Sachiko Tanaka.
There are strange goings-on in an otherwise ordinary Japanese town. While investigating a gruesome murder, journalist Sakurai (Hiroki Hasegawa) meets two aliens (Yuri Tsunematsu and Mahiro Takasugi) who have taken up residence in human hosts. Preparing for a takeover of the planet, the aliens are not only snatching bodies, but also robbing humans of values (family,
work, good, evil, etc.), leaving only hollow shells, all but unrecognizable to their loved ones. Meanwhile a third alien has taken over a man named Shinji Ryuhei Matsuda). After disappearing for several days, Shinji reappears, acting nothing like his former self. His marriage to Narumi had been on the rocks. But Shinji seems kinder now. As chaos ensues, Sakurai and
Narumi each must make a decision. Narumi’s, in particular, is heartbreaking.
Interesting though the premise might seem, bringing down an alien invasion down to the personal level, the film has major problems, primarily in the credibility of its story. The invasion is supposed to take place, masterminded by just three aliens who have taken over human bodies. Two of them need to find the third, Shinji for success. The conception idea is a good one, when aliens absorb a human concept from a human. But the film’s climax is silly and gets worse when the film concludes to a period of two years after the conclusion, when reverse conception takes place. The film runs into even more problems when Kurosawa brings in human values to save the world. Kusrosawa turns too preachy as well with a sermon on love: “Love never records wrongs; love never gets angry… etc.”
As talented as Kurosawa is and as good as his best films are, BEFORE WE VANISH is a major disappointment. Silly even from the very start from the way aliens inhabits bodies or captures conception, the premise might have succeeded in an artsy play, as is the source material, but moviegoers expect certain rules to be followed in a sci-fi alien invasion thriller.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8UctjMoo8o
Submit your Screenplay to the Festival TODAY
Niall Leonard (screenplay by), E.L. James (based on the novel by)
FIFTY SHADES FREED is the third film of the FIFTY SHADES franchise with the first two FIFTY SHADES OF GREY and FIFTY SHADES DARKER winning raspberry awards for worst film and worst acting for its actors. FIFTY SHADES is likely the worst reviewed film franchise ever though the films have been Universal tons of cash.
The film clearly aims at a female audience. Imagine the fantasy – Marriage to a wealthy husband with the perfect body, romantic wedding vows, a glamorous lifestyle and most of all, great sexy with S&M thrown in for good measure.
FIFTY SHADES FREED opens with what looks like the perfect wedding. It is the marriage of Ana (Dakota Fanning) and billionaire Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan). But the matrimonial noon is tested when Ana insists on ‘not being Mrs. Grey’. She insists on keeping her maiden name, her job and dispenses with a wife’s household duties. All this results in sexual punishment dished out by her husband. Ana loves it and keeps going on till she eventually gets pregnant because she missed her shots. The marriage is on the rocks. The plot also invokes Ana’s ex-boss, Jack Hyde (Eric Johnson) stalking her and wanting to punish her for what she has done to him, which is explained later on in the film. That is pretty much the film. Sex, sex, sex, get Ana’s stalker and would-be killer then the end.
FREED can stand on its own with audiences unfamiliar with the stories of the other two films. Ana met Grey in the first film engaging in S&M sex. The second film shows her being promised marriage by Grey while having trouble at work with her boss who turns up as the villain in FREED.
The sexual scenes are interesting but goes boring really quickly despite the two perfect bodies of the actors. For what the script provides, Dakota Fanning does quite a good job at her performance, making the audience care for her despite her gong against all the hubby’s wishes. Marcia Gay Harden has a small role as Christian’s adoptive mother, but her role is simply awful, involving her to hug the gorgeous Christian at one point in the film. She looks as if she got a sexual turn on in the film when she holds on to him.
A few things that Universal Pictures got right with this sequel. The budget is kept the same as the second film at $55 million with a shorter running length. It is clear that the movie should still make money though expectedly less that the $580 million for the first and $300 million for the second. At the film’s promo screening, one self touted critic remarked loudly that the film is shit and the editing is shit. It is easy to condemn a film without giving clear examples. The editing is actually half decent, especially the S&M scenes, keeping it fairly decent considering the film’s content. Th car chases are also well cut with ok continuity.
