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'Summer Book' was a highlight
Berlin Film Festival report
Dave Calhoun leaves the Berlin Film Festival feeling deflated, but stills finds a few gems from a lacklustre week
By any measure, the quality of this year’s Berlinale was in inverse proportion to the spring weather: a bit of a damp squib. After six days in the cinemas of Potsdamer Platz, I left this supposedly top-notch film festival with few memorable films on the mind (and one of those, Mike Leigh’s ‘Happy-Go-Lucky’, I’d already seen). More than anything, the competition section provoked one overriding feeling: roll on, Cannes – surely that’s where the good films are hiding? Or at least that’s what one hoped as we watched with tired eyes another Hitchcock-lite, soapy Finnish thriller (Petri Kotwica’s ‘Black Ice’) or cloying, paper-thin German family-portrait (Doris Dörrie’s ‘Cherry Blossoms’).But enough of the grumbling. For its sheer sense of horror and smart modes of investigation, Errol Morris’ ‘Standard Operating Procedure’, his documentary on the behaviour of US soldiers in Iraq’s Abu Ghraib prison, was a highlight. It’s both a mystery and a coup how Morris – last seen with Vietnam doc ‘The Fog of War’ in 2003 – managed to secure interviews with most of the troops (a number of them since convicted) who featured in the sickening photos of soldier-prisoner torture that emerged in 2004. He allows his motley subjects to speak for themselves, with no narration and only the odd question heard. Are his interviewees honest? Repentant? Deluded? Evil?
Fair questions – and for us to consider as Morris concentrates on showing us the mass of pictures and reconstructions of their details. The director adds an extra level of inquiry by asking how we should read these photos. The award for the most pathetic excuse in the history of war crimes must go to Private Lynndie England for her reasons why she was pictured giving the thumbs-up next to Iraqi prisoners who were forced to masturbate or form a naked human pyramid: ‘Whenever I get into a photo, I never know what to do with my hands.’
Three other documentaries, not in competition, deserve a mention. ‘Be Like Others’ by Tanaz Eshaghian is an Iranian-American documentary about sex change in Iran – which, as opposed to homosexuality (a capital offence), is legally sanctioned by the country’s ruling clerics. All praise to the investigative instinct as Eshaghian draws out fascinating testimonies from her pre- and post-op subjects and their families. It’s a sad and revealing work. On the lighter side of things, Julian Cole’s illuminating ‘With Gilbert and George’ is the result of filming the artists over more than a decade, at home, at work and, significantly, on pioneering trips to Russia and China. ‘We don’t have a kitchen because it’s against our religion,’ says one of the pair as Cole snoops about their Spitalfields home. Cole is good at allowing the duo to explain their work and they come across as free of art world pretensions despite the surface oddities.
A second, and much more slick documentary came courtesy of Martin Scorsese’s ‘Shine a Light’, his Rolling Stones film. Give or take some hokey topping-and-tailing (sure, we believe that nobody gave Scorsese the set-list until the last minute…), this is a straightforward beast: two hours, two gigs at New York’s Beacon Theater edited as one, snippets of amusing archive interviews, the band shot up-close, and the music and performances mostly speaking for themselves. The last two elements stagger through adequately; Jagger comes off remarkably better than Richards, who looks to be entering his ever-smiling dotage. It’s fun but no ‘The Last Waltz’.
The dramas were the biggest let-down. Erick Zonca (‘The Dream Life of Angels’) hasn’t made a film for eight years, and ‘Julia’, in which Tilda Swinton plays a deluded, alcoholic child-snatcher is a flawed comeback. Swinton copes admirably with a meaty role and is on screen for more than two hours as the plot becomes more and more ridiculous. There’s a strong sense that, like many tourist-filmmakers before him, Zonca is too in thrall to the Americana of it all – and once we cross the border into Tijuana we turn the clock of representation of Mexicans back by at least two decades.
