2nd Les Magritte du Cinema Awards Winners

As the ceremony comes to an end winners have been announced and winners are in @BLUE. To read winners in all categories go here.

--2/4/2012

A few minutes ago the Académie André Delvaux announced the nominations that this year honors films in French but also in Dutch, so there has to be less controversy. Les géants leads with 12 nominations followed by Le gamin au vélo and Tête de boeuf – Rundskop, each with 8. Here are the nominations for some categories.

Best Film
Beyond the steppes, Vanja D’Alcantara
La fée (The Fairy)
Le gamin au vélo (The Kid With a Bike)
*Les géants Bouli Lanners

Best Director
Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon for La fée
Jean-Pierre Dardene and Luc Dardene for Le gamin au vélo
*Bouli Lanners for Les géants
Sam Garbarski for Quartier Lointain

Best Flemish Co Production
Hasta La Vista (Come as You Are), Geoffrey Enthoven
Pulsar, Alex Stockman,
Smoorverliefd, Hilde Van Mieghem
*Rundskop (Bullhead), Michael R. Roskam

Best Foreign Film in Co Production
*Les émotifs anonyms, Jean-Pierre Améris
Potiche, François Ozon
Route Irish, Ken Loach
Un homme qui crie, Mahamat-Saleh Haroun

Best Actress
Isabelle De Hertogh in Hasta La Vista
*Lubna Azabal in Incendies
Cécile de France in Le gamin au vélo
Yolande Moreau in Où va la nuit (The Long Falling), Martin Provost

Best Supporting Actress
Virginie Efira in Kill Me Please
Marie Kremer in Légitime defense (Final Balance), Pierre Lacan
*Gwen Berrou in Les géants
Tania Garbarski in Quartier lointain

Best Actor
Dominique Abel in La fée
Benoît Poelvoorde in Les émotifs anonymes
Jonathan Zaccaï in Quartier Lointain
*Matthias Schoenaerts in Rundskop

Best Supporting Actor
Bouli Lanners in Kill Me Please
Didier Toupy in Les géants
Laurent Capelluto in Où va la nuit
*Jérémie Renier in Potiche

To check nominees in all categories go here. Award ceremony will be on February 4th, will be broadcast by BeTV plus TV5 Monde and hope to watch it like last year. There are not many films that I have seen but the most relevant movies (from Cannes) are the ones I’m dying to watch, with exception of one that have seen: Dardene Brothers magister opus.

Autumn Movie Bites #2

Some bites to remind us that I have seen the movies and what I think about them.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes by Rupert Wyatt. USA. I start by saying that have seen the old movies, thus I know story; so my big surprise was to find that I liked the prequel, is a lot better than what I could ever imagined or expected. Loved the new apes, especially the protagonist with an amazingly expressive face that really transmitted feelings, truly fabulous how cinema technology has advanced and how good can be when is well-used. If you haven’t seen it, go ahead and watch if only just to pay attention to the great expression by the protagonist ape. Enjoy!!

What Women Want by Daming Chen. China. I’m crazy about Gong Li and will watch everything with her, but I have no idea why did she accepted to do this remake of the Hollywood movie with the same name. Much less because I did enjoyed original and gee, this remake was really awful and got me feeling embarrassed for Gong Li performance. If you love Gong Li please do not watch this movie. Sigh.

Margin Call by J. C. Chandor. USA. Nice entertaining drama about the financial crisis that seems will be explored from many points of view; this time telling about an investment bank that rushes to dump their positions before everything explodes and pushing fast-forward the crisis. Great cast with the likes of Jeremy Irons, Kevin Spacey, Stanley Tucci, Paul Bettany, and well, Demi Moore. Movie is starting to collect honors in this award season and yes, is well-deserved as film is a good representative of current American cinema that doesn’t target teenagers and doesn’t use special effects to fill movie duration. Enjoy!

The Help by Tate Taylor. USA, India, UAE. No, haven’t read the book and was expecting a not-easy-to-watch American period drama before civil rights were a possibility. To my surprise the story engage me to the point of making me very uncomfortable at moments as many things that are depicted in the movie are still true today between maids and their mistresses from many Latin American countries. Film is well done, so well that does generate emotions in viewers and I’m no exception, but great performances enhance story and movie in general, especially Viola Davis that I’m sure will get an Oscar nomination. Watch movie is entertaining and surely will make you laugh, shred a few tears, make you think a lot, and for some, wonder why no one has written a successful book about Latin America’s maid/mistress relationship. Enjoy!!!

