Reacties

Kleurrijke film over een dorpsgemeenschap zonder stroom. Een idealist probeert de inwoners gratis stroom te geven, wat op tegenwerking van het gezag stuit. Gezien op DVD op het label Contactfilm (CFDVD1201).

Gezien op IFFR. Zilveren Luipaard IFF Locarno 1998. Gaat over een geadopteerde jongen, die er aanvankelijk geen weet van heeft dat hij aan een kinderloos echtpaar is afgestaan. Debuutfilm van Aktan Abdikalikov, die nu Aktan Arym Kubat heet (de maker van 'The Light Thief', 'Centaur' en 'This is what I remember'). DVD op het Zwitserse label Trigonfilm (23).

Film over 12-jarige jongen die van een ervaren jager de kneepjes van de jacht leert. Gezien op (dubbel)DVD op het label Lumiere (LUM081; samen met de Mongoolse film Mongolian Ping Pong).

Tweede film van Darejan Omirbaev in kleur met weinig dialoog. Over jongen die wordt geplaatst in een sanatorium, waar men zijn moederstaal niet spreekt. Doet denken aan Antonioni. Gezien op DVD op het Franse label Doriane Films (EDV958, 2 films op 1 DVD). Gekocht op ebay.

Eerste film van Darejan Omirbaev in zw/w met weinig dialoog. Doet denken aan Antonioni. Gezien op DVD op het Franse label Doriane Films (EDV958; 2 films op 1 DVD). Gekocht op ebay.

Spannende historische film over de opkomst van Genghis Khan in het Mongolie van 1172. Nationale Oscarnominatie 2008. Gezien op DVD (LUM077).

Epische film zonder gesproken woord. Wel enig seksueel gegrom. Speelt zich af in de 2e eeuw. Een jonge vrouw valt voor een andere man dan degene, aan wie haar vader haar heeft uitgehuwelijkt. Kelin moet een keuze maken. Nationale Oscar-nominatie 2010. Verpletterende kleuren. Gezien op Bluray op het Franse label Emylia (EDV2129). Gekocht op Amazon.

Gevoelige film over onbeantwoorde liefde. De hoofdpersoon heeft te grote oren om snel de liefde te vinden. Voor de liefhebbers van 'The story of the weeping camel'. Gezien op DVD (LUM B278). Ook op DVD op het Britse label Newwavefilms. ★★★★ "An eminently lovable film...a gem"

Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

★★★★ “ A weirdly magical debut from Kazakhstan’s Sergei Dvorstsevoy...THE FILM IS IRRESISTIBLY HUMAN AND FUNNY”

Nigel Andrews, FINANCIAL TIMES

★★★★

“Not only ravishing to look at but exceedingly funny too...ONE OF THE MOST CHARMING FILMS OF THE YEAR.

ON NO ACCOUNT MISS THE CHANCE TO ENJOY IT.”

Derek Malcolm, THE EVENING STANDARD

★★★★★ "IT’S A GORGEOUS, FUNNY STORY...AN ABSOLUTE TREAT...”

Sukhdev Sandhu, THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

★★★★

"Among the year’s most endearing cinematic experiences."

David Jenkins Time Out

★★★★
"Sergey Dvortsevoy's beguiling feature debut...
at times slyly witty and at others subtly moving.
Through Asa's eyes we witness the harsh, transformative world of the steppe, which is the movie's always compelling focus."

Kevin Maher, THE TIMES

“Kazakh director SERGEI DVORTSEVOY... he turned to fiction... and he’s still A GENIUS”

Pawel Pawlikowski, The Guardian

“A breath of fresh air…life-affirming…finely-crafted comedy drama”

Nicholas Barber, THE INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY

★★★★

“Extraordinary vitality…a very funny, deadpan and tender comedy”

Laurence Phelan THE INDEPENDENT INFORMATION

“Perceptive and humorous, this gentle drama is uplifting and resonant.”

“An estimable feature debut ...”

