VIFF, Day Five: Ruhr, The White Meadows, How I Ended this Summer

Day five was the best so far. I woke up, got some breakfast, convinced a friend to join me for all three films, then headed off.

Ruhr - 2010 - 120 minutes - Directed by James Benning
What a way to start your day. Two hours of hypnotic, awe-inspiring experimental filmmaking that amounts to seven (or possibly eight?) shots of different scenes around the Ruhr Valley in Germany, where director James Benning's parents were originally from. From the incredibly powerful moments in the steel factory where we watch molten poles of steel being shuffled along gargantuan machinery to the increasingly violent means of graffiti removal, Ruhr is probably the most enjoyable long take experimental film to be projected anytime recently, anyways. Though some viewers may find it incredibly difficult (note, in the theater in which myself and a dozen others sat, four walked out and one fell asleep) Ruhr also proves itself remarkably rewarding.

The challenges presented within each shot teach you how to watch it, the takes held for so long so as to allow you complete freedom for interaction with the image. The amount of information contained in each shot actually proves staggering, and Ruhr is actually able to keep the mind engaged enough to provoke reflection upon other films of quicker pace; namely, that every film has the same amount of information in each frame, yet few ever give you the opportunity to truly absorb everything on screen. Ruhr is worth watching especially for the exceptional final shot, running almost an hour, of the exterior of a coke factory; smoke billowing out of it evoking a strong comparison to 9/11.

The White Meadows - 2010 - 92 minutes - Directed by Mohammad Rasoulof
The White Meadows is an incredibly well-constructed film about a boatman, Rahmat (Hassan Poushirazi), who travels to different islands to collect the tears of all those in heartache. The tragedies Rahmat witnesses are offset by the goodness he attempts to bring to those he communicates with, but his character is clearly not without fault. In fact, one of the first scenes shows Rahmat letting curiosity get the better of him so that he peeks beneath a sheet at what he supposes to be a beautiful deceased woman. That the woman is actually a boy, stowing away on his boat, bears much impact on the film's narrative as the boy accompanies him on his journey to several different locations.

An impressive, dramatic film, The White Meadows deserves some recognition for its exquisite photography and location shooting. The contrasts of the actors' clothing with the bright white salted land makes for striking images that settle in the mind for hours afterward. That the mystery of the film, what exactly Rahmat does with his collected tears, at times seems overwhelmingly important and at others seems downright peripheral is due in part to the very intelligently constructed script by director/writer Mohammad Rasoulof.

How I Ended this Summer - 2010 - 124 minutes - Directed by Aleksei Popogrebsky
Normally I wouldn't lead off with a trailer, but I wanted to give you some sort of glimpse into just how awesome this Russian film is. My favorite of the festival and a good bet for best of the year, How I Ended This Summer is a methodical meditation on isolation, camaraderie, duty and vengeance. The film features only two characters, the youthful and exuberant Pavel (Grigoriy Dobrygin) and the old and weathered Sergei (Sergei Puskepalis), both working at a weather station in the remote arctic. Each one takes turns making meticulous calculations and documenting minute changes in recording equipment, the film paying equally meticulous attention to the minutiae of their daily existence.

As the two become fonder of one another, Sergei goes off to fish and entrusts the daily recording and communications to Pavel, who takes this responsibility as evidence of Sergei's faith in his abilities. The crux of the film's conflict is an internal one, wherein Pavel is faced with the contradictory impulses imposed upon him by a radio message he receives informing him of Sergei's family's accidental deaths. The remainder of the film is poisoned with deception, radiation (!), polar bears and mounting tension, the climax of which is so well developed and satisfying it begs to be recognized for its nonchalant poignancy. Sprawling vistas, brilliant cinematography, a terse, economical script and comfortable pacing make How I Ended This Summer a frontrunner for best film of the year. Seriously, mark my words: Popogrebsky is a force to be reckoned with.