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Wayne Wang. China and USA. Film tells parallel stories between 19th century China and present day Shanghai with tales of two women joined by laotong, a biding vow and contract to be eternal friends and share each other lives communicating with a secret women’s language called nushu beautiful written on the folds between the spines of silken fans. Nice story isn’t? Unfortunately film does not match the greatness of the story and what could have become interesting, thrilling and engaging becomes banal, not interesting and focus less. If you skip movie won’t miss much, but I do suggest you read book by Lisa See. Enjoy.

Melancholia by Lars von Trier. Denmark, Sweden, France and Germany. Lars von Trier has said publicly that this is his most American-like (ie mainstream or commercial) movie ever and you have no idea how right he is as this film definitively is not the regular greatness von Trier imprints in his works. Maybe the cast helps too much to his Americanization, as the first part with Kirsten Dunst character story is really not-engaging and for me, dull. Thing change a bit in the second part when Charlotte Gainsbourg commands the story and the screen but by then you know the end is coming and effectively comes with a bang done more with light than with impact. I suppose that most honors will come because film is not as crude as for example The Antichrist, is a lot more easy to watch and one-dimensionally understandable. Sigh. All right because I really liked second part, let say is Enjoy! (I hope he goes back to do his remarkable movies that so goodly shock us).

The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick. USA. Let me get this out of the way I have seen Malick’s movies and yes there are some I don’t like (The New World) and some nobody liked but I did (Days of Heaven); so many like his latest and surprise, surprise I did not. Just let me share that can’t understand why to reproduce the big-bang for about 20 minutes (more or less) with images that look more belonging to Natgeo, Discovery or any of those cable TV channels than to a “serious” film. I literally forced myself to watch the complete movie, but boy that was really a very hard thing to do and do not suggest anyone to do it. Too hard-to-watch (ie boring) but got the Palm d’Or and praises from everyone, except me. Sigh.

Beginners by Mike Mills. USA. Could you believe I watched this movie because Mélanie Laurent? Lol! It’s an entertaining movie thanks to very good performances by Christopher Plummer and Ewan McGregor as father and son. Film is a drama that tells about a man inability to keep a relationship surely due to what he saw his parents live, especially after her mother dies and his father recuperates the ‘joie de vivre’ when he tells everyone that he’s gay. It’s a complex story with many layers that I got them but somehow didn’t engaged me and watched from a comfortable distance, I was just an spectator of whatever was going on in the screen. Enjoy!!

Attenberg by Athina Rachel Tsangari. Greece. Very crazy movie, so crazy that I love it! But know that is not for everyone not for the story, not for the performances, not for the style and not for the whole that to me feels not hot like Greece but very cold like Finland –somehow film made me think of Aki K. films-. There is nothing lesbian interest in this film as I thought, so watch film only if you like cold-expression-less performances in very complex layered stories. If you dare to watch film I bet you will enjoy it a lot more than you expect, obviously you have to like art/arthouse films too. Enjoy!!!

Le Gamin au Vélo (The Girl with a Bike) by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. Belgium, France and Italy. Typical and particular Dardenne brothers visual style, amazing storytelling technique/style, and excellent directorial style that makes something very simple into a true masterpiece that’s a pleasure to watch. Period. Both Cécile De France and Thomas Doret give impeccable performances. A must be seen film for all of us that love the work of great Dardenne brothers. Enjoy!!!

Elena by Andrei Zvyagintsev. Russia. This movie has been killing me since the moment I finished watching and as days went by it has gotten worst. See, my spontaneous reaction when I saw the movie was: it’s an okay movie, Russia now looks/behaves like the rest of us… hmm, not good. Liked the visuals but believed they’re not as good as in Izgnanie or The Return. But since I like this director way beyond what I saw, I replayed movie in my mind and from that moment on movie is killing me. I know there are a lot of symbols and film explores the capitalist dichotomy of poor-rich, have-have not’s, plus the roles nouveaux riches play in their societies and I suppose that in Russia those that have money have not old money, but new money. Then started to read about movie and gee, almost each review, no matter the language, has slightly different story interpretations. I even read what Zvyaginstsev says about story and yes is slightly different. So my conclusion, is that movie story could have as many interpretations as people who see the movie, there is a very easy to understand story essence that deals with what I said above plus the morals of committing murder, but when you see story essence you know there is more and indeed people find more. One thing I’m sure if you enjoy great Russian films, this is must be seen for you. Big Enjoy!!!

