Festival dei Popoli, 50 Days of International Cinema in the City
Written By: Kathleen Culliton
The Festival dei Popoli, the second chapter of Cinema Odeon's 50 Days of International Film, united unique perspectives of life around the world in a diverse array of documentary film. The sheer quantity of films screened at the Cinema Odeon and Spazio Uno made for a breadth of subject that lacked a unification. The festival's greatest successes were the small series that together uncovered a deeper meaning in the individual documentaries on display than each held as a solitary work.
On Wednesday, November 4th an afternoon at Cinema Odeon consisted of three acts; three short documentaries followed by two feature length films. The three short films; Upe by Rimantas Gruodis and Julija Gruodiene of Lithuania, Wagah by Supriyo Sen of India, and Cosi Eravamo by Bruno Oliviero of Italy, shared only the most practical of similarities. These three films, produced in 2009 and each under thirty minutes in length, told three very different stories.
Upe chronicles the impoverished life of Lithuanian families living a difficult life on a very cold river. Wagah chronicles the daily raising of the flags between the one entryway between the Indian and Palastine borders. Cosi Eravamo nararates a brief reencounter between two former protesters involved in a violent resistance in Napoli. Seperately each film had holes; the short length of the works did not do justice to the depth of their subject. But together the three intertwined into one story of human survival in the face of violence; whether it be natural or manmade, grim or celebratory. This series was both inspirational and educational; a definite success.
The feature presentations, however, lacked the substance of the short films. Genova Tripoli, the tale of a merchant sea voyage between two industrial port cities, failed to entertain or educate. Instead this film blandly recounted a trite tale of life at sea with little unique perspective to add. When on Saturday evening vibrant interviews with Marlon Brando and Truman Capote were showcased, the sheer lack of content of other Festival dei Popoli's films was evident. Attendence to the festival was a gamble; either an extremely rewarding experience or one of extreme boredom.
The Festival dei Popoli, unlike other chapters within the 50 Days of International Film in Florence Festival, is in its 50th year. Officialy a cinamatic tradition here in Florence, Festival dei Popoli has withstood the test of time. It will be interesting to compare how more modern portions of the festival fare in comparison. Whether or not modernity will provide a fresh approach to choice in venue or err beyond comparison is yet to be seen. What is certain is that a trip to the festival is worth the risk to any film fan interested in diverse perspectives on the modern world; no matter how odd or how tame. The following chapter of the festival is dedicated to the films of Finland. This untraditional choice is certain to entertain; how is yet to be seen.
Florence News - a9.11.10.13.04
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