“...charmingly absurdist-realist tale of the Kazakh steppe. “

“a revealing portrait of nomadic life in the Central Asian wilderness, with the lengthy lamb-birthing sequence being especially enthralling... a lot of humour, notably involving the hero’s Boney M-loving buddy.”

Patrick Peters, Empire

“a sensitive and...funny human drama.”

“A Herculean task from the director and one that deserves to find an audience. “

Matt, Bochenski, Little White Lies

“...Sergei Dvortsevoy’s remarkable feature debut celebrates the unstinting determination of its characters with affection and humour, whisking into the mix spectacular landscapes, live animal births and Boney M’s ‘Rivers Of Babylon.”

Trevor Johnson, TOTAL FILM

“Charming romantic tale.”

The Guardian Guide - Pick of the Week

“EXTRAORDINARY SCENES ...which make the film’s humour and visual poetry work so well”

A TRIUMPH for its director”

Tony Rayns, Sight & Sound

“A MESMERISING tale”

Keiron Corless, Sight & Sound

‘EXTRAORDINARY’

Stephen Holden, The New York Times

“A poetic fable... a deliciously light touch characterises this dry, deadpan comedy set in the stark and sparsely inhabited steppes of Kazakhstan.’

Dvortsevoy, in his first foray into fiction, knows how to milk laughs and moments of substantial emotional import from tough characterisation, a nice line in absurdism, and unexpected incongruities.’

Geoff Andrew, Time Out

‘Shy courtship, stark landscapes and a spirited supporting cast of livestock make Tulpan a vivid, intensely enjoyable debut feature from former documentarian Sergei Dvortsevoy.’

‘... rapturously received at its screening in Cannes...’

....'vivid, intensely enjoyable' and 'immensely charming...'

Jonathan Romney, Screen

'Something of a miracle'

‘...the first fictional feature by the Kazakh director Sergey Dvortsevoy, might be described as an epic landscape film, a sweetly comic coming-of-age story or a lyrical work of social realism...the setting — a windswept, sparely populated steppe in southern Kazakhstan — gives the movie a mood that sometimes feels closer to that of science fiction.

A.O. Scott The New York Times

'...achieves an Andrei Tarkovsky like majesty...'
"ENGROSSING! FASCINATING!
'gentle humour and spectacular cinematography"

Alissa Simon,Variety

'ASTONISHING'

‘...Dvortsevoy could be the most artistically driven documentary filmmaker since Werner Herzog — living with his subjects for months (and sometimes years) and doing as much of the film work he could himself. He compares his preparation to painting a fresco and insists on shooting film rather than video. This rigorous method ensures a movie the spectator is constantly wondering how the filmmaker contrived to make.

“The most difficult thing for the actors was to be as strong as the animals,” Dvortsevoy told an interviewer, “because all the animals in the film are fantastic, and the actors should not be worse.”

‘In every respect, this unclassifiable movie is an amazing accomplishment.'

Jim Hoberman, LA Weekly

'A delightful, audacious comedy that deserves to be celebrated'

Michael Hayden, London Film Festival

"Polished, funny and utterly charming...
Filled with delightful moments...
The acting is sublime"

Ray Bennett, The Hollywood Reporter-read the full review

‘A startlingly accomplished debut dramatic feature, Tulpan is about as true as it gets. Its beauty and simplicity is literally BREATHTAKING - numerous times the audience gasped. I left the movie excited by discovering a new cinematic voice. SUBLIME.’

Timothy Sun, New York Film Festival

Video interview with Scott Foundas at the New York Film Festival in October 2008, where Sergey Dvortsevoy responded to what life was like over the four year process - see the full interview

"The film is EXTRAORDINARY... contains the most magical long take in recent film history."

Karin Badt, The Huffington Post

"REMARKABLE...full of transcendental beautiful moments."

Miranda Siegel, New York Magazine

4 sterren in de VPRO-gids.

Film zonder dialoog. Een nieuwkomer, Sergey, komt op een kostschool voor doofstomme tieners. Hij wordt uitgedaagd door gewelddadige leeftijdsgenoten en vindt, niet zonder slag of stoot, liefde bij Anna. Gebaren zeggen meer dan woorden. Gezien op het DVD-label Homescreen (6425).