جدایی نادر از سیمین Jodaeiye Nader az Simin (Nader and Simin, A Separation) by Asghar Farhadi. Iran. Excellent movie, for me as good as Farhadi previous two films, Fireworks Wednesday and About Elly; but this film has something new as story flawlessly travels several genres and engages us viewers not like spectators but like we are inside the movie and sometimes we side with Simin, then with Nader, the with Razieh, then with the judge, then with no one, then we are completely immersed inside the story and film. Fabulous! Until you see this brilliantly crafted very simple story you have no idea how seeing something so banal and common can become a masterpiece in the hands of a master filmmaker. Chapeau Mr. Farhadi. I don’t doubt that has huge possibilities of winning the Oscar and if so, will be well deserved, especially now that I know Pina is also competing in the documentary category. I strongly recommend this film as must be seen for all everyone that loves great world cinema. BIG ENJOY!!!

There are many more movies, but this is it for today. Cheers!

Largo Winch II (The Burma Conspiracy)

After my positive entertaining experience with the first Largo Winch I was looking forward to the sequel hoping to have a good escape moment again with this French comic-to-screen character that looks and feels so human which is refreshing for a change from typical Hollywood movies. But this time I did not enjoyed the film that much as in my opinion this film lacks many key entertaining elements that were present in the first installment, including the story, the amazing locations, the cinematography, the action, the car chases with the WOW cars, the “normal” fights, a remarkable evil character -like Kristin Scott Thomas character in the first- and yes, the raw sex scenes typical of French cinema.

Still have to admit that Tomer Sisley again had a good performance which helped me to watch until the end and most surprising was to see Sharon Stone looking good in the big screen and yes, in that scene with the white dress that absolute recalls her most famous film. Have to share that during her scenes I was looking at her lips and to my surprise seems like she was speaking French, but there were some moments where I could tell she was not; still according to Sisley, Sharon Stone speaks good French and that’s news for me (LOL!).

Seems that I was more interested in finding if Stone really speaks French than following the story that starts with Largo being W Group’s CEO and on the very day he announces his intention to sell his corporation and use the proceeds to create a humanitarian foundation, he’s accused by the United Nations of crimes against humanity. To prove his and his deceased adoptive father innocence he will retrace the steps of his past three years, which will take us mainly to the Burmese jungle. According to what I read this time producers decided to create an original story while keeping some of the graphic novels characters; surely because of this decision, story ended up being a lot less interesting and entertaining.

To watch only if you wish to see Sharon Stone speaking (?) French and looking a lot better than in her previous films; but if you skip it won’t be missing much.

Enjoy.

Watch trailer @MOC

Recent Movie Bits

Yes have not been posting reviews but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been watching movies. So, here are some mini-unusual reviews for some movies that have seen lately.

127 Hours by Danny Boyle - While watching couldn't help but to recall Tom Hank's solitary role in Cast Away a film that was too much for me; maybe knew too much about story but film didn't "shock" nor move me. A lot less interesting than what story could have been and I find James Franco's performance acceptable but not much else. Enjoy!!

À Deriva (Adrift) by Heitor Dhalia – Wanted to watch film because I really enjoy Vincet Cassel performances and wasn’t disappointed here but I also enjoyed very much Laura Neiva unusual performance as Filipa; still nothing much else was interesting in this film that had an unpredictable not-interesting story with not interesting tech specs. If you skip it won’t be missing much. Enjoy.

A la deriva by Ventura Pons – Not so interesting story with good performance by Anna Azcona; as always in Pons films there is a gay character and this film is not the exception. Film is not as good as other Pons film but still if you like his style maybe you will enjoy it. Enjoy!!

Ça commence par la fin by Michaël Cohen - I really love Emmanuel Béart but couldn’t take her performance here –with real life husband as her love interest- was so boring and annoying that had to stop watching as became too repetitive and so not-interesting that gave up. Sigh.

The Company Men by John Wells – Entertaining with interesting story, wished Ben Affleck was more expressive but other performances by Tommy Lee Jones and Chris Cooper are good. Enjoy!

Duk haan chau faan (All About Love) by Ann Hui – Entertaining and quite amusing lesbian interest film from Hong Kong that could entertain many that enjoy the genre. Not your usual story nor style in the genre but if you decide to give film a try probably will laugh, smile to this good production values film with acceptable oriental style performances. Story is basically about fear of commitment. Enjoy!!