Having not seen the first two films, I actually enjoyed the tackiness of the film’s first 20 minutes, to see how much rubbish the audience can take in. But tackiness or not, the film keeps repeating itself (example: the story’s silly excuses for Ana’s behaviour to keep getting sexually punished.) The S&M are not really imaginative. I am are everyone has seen a vibrating, dildos or handcuffs. The film then resorts to ice-cream being slid on the naked bodies. In Mike Leigh’s LIFE IS SWEET for example, he had a sexual bathroom scene with his two actors covered in chocolate. The film is noticeably drug free. I am not advocating drug use, but this really stretches the film’s credibility.
James Foley takes over the director’s reins. Foley has directed decent films in the past, the most notable being Mamet’s GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS. FIFTY SHADES FREED is obviously not one of them. Foley goes for empty glossiness. Though the film has a slick look, there is no substance and the polished exterior fades fast.
Submit your Screenplay to the Festival TODAY
POOP TALK or in other words, SHIT TALK is a comedy doc that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year that luckily got picked up for distribution. It is an hour and a quarter documentary about shit, if one can take it. At least the doc takes a humorous look at it, as seen primarily from the point of view from a wide selection of stand-up comedians. “If I had one wish only from a genie, it would be that I would never have to shit,” jokes one comic at the film’s introduction. A few shit experts (Dr. Joel Brown and Dr. John Vainder as themselves) also have their say, if that means anything. The film aims at giving an inside look at all things poop — from uncensored, embarrassing moments to scientific explanations recounted by 50 experts and comedians
Most of the comedians are not too famous, that majority of them unheard of, though that does not mean that they are not funny. The one appearing most might be familiar with would be Kumail Nanjiani who also starred in his recent hit romantic comedy THE BIG SICK.
If the film is about to run short of material and begins to drag, director Feldman is quick enough to insert segments from the comics about poop that will guarantee at least a laugh or two.
Among the film’s funnier stand-up comic moments are the ones in which a female describes how she flooded the toilet and her friend’s bathroom ending up with her poop splashing on her mother’s face and the other where a dwarf comedian describes his experience pooping in a public toilet with the lights shut off.
Ironically, I am writing this review in Cuba when my partner is having traveller’s diarrhoea. He has had the runs at least 5 times in the last half hour last evening, and has to be taken to the hospital. But this is another story. Another poop story.
Do not expect major insights, even on poop from this doc. Feldman offers doses about poop in Africa, Russia and a few other foreign countries. Mildly funny, at best!
The film also talk about different types of toilets like the squat toilets, especially in India. All Pakistani bathrooms for example, there are washers for washing poop. There a lot of funny stories about shit in other countries, but India has the funniest ones.
The most public place one has pooped in? there is a segment in the film about this. At the beach? In the sea?
The psychology of shit? The film has comedians talk about not shitting in public. And the best is shitting on cocaine. Those in the know, know how much smellier poop can smell after snorting a line.
The most disgusting (or funny) is King kong Bundy the wrestler , 6 foot foot five 400 pounds tang a shit.
For all that is worth, POOP TALK does its best on the topic, despite the subject’s limitations. Sadly though, this is not enough of a full length documentary. The film also lacks a solid climax. POOP TALK is an ok small movie, maybe to watch on the small screen, unless one want to spend extra bucks for shit.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pBWbjxVEoI
Read 18 testimonials this month given by award winning filmmakers and screenwriters. How this submission platform has helped out their career and work:
11 Filmmaker Testimonials:
Interview with directors Natalie Neagle & Sally Samad (TOO SOON?)
Interview with directors Natalie Neagle & Sally Samad (TOO SOON?)
It’s a fast and easy way to enter international film festivals and we only have positive feedback for, and experiences with, FilmFreeway.
Interview with director Gonzalo Cotelo (MAMMA)
Interview with director Gonzalo Cotelo (MAMMA)
It is indeed very useful, particularly now with the number of films being made and film festivals being held everywhere across the world. The structure and layout of the website simplifies the whole process.