Avonturenfilm. Cloak and dagger. Oekraiense Robin Hood genoemd. 3 sterren in de VPRO-gids. Over tweestrijd tussen broer, die kiest voor zijn door Poolse adel verdrukte volk in de Karpaten, en broer, die kiest voor rijkdom. Parallel met huidige strijd in Oekraine. Gezien in Kijkhuis.

DVD op het Britse label Newwavefilms (NW125); road/boat movie met het karakter van een bedevaart. ★★★★
“Ukrainian filmmaker Nariman Aliev has fashioned an emotionally intense and impressively shot debut feature which, despite the specificity of its cultural references, boldly moves into a more mythical dimension for its resolution.”
Tom Dawson, TOTAL FILM

“The striking visuals as well as the authenticity of the storytelling make Homeward a compelling, heartbreaking watch.
Seitablaev delivers a particularly moving performance, navigating between brutal patriarchal machismo and devastating torment.
…personal and collective pains weave together to make a quietly searing work."
Phuong Le, THE GUARDIAN

★★★★
"A mightily impressive first film, and that ability to flex creative muscles will come later on. An impressive all-rounder package with a couple of very moving set-pieces……an extremely poignant final act.
This brooding Ukrainian road movie shows major promise for its first-time director, Nariman Aliev...definitely one to keep an eye on."
David Jenkins, LITTLE WHITE LIES

“An eloquent and deeply felt movie that, dispensing entirely with any music score, conveys a complex of emotions all the more potent for being so starkly and unaffectedly presented.”
Philip Kemp, SIGHT & SOUND

★★★★
“Elegant framing makes striking use of a generous widescreen aspect ratio, but the film’s main asset is a deft screenplay that subtly reverses the roles of father and son as the journey progresses..…this arresting feature debut by Nariman Aliev…
"A moving modern-day Crimean war story...
"Striking Ukrainian road-trip drama across a war-torn land."
Wendy Ide, THE OBSERVER

“An important project…recent political history is vibrant and painfully alive in this Ukrainian road movie about a mismatched father and son trying to transport a dead body from Kiev to Crimea."
Kevin Mahler, THE TIMES

"There is so much going on…I think it is incredible...the performances are just astonishing. This film is a first feature. I think it is unbelievable that this film was directed by someone who is not even thirty. It’s very beautiful to watch it really powers through. Really poignant film about basically two people who can not find a common language and clash."
Anna Bogutskaya, BBC RADIO 5 LIVE, Kermode and Mayo’s Film Review

“Judged in artistic terms, Nariman Aliev's film is strengthened by plenty of passion and a good visual sense.”
Edward Porter, THE SUNDAY TIMES

"Nariman Aliev’s first feature reveals a poise and maturity beyond his years. The 26-year-old director consolidates the themes and approach of his shorts Sensiz (2016) and à Seni Sevem (2014) into a thoughtful road movie illuminating the fraught fault lines in the relationship between the Ukraine and Russia. The attention given to the look of the film and the poised, reflective tone bring to mind the cinema of Nuri Bilge Ceylan and further emphasises that Narim Aliev is a talent to watch."
Allan Hunter, SCREEN DAILY

"Masterfully shot, this film is simultaneously telling and dialogue-sparse, as the characters switch between four different languages and the even most insignificant objects have a profound narrative purpose."
Maria Muzdybaeva, THE CALVERT JOURNAL

"The feature debut of young Ukrainian director Nariman Aliev... is confidently crafted and well acted. Plainly operating on a small budget, Aliev does good work with limited resources in Homeward. Aliev clearly has plenty to say on this rich subject."
Stephen Dalton, THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

'The feature debut from Ukrainian filmmaker Nariman Aliev, shaped like a funeral procession, is an allegory of the fate of the Tatar people, reduced to a state of vagrancy.

