I went to see two films on Friday at the French Institute, part of their fantastic Mosaiques Festival of World Cultures. The first one, Alexis dos Santos' Glue, was a stunning portrait of teenage angst in the barren landscapes of central Argentina. It certainly spoke to my experience - northern Italy is, in its overpopulated way, not dissimilar to the Argentinian Pampa. The Toronto Film Festival's review reassured me: this 'vibrant coming-of-age story touches upon many adolescent topics - experimentation with drugs, familial alienation, homoeroticism, sexual frustration and self-discovery'. Glad I wasn't the only one, then. The lead actor, Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, is superb, giving an amazing performance for someone that young. I am sure we'll see much more of him in the near future.
The second one was the very political Cover boy: L'ultima rivoluzione, an Italian production about a migrant Romanian trying to make a living in Rome. The film points an accusatory finger to the structures which are letting thousands of people - migrants and non-migrants - descend into poverty and oblivion, while surrounded by a world of opulence they cannot touch. While the subtler politics of the movie will escape those who are not fluent in Italian (the subtitles barely bothered capturing the subtleties of the background TV speeches of Italian rightwing politicians, arrogantly preaching how 'the crisis is in people's minds'), most will appreciate the beautiful direction and excellent performances. Le Duc will appreciate the gratuitous shots of the lead actor's penis.
Now I feel I've done my bit for world cinema this year. When's the next US blockbuster coming out?
