BIG SCREEN BLISS: TWO OUTSTANDING DISCOVERIES AT THE 36TH STARZ DENVER FILM FESTIVAL

Approximately three quarters of the way through the Belgian narrative "The Fifth Season" the disc we were watching started to glitch, bringing on total despair, much in the same way the characters in the film itself were experiencing up to that point. But rather than running back to the film society office and demanding a replacement, we did something largely unprecedented in our history of previewing films for the festival: we went online and bought two tickets to the first screening this saturday night.  There is no doubt that this is one of the absolute discoveries of the 36th annual festival, our recommendation from programmer Matt Campbell like some giant, pulsating star that won't leave our field of vision anytime soon. Not only is it enormously beautiful and beguiling, it's a feature so immaculately composed as to fully warrant an engagement with a big-screen, even if that means having to miss the festival's highly vaunted Big Night film Nebraska (which is also receiving rave reviews....and likely to be playing at a megaplex near you very, very soon). Anyone looking for grace and craft without compromise should take in this chilling film, one that depicts a simple farming communities reaction to what appears to be unnatural and potentially devastating circumstances. The tone is more in keeping with European masters such as Bela Tarr, though with a much sunnier compositional disposition, we can't recall anything in recent memory being so masterful. So while there is no way to fully reflect on "The Fifth Season" at this time, it has left enormous anticipation for a full Saturday night viewing.

Another great discovery, and one that deserves to be viewed in full theatre as well, although you will occasionally need to cover your eyes, is the hallucinatory Dutch treat "Resurrection of a Bastard," part of the festival's focus on Dutch cinema.  This is a potent launch by an artist who apparently adapted his own graphic novel for the screen, bringing together a mixture of influences and visual effects that make for one of the headier experiences.  There is no simple way to frame the narrative, a tale of capable thugs going overboard on a botched job for a psychotic gangster.  The violence is limited though brutal, and framed by a building tension that ratchets up with every new sequence, ultimately tripping into a brilliant tonal shift that leads towards an increasingly abstract finale.  It's very dark and surreal, joyfully pushing the envelope while remaining rooted in a strong pathos.  The filmmaking is exceptional for a first-time director, particularly acute in its use of camera movement and framing, as well as attention to sound detail, with the sublime throng over the closing credits coming across as the celebration of something somewhat profound. If the rest of the films in the Dutch series are as skillful as Guido van Driel's debut, then everyone participating is in for a major treat this year.

Another programmer recommendation that is a little harder to gush over is the strange oddity "The Search for Emak Bakia," an artfully crafted documentary that perhaps stretches too far in its search for something profound. The search in question is for the location of a film that surrealist artist Man Ray used for a film he shot somewhere in the Basque region of Europe a long time ago.  The director composes shots to mimic those of the original film, and uses extensive text to frame both the journey and the mysterious reference points he encounters.  It's well principled in its investigation, and relatively easy to follow, but it ultimately feels like its obscurity isn't strong enough to overcome the challenges of pure engagement.  It's hard to recommend for anyone but the most sage art fanatic, though it could have some greater reach as a tribute to understanding the greater depths of historic preservation.

The festival launches tonight with the Red Carpet rollout of Jason Reiman's film "Labor Day." We'll be at Caulkins Opera House for the festivities, and look forward to the next eleven days of great film at the 36th Starz Denver Film Festival.


http://denverfilm.org