From this allegorical work, filmed in a sober and classical manner, a sad and lacklustre beauty emerges, echoing the situation of this people that is so rarely talked about. Through Mustafa’s painful task, Aliev lets us hear their heartbreaking lament.'
Benedicte Prot, CINEUROPA

Bitter-zoet portret van een ‘lonely she-wolf. Fraai camerawerk van Agnesh Pakodzi. Gebaseerd op de gelijknamige feministische roman van Tamta Melashvili. 3 sterren in de VK (Pauline Kleijer), 4 sterren in de VPRO-gids (Karin Wolfs). DVD op het Brits label Newwavefilms. Uit de buitenlandse pers: ‘A stoically independent Georgian woman in her late 40s experiences a gentle existential awakening during an affair with a local deliveryman in Elene Naveriani's offbeat, low-key drama. Naveriani has given us a most unusual feminist heroine, one experiencing the mischievous, rarely seen triumph of a woman coming into bloom just as those around her are beginning to fade: the last and sweetest blackberry on the bush."
Jessica Kiang, Variety. ★★★★
'With deadpan charm, Elene Naveriani maintains a slow-burning vibe that ripples with underlying humour and tensions. The characters are wonderfully real, while the film has a colourful, sardonic Kaurismäki-like quality that's thoroughly winning. And the underlying message is hugely empowering.'
'Lovely'
Rich Cline, Shadows On The Wall

"The promise of romance changes everything in Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry, the third feature from Elena Naveriani which paints an endearing, bittersweet portrait of an independent woman at the mercy of society’s entrenched expectations. An irresistible central performance from Eka Chavleishvili adds to the appeal of a film that should readily connect with audiences who embraced titles like Sebastian Lelio’s Gloria (2013)."
Allan Hunter, Screen International

The title of Elene Naveriani's third feature makes poetry of natural imagery. If Ingmar Bergman hadn't got there first, it could just as easily have been called 'Autumn Sonata, focusing as it does on a solitary woman seemingly in the autumn of her life...who undergoes an existential awakening.
Naveriani's use of bold colours and deep shadow also recalls late-period Aki Kaurismäki, whose autumnally titled Fallen Leaves like Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry, premiered at Cannes this year. Both films are about a solitary shop worker who embarks on a relationship in middle age; both films share a certain sense of timelessness, with few signifiers of modernity; both situate their romances in a gentle but unmistakable social critique. In Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry, it's not so much capitalism under the microscope as gender conventions. All Etero's friends have settled down and procreated with their husbands.
Arjun Sajip, Sight & Sound

"The deliciously wry, gently unfurling tale of a middle-aged Georgian woman who rejects small-town conformity and experiments with love after a near-death experience."
Carmen Gray, The Film Verdict

"A rich character study of a strong willed woman who relishes her independence...Georgian filmmaker Elene Naveriani solidifies her gravitational pull towards examining rural social misfits with her elegant sophomore film."
Nicholas Bell, ION Cinema

"A striking ode to female independence...
In the past decade or so, the country of Georgia has produced many raw and powerful films from women directors examining the country's modern women as they seek their newfound independence. Elene Naveriani's romantic drama is a striking new entry to this film movement, anchored by a fierce and sensual performance from star Eka Chavleishvili."
Marya E. Gates, The Playlist

"A work of incredible depth, intelligent and intuitive, which can teach us a thing or two about finding pleasure in life, even if we think that ship has sailed.
A film as charming as its title suggests. At times contemplative and always exploratory...tells a bittersweet love story in order to present a much sweeter one of self-love."
Savina Petkova, Cineuropa

"Like its protagonist, the spellbinding sensibilities of “Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry” are a treat to behold."
Chavleishvili plays the commanding Etero with a dry wit, a piercing gaze, and an uncommon sensitivity. The film’s final shot, a knockout scene happy to exist in the liminal space between
Robert Daniels, RogerEbert.com (end of article)
he wifely drudgery of village life.'