Much more objectionable was Damian Harris’ ‘Gardens of the Night’, a mediocre flashback drama about a seven-year-old (Ryan Simpkins) who is kidnapped by a paedophile (Tom Arnold) and abused over several years. I left the room after a scene in which the girl lies crying on a bed, a towel wrapped round her, having just been raped. Life’s too short to spend it with a poor treatment of such a serious issue. You’d have to be a genius to make this work.
Two quiet dramas made a stronger impression. ‘Lake Tahoe’ from Mexican director Fernando Eimbcke (‘Duck Season’) was an intelligent exploration of grief in a minor key: teenage Juan (Diego Cataño) wanders around his small home town trying to find a mechanic to fix his car; his brief encounters add up to a sensitive portrait of loss that’s slowly revealed. Meanwhile, and not entirely dissimilar, ‘Summer Book’ from Turkish director Seyfi Teoman was a small delight. It’s an assured summer-holiday film about a young boy in the midst of his faintly troubled family: his ageing dad argues with his older brother about whether to continue military service or head to Istanbul; his mum thinks dad is having an affair; the boy has minor run-ins with other kids. It’s the stuff of life, subtly handled, cleverly framed, sensitively acted – and just what you hope to discover at a festival. If only there were more masterworks to sit alongside it.
Author: Dave Calhoun
User comments on this story
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- Pablo said...
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To Dave Calhoun,
Regarding the "Gardens of the Night" issue, I haven´t seen the movie so I can´t judge it, but anyways, you are a film critic, aren´t you supposed to watch the entire film? isnt it a bit unproffesional to leave before it ends just because you consider it a waste of time? I know your comment isn´t a review, but still, if you´re going to say such bad things about a movie, you could at least stay for the entire thing. I mean, that´s what they pay you for... Posted on Feb 23 2008 22:13 - Report as inappropriate
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- Steve Spicer said...
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Kinda feels like this ought to be a conversation held over the phone, but since that isn't happening I'd like to pitch in and say that for starters it's something of a pleasure to read the comments of a films' star in defense of his work. Rarely do we, the public, get much more than a saccharine PR soundbite. So seriously, kudos to Tom for cutting the middle-man. Secondly, to suggest that a child actor ought to be fully immersed into the reality of a film like this in order to play a part is entirely inappropriate. The filmmakers would be responsible for the shattering of a child’s innocence if they were to successfully explain the context and reality of the characters in a film such as this, which doesn’t make for an artistically justifiable alternative to simply creating a practical fiction for the young actors in order to achieve a cinematic exploration of a very distressing reality. As much as this process may mirror the inherent deception employed by child abusers, this film is not!
As a frequent cinema-goer myself I know what it is to walk out of a film having given up on seeing it through to the end because it does not meet my personal expectation or taste. But I’m not employed to recommend and review films for the public. The alarming arrogance of film-reviewers in general is baffling to me. What use is any printed commentary on new films if the writer has not even viewed the completed work? What sense is there in dismissing a film in writing when the writer has an incomplete knowledge of the work? Now, I’m not saying that ‘Gardens of the Night’ isn’t a bad film, because I haven’t seen it, but from reading this reviewers write-up of the Berlin Film Festival I have to ask whether “Life’s too short to spend it with a poor treatment of such a serious issue” is a summary of the scene that the reviewer left after, or the film as a whole up until that point? Because either way, as a person who invests trust in film reviewers capacity to ‘point the way’ in terms of successful cinema fare, I have to acknowledge that I’m being directed towards a negative perception based on an incomplete viewing.
If the taps at my sink stop working and I get a plumber in to fix them, would I be satisfied if the plumber stopped midway through the job and told me that my sink is probably crap? Posted on Feb 23 2008 14:16 - Report as inappropriate
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- Tom Arnold said...