Interview with director Jelle Bleyenbergh (THE FLOW)
https://matthewtoffolo.com/2018/02/04/interview-with-director-jelle-bleyenbergh-the-flow/
It’s such a handy platform, with an easy search function and a clear overview of your film details. I can’t think of a better nor faster way to spread your work across the globe.
Interview with director Imelda O’Reilly (EGGS & SOLDIERS)
Interview with director Imelda O’Reilly (EGGS & SOLDIERS)
Film freeway makes it easy to submit your films to many festivals. Frankly it makes it easier for me to upload all the information on one site and submit the film. It’s convenient and saves time.
Interview with director CJ Colando (JAKE & JULIA)
Interview with director CJ Colando (JAKE & JULIA)
Love it. FilmFreeway not only makes submissions easy and intuitive, they do a great job at how they present the individual festival pages.
Interview with director Hank Isaac (LILAC)
Interview with director Hank Isaac (LILAC)
FilmFreeway is fabulous. As well, their staff is responsive and open to suggestions.
Interview with director Dinh Thai (MONDAY)
Interview with director Dinh Thai (MONDAY)
FF is simply the best. Their website is far superior to the rest. They properly catalog your submissions with all the right details and provide reviews and ratings for many of the best festivals. I highly recommend FilmFreeway. Sometimes I won’t submit to a festival if it’s not on FF. I just don’t want to deal with the other sites’ lack of detail and usability.
Interview with director Emma Jackson (CONVERSATIONS)
Interview with director Emma Jackson (CONVERSATIONS)
FilmFreeway is absolutely fantastic. The platform offers so much – a list of all your submissions, it is constantly promoting new festivals and gives stats on how your film is doing. It’s so slick and fast too!
Interview with director Lisa Baron & Writer/Actor Malin Barr (HEDDA NEEDS HELP)
Interview with director Lisa Baron & Writer/Actor Malin Barr (HEDDA NEEDS HELP)
We liked FilmFreeway a lot, as new filmmakers, we felt it was easy, tracked our submissions well and you can upload everything you’d send to any festival right there. We’d use it again.
Interview with director Jon Glassberg (FREEDOM OF THE WHEELS)
Interview with director Jon Glassberg (FREEDOM OF THE WHEELS)
It’s amazing and easy.
Interview with documentary filmmaker Jenna Gartlan (MISSING PEACE)
Interview with documentary filmmaker Jenna Gartlan (MISSING PEACE)
I think Filmfreeway helps a lot of emerging artists by simplifying the submission process and clearly explaining what needs to be done.
—-
7 Screenwriter Testimonials:
Interview with Winning Feature Screenplay Writer Brooke Elowe (BLACK WIDOW: FUGTIVE)
Interview with Winning Feature Screenplay Writer Brooke Elowe (BLACK WIDOW: FUGTIVE)
It was a very seamless process. I had no trouble submitting my script or payment.
Interview with Winning Screenwriters Kristy Leigh Lussier & Lee Vander Boegh (THE WRECKERS)
Interview with Winning Screenwriters Kristy Leigh Lussier & Lee Vander Boegh (THE WRECKERS)
WE ABSOLUTELY LOVE Film Freeway! I find it very user friendly, really well organized and easy to search out different festivals and contests specific for what you want. I’ve had nothing but great experience with Film Freeway. 🙂
Interview with Winning Screenwriter A.K.A. SMITH (ZOMBIE CRUIZE)
Interview with Winning Screenwriter A.K.A. SMITH (ZOMBIE CRUIZE)
So far I’ve found the submission platform very smooth and user-friendly, and I’ll be using it a good deal more in the future.
Interview with Winning Screenwriter Dempsey Tillman and Ted Dewberry (RED LIGHT)
Interview with Winning Screenwriter Dempsey Tillman and Ted Dewberry (RED LIGHT)
We enter all of our projects through FilmFreeway. They have streamlined the process and it makes it easy for us to find festivals that work for us.
Interview with Winning Screenwriter Ricardo M. Fleshman (KILLING MOSES)
Interview with Winning Screenwriter Ricardo M. Fleshman (KILLING MOSES)
FilmFreeway has been such a wonderful platform to work with and I am glad that it exists. I will use it for many of my future submissions.