Exit Through the Giftshop by Banksy – Hilarious, surprisingly entertaining and great story message, no matter if is a hoax or not. DO NOT MISS IT! Big Enjoy!!!

Illégal (Illegal) by Olivier Masset-Depasse) – Outstanding performance by Anne Coesens with an interesting story that applies to many other countries in the world that have illegal aliens living there or crossing by. Worth watching especially for those that enjoy women centered stories. Enjoy!!!

Le bruit des glaçons (The Clink of Ice) by Bertrand Blier – Story and film became really annoying after a while but sustained watching. Not worth it, if you skip it won’t be missing much. Still Anne Alvaro performance as Louisa saves some moments. Sigh.

Les petits mouchoirs (Little White Lies) by Guillaume Canet – Love to watch Marion Cotillard performances and here is all right but she’s overshadowed (too much for me) by other ensemble cast performances like great François Cluzet and Benoît Magimel that had more interesting roles thus more flashy performances. Film looks and feels like any of those films that have talkie large ensemble stars cast but somehow I kept comparing it to Darbareye (About Elly) without the interesting crime twist. Only to watch if you really like Marion Cotillard performances. Enjoy!!

Map of the Sounds of Tokyo by Isabel Coixet – Had to stop watching as couldn’t take it anymore. I usually like Isabel Coixet films and also Sergi López performances (btw his cameo in Potiche was fabulous!) but film style became unbearable and annoying. Sigh.

Mother and Child by Rodrigo Garcia - Great Annette Bening performance wish she could be nominated for this performance and not the terrible movie she got nominated for. Story and film are entertaining but story is too predictable. Enjoy!!

Potiche by Francois Ozon – Don’t miss this film highly enjoyable comedy “a la francaise” with outstanding performance by Catherine Deneuve. LOVE this movie that absolutely cheered me up. Enjoy!!!

The Next Three Days by Paul Haggis - Entertaining at moments but story and film is uneven; Russell Crowe as a weak character doesn’t do it for me, even when in this film his character became the driven force, was not credible for me. Still film is watchable considering those recent mainstream American cinema releases. Enjoy.

Vénus noire (Black Venus) by Abdellatif Kechiche - Was expecting a very hard to watch film and was a LOT more harder to watch than what I imagined; so hard it hurt. But it’s an amazing dramatization of a true story with extraordinary and very expressive –yet silent- performance by Yahima Torres as Saartjie “Sarah” Baartman. Don’t skip film and stay until credits to watch real-life scenes. Amazing, yet very hard to watch, not a story to enjoy but one that everyone in the world should watch. Big Enjoy!!!

White Material by Claire Denis – Excellent performance by Isabelle Huppert but not much else; story seems like many others told many times before. Enjoy!

Hope didn’t forget films that have watched. So this is it for this movie bits post. Good news is that after tomorrow Sunday, February 27th industry news will be back to normal, so probably I will be back to normal writing reviews… lol!

1st Les Magritte du Cinema Award Winners

I don't really mind that the first ever Belgian film awards selected only French-spoken films as I do understand them in the original language while for Flemish or Dutch spoken films need subtitles; but organizers surprised everyone by giving this year top award to an English-spoken film that I'm still not sure will watch as seems is not an easy to watch film. So, seems that original controversy was settled until next year.

I'm surprised that Illegal didn't got the top award, but very pleased with Anne Coesens getting the Best Actress award as she is absolutely mesmerizing in the film that in my opinion totally belongs to her. Also glad that Soeur Sourire (Sister Smile) got an award even if it was for Best Costume Design, which was superb as recreated the era with careful detail.

Winners are in *BLUE. To check winners in all categories go here.

--//--

1/18/2011
Among controversy because did not nominate Dutch-speaking Belgian films, only French-speaking, the first Magritte Awards will shine a much-needed spotlight on Belgian francophone film production and here are the nominees selected by the members of the Académie André Delvaux.