- Mr Dave Calhoun, I wanted to try to alleviate your "worst fears". As to telling the brilliant young actress Ryan Simpkins (a broadway vet who's brother was Kate Winsletts son in Little Children and also appears after you left in our film) we told Ryan, who's mother was always by her side, that my character was a lonely man who kidnapped children so he could build the family he never had. So, she knew she was playing the victim of a kidnapping. I hope that's honest enough for you. This is common practice in most films. As an actor, I've been mislead several times. I was told I was starring in "comedies" but when I saw the final product I realized they weren't funny at all...that troubled me too so I guess I we do feel some of the same pain...When I was 10, I traveled around Iowa detasselling corn and baling hay with a mixture of kids and drifters. I can promise you, sir, the work of a young actor is much, much safer than the average farm kid. So, let's end this blood fued like the noble men we are, I challenge you to watch THE ENTIRE FILM (Gardens of The Night, not Soul Plane...I'm not that cruel) and I will show you the same respect by continuing to read your entire column and not turn you off the first time you write something that makes me want to put you in a headlock? Are you man enough? By the way, since you took the opportunity to implicate several of your unnamed cronies, I assume in a feeble attempt to make you look less wussy (I've done that before too so...not judging..except for the JOURNALIST THING) read the review of the WHOLE film, if you can handle it, in "Ain't It Cool News". Genius!!! L,Tom Arnold Posted on Feb 22 2008 21:32
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- Dave Calhoun said...
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Dear Tom,
Thanks for your comments.
I wasn't alone in leaving the room during the screening of 'Gardens of the Night'. In fact, I left at the same time as two other prominent British critics and the programmer of a major North American film festival. Many others were leaving too; many of them before the 45 mins mark at which I did.
But that's by the by. I hope readers would respect my honesty. Better to explain my true reaction to the film than to pretend to have seen the entire film or not to have seen it at all. A festival report should be an honest reaction to films seen - my mention of 'Gardens of the Night' (it's not a review) falls into that category.
I appreciate your honesty about your personal experiences and your candidness with sharing them with our readers. But I fail to see their relevance in any discussion of whether this is a good film or not. Hopefully some readers will have a chance to make up their own minds soon - although I've yet to hear of the film receiving distribution.
One comment of yours troubles me and actually confirms my worst fears about the film. You say that the young actress who plays the child who is kidnapped and abused thought she was shooting a different script. I'd like to know what others think of this: deceiving a child as to the drama in which they are appearing. Posted on Feb 22 2008 06:41 - Report as inappropriate
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- Dave Calhoun said...
- Gabriel - For the record, I turned up to watch 'The Elite Squad' at the festival but the festival had failed to offer it (as they are obliged to as an international festival) with English subtitles! The festival apologised to the crowd waiting to see it and offered simultaneous English translation via earphones insteads. The problem was they had one person handing out the equipment. The film started and I had to give up. I wish I had been able to see it. (Although reports from other critics who did see a later screening were generally not good.) Posted on Feb 22 2008 06:33
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- Gabriel Silvestre said...
- How can we respect the opinion of this critic if he failed to comment on the winner of the top prize - the Golden Bear - awarded to the magnificent Elite Squad? Posted on Feb 22 2008 06:28
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- Tom Arnold said...