Interview with Winning Screenwriter Katie L. Marshall (FALLING STAR)
Interview with Winning Screenwriter Katie L. Marshall (FALLING STAR)
I find the interface of FilmFreeway so easy to use and navigation is quick and easy. I regularly receive email updates on similar festivals to my niche which is super useful and it allows me to remember upcoming deadlines. I’d recommend the site to anyone who wishes to get their work out there. There’s nothing quite like an ‘award winning’ script.
Interview with Winning Screenwriter Richard M. Kjeldgaard (PREY FOR THE DAY)
Interview with Winning Screenwriter Richard M. Kjeldgaard (PREY FOR THE DAY)
Great. In October 2017 a Spec I’d written (Nowhere-Ville) won the Action/Adventure feature script and got a table reading on YouTube which was really a kick. My first experience in the rewrite and “Production” phase of screenwriting. Truly exciting to see actors performing your written material.
Submit your Screenplay to the Festival TODAY
AVA is not to be confused with the other film AVA, the French film directed Lea Mysius that won a prestigious Cannes prize about a 13-year old discovering sex before going blind. Both films coincidentally have young female protagonists.
What is a Persian high school female teen to do? Everything she does is criticized and looked own upon. Her mother (Bahar Noohian) is constantly on her case as are her teachers at school and even her friends when she goes on about dating boys. Ava (Mahour Jabbari) would be considered a normal girl in the western world with her behaviour that would not be tolerated in the Persian world.
AVA is a critically acclaimed Canadian co-production shot in Iran that screened in the Discovery section at the 42nd Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the FIPRESCI Discovery Prize and received an Honourable Mention for Best Canadian First Feature Film.
Writer/director Sadaf Foroughi ups the angst when Ava discovers that her parents were not so innocent either. When Ava learns that her parents were once flagrant rule breakers themselves, she begins to rebel against the very foundations of her society.
Surprisingly, Ava’s father (Vahid Aghapoor) is more tolerant and director Forough shows that Ava’s problems comes mainly from the females and not the males. It is a cycle in society that has been so established that change is almost impossible.
The film slags a bit in the middle with what seems to be a shortage of material. The film’s segments are the ones where mother and daughter argue it out, no holds barred. They use every means possible to win their arguments including personal hidden secrets. Director Foroughi clearly wishes the audience take the daughter’s side but actress Baba Noohian is so good as the mother, that her argumentative points gets the audience’s sympathy. Father is always only in the background until the film’s climax.
AVA also reveals what an all girls school system is like (assuming what is shown is authentic). As expected the headmistress is an anal retentive authoritarian (or bitch to be more direct) who has no sympathy for Ava and no clue on the restlessness of the youth under her care.
AVA masterfully demonstrates how a culture of authority can force denial and detachment, particularly among young women during their formative yet vulnerable high school years. A small but important yet impressive first feature! The film builds to an exciting and effective climax.
AVA is the film that sparked a bit of controversy at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival when its Iranian actors were denied entry to Canada for the purpose of promoting the film. Immigration Canada responded to say that the would-be visitors failed to meet the requirement standards.
AVA is currently playing at the TIFF Bell Lightbox for a week, limited engagement as part of Canada’s Top 10 Films of the year. Worth a visit for sure!
Submit your Screenplay to the Festival TODAY
Sadrac González-Perellón (as Sadrac González)
Sadrac González-Perellón (story) (as Sadrac González),Sadrac González-Perellón (as Sadrac González)
It is strange enough that this low budget stylish Spanish horror suspense thriller that cost 1.5 million euros to make got distribution here while many Canadian features do not. The plot is even stranger.
The story unfolds in Chapters that last approximately 20 – 25 minutes each. The first Chapter is called the Cube. A girl, 13-year old Alice (Lowena McDonell) lives secluded in a house in the woods with the only company of her father (Julian Nicholson) and a wolfhound finds among the trees a mysterious cubic device with the ability to change the past. She can also lie inside the cube that can open and close. The wolfhound can speak using a device tied around her neck. Alice converses to her as if the dog was her mother, which her father denies it to be. Whether or not the fact is true, the wolfhound offers advice to Alice throughout the film.
