Anyways, the night kicked off with the Austrian Slumming, initially starting up with 2 young rich spoiled dandies whose habits involve discovering new places in their own home-city, profiling complete strangers, and taking upskirt pictures of young girls they chat up through the internet. But all of these change when Sebastian, the most daring and intelligent of the two, decides to use the most unconventional way of helping a drunk street poet (Kallman). They put him in the trunk of their car, and then drive all the way to the 
they found him on. Sebastian claims that touring his own city helps him from not trapping himself in his own shell, only that his kinks and merits work for him quite the opposite way, finding himself instead truly isolated and lost in his own island. He realizes all that as he meets Pia and falls in love with her, offering to the audience a more sympathetic and humane side. On the other hand we follow Kallman in his small adventures in the completely snow covered scenery, forgetting alcohol, dealing with his delusions, discovering himself, and determined to get back to Vienna. This is not the only journey though. We also have Pia’s journey in search from Kallman when Seabastian the story in complete honesty, as well as Sebastina’s own journy as he leaves Austria abruptly to go to an exotic asian country when he realizes that Pia never wants to see him again. Sebastian’s arrogance is punished, but he is a solid character, genuine and believing in his own lifestyle and attitude in life, only to see his world crumbling down when he is (eventually) rejected. He realizes that he in fact allowed for no feelings to enter (pretty much in the same way that Kallman uses booze and insult to alienate himself), but also that despite his extraordinary and unconventional personality, he is still human.
As the characters take their individual journeys, you can’t help but liking them all (except perhaps Sebastian’s friend who is rather shallow). Especially Sebastian, whose at first cruel farse proves to be a true blessing for Kallman, who returns a new man back to
In fact, I can’t help to feel that the backbone of the movie are the various contrasts and opposing poles (but also parallel lines at the same time) that exist, like Sebastian and Kallman, and their stories, with Pia providing the connecting link (as she leaves the first to go and find the second), the contrast between Sebastian’s IQ and Pia’s EQ, between the initial cruelty of Kallman’s fate and it’s final outcome (with Kallman returning with a huge smile in his face). Add to that very good performances by all three actors, a very nice script, and you get Slumming, a very pleasant movie, although a bit bitter as it so happens in stories like this.
Having just seen the best ‘first movie of the night’ so far, I went up the stairs of the Attikon to the terrace to watch A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints. The movie is based on the director’s (Dito Montiel) book which in turn is based on true events in his teenage life in NY. The movie (as the book I guess) is hugely apocalyptic and an act of psychological confession and emotional absolution on behalf of the creator as he is trying to share with the audience his journey back to memory lane, not due to nostalgia, but because he was left scared and emotionally still open, looking to heal these wounds. His story goes through first love, dream making, growing up, friendship but also dead friends and tarnished hopes for the people he knows, as well as more importantly his relationship with his fathers, whose love he didn’t know he had or felt. His sincerity but also his sense of remorse is touching as he looks back to his neighborhood, in which he suffocated and tried to survive amidst violence and ghetto life.
Both innocent and tough, as his life was and his memories still are, the movie is progressing steadily in setting up the worst conditions for Montiel’s escape to California where he will look for his dreams to come true, while at the same abandoning friends and family. How he survived could be just a matter of chance, saved in mysterious ways thanks to his ‘saints’ who however either end up dead or in jail, or simply alone and left behind. Now, Montiel comes back to fill as much as he can his emotional gap, to make mends, to come-of-age, and to confront not only his past but also himself and his weaknesses and mistakes.
Robert Downey Jr. is as good as ever (remember how great he was in Chaplin?), but in fact it is the younger Dito (Shia LaBeouf) that steals the show, delivering a huge role fantastically, as he reenacts Montiel’s attempts to survive, find an escape but also as he copes with his realities; 
he is accompanied by more good performances as the gang of boys are trying to prove themselves to be men. Apart from good casting, the movie also boasts great scripting and production values, placing the film next to the likes of Stand by Me. Only flaw I can find is the unfortunate last couple of scenes (adult Montiel confronting Laurie and then his father) which go on really fast and perhaps a bit lacking in justification. Nonetheless, despite that the movie might be criticized as being overtly sentimental and melodramatic, but in fact it is touching and honest, giving me the same feeling that Red Road, that knot in the stomach, the sense of uneasiness when you relate and get overwhelmed by the knowledge of creation reaching out to you. Interestingly enough, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints, also shares a member of cast (Martin Compston, who performs very well in both). As a final thought, I was surprised at the manner and ability that Montiel, not only to write about his life, but also direct about it, in his first movie.
