My second night at the Tartuff love film festival.  

Previous memories of warm summer nights in Tartu had been replaced by a rather nippy weather. Many eager film lovers were present early again but this time wrapped in thick rainproof coats and blankets. 

Ever since I saw the program of Tartuff festival I was determined to see this particular film. Mainly because it is a foreign film depicting elements of real life situations in Arab countries. 

Where do we go now? is an excellent production by a female filmmaker who also stars as one of the main characters in the film. Nadine Labaki, a Lebanese director collected many awards with this film that portrays suffering and optimism in this isolated village where Muslims and Christians live together. It is a heart-warming and a humorous tale where a love interest emerges on the backdrop between a local bar owner, a beautiful widow and her charming decorator.

The film’s title was always in the spotlight telling the story how the wives joint forces and try avoiding violence occuring between the two religious parties. To me the most suprising moment was seeing one of the eldery widows washing his son with his daughter present in a rather modern bathroom. 

As a whole it is a long film. But the amusement brought by wives, widows and daughters to the remote and scenic location maintains a constant flow and viewers interest. Despite the religious conflict the film illustrates how faith and collectivism preserve life hopeful in this village. 

To me this film was definitely one of the best choices in Tartuff with a different approach on love. 

Interview with the filmmaker about the film. 

http://www.sonyclassics.com/wheredowegonow/presskit.pdf

Some moments of the love film festival Tartuff.

Love is in the air, was my first thought when I arrived at the town hall square in Tartu. The air felt slightly humid but pleasantly warm for a night out. It was the first day of the festival and I was off duty from volunteering. But to be honest I would have made my way to the square anyway, whether I was working or not.

The atmosphere was bustling, people everywhere: some singing on nearby benches, some eagerly waiting at the seating area for the film festival to kick off while others induldged themselves with a drink or two at the cafe bar lounges. 

In contrast to last year, the attendance at the opening night was incredible. An hour before the first film screening majority of the 1600 seats were already occupied. The employees at the cafes and bars located on the square were bringing out extra tables and chairs which I noticed being reserved already. Sharp at 10pm, the director of the PÖFF festival gave a brief and joyful speech. I was observing the violet shades of sunset behind the projection. It was an idyllic atmosphere for an open air cinema. 

George Melier's silent film A Trip to the Moon opened this year's love film festival. I remember glimpses of Melier's filmmaking career from Scorsese's film Hugo (2011). At first it seemed as if I was watching a theatre piece on a projection. For an early pioneering flm made in 1902 it was funny, accompanied with magical and multiple experimental elements. Melier was known for embedding illusions and fantasy in his work. A Trip to the Moon may not be everyone's cup of tea but the soundtrack does make the film more enjoyable and light-hearted even.

Next up was Naked Harbour (2012) by a Finnish filmmaker Aku Louhimes. Quite a few Estonians actors starred in this metropolitan love film. About half a way through the film I felt like I was watching a TV series. The central theme was love and hope portrayed in contemporary Helsinki. Fragile relationships, insecurity, money issues were all in the spotlight, making the film too realistic. Afterwards I heard a comment about the film: 'it was as if looking into someone's home.' Strange but this is exactly how I would describe it. I cannot say it was boring but rather dull. To me, Naked Harbour was a replica of Love Actually (2003) about relationships and love in a urban city.

The last and the third film of the night was The Beginners (2010). I had waited to see this film since it was released and I was disappointed. The story was told in a rather peculiar way with the scene selection going back and forth introducing new characters and events. I found the most fascinating seeing how the main character Oliver (McGregor) had grown into the person he was. As a love story it was sincere, even fragile at times emphasisng the beginners element in the film. To me this film was the highlight of the night even though I am not a big fan of Hollywood films.
  

An artist’s dream?

Until yesterday I was very keen on moving to Berlin because of the city’s carefree reputation and the many artists it attracts. But this idea started to fade when I immersed myself to the world of Station Topolò in my research for this article. 

 

Yesterday afternoon, fashionably late, I went to the picnic with a mission. But first I had to throw away this invisible ‘journalist hat’ and enjoy a glass of local red wine. While swinging along the groovy dance beats in this idyllic beachside spot, I already spotted some familiar faces. But my mission was to find out what is Station Topolò and what exactly happens in this ‘artistic paradise’? The two Italian artists, Donatella Ruttar and Anja Medved kindly shared their story of Topolò, even though I had not seen the movies about it.

Anja Medved, director of both films, talks about her journey to the station, a place she first joined as a spectator and where later on she presented her work. From there the snowball started to roll, she immersed herself in the task to capture the essence of this village and the Station Topolò’s. But what really stood out for me was when Medved said that the film it is not a documentary but rather an attempt trying to catch the spirit of the station and of the village that have grown into a one union over the years.  On the other hand, the most fascinating part of the film is that it features material shot by local youngsters aged 12 to 18 who grew up with the Station.  In the end “I also made an interview with them and asked how they imagine Topolò in 50 years,” said Medved. 