Writer/director González-Perellón’s film opens at a snail’s pace. It requires of the audience a lot of patience, also because not much sense can be made of the plot. Many questions are posed at the start: Why does Alice despise her father? Why does she have a prosthetic (bionic) arm? Why are they living in a modern accommodation right in the middle of the woods? What is their past?
Just before any of these puzzles can be solved, Chapter 2 appears entitled The Strangers. Two strangers arrive, a teen girl, Erika (Haydee Lysander) beaten up and her mute brother, Paul (Marc Puiggener). Again, more questions are posed with their arrival: Who are they? Where do they come from? Why is Erika all bruised? To complicate matters, father has a crush on Erika and invokes Alice’s anger when he strokes her hair in from of the dog, that Alice still insists is her mother.
González-Perellón ups the angst with the third chapter called The Listening. The cube (that opens) instructs Alice to listen to her headphones in front of a black clock at 4 o’clock. Which she does. She is told to let her father out of the house, to kill Paul, and then her sister. She refuses to succumb to the instructions but later, as the cube can change the past, decides to kill Paul… with disastrous results that lead the film to its climax. There is another chapter.
To González-Perellón’s credit, the film does keep the audience guessing as to what is it that all the events are about. When the explanations are revealed, the result is disappointing as the explanations make no sense. except for some excuse to create an adventure around a modern house in the woods.
Going back to the first paragraph of the review, the strangest of it all is after watching the entire film is the realization that BLACK HOLLOW CAGE is one nasty, pointless violent little film that is a waste of time.
Submit your Screenplay to the Festival TODAY
Sebastián Lelio (screenplay), Gonzalo Maza (screenplay)
Chilean director Sebastián Lelio broke into the international film scene with his Best Foreign Film Oscar nominee GLORIA back in 2013. His latest hit, already critically acclaimed since its debut at Cannes also deals with a female protagonist, actually a transgender heroine, played astonishingly by Daniela Vega. If she had been nominated for a Best Actress Oscar she will make headlines as the first transgender to get nominated in the Best Actress Oscar category. Lelio’s camera loves her. And she is very good in the role too. And very beautiful!
A FANTASTIC WOMAN is the portrait of a woman adrift. Marina (Vega), the FANTASTIC WOMAN of the title is beautiful, enigmatic, and plunged into a precarious situation after her older boyfriend dies unexpectedly in her company. Her world is turned upside down. She has to come to terms not only of her loss but with the horrid prejudice of his family.
Fifty-seven-year-old divorcé Orlando (Francisco Reyes) wakes in the middle of the night, suffers an aneurism, and falls down some stairs. He sustains injuries that will come to haunt Marina after she takes him to the hospital and attempts to slip away before authorities and family members begin prying.
Marina knows she’s regarded with suspicion for her youth, class, and, above all, gender status. She experiences the viciousness of Orlando’s son, the cold-heartedness of Orlando’s ex-wife, and the intrusiveness of a detective from the Sexual Offences Investigation Unit force Marina to not only clear her name, but also to demand the very thing no one seems willing to give her: respect. The saddest segment is when she is denied the human right to say goodbye to the dead Orlando. She is chased out of the funeral church service by her family.
The events are also put into a different perspective from Marina’s sister and her husband, who reluctantly but finally offer to help. At least they realize that it is the right thing to do.
The film is shot in Santiago, though the tourist sights are not seen. The film is accompanied by sombre music when it needs to and uplifting music at other times.
Lelio’s film contains both disturbing scenes and scenes of elation. The ones most difficult to watch are understandably those involving abuse to Marina. Marina is picked up and forced into a car by Orlando’s brother and family, beaten, taped up and then tossed out of the car. Marina at one point, goes dancing to forget her troubles. In a fantasy sequence, she dances wearing a sparkling top together with those dancing around her. Marina finally sums up her courage to do what is right – to see her lover, Orlando one last time before he is cremated.
A FANTASTIC WOMAN is both a sad and uplifting film that illustrates the old adage that something that will not kill you will make you stronger.
Festival Reviews 