Best Film
Amer, Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani, France and Belgium
Illégal (Illegal), Olivier Masset-Depasse, Belgium, Luxembourg and France
Les Barons (The Barons), Nabil Ben Yadir, Belgium and France
*Mr Nobody, Jaco Van Dormael, Canada, Belgium, France and Germany

Best Director
Joachim Lafosse for Elève Libre (Private Lessons), Belgium and France
Olivier Masset-Depasse for Illégal (Illegal), Belgium, Luxembourg and France
Nabil Ben Yadir for Les Barons (The Barons), Belgium and France
*Jaco Van Dormael for Mr Nobody, Canada, Belgium, France and Germany

Best Co Production
Altiplano, Peter Brosens and Jessica Hope Woodworth, Belgium, Germany and Netherlands
Le Concert (The Concert), Radu Mihaileanu, France, Italy, Romania, Belgium and Russia
*Looking for Eric, Ken Loach, UK, France, Italy, Belgium and Spain
My Queen Karo, Dorothée Van Den Berghe, Netherlands and Belgium

Best Actress
*Anne Coesens in Illégal(Illegal), Olivier Masset-Depasse, Belgium, Luxembourg and France
Yolande Moreau in Mammuth, Gustave de Kervern and Benoît Delépine, France
Aylin Yay in Maternelle (Motherly), Philippe Blasband, Belgium
Cécile de France in Soeur Sourire (Sister Smile), Stijn Coninx, Belgium and France

Best Supporting Actress
Claire Bodson in Elève Libre (Private Lessons), Joachim Lafosse, Belgium and France
Yolande Moreau in Gainsbourg (vie héroïque), Joann Sfar, France and USA
*Chirstelle Cornil in Illégal(Illegal), Olivier Masset-Depasse, Belgium, Luxembourg and France
Sandrine Blancke in Soeur Sourire (Sister Smile), Stijn Coninx, Belgium and France

Best Female Newcomer
*Pauline Etienne in Elève Libre (Private Lessons), Joachim Lafosse, Belgium and France
Stéphanie Blanchoud in La Régate (The Boat Race), Bernard Bellefroid, Belgium, Luxembourg and France
Chloé Struvay in Maternelle (Motherly), Philippe Blasband, Belgium
Anna Fransiska Jager in My Queen Karo, Dorothée Van Den Berghe, Netherlands and Belgium

Best Actor
*Jonathan Zaccaï in Elève Libre (Private Lessons), Joachim Lafosse, Belgium and France
Thierry Hancisse in La Régate (The Boat Race), Bernard Bellefroid, Belgium, Luxembourg and France
Monir Ait Hamou in Les Barons (The Barons), Nabil Ben Yadir, Belgium and France
Olivier Gourmet in Un ange à la mer (Angel at Sea), Frédéric Dumont, Belgium and Canada

Best Supporting Actor
Benoît Poelvoorde in Coco Avant Chanel, Anne Fontaine, France and Belgium
Yannick Renier in Elève Libre Elève Libre (Private Lessons), Joachim Lafosse, Belgium and France
François Damiens in L’Arnacoeur (Heartbreaker), Pascal Chaumeil, France and Monaco
*Jan Decleir in Les Barons (The Barons), Nabil Ben Yadir, Belgium and France
Laurent Capelluto in OSS 117: Rio ne répond plus (OSS 117 – Lost In Rio), Michel Hazanavicius, France

Best Male Newcomer
Jonas Bloquet in Elève Libre (Private Lessons), Joachim Lafosse, Belgium and France
*Joeffrey Verbruggen in La Régate (The Boat Race), Bernard Bellefroid, Belgium, Luxembourg and France
Amir Ben Abdelmoumen in Oscar et la Dame Rose, Eric-Emmanuel Schmitt, France, Belgium, Canada
Martin Nyssen in Un ange à la mer (Angel at Sea), Frédéric Dumont, Belgium and Canada

To check nominees in all categories as well as information about each film go here. Awards ceremony will be on February 5 in Brussels and will be broadcast by BeTV.

There are some films I have seen, some that was aware of, one that I’m “dying” to see, and many that are new to me. From those that are new there are some that seem quite interesting for suggested visuals and because films tell stories about women.

Hors-la-loi (Outside The Law)

It’s a very good movie. Had to take my first statement out of the way as I believe that this is a difficult to objectively review film and will try not to ramble. Think that the best way to start is with a little general information about Rachid Bouchareb trilogy that started with great Indigènes (Days of Glory), continues with this film and will end in a third installment.

The trilogy will be Bouchareb’s personal vision of the History that links France and Algeria; so the first installment, Indigènes, is about World War II and in the beginning Bouchareb wanted film to end with Sétif massacre of May 8, 1945 but changed his mind and decided that film had to end in France, as film did.