Until today the village of Topolò, which is tucked away in Italy next to the border of Slovenia, is still alive because of the ‘station’.  There are no shops, no bars and even finding a way to this remote location can be a mission. Donatella Ruttar, who founded the Station Topolo about 20 years ago with Moreno Miorelli, describes that the essence of the station was to “ make this the centre of the world and try to articulate this idea of ourselves.” She also adds that the idea is “all about sharing.”

Honestly at this point I cannot think of a better place where to dive into the artistic world and let the creative juices flow. How is it possible that there is a paradise for artists? Yet you have to support yourself to an extent but from an artist’s point of view: fantastic weather conditions, a roof over your head, a space for making your art and delicious Italian food from kind residents. This all sounds good enough for me to guarantee motivation.

But to join the community there is one requirement, in smooth terms. Just as Adam and Eve in the paradise had to stick to a rule, Medved noted that the art there should reflect the spirit of the village and the location. Ruttar corrected me when I classified the gathering with artists in July as a festival. In station Topolò, she said, they don’t classify things but they just do them.  Nowadays apart from the gathering during the summer month the only people who reside there are locals, and occasionally writers and poets.  

In the end Ruttar kindly thanked me. For a moment I did think, do I really want to spread the word about this little creative hub called station or not? But why not? It is not like I know where it exactly locates, which I think is the beauty of this village. 


Published in Otok Daily brochure, in association with Pina for Isola International Film Festival 2012. 
http://www.pina.si/otokdaily/

Koen's curtains

If film festivals are supposed to establish an interconnection among the audience, the press, the filmmakers, this is particularly true Kino OTOK, this elements having remained as the core of the festival for the past 8 years.

On a bright morning I met up with Koen Van Daele who is one of the programmers for the Isola International Film Festival. With the echo of children's laughter on a background van Daele dives into to the conversation clearly with a strong passion for film. »I am very much an old school believer in author cinema. So I believe that there is a person or a group of persons who are behind the film, so that is not a product, something which has grown on to the market and is there to sell and entertain. That it is an artefact, that it is a work of somebody with a vision and an idea to bring those ideas to the screen.»

Van Daele shares that he has been surrounded by films since his youth: from watching Austrian and catasthrope movies in the 70s to attending a film school in Brussels where he shortly after also got involved in writing about films. But he adds that his interest into films »took on many many different shapes and changed a lot. But I keep on being interested in very very different types of cinema«, from watching great Hollywood to Bollywood movies.

Listening to him I find that he almost portrays a visual image of the atmosphere in the 19th century «when the curtains roll open« and the moment when the filmmaker 'will tell you' something. He adds that this is totally lost today. All of a sudden I find myself taking a step back in my mind and thinking about my first experience with cinema. I remember in my home in southern Estonia the film nights took place at a local cultural house, where before the film screening the worn black curtains were pulled on a side and the screen rolled down. To an extent I agree with him and miss the notion of visiting a cinema as if watching a spectacle.

He has been a programer at Cinemathek in Ljubljana for 6 years now and coordinated many special programms. It was his position as a programmer for the documentary section in Kino OTOK that established his link with the Isola International Film Festival. He explains that as a programmer one of the key things for him is always to see the film and imagine the public before it is there.

Van Daele uses Yorgos Lanthimos film Alps as an example, explaining that what makes it a very strong film is »the language that it invents in a way. The total freshness of ideas, cinematic ideas. So its not that so much a tool to convey messages but that as a way of expression. To me film is really an art. Even it is also something to make money.»

When touching on the atmosphere he notes that »the goal here was that they (the directors) would be here the full period from the beginning to the end. And that we would also try to create a certain level of complicity between filmmakers, audience, critics and that we would all be part of the same thing.« The notion of no division and that of experiencing the festival as a collective way are deeply embedded in the connection the event establishes with its visitors. And what I have gathered over the last few days is that it still for the filmakers one of the most memorable festival experiences.

From my side I am still experiencing this euphoria moment. Like really? Was it the director of the Whore's glory whom I have seen when enjoying my morning splash at the local beach this week? And to be honest for me it was enough. Because this is what I enjoy here in Isola the most, we share s space where there are no barries no fences and no 'media hats'. I could actually say this experience for me is an invisible autogram by a renowed filmmaker.  

Published in Otok Daily brochure, in association with Pina for Isola International Film Festival 2012. 
http://www.pina.si/otokdaily/

Text: Katre Laan

Image: Blanca Selas Chao