50 YEARS OF THE TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (Part 1)

•    Films about filmmaking: an interesting coincidence

•    Thematic diversity

•    Multiple international perspectives

Movie Review by Sergio Martínez

Launched in 1976 as the “Festival of Festivals,” the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has grown to become one of the largest showcases for films from around the world, while maintaining its important role as a launching pad for many of Hollywood’s biggest hits.

As with all such events, the themes of the films screened were very diverse, but it was striking that at least four of the titles presented focused on the behind-the-scenes aspects of filmmaking.  These included The Beloved, a Spanish film directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen starring Javier Bardem; Possible Love, a South Korean film directed by Lee Chang-dong; the French film All About Corinne (original title Ni vue, ni connue) directed by Marc Fitoussi and starring Isabelle Huppert; and Hombre al agua, in which the protagonist’s wife is directing a film about her own life as an athlete.

Among the variety of themes—aside from the one already mentioned—there were, as is customary, many forays into politics, war, and, of course, love. It is also worth noting the broad international presence, particularly on this occasion, with a strong showing of Asian cinema, including an interesting selection of films from Malaysia, which until now has been little known in North America.

LATIN AMERICAN AND SPANISH REPRESENTATION

Although, as often happens due to time constraints, this reviewer did not have the opportunity to see all the Latin American and Spanish films or those made in co-production with countries outside the region, he did have the chance to see most of them, and his reviews follow below.

LOVE IS THE MONSTER

Dir. Neto Villalobos Brenes

Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, Chile, Mexico

This is the Latin American film that has impressed us the most, both for its ability to draw the viewer into its plot and for the dramatic development of the story, which leads to a conclusion perfectly encapsulated in the film’s title: how a grandmother’s (Paulina García) love for her granddaughter triggers an unexpected and contradictory behaviour.

Filmed in Costa Rica, in a natural setting that—despite its vastness—also reveals the characters’ confinement, the director conveys the story’s paradoxical, claustrophobic atmosphere amid the immensity of the landscape. Violence and labour exploitation are also present as reflections of the social landscape of the country and the region.

HOMBRE AL AGUA

Dir. Gael García Bernal

Mexico

A Cuban lifeguard (García Bernal) manages to rescue a Mexican millionaire on the verge of drowning from the waters off Varadero. As a token of gratitude, the millionaire invites him to Mexico, where he becomes his right-hand man in running his company. Not only that: the former lifeguard also marries the millionaire’s beautiful daughter, and when the tycoon decides to launch a political career, he draws him into what is, at its core, a game of manipulation and learning survival strategies.

GLAXO

Dir. Benjamín Naishtat

Argentina, Brazil

A masterfully portrayed story of betrayal, whose origins date back to the time when the protagonists were young in the town of Chivilcoy, where the Glaxo company was the main source of employment.  The entire plot unfolds in the aftermath of the overthrow of Perón’s government, when a massive massacre of workers is about to take place. The police officer responsible for that massacre remains a prominent figure in the town, and when he tries to resolve an incident of infidelity involving his lover, he causes the young men’s friendship to break down irrevocably. The price of betraying that friendship, however, will linger until the victim’s return.

AFTER ELENA

Dir. Shawn Garry

Chile, Colombia, Italy

An absurdist comedy starring Chilean actor Alfredo Castro as a widower who must deal with the financial ambitions of his three children: an opportunistic daughter who holds the most sway and is particularly interested in the distribution of the proceeds from the sale of the family business; a son who is a dentist with strange sexual habits for his own gratification; and the youngest, a typical loser—an aspiring actor with little talent who is about to become a father.

It is an entertaining story with ironic humour about family relationships, but it also has a bitter undertone.

