Göteborg Film Festival 2021 reviews and thoughts |
||
| Göteborg
Film Festival 2021, according to me, Martin. As Covid-19 still
dominated the world, the festival went all digital, bringing a
slimmed-down program to our own homes. That is, for those of us who
fortune did nod not favour and win a seat in The Empty Theatre*
or The Deserted Arena**
(both of which really sound like books in Lemony Snicket's A Series of
Unfortunate Events), or more remarkably, The Isolated Cinema***. So no visits to Draken this year, for the first time in 30 years. But the flexibility of home viewing should not be discarded, and hopefully we can see a mix-and-match solution next year, with the feeling and atmosphere of the cinema, and the availability of the home screen. |
||
| *) Having the wole of Draken by
yourself. I have kind of been in taht situation before, and it's a
remarkable feeling **) All alone in an icehocke stadium seating 12.000. Cool. ***) To spend a week on a windwhistled island, alone with your thoughts and all the film you could muster, would have been a dream come through (especially since I had spent some time on that particular islet in my childhood and have fond memories of it). But alas, it was not to be. |
|
| Nominees (winners presented way further
down): |
| Best supporting actor: Lyna Khoudri, Gagarine Alfred Enoch, Tigrar Olivia Colman, The Father Thomas Bo Larsen, Druk |
| Best leading actor: Paula Beer, Undine Jasna Djuricic, Quo Vadis, Aïda? Noée Abita, Slalom Anthony Hopkins, The Father |
| Best ensemble: The Father La nuit des rois Slalom Druk |
| Best director: Ninja Thyberg, Pleasure Thomas Winterberg, Druk Florian Zeller, The Father Jasmila Zbanic, Quo Vadis, Aïda? |
| Best film: Quo Vadis, Aïda? The Father Druk Vi är barn av vår tid |
| And
as per usual (it's a tradition, or an old charter, or something....),
it seems proper to announce This year's..... |
| ….cinema: Kastellet ….low-point: Radiograph of a Family ….shortage: screenings at Draken, or any theatre, really ….best seat: My sofa ….cinematography: Molecule ….reading: Catch-22, by Joseph Heller ….most uneven: La nuit des rois ….set/production design: Le sorelle Macaluso ….theme: Lock-down ….vignette film: Going out to Pater Noster ….weather: Does it really matter? I was at home most of the time. ….screenplay: En lång utdragen olyckshändelse ….Bechdel spread: 27% ….transport: None needed ….Lost item: None ….Skarsgård: None, that I could see ….documentary: Vi är barn av vår tid ….dancing: Hvor kragerne vender ….rising star: Lyna Khoudri, Gagarine |
And, who won? Well: |
| Best supporting actor: Olivia Colman, The Father Best leading actor: Jasna Djuricic, Quo Vadis, Aïda? Best ensemble: Druk Best director: Florian Zeller, The Father Best film: Quo Vadis, Aïda? |
Lockdown Cinema
Isolation reelay by Div from INT
Often with
short film collections, the quality differs vastly. In this case, not so much.
Most entries are just plain boring, with few highlights. 2 interpretive dances of 6
Gagarine
Cosmospolite by Jérémy Trouilh, Fanny Liatard
. from FRA
Nice feel and decent acting chops, especially
by Lyna Khoudri as Diana. Little payoff. 4 storeys of 6
Tove
Biostrip by Zaida Bergroth from FIN/SWE
High quality and excellent acting and set
design. Kind of meh, with a certain lack of depth or conflict. 4 lovers of 6
The Killing of Two Lovers
Divorcedrama by Robert Machoian from USA
Straightforward and uncomplicated, but I don't
invest much in the characters. 3 look-alikes of 6
Aalto
Designdrawing by Virpi Suutari from FIN
Formula 1A documentary about a surprisingly
dull person. Talented, yes, but dull. 2 vases of 6
2121
Blue and yellow mirror by Div from SWE
Black mirror vibes in short films about the
world 100 years from now. Mms entry, Finito, is wonderfully black and cynically
humourous. 3 saved planets of 6
Tigrar
Academy drama by Ronnie Sandahl from SWE
The pressure is tangible, but focus could have
been more on the main characters mental health struggles than some perceived
external forces. 3 minutes of 6
Undine
Dippingdrama by Christian Petzold from GER
Visual and with a good feel. The supernatural
elements could have been better explained. 4 divers of 6
Startsladden
Celloloidrelay by Div from SWE
Another mix of shorts, but generally of decent
quality, where mm and the ending of nn stand out. 3,125 mixed media of 6
Hvor kragerne vender
Ruralregret by Lisa Jespersen from DEN
Decent, well put together and a bit funny, but
nothing lasting. 3 floral arrangements of 6
Le sorelle Macaluso
Sororrow by Emma Dante from ITA
A very pretty, but kind of messy film without
too much investment. 3 ages of 6
Time to Pause
Zoomumentary by Alistair Morrison from GBR
Nice idea, decent execution, but not very
pointy. 3 snapshots of 6
Slalom
Slopesadness by Charlène Favier from FRA
Dramatic and very well acted, dealing with a
difficult subject 4 gates of 6
La nuit des rois
Framework by Philippe Lacôte from COT
Uniquely told but not the most compelling
story 4 magic duels of 6
Quo vadis, Aida?
Despotdrama by Jasmila Žbanić . from BOS
Extremely strong and important film, shaking
you to the bone 5 mustaches of 6
Limbo
Junctiondramedy by Ben Sharrock from GBR
A Wes Anderson-esque effort, with its moments,
through a bit too rare 4 Ouds of 6
Be My Voice
Struggleportrait by Nahid Persson from SWE
A very real struggle, as told by a
fantastically charismatic and strong woman 4 vertical videos of 6
The Father
Dementiadrama by Florian Zeller from GBR
Superbly acted, well written and cleverly
edited 5 carers of 6
Radiograph of a Family
Dullumentary by Firouzeh Khosrovani from NOR
Completely boring and unnecessary 1 photo of 6
Druk
Drinkdramedy by Thomas Vinterberg from DEN
Well-acted and constantly interesting, mixing
highs and lows with good balance 5 grogs of 6
Nonajoler kabbo
Expressionentry by Rezwan Shahriar Sumit from BAN
Fairly simple, but rather pretty 3 statues of 6
MLK/FBI
Hoovering by Sam Pollard . from USA
Interesting and nuanced 4 audiotakes of 6
Pleasure
Pr0nmoviemovie by Ninja Thyberg from SWE
Great performance from NN in her debut. In a
"normal" film it might be a bit hard to sympathise with her actions
sometimes, but here it's all too real, I suppose. 4 betrayals of 6
Liborio
Luddrama by Nino Martínez Sosa from DOM
Slow and pretty meh. But pretty, and really
meh. 2 cults of 6
Flee
Animentary by Jonas Poher Rasmussen from DEN
Beautiful animation and gripping story 4 aerials of 6
Sweat
PT:rait by Magnus von Horn from SWE
A bit hectic, but never boring 3 workouts of 6
Molecule
Lockumentary by Andrea Segre from ITA
Stunning cinematography and a decent poetic
feel. Bordering on too long, which is a feat at a mere 1:09 runtime. 3 gondolas of 6
Dating Amber
Identitydenial by David Freyne from IRE
Sweet story, lovingly told, but kind of
predictable 4 blurry oases of 6
Knackningar
Apartanoia by Frida Kempff from SWE
Claustrophobic and tense 4 knocks of 6
Vi är barn av vår tid
Nostalgimentary by Pontus Hjorthén from SWE
The music I grew up with, in my home town.
Feels. 5 chords of 6
|
Winners 