Impressed and moved by what I had seen, I thought the night could not get any better, but in fact it did, with a theatre jammed The Life of Others (Das Leben der Anderen), the second German movie of the night (which also featured heavily on the use of contrasts). The movie follows the story of Stasi agent Wiesler, who is spying on an arts couple (writer Dreyman and actress Christa-Maria Sieland) in
It is definitely romantic and irresistibly tragic (and tragically funny at times due ot the theme), but also humane, as we observe Wiesler transform from the cynical and clinically professional 
devotee to the party to a human being with love and feelings becoming the guardian angel of his subjects. As the story evolves and some of the dramas unfold, the character build up and script-support works amazingly naturally, completely justifying Christa-Maria’s betrayal (a beautiful character, but also so true as she lives and breathes for her stage, always driven by her insecurity), Dreyman’s (talented, and with an overabundance of love for his circl) decision to go against the system, Wiesler’s affection (a wonderful performance by Ulrich Muhe who delivers an amazing character, who from a cold and compelety lone and void instrument of the system, changes into a person with feelings, discovering freedom and love through the couple he spies on, which he cherishes and tries to protect) and Jerska’s suicide.
As I mentioned, this movie as well has plenty of contrasts even in it’s making (made by a young aristocratic west german director). The most intense of these contrasts are Dreyman whoring his spirit and Christa-Maria whoring her body to the Culture minister, Wiesler’s loneliness and solitude compared to the vibrant life of the couple, Wiesler’s listening post, filled with grey and cold machines while Dreyman;s house is full of warm books, the difference between information and knowledge, senses and perception, communication and intimacy, idealism vs corruption, devotion vs personal ambition and finally life vs death: the death of Christa-Maria in sharp contrast to Wiesler’s life obtaining meaning and Dreyman living on his freedom saved.
The Life of Others, is a very good film, offering some great scenes (Jerska’s present to Dreyman, or the moments when Wiesler is stealing small parts of Dreyman’s life, like when he reads from Brecht or listens to Dreyman playing the piano when he learns about Jerska’s death), but also reminding you on the great nature of humanity, but also its vast potential for both bad and good, thanks to the intelligent, effective and affectionate directing. Funny enough, it manages to be very current, as
As I said, I am feeling lucky, and in fact I am glad that today’s post is so small (compared to the others). I guess in the future I will have forgotten some things that I still do remember and I haven’t written down here, but simply enough, I feel overwhelmed at the quality and quantity (3 very good movies in one night is excessive in fact). Just as a final notice, I think I should mention, that all three movies are worth watching, very good in concept but also in final result, all three of them offering memorable moments, scenes and dialogues. For that reason, I have decided to abandon the ‘best film of the festival so far’ award , or better to suspend it, because right now
Didn’t like:
- The Q&A session that followed the Life of Others (I was trapped to my seat and I was too close to the presenting actor –Martina Gedeck- to just leave!) reminding me why I never stay at these. Questions like ‘How do you feel at the revelation that Gunter Grass was a member of the SS?’ make me feel sick at how some people cant realize that persons represent themselves and what they do, not their race, not their country not anything else. Crowds can be so stupid some times…
- All the movies and my luck! Best festival day so far!!
- The kindness at the dude of the foyer which offered a filter for free. Cheers man!
- The crowd feeling up the theatre for the Life of Other for no apparent reasons.
- That 2 of the 3 movies were debuts, and that they were still amazing.
Blackberry award for the night:
None. All movies were great!
For various reasons, mainly because it will prove to be more accessible than the others, A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints.
American pulp The Lost is obviously staying at the bottom of the barel.
Award temporarily suspended. I am still thinking.
Schedule pamphlet status at the time of writing:
Kind, oh so very kind! Thank you!
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