Day 11: It is sad, is it not?

I know that many of the posts have been dog shit, hasty and unimaginative, but I am pretty sure tonight’s will be one of the drabbest. It is only natural I guess, since tonight was the last night of the 12 International Athens Film Festival, Premiere Nights. I also have a lot in my mind right now, indifferent to the festival itself, plus I am worried about the extent of my recap (will be posted in the next few days) already, and so I do not have much of an appetite for writing much tonight. Anyways, I guess I have to start from somewhere, and that will be from approximately two thirty at Apollon, where I watched Delta, the greek documentary I was talking about in one of my earlier posts. My original intention was to write this par of the post in Greek, and although my notes were also in Greek, I can’t be arsed to force my brain to think back into my mother tongue so late at night.

Delta is about the dramatic disasters the oil business has brought in the region of the delta of Niger river in Nigeria. There are 2 things that impress you straight ahead. The first is obviously the amazing scene where the journalist team meets up with a team of MEND militia on their boats in the river, and the second is the interesting digitized sharp high contrast photography which contributes to the film’s journalistic and professional character as well as fitting to its distant theme. In relation to past Exandas productions, in this one it is made clear that Avgeropoulos and his colleagues are in search of a meaningful and appropriate directing approach and the careful montage which we are not only fitting to the theme and the tone, but also determine the pace of the narrative. Delta has a clear, simple and intelligent structure, which although creates questions that are progressively covered and answered, leading to a complete presentation of the issue. Avgeropoulos remains always professional and objective, without however not hiding his surprise for what he observes, focusing his camera at those elements, like the broken pump that has been spilling crude oil for the past 3 years and nobody if fixing it, it’s terrible sound reminding of dirty breath, but always completely inexplicable.

At the beginning the impression is given that MEND is the first ecological fighting group in the world, but in fact their guerilla and intimidating history through their terrorizing of the elections and their subsequent involvement in oil stealing kidnapping and opposing the politicians is revealed, which however is slowly heading at becoming the military voice and representatives of the people of the delta through the adaptation of sound ideological grounds. These are found thanks to the history of the region and the world shocking story of the execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa by the state in 1995, a peace activist protesting against the demise of the Delta and the vast influence of the oil companies. The story itself was a PR disaster for Shell, who had to limit their expanding plans due to the unsettling environment. Freedom fighters or terrorists, that is a question that the documentary is not answering but is instead providing all the necessary information to make up your own mind without judging siding with MEND.

The documentary is not justifying the creation of MEND, but instead looks deeper at finding the true roots of their appearance, which inevitably leads to the dire ecological and socio-economical disaster, the farce of a democracy Nigeria is applying, the high level of corruption, the derelict symptoms of a post-colonial country and of the entrapment of the vast majority of the country’s GDP in the hands of the multi-nationals. Like the man behind it, Delta is deeply communicational, revealing, to the point but also modest at the same time, guiding the audience according to essential facts, which are presented both in narrative and visually, into creating its own opinion and perception of the situation, but also into really questioning the economical backbone of the western world, first resources, which in their vast majority lie outside the westerns borders.

The editing and the directing was so good, that in fact it kept me thinking of Conrad’s highly influential novel, The Heart of Darkness; the militia seemed very organized and outlandish, that it is only an eccentric spiritual leader that they are missing.

The short Q&A session that followed afterwards, was amazingly enough very creative and thought provoking, but also very direct and friendly thanks to Avgeropoulos good nature (he didn’t even want to use a microphone!), making a prime example of how creators and journalists should not be considered as stereotypes of social power and influence, but the means of communication and cultural exchange that can strengthen and enhance our communities.

With plenty of time at hand, I left Apollon, and went to Panormou, where I lunched again at the Epi tis Panormou taverna (fairly expensive but worth its money comparing to other restaurants, tavernas and fast food), and when into Danaos, for my last film there for the festival, La Battaglia di Algeri. As you can imagine, it goes without saying that I indulged myself at one of those terrific apple pies once again.

