We are starting Movie 4 D Week on the home page of FTIIpeople.com. Its a wonderful ongoing initiative from Vinoo, avid movie buff, film maker, writer and traveller. Vinoo’s commentary on movies has inspired me to seek out those movies and watch them. So here, with his permission, I share it with all of us.
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The return / Vozvrashcheniye (2003)
Language : Russian
Director : Andrei Zvyagintsev
‘The return’ is one of the better father-son stories I have watched. A father of two sons lands up after a long absence of 12 years. The two sons see their father for the first time when the mother asks them not to fight “your father is asleep”. The first glance through the door that is left ajar leaves various images in your mind about the father who has suddenly returned. The two kids Ivan and Andrei discuss what might be in store on the drive and the fishing trip they will be on with their father. Vanya, the dad, is a man in a hurry and wants to make good for the lost time. He wants to make men out of the boys. While Andrei takes a liking to the new person in his life, the younger Ivan resists any move of friendship or even the authority that this man who their mother told them is their ‘father’ commands (I remember a dialogue from one other movie “The one who gives birth is the Mother, and the one she tells you is the father is the Father”). The only proof the children have that Vanya is their father is an old photograph and their mother’s word. The film ends with the three landing up on an island that seemed like Vanya’s secret destination. The film ends on a not very happy note. It is about that parent everyone wishes for, it’s about coming of age, and it is about memories. The two kids, Vladimir Garin (Andrei) and Ivan Dobronravov (Ivan) are brilliant. There is no sugar-coated kids like in our movies. Konstatin Lavronenko as the father, Vanya, is understated and brilliant. Natalya Vdovina, the mother, has not much to do but plays her role. The best part of this film is there are no explanations and of course the brilliant direction and acting apart there is respect for the audience’s intelligence. Brilliantly shot as well. Some of the images stay on, particularly so the last shot.
Some of the other films on the subject of father-son relationship I would list as must watch ‘Decalogue 1’, ‘The road to Koktebel’, ‘Kolya’ and maybe ‘Father and Son’. ‘Moonampakkam’ and ‘Piravi’ in Malayalam comes to mind. Would be interested in reco’s in this category.
Also did catch quite a few good films at IFFI and IFFK. I sure think the last year was much better in terms of choice of movies. Watched Nandita Das’ ‘Firaaq’ which is good but seemed too much of Rakesh Sharma’s ‘Final Solution’ to me. ‘Ramachand Pakistani’ was just about average. Did catch quite a few good documentaries as well. ‘Loving Maradona’, a Spanish film, and ‘Maradona’ by Emir Kusturica were both worth it. Hope to own a copy of that one. I must say the Malayalam films at both festivals were a disappointment and was just catering to the obligation of having to select Malayalam films as part of the package. ‘Burn after reading’ by the Coen brothers was just average but I must say ‘Blindness’ and ‘Funny Games’ were brilliant. From the Indian films ‘Little Zizou’ was a pleasant surprise. More on that soon. ‘Kanchivaram’ is average watch but much better than any recent Priyadarshan film. Martin Scorsese’s ‘Shine a light’ is must watch for Rolling Stones fans and watch ‘I’m not there’ just to see how good Cate Blanchett (yes Cate Blanchett) is as Bob Dylan and of course an insight into Dylan’s personal life. ‘Hafez’, ‘Machan’, ‘Postcards from Leningrad’, ‘Song of the Sparrows’ and maybe ‘Adayalangal / Imprints’ were some of my choices as the best picks of the festival. ‘Tire Die / throw a dime’ in the Fernando Birri retrospective (the others being Samira Makhmalbaf, Faith Akin, Idrissa Ouedraogo, Karen Shakhnazarov, Alain resnais, Bharathan and Amos Gitai) was brilliant. I remember watching the same scene, probably re-used in Fernando Solanas ‘Hour of the furnaces’. There were some forgettable films like ‘Chevolution’ at the IFFK. In Kerala any movie which has one of these words : left, red, Maradona, Che, Lenin or Moscow is a sellout. As to whether they are good or bad is immaterial.
Useless trivia : Vladimir Garin who played Andrei died shortly after ‘The return’ was made but the news of his death was kept a secret until the release. Two girls challenged him to jump into the lake and he drowned to his death very close to the lake where the film was shot. ‘The return’ is director Andrei Zvyagintsev’s debut film. His new films include ‘Izgnanie / The banishment’ and ‘New York, I love you’. Sure hope to access both. Thanks to a good old friend for recommending this brilliant film.
amazing film, The Return. As a debut film, its really superb and yes, the images are unforgettable. Mikhail Krichman’s Cinematography is inspirational and so true to the story! A must watch! I want to catchup on the director’s other movies as well now…