NOSOTROS

Dir. Joaquín Ruano

Guatemala, Mexico

This Guatemalan film has a compelling plot: Romero (Jozef Coxaj), overwhelmed by the lack of work and opportunities in his predominantly Indigenous community, decides to move to the capital to improve his lot and help his wife and son. Once in the city, he is hired as a security guard at a shopping mall. However, his relationship with Nubia (Lola Vásquez), a transgender woman who owns a store in that mall, will introduce a new element that will disrupt his life and eventually lead to more far-reaching consequences.

Although the pacing feels slow at times, this is a film that will undoubtedly help spark a debate on a topic that remains taboo in many Latin American societies.

THE SMELL OF APPLES

Dir. John Trengove

South Africa, Netherlands, Chile

This film was shot entirely in South Africa and is spoken primarily in Afrikaans, though it features a Chilean connection through the presence of a Chilean military officer (the film is set in 1974, when apartheid was still in effect in South Africa and Chile was under Pinochet’s dictatorship—a period during which both regimes maintained ties of cooperation in matters of repression and military affairs). The presence of the Chilean military officer, referred to only as “Mr. Smith” (Alejandro Goic), introduces a certain disruption into the routine of the South African general (Hilton Pelser) and his beautiful wife (Maude Sandham). However, the plot centers on the couple’s son, Marnus (Dawian van der Westhuizen)—an 11-year-old boy who is rather withdrawn—and his friend Frikkie (Wian Carstens). In the background is the presence of the maid, Doreene (Celeste Matthews Wannenburgh). All of this is set against a social backdrop where things seem to go unnoticed, no matter how shocking they may be. Everything appears normal under the apartheid regime.

ASHES

Dir. Diego Luna

Mexico, Spain

It has been surprising that a director with a well-earned reputation has, on this occasion, delivered a film that we dare to classify as the worst of everything we saw. The plot lacks a clear focus: at times it seems to be about immigration; at others, the unusual family dynamic in which the young Lucila (Anna Díaz) is left to care for her younger brother, Diego (Sergio Bautista); or perhaps it’s the sordid scene in which the girl puts the ashes of her dead brother into her mouth. It’s a scene that doesn’t make much sense, and we’re not sure whether it should be interpreted as a cannibalistic act or a somewhat sinister ritual.

The narrative is also confusing, and at times, we’re not sure whether the protagonist is in Mexico or Spain.

SPANISH FILMS

THE BELOVED

Dir. Rodrigo Sorogoyen

When renowned film director Esteban Martínez (Javier Bardem) decides, after a long time, to reconnect with his daughter Emilia (Victoria Luengo) during a conversation at a Madrid café, he offers her the lead role in his next film. Emilia is an actress, but she has yet to land a major role and works as a waitress at a café.

The film Esteban is making is a historical drama set in what was then the Spanish colony of Western Sahara. The shoot will be fraught with tension, largely due to the director’s authoritarian ways. Emilia will play her role as requested, but rebuilding her relationship with her father will prove more elusive.

THE VIOLINIST

Dir. Ervin Han, Raúl García

Singapore, Spain, Italy

An animated film with a generous dose of tenderness and a profound message of peace. Although the story begins in more recent times, thanks to the persistence of a Spanish journalist who wants to uncover a secret aspect of the famous violinist Fei’s life, this, in turn, transports us to the era of World War II, when the violinist was a young girl already known for her talent as a performer in her native Singapore. There she had met Kai, the adopted son of a maid in her household.

The Japanese invasion of Singapore destroys the entire colonial world in which Fei and Kai lived. Eventually, the war tears them apart as Kai joins the guerrilla forces fighting the Japanese and, over time, they fight for the country’s independence.

This film is visually beautiful and carries a strong pacifist message. One of the best films of the entire Festival.

THE FORTUNATE ISLES

Dir. Helena Girón, Samuel Delgado

Spain, Greece

A powerful indictment of the relationships that develop under colonial rule. The Canary Islands were the first territory Spain occupied as a colonial power in the 15th century.

Luisa Ahl Laabiad’s compelling performance as Fatima, a young slave in the service of the marquis who rules one of the conquered islands, successfully conveys the story’s intense dramatic impact.