The movie itself is a still modern and didactic account of the events that led to the independence of Algeria in the 60’s, an emphatic historical epic, mainly focusing on the armed urban conflict between the Algerian resistance and the special paratroop division of the French forces.

The film is a massive production that makes use of historical footage a few times, essentially paying tribute to the determination of the Algerian people, while at the same time providing an insight in the dirty detail of one of the last European colonial conflicts. It does not get stuck in the cultural and religious differences, although ample time is given to them too, but instead points out to the utter simplicity and magnitude of the desire of freedom and dignity. Without being controversial, it achieves at being fairly objective and not heavily sided with the Algerians, narrating the story from both sides, while being one of the few movies to actually give a true face to both the ‘terrorists’ and the victims. The director goes further and further inside the vicious circle of violence, with blunt, violent and sometimes raw scenes of explosions and public shooting, constantly reminding us that in a conflict, there is no black white, just the harsh and dirty reality of warfare. La Battaglia de Algerie is not only bold and daring with its shots but also daring at the approach itself; don’t forget this moie was shot right after Algeria got it’s independence. The performances could be said to be rather rigid or stereotypical if you want, but is what you come to expect from a movie like this. Although it is was made in 1966, the directing and the photography remain powerful, but they still have this peculiar allure if you want, those odd moment and techniques that are not used any more (extreme zoom in or a much more free to move camera amongst the crowds and others) that make it a bit peculiar to watch, but also unique.

As mentioned, despite its age, the movie is very current and interesting for the modern crowd due to the obvious analogies that can be drawn between the Algerian independence and the conflict between the western and the muslim world today. It is becoming clear in this movie, that interpretation of events and cause simply rely on which side you find yourself on, and not so much the opposite. The terms ‘terrorists’, ‘freedom fighters’ or ‘revolutionaries’ depend only on the outcome: it they win they are heroes, and the if they loose they are criminals. There is no middle ground.

Anyways, Gillo Pontecorvo’s film is thought to be some sorts of a masterpiece, and I guess back in 1966 it must have been, but seeing it today, you can’t but admire it’s technique and boiling intensity, but at the same time it does not imprint you enough as you would have wished perhaps. Those were my last thought about it as I was leaving Danaos, taking the metro back to Apollon to watch my last film (not screening) for the festival, This Film is Not Yet Rated, an independent American exposé of the importance and the workings of the MPAA ratings system (PG, PG13, NC17, etc…).

The principal idea behind it is that it is a completely uncontrolled mechanism, which does it’s work in secret, basically influenced by one person (the MPAA chairman), bending it’s own rules, ruling in favour of the big studios, leading filmmaking to the wrong directions and failing the principal cause for which it was created, protecting children and teenagers from unwanted film material. The documentary debate focuses mainly on directors’ and producers’ experiences on the matter, does try to expand the discussion on whether such a system is needed or not (but not very much, trying not be controversial), while it offers almost no proper response from the other side, that is the MPAA and of course a good majority of reserved and puritan Americans who think the system is good. Some major points are made, like the fact that anything truly sexual or related to sexual pleasure is essentially branded as NC-17, while other movies are being terribly violent but still get PG-13 or R, the way that homosexuality scenes are always branded in more conservative way than heterosexual scenes, the fact that the MPAA and the ratings system is a creation of the big studios, and inevitably serves their interest, the ratings board unjustifiable secrecy and unquestionable authority and so. Essentially it drags on and on about a subject that has no importance for European crowds at all, just showing once again those peculiar aspects of American cooperate culture, where Puritanism and uneasiness with sexuality work hand by hand with the promotion of violence and personal success at any cost, resulting in amazing inte-social contradictions and paradoxes, especially regarding adulthood and personal responsibility (as far as I know, in some states at least, you can operate heavy machinery, drive a fast car, marry, make your own business, have children, shoot a gun with armor piercing bullets, get drafted and go to Iraq, vote, all before you reach an age you are allowed to have a beer!). Nonetheless, I would be really interested in listening to other side of the story more carefully, something which Kirby Dick completely fails to do (TV segments of Jack Valenti simply wont do it), resulting in what is essentially a self-gloating one-sided presentation of the issue.