Second installment, Hors-la-loi, has a prologue set in 1925 in which the French Code de l’Indigenat is applied to a poor Algerian family, has to leave his ancestral land and move to Sétif. Film starts in 1945 with the Sétif massacre where many members of the prologue family die leaving alive only the mother and three of her sons: Saïd (Jamel Debbouze), Messaoud (Roschdy Zem), and Abdelkader (Sami Bouajila) and the links that France and Algeria have are dramatized by telling the life of these three very different brothers. So, basically film tells about the urban guerrilla activities of the Front de Libération Nationale or FLN (National Liberation Front), the reactions of French secret service Red Hand organization, and ends in 1962 with the recognition of Algeria’s independence.

BUT what I explain in the above paragraph is the background as what REALLY film tells is the story of the three brothers, the emotional story of a family. So story is a strong family drama that will move you no matter if is set against real turbulent times. For me film was an intense emotional ride that kept my total attention until the very end.

Third installment, Bouchareb wishes to tell about 50 years of immigration (after 1962) and says that hopes to make film in four to five years.

Now you know more about story than what I usually tell, but this film is not a History class even when if you’re not familiar with the History told you will learn the basics in film; still, France/Algeria confrontations are not much different than other confrontations that happened between conquers and conquered around the world.

Film as film has extraordinary performances by three lead actors and outstanding visuals that recall epic movies of another era (Bouchareb was inspired by the likes of Leone, Coppola, Kazan, etc); especially many outdoors scenes that were filmed in Tunisia at Tarak Ben Ammar studios famous for films like The English Patient, Star Wars and Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark, which absolutely helps to get the feeling of movies of another era. I imagine that this helped movie (a lot) to get an Oscar nomination, but wonder if very controversial story will give film a chance to win the Oscar.

I strongly recommend this film as must be seen for those that appreciate good movies with strong/emotional drama stories set during real events. This is a French majority production but accordingly to what I read, due to the much publicized controversy decided to submit it as an Algerian film. As we know film was in competition for the Golden Lion at 2010 Cannes.

Enjoy!!!

Watch trailer @MOC

Altiplano

I was really looking forward to watch a film that has been called "unusual" because "narrative style combines realism, symbolism, almost mystical lyricism, and strong visual approach with superb cinematography". A mix of documentary and narrative. Alright the movie has all the above plus an intriguing cast with two actresses I've been following, very exotic Magaly Solier and also exotic Jasmin Tabatabai, BUT (and is a big but) I didn't like it!

I find it an absolutely pretentious mix of many styles -some from many of my favorite directors- to tell a tale that's more serious, down-to-earth, simple yet complex, and never a dream (like filmmakers say) as tells something that really happened in Peru. But actually what this film absolutely lacks is great storytelling and great filmmakers, which -in my opinion- both directors and co-writers absolutely are not.

This is the third role where Magaly Solier plays a Quechua and can't be more different to her previous two roles in Madeinusa and La Teta Asustada (The Milk of Sorrow). So different that while watching I think I discovered what was really missing in this movie was a great director and a superb storyteller like -for example- Claudia Llosa that in her movies explores almost same Peruvian mysticism and symbols with realism but she does it with a magical narrative and is able to extract true awesome performances from her actors.

In Altiplano Magaly Solier doesn't have an awesome performance as she looks and feels woody, theatrical, underused and sometimes performing the absurd; the same happens with Jasmin Tabatabi, just add that she's distant and never feels inside her character. True shame that such good actresses were subjected to an underuse of their respective capabilities.

The film tells two stories, one about a small village in Peru where an US company discovers gold, contaminates with mercury the town of Turubamba, and inhabitants start to die. The other about a war photographer (Tabatabi) suffering from depression that loses her Belgian, humanitarian doctor husband to the hands of the Turubamba inhabitants rage against foreigners and leads her to initiate a redemptory journey to the small Peruvian village. The two stories never merge according to me, unless you consider that the "symbiotic/symbolic" merge of Grace and Saturnina makes the story merge at the end. I don't.

I don't recommend this very pretentious film unless you have never seen the beauty of Peruvian (and sometimes thought was the Chilean) Altiplano. But then, you better rent a National Geographic documentary or watch the NatGeo TV channel and will be able to watch the Altiplano beauty without all the nonsense in this film.

The film really upset me for under-using great actresses; but most of all, for so unsuccessfully copying -or trying to copy- styles that belong to great master filmmakers.

Sigh.

Watch trailer (at your own risk) @Movie On Companion