Film festivals

Almost every day of the year, there is a film festival happening somewhere in the world. Each one has a personality and agenda. Each one serves as picture windows onto a wider, more diverse world. If you have an explorer’s sense of adventure, a big, wide open mind, energy and passion and a great eye for absurdity then you can be a festivalier, a film festival gypsy. Earlier this year, there was the San Francisco, Cannes, Seattle, Montreal, Venice, Berlin, Toronto and September, the Vancouver International Film Fest.

The 25th Vancouver International Film Festival ended recently after exhibiting over 350 films for 16 days. The 25th edition is a vintage one as VIFF finally found its direction, niche, distinctive character as a truly international film event. It is now the second largest film festival on the continent with Toronto still ranked as the number two film event after Cannes.

In the past years, VIFF focused too much on films from Hong Kong, Mainland China and other Asian countries. For a while, it looked like a tacky extension of the Hong Kong and Shanghai festivals. There were too many minor talents from Asia and countless homegrown directors with esoteric, quirky and deliriously cheesy, even amateurish approach to filmmaking. These British Columbia productions were mostly funded by the government so the local talents focused on their egos. Most of these films were not commercially released because of their parochial look at life. Even the residents of B.C. don’t want to see them.

2006 marked the maturity and international approach of the festival. There were less films from the Pacific Rim and more from the Middle East and first-time participants from different parts of the world. There were many quality productions and as can be expected, several pretentious works that have been intellectualized by programmers. Oftentimes, the reviews are better than the film or better read than seen.

Film appreciation is a very personal thing because what I may consider as trash can be seen as a gem by another person. It is fact though that many pseudo-intellectuals will only praise films that are beyond comprehension by an ordinary moviegoer. I saw 26 films this year and here are the three films I truly hated: Todo Todo Teros (Philippines) directed by John Torres.

It’s a mess of pretentious insanity. This is a self-centered and indulgent Mini/Dv diary (not a movie) about counter-culture in the Philippines. Looks and sounds like a student film that should be seen only by students and friends of Torres. the Philippines. Looks and sounds like a student film that should be seen only by students and friends of Torres. It was selected by a panel of three people (supposedly experts) as best film in the Dragons and Tigers Award section of the fest. Torres can now join Raymond Red. The other two Filipino films are far superior but I guess they don’t want to give more awards to Kubrador (winner in Moscow and Delhi) and The Blossoming of Maximo Oliveros (winner in Montreal).

Do Over (Taiwan) directed by Chong Yu-Chieh. The plot is interesting, about five intersecting lives in today’s Taipei. It requires professional talent to make this scenario work and Claude Lelouch is an expert on this. Cheng is obviously a neophyte and it shows in his work. It may have won top prize in Taiwan but Do Over is insipid. This type of film has been done many times before by better directors and the low caliber of Cheng can’t make it better. He can now join the other pretentious, super-arty, boring directors from Taiwan.

Tachigui: The Amazing Life of the Fast-Food Grifters (Japan) directed by Oshii Mamoru. This one is truly tacky, Japanese animation gone wrong as it tries to explain the stand-and-eat fast food culture in Japan. It is inane and irritating to watch. Highly recommended to bad junk movie lovers.

If you still remember a movie several days after you’ve seen it, then it has really touched you. Here are some the films that are still screening in my mind.

• Paris, Je t’aime (France). A multi-layered movie with a narrative structure that seemed disparate but all the stories were woven seamlessly into a unified love letter to Paris.

• The Bet Collector (Kubrador). The marvelous realistic acting of Gina Pareño, as a hard-working woman resigned to her miserable fate in poverty-stricken Philippines – is mesmerizing.

• The Page Turner (France). A movie about revenge without gore as only the French can do it, with sophistication. Brings to mind the saying, that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

• The Yacoubian Building (Egypt). For its searing honesty in presenting contemporary life in Egypt and frank treatment of taboo subjects.