We may not be on the ground in Venice, but fall film Festival season is in full swing and we are working hard to bring you as much coverage from all festivals as we can! Of course, larger, premiere releases require in person attendance, so we’re here to shed light on some of the smaller, out of competition international features that round out the slate. Let’s take a look at some new films that had their World Premieres at Venice!
“Familia”
Based on the memoir “Non sarà sempre così” (translated in English to “It won’t Always Be Like This” by Luigi Celeste, “Familia” is written and directed by Francesco Costabile and co-written by Adriano Chiarelli. It follows Luigi, a young man in his 20s who joins a fascist extremist group as a sense of belonging. His childhood is wrought with violence from his father, who abused his mother and brother until he was forced to stay away by the courts and the family went into hiding. After years of absence, their father mysteriously comes back into their lives and attempts to be a changed man, but may ultimately poison all of their lives indefinitely. “Familia” is an extremely tense examination of inescapable abuse and the mental traps we can fall into by believing the lies and believing that people can change. It is a perpetual cycle of violence, as each person in this small, broken family feels trapped in their own ways.
“Familia” is a bit too sprawling in its adaptive ideas, attempting to cover all facets of Luigi’s life as a living, breathing memoir instead of a more focused, linear narrative. It can’t quite reconcile all of the turmoil that befalls its characters, and often times removes the tension to cover a seemingly disconnected motivation. “Familia” works best when it is as trapped in the terror of the father’s domineering verbal and physical abuse. He stalks and preys on his family, and constantly manipulates each of them to keep himself inserted in their lives. Whenever “Familia” breaks away from this, it starts to stumble and lose sight of its most engaging elements. Still, it is beautifully shot and very well performed – enough to overcome some of its narrative missteps and remain a compelling watch.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Stars
“Le Mohican”
There’s a lot to like in writer/director’s Frédéric Farrucci “Le Mohican.” Prolific french actor Alexis Manenti leads a thrilling man hunt through the coastal sceneries of France, and should be a non-stop cat and mouse thriller. “Le Mohican” follows Joseph (Manenti) one of the last goat shepherds in the coastal town Corsica. When is land is wanted by the mafia in an underground real estate deal, he refuses to give up his land and accidentally kills the messenger in a struggle for his life. Forced to flee, he is mercilessly pursued by the mob, desperate to find him and get him to sign over his land. Joseph’s niece Vanina (Mara Taquin) takes to social media and prop her uncle as a hero willing to fight for and stand up for what’s right, which begins a groundswell of revolution against the mob and earn Joseph the name Le Mohican.
On paper, “Le Mohican” sounds thrilling and intense. Unfortunately, it crawls along slowly as it meanders through the coastal landscapes, and while it shows some flashes of this premise it largely unfolds without much interest feeling the pressure of being hunted. Despite spending the entire film on the run, you never really feel the danger Joseph is in until the film decides to create few and far between clashes of him vs the thugs sent to track him down. When it focuses on this, “Le Mohican” shows tremendous promise. Sadly, it doesn’t do it enough to stay engaging throughout, and becomes a forgettable experience the further you’re removed from its viewing. It loses steam quickly, and leaves a lot to be desired and mires simple things in ambiguity that take away from “Le Mohican’s” would be effectiveness.
Rating: 3 out of 5 Stars
“Mon Inséparable”
Not entirely sure where this trend of good ideas, poor execution started infiltrating most cinema, but “Mon Inséparable” is yet another example of this kind of filmmaking. Directed by Anne-Sophie Bailly, the film tells the story of single mother Mona raising her adult, disabled son. Now in her 60s, she has never had the opportunity to care for herself, her life wrapped up in caring for her son. But when he reveals that he will be having a baby with another disabled woman he met, both of their lives spiral out of control and may send an irreparable rift between mother and son. The film stars Laure Calamy, Charles Peccia-Galletto, Julie Froger and Geert Van Rampelberg. “Mon Inséparable” avoids many pitfalls of minimizing complex issues and sensationalizing aspects that remove it from reality, but ultimately falters in digging deeper into the dynamics of the relationships it is portraying.
Calamy is a tour de force even when the material isn’t there for her to be. “Mon Inséparable” struggles to demonstrate the thin fabrics and struggles of its characters, so when Calamy overflows with emotion as her life begins to crumble, it doesn’t land as hard as she is forcing the emotional resonance. It is once again a film that wants to have it all and do everything, and lacks the intent to really elevate itself above other similar stories. “Mon Inséparable” has its heart in the right place, namely empathy for its complex subjects, but can’t quite bring the to life in ways that feel cohesive and together. Bailly has a vision but is still a bit rough around the edges, and if it weren’t for the magnificent Calamy at the center, “Mon Inséparable” would he hard to get through and its messaging much more muddled.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 Stars
Many more reviews to come from both Venice and Toronto, so stay tuned!