Of course the movie is fun to watch, thanks to some of the outrageous stories described but mainly to the ‘action backdrop’ if you want, where Dick hires a PI to track down the names of the members of the rating board, submits the documentary itself for rating, instantly receives an NC-17, and then causes a number of moderate reactions and hilarious phone conversations (the one with the MPAA lawyer and chairman of the appeal board is simply astounding with the way the guy can be so childishly authoritative and rigid). By the way the final edit obviously got an NC-17, without a single vote for downgrading it to an R. My reaction towards the film: way too American, always stating the way too bobvious, shallow, uninteresting, I would not have missed it had it not been screened, but is saved by the smart gimmick that the movie interacts with the real world (the detective and its own rating story) and the story is shown in the same movie. My feeling towards the whole issue: it is silly, and anyone working with the big studios should just accept it really and not whine about it. Obviously any rating system of that sorts is bound to be a form of censorship (especially the PG-14 and NC-17 ratings), and it all boils down to the fact that parents cannot guide their children appropriately and protect from bad movies or encourage them towards the right one. The system is an obvious control handle for the big studios and the American film industry (you don’t have anything similar for books let’s say, correct?) and thus it is all related to what you want to sell and how.

Honestly, I am disappointed that this was last movie for the festival, I would have preferred a fiction film, you know, possibly something touchy or like that to go with the melancholic mood I was in. Thankfully that came in the form of my repeat viewing of Wild Tigers I Have Known, which I enjoyed watching with a couple of beers, and found and realized a couple of things more (a strong suspicion that Rodeo is becoming himself homosexual as well, thanks to his narcissm, although that still remains an ambiguity nicely in accordance with the mood of the movie), reaffirmed some notions I had (the intelligent use of photography as a narrative, the use of leaves as a sign of comfortable places for Logan and the usage of the spider, and the general possibly unintentional references to Carrie) as well as a misinterpretation I had of a scene from the first time I watched it (I thought that some scenes were chronically misplaced, mainly because I linked the very last scene with the caves scene, not noticing the clothes Logan was wearing). After the end, I found myself again in a Q&A session with the director Cam Archer, mainly because the festival was definitely over and because he is a fun guy, while surprisingly enough the questions were not all that stupid. After that I went at the closing party (not much of a party really) at the bacaro bar in Sofokleous, realized how good a spot it is (situated and occupying almost a whole arcade, had myself a Glenfidich and just walked from here to there thinking some stuff over, or not thinking at all actually.

Well it is over, and it is sad, mainly because I have to go back to the real world, which sucks, but it is the right thing to do. There are some repeats happening at the Apollon and the Attikon until their regular Thursday premieres arrive, but obviously it is not the same thing (not that I wont go…). I wont write much more now, because I will try and write something better about the festival as a festival and the feeling and my feelings toward it and cinema in general. Trust me, that will take some time….

Didn’t like:

- The way Americans can be so shallow and dragging like in This Film is Not Yet Rated.

- The festival being over.

Liked:

- The mini photo exhibition from the photography students in bacaro.

- The plentiful references to other movies in This Film is Not Yet Rated.

- How some movies can remain so on-topic and current like La Battaglia De Algerie.

- The many things you can discover in cinema in the second, third, fourth….viewing.

- The chance Wild Tigers I Have Known to look around the cinema, and see the rows of faces stuck to the screen; always a beautiful sight.

- The fact that I did not see any of the five award winning movies!!! Damn you pamphlet!

- Greek journalistic documentaries being of the highest standard.

- The informal discussion after Delta.

Blackberry award for the night:

This Film is Not Yet Rated but it is awarded…get a life.

Best movie of the night:

Tough call, but it will go to La Battaglia de Algerie (Wild Tigers I Have Known is not considered since it was a repeat).

Blackberry award for the festival so far:

Will be decided at the re-cap, but The Lost look very strong for it.

Best movie of the festival so far:

Will be decided at the re-cap.

Schedule pamphlet status at the time of writing:

Sad and void of anything more to offer.