'Wry, sensous and surprisingly subversive, this gentle midde-aged romance ...
A sharp, no-shit-taken performance from Eka Chavleishvili's shows up her fierce hunger for freedom and gorgeous woodland trysts, rather than the wifely drudgery of village life.'
Kate Stables, Total Film

'...In a harsh and judgemental world...this is a story that exceeds its love story status.
A counterpoint to the ordinary lives on show, the film’s production design also pops – bright greens and reds insist that life doesn’t have to be bleak. There’s optimism on screen, whether on the walls or in the mind of Etero, who is a quiet, radical force that flies in the face of convention. It doesn’t matter what age you are, Naveriani suggests. Pleasure and desire can strike us at any time.’
James Mottram, Aesthetica magazine

Georgische inzending voor de Oscar. Winnaar van de Gouden Antigone op het IFF Montpellier 2012: “Komedie van het jaar”. Zoveel valt er echter niet te lachen. Geïnspireerd door ware gebeurtenissen. De schoonheidswedstrijd van de moeders in bikini - ter ere van de wezen van de vijfdaagse Russisch-Georgische oorlog in 2008 - deed denken aan de satirische miss-verkiezing met dames in ondergoed in ‘The Firemen’s Ball’ van Milos Forman. De vernedering ten top. En de winnaar is …… DVD op het Franse label ZED (EDV2537). N.B. 1: Georgisch gesproken; alleen Frans ondertiteld. N.B. 2: Ia Sukhitashvili is een grote ster a la Jane Fonda in ‘They shoot horses, dont they?’.

Georgische inzending voor de Oscar. Helaas geen nominatie.

Georgische inzending voor de Oscar. Helaas geen nominatie.

Gezien tijdens het Leids IFF 2017. Ontzettend spannende film over een in 1983 waar gebeurd gijzelingsdrama in de Sovjetrepubliek Georgie: zeven intellectuelen/studenten kapen op een binnenlandse vlucht een Aeroflot-vliegtuig met aan boord meer dan 100 passagiers in een poging naar het vrije Westen te vluchten. Over deze gebeurtenis bestaat ook een onvergetelijke documentaire, Bandits geheten, van de hand van Zaza Rusadze (2003, 52 min). De jongste film van Gigineishvili heet Patient no.1.

Gezien eind 2015 Eye A’dam. Mooie film. Miniatuurwereld rond oude boer die met kleindochter op een eiland midden in de rivier tussen Georgie en de deelrepubliek Abchazie mais verbouwt. De film verbeeldt de strijd tegen het wassende water temidden van de grensschermutselingen tussen beide partijen. Won diverse filmprijzen. Ook op DVD op het Zwitserse label Trigon-film.

Gezien tijdens Leids IFF 2019. Wonderschone film over delicate liefde. Lust voor het oog van dansliefhebbers. DVD op het label Cinemien (T6546).

Gezien op DVD (LUM062). Spannende film. Behoorlijk gewelddadig. Mooi in zwart/wit gedraaid.

Gezien tijdens EasternNeighboursFilmFestival 2022. De film gaat over de generatiekloof tussen vader en zoon. De zoon wordt door de politie verdacht van een straatroof en moet tegenover zijn vader zijn onschuld bewijzen. De vader gunt hem niet het voordeel van de twijfel. Een oplossing komt niet helemaal uit de verf.

Gezien op Bluray op het Britse label Axiomfilms (AXM709). Gekocht op Ebay. Won diverse filmprijzen.

Georgische inzending voor de Oscar. Helaas geen nominatie.

Bluray op het label MUBI (MUBI138). Gekocht bij Plato/Concerto. Georgische inzending voor de Oskar. Oorspronkelijke titel ‘Naked sky’.

Gezien op DVD (op het Britse label Newwavefilms; ART704DVD. Ook uitgebracht op het Imagine label). Luidde min of meer de Georgische New Wave in. Speelt zich af in Tblisi in 1992. Gaat over 2 meiden in een wereld in verandering. Overtuigend gespeeld. Georgische inzending voor de Oscar. Jammer genoeg geen nominatie. Wel prijs op Filmfestival Berlijn 2013.