- Dear Dave, I assume you are a respected film critic so I think you did yourself and your readers a disservice by walking out of Damian Harris' "Gardens of The Night after less than a third of the film. Your excuse for not doing your job was "Life's too short to spend it with a poor treatment of such a serious issue. You'd have to be a genius to make this work". I feel sorry for you and your readers that you didn't wait around for the genius. Mr Harris researched this globalizing attrocity for 17 years, speaking to 100's of victims. Maybe you thought if you didn't see it, it didn't exist. Out of sight, out of mind. But we know it does and we need to see the truth(there was absolutely nothing graphic and the kids were told it was a different script) Much like Schindlers List the facts of the Holocast are shown in more graphic detail but, if you'd stay around alittle longer, seen these kids lives 10 years later, on there own but together and on the streets (also an acurate portrail) but with the horrific reality comes a glimmer of hope, or getting out, of these kids conquering their demonds by finally facing the monsters. As you noted, I played the main paedophile (John Malkovich was the good guy for a change). The film would not of gotten made if I hadn't said yes. I didn't want to do it. But for the sake of the story, a warning perhaps to other parents and children and a way to shine a light on an illegal multi-billion dollar business, perpetuated by the worldwide internet (just 15 years ago a Gary Glitter tour of South East Asia was the easiest route for these cretins) I finally decided to do it. I knew I risked my career in the states and I HATED MYSELF every second on the set, hiding form everyone, especially the kids who I'd normally play soccer or football with between takes. But I had insite that the other actors didn't. From the time I was 4-7 years old I was sexually abused by my male babysitter who lived across the street. I was too young to know what sex was but I knew that when he pulled me into that back room and shut the door and "played his strange game with our bodies, I would be rewarded with candy..and I LOVED CANDY, which is why I never told my father, he didn't want me to eat candy, made me too hyper he'd say. So that was that. Until I was admitted into the hospital with a hemoraging nasal passage from massive cocaine use at the age of 30. In group we were to talk about our childhoods, mine was normal except that my mother left when I was 4, never to return and the sexual stuff was just something boys did..you know, experimenting. I actually believed my perpitrator was 2 maybe 3 years older, no biggie. "Then you were 4 and he was your 6 year old babysitter?" I guess that didn't sound right so I did some research and discovered that my candy buddy was actually 14 years older than me. He was a MAN! But he seemed like one of us, which is exactly how I played my part. He manipulated me. I manipulated them. The real ones are very good at this. I decide to track babysitter Terry down. He's moved to a much bigger city buy I found him, a church leader, major business owner, married with 3 adopted BOYS and a 4th adoption coming through any day now. After going back to see friends from the old neighborhood I hadn't seen in 20 years I quickly figured out I was not alone. He got to all of us, at least the ones that weren't too ashamed to speak about it and one of his victims was his own little brother. There is no cure for what this man has, only treatment, just like I'll always be an alcoholic, drug addict, I just haven't had a drink or drug since 1989 and I still go to meetings 3 times a week...at least. So I went to his place of business to peacefully confront him (I practiced with my therapist, no need to get arrested and have him hurt me even more) I turn the corner and there he is and I can tell after all this time he know exactly why I'm there. We move towards each other and I start my speech about "giving him back the pain and shame he caused me as a kid and if he tryed that now I'd break his F*CKING NECK!! The he moved towards me and jammed his finger into my chest and said "your memories are wrong", so I knew he'd been confronted before, that's textbook bullshit but for a second I was a scared little boy, he looked the same, I could even smell the dark back room he took me into, then I grabbed his arm and bent it backward, remembering that I was not a helpless little boy but a 6'2" 240lb man...he was finally scared and by now a bunch of his employees had come out of their offices and witnessed the whole thing. I left and walked right over to the State Capital and into the Governor's office. I told him about the molesting and the impending adoption and begged him to stop it. "Tom, the statute of limitations is 7 years on sex crimes, even to children and there's nothing LEGALLY I can do to stop this adoption (the scumbag was growing his own victims) so why do you get back on your plane and go back to California and we'll pretend we never had this conversation. I did and 2 days later I found out the adoption would not go through, some kind of paper work problem. I felt good but I needed to do one more thing. I needed to warn all the little ones in Terry's current neighborhood so I had 8 of my ranchhands drive up to Des Moines at 3 in the morning and put flyers, childrens height, on every pole, street sign mailbox etc, 6 blocks around his house and the flyers had Terry's picture, address and crimes listed. Just a little heads up to the little Tommy's and Tony's and Denny's in the hood.. That is my story. Please watch the movie and not only will you take your head out of the sand, but you'll witness hope and redemption and GENIOUS! Thank you, Tom Arnold Posted on Feb 20 2008 06:38
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