The Counselor “ Love is being in bed with you, the rest is waiting.” The Counselor, 2013 I love an opening scene of a film that delves immediately into love making. The relationship is sealed, it becomes the pivotal denominator during the film, and there is nothing else that can happen that can take that importance away. The movie opens with The Counselor (Michael Fassbinder) intimately lying under white sheets with Laura (Penelope Cruz). In this tender moment he asks her to say something sexy, “I want you to put your hands up my dress”, she says, “but you're not wearing a dress”, he coyly remarks, “What does that have to do with it?”, sighing, relishing the moment, then commenting, “You've ruined me”, completely foreshadowing the tragedy that will unfold. For the rest of the film, it is this relationship that remains as the focus, and the demise of the Counselor, whose name we never find out, as he pursues his drug trafficking quest. In the mi
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TABU a film by Miguel Gomes Nothing's said till it's dreamed out in words And nothing's true that figures in words only. Les. A Murray (The Daylight moon-1987) 'Poetry and Religion' TABU Occasionally a film comes along that makes you sit and watch it with eyes wide open, and any interruption will be snarled at. Tabu is so unique that as a filmmaker faith in the art itself will replenish the creative streak that at times hides for any number of reasons. Tabu is filmed in Black and White. This makes it all the more stronger. The visuals therefore are stark. The film is separated in two parts. Part one aptly named, Paradise Lost which follows the life of Pilar in contemporary Portugal who painstakingly attempts to support her friend, Aurora, who gambles and who thinks that her maid is practising voodoo against her. When Aurora falls violently ill, she asks for one man to come to her bedside, Gian Luca
4TH GREEK-AUSTRALIAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL Four years ago, Jim Koutsoukos and Ange Arabatzis, decided that a platform to showcase Greek-Australian filmmakers was needed in Australia. The talent they found was immense. The venue was the Loop Bar in Melbourne, and filmmakers were enthusiastic and forthcoming with their films. Filmmakers had included, Christina Heristanidis, Viron Papadopoulos, John Evagora, Jim Stamatakos, George Goularas, Christos Linou, Bill Mousoulis, Jason Raftopoulos, Madeleine Parry, Christopher and Christine Kezelos, Anna Kannava, Anthony Maras, and myself, Stella Dimadis. What they found was that the audience flocked, applauded and felt proud of these innovative filmmakers that were creating stories for and within Australia. This year, Jim Koutsoukos, Stella Dimadis and Katerina Kotsonis joined with the Greek Film Festival, as part of Antipodes, secured Napoloeon Perdis as a sponsor for best film and have encountered phenomenal success, again
Globalising your content. “The new electronic interdependence recreates the world in the image of a global village.” Marshall McLuhan 1911-1980 (The Gutenberg Galaxy) 1962 In creating content for the masses it stands to reason that this product in order to be successful must find a platform in the global market. To be involved in the entertainment industry then, in any capacity, means to open up to the possibility that Australia, on its own just cannot cut it any more. I'm not sure if Australia was ever able to cut it. There is no point in struggling in an environment that is forever shrinking, limiting creativity for lack of funds, and talent, then becoming disillusioned by it for not providing. It has never provided, nor will it ever provide, enough. It is just too small a country for that. Of course that does not mean that artists should just throw it all in. To put a great slogan to good use here...Think globally, act locally. Friends of Earth
Enthusiasm "Oh heavens, how I long for a little ordinary human enthusiasm. Just enthusiasm-that's all. I want to hear a warm, thrilling voice cry out Hallelujah! Hallelujah! I'm alive!" Look Back In Anger (1956) act 1 John Osborne I constantly take my hat off to creatives who persevere with their vision, extrapolating their thoughts in a succinct manner to come up with a concept that cries out, touches the humane, makes everything make so much sense. It astounds me to see an idea develop, explode into a medium for all to experience and enjoy. It doesn't matter what the art form; it can be writing, painting, photography, film, a basic formation of something small that grows, extends and finally reaches out to so many. It comes together and grows with the energy that only enthusiasm can nourish and make happen. More specifically it comes about from human enthusiasm. The enthusiasm of being human, of feeling alive. I've spent a year developing a
Man Of Steel " I teach you the superman. Man is something to be surpassed." 1883 Friedrich Nietsche 1844-1900 We know the story of Superman right? The infant from Krypton is sent to Earth, whereby he is looked after by two unassuming individuals who guide him along his quest to find himself as he approaches adulthood whilst acknowledging his extraordinary powers, all to save the world. I can relate, it is the hero's quest and journey, and I have written about this before and totally understand the path that the hero takes to bring the 'Elixir' home! The estimated budget was $225,000,000; a huge sum, but not unusual for this type of film. Henry Cavill encapsulates the sensitivity and power mixed in one that Superman embodies; at times unsure of himself, his place on Earth, the power he has and the force that he can impose when he uses his strength for the good of mankind. The action in the film is fast, lot's of it and I have to say
The female filmmaker "I was tired of being a woman, tired of the pots, tired of my mouth and my breasts tired of the cosmetics and silks...I was tired of the gender of things." (Consorting with angels-1967) Anne Sexton 1928-1974 The art of creation, as in filmmaking, should not have a gender status attached to it. Filmmaking is just that, the making of films. Yet, there is an imbalance of female filmmakers to male filmmakers and this baffles me. On the one hand, Kathryn Bigelow refuses to acknowledge herself as a female filmmaker, she is a filmmaker, period, full stop, and that's it. I have to agree, yet on the other hand, why are there not more of her making films? Why are there not more women sharing their stories on film, or stories about women? Any scan of the new releases show male centric journeys that I have to say I'm a little bit over. Currently, one can view...Man of Steel, The Hangover - Part 3, The Great Gatsby, Fast and Furious 6, Wo
The Price for Creativity "(The Senses) Take in at once the landscape of the world, At a small inlet, which a grain might close, And half create the wondrous world they see." Edward Young 1683-1765 I view filmmaking an art form; pure art stemming from creativity, that forms from the depths of the soul, heart, mind, the world. It is the small intricacies that form that vision, or rather the poetry of life and all that nature has to offer. Such an abstract concept, yes, but recently I have discovered that this vision I have is unique. Nothing extraordinary here really. In fact I would hope that all filmmakers have a unique vision, one that speaks to the audience in a way that they have never been spoken to before. What has become disturbing in all of this though is the financial brick wall that confronts every filmmaker, stopping their creativity, stifling it. I refuse to pay the pay the price for Creativity. It cannot come at a price. I'm afraid creativity jus
Pace "Nature is a temple, where, from living pillars, confused words are sometimes allowed to escape; here man passes, through forests of symbols, which watch him with looks of recognition." Charles Baudelaire 1821-1867 If I were to state that art imitates life, and therefore film is but a derivative of life, then 'Nature' being a 'temple' allows humans to pass through and witness the symbols that exist. I crave for these symbols in film, and I watch each film fervently trying to identify them. In many ways it has to do with the pace of the film that is being presented, which may indicate the amount of symbolism that is prevalent. The faster the pace, it seems, the fewer the symbols or clues to the point perhaps where they are non existent. Has Hollywood forgotten that humans pass through this world looking at symbols, identifying with them, relating their life to them? I managed to watch two films this week, possibly a feat in itself, and to