VIFF 2015: Going 2 for 4 is a good average
Above: An image from the documentary "Palio."
It’s a great day for a movie fan when, after watching four movies over a 10-hour period, you can look back with fondness for two of them.
Two hits out of four viewings? That’s a pretty good average for those of us addicted to film festivals. And I’ve attended such movie fiestas all over the world, from the island of Sicily to Park City, Utah.
Today my wife and I spent our first day at the 34th Vancouver International Film Festival. Any day I spend in Vancouver, British Columbia’s gem of a city, is a good one. But since the early ’90s, I’ve been coming here on occasion as a member of the press.
For several years I did so as a staff writer for The Spokesman-Review. These days I do so for Spokane Public Radio. Either way, my press pass gets me into pretty much any film I want.
And today I wanted to see four films that my wife picked out. They were as follows:
“Maravigiloso Boccaccio”: This Italian-made adaptation of Boccaccio’s “The Decameron” has all the feel of a made-for-TV production. Set in Florence during the 14th-century’s plague years, it follows the story of 10 too-pretty-to-die youngsters who flee the city and its streets full of corpses. Over the course of a fortnight they run and play (but not make love), telling each other stories that run the gamut of dark comedy to forlorn love. And then they decide to return. That’s about it.
“Taxi”: Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi is known for such films as “The White Balloon,” “The Circle” and “Offside,” each of which has, in a progressive manner, been critical of his home country’s ruling faction. “Taxi” – which is being called various titles such as “Jafar Panahi’s Taxi” or “Taxi Tehran” – is a curiosity. It features Panahi himself, driving around Tehran as if he were a cab driver, picking up fares and using his customers to make statements about what’s going on in Iran. It’s unusual to the max and a brave stand made by a courageous and talented filmmaker.
“Palio”: Anyone who has ever visited Siena, Italy, knows about the horse races that are held in that city’s main square, Piazza del Campo. This documentary gives us the back-story to that race, which is held twice a summer (July and August) every year. Not only does director Cosima Spender takes us behind the scenes, not only does she get some of the principals to explain the machinations behind the races themselves, but she also manages to portray two of one summer’s races in about as exciting a way as possible.
“Ville-Marie”: Ville-Marie is the name of the Montreal hospital that becomes the central setting for this multi-cast melodrama. Monica Bellucci is the movie star who, while filming a weepy, tries to reconnect with her estranged son. But we also find ourselves mired in the stories of the son himself, an overworked nurse, a PTSD-afflicted ambulance driver and the incident that brings them all together. The only thing more melodramatic than this film is the movie-within-a-movie that Bellucci’s character stars in.
That’s what today offered us. Maybe we’ll do even better tomorrow. If not, no problem. Just walking the streets of Vancouver is enjoyable all on its own.
For information on how you can get VIFF tickets, click here.