‘Balane 3’ Review: A Bold and Invigorating Portrait of a Bustling City in Motion

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2019 saw the release of “Balane 3”, a film entirely set in the vibrant Mozambican city of Inhambane, which pulses with energy on screen thanks to its dynamic pacing. Director Ico Costa, known for his documentary work in Mozambique, employs a wandering camera that narrates the city’s tale through its inhabitants, without ever revealing their names or adhering to traditional cinéma vérité methods. Instead, Costa and cinematographer Hugo Azevedo Aip position their cameras primarily from afar, capturing an outsider’s perspective that celebrates the faces and dialogues that characterize a bustling urban landscape.

The movie, titled after the location where it was filmed, portrays everyday life by focusing on conversations among people in various settings – streets, hair salons, workplaces, restaurants, parties. At times, the camera lingers to focus on particular moments such as a dance or a subtle flirtation. Other times, it follows behind a motorcycle rider or walks beside someone on a beach. No matter what it does, the people being observed become the heroes of an engaging narrative. Within the series of static shots, there are many that linger just the right amount to tell a complete story through the actions and interactions of the individuals within the shot.

In this setting, numerous dialogues take place. These discussions revolve around various aspects of life, relationships, and predominantly, intimacy: the triggers for passion, the impact of self-gratification on endurance, and romantic pursuits. A captivating scenario unfolds outside a high school where groups of students gather in distinct clusters, boys on one side and girls on the other. Their focus is primarily on each other, with lively chatter and appraisals. The camera tracks as one boy ventures from his group to initiate a conversation with someone across the divide. As all eyes turn towards him and the girl he approaches, a love narrative commences. The bold one makes the first move, but it’s the other who holds the power to respond.

In the movie “Balane 3”, characters remain unnamed and their professions unknown, with each appearing in only a single scene. Despite this fragmented portrayal, the stories never feel incomplete or disjointed. Instead, director Costa and editor Raul Domingues skillfully piece together brief glimpses of life, creating a cohesive whole that gives viewers a taste of what it might be like to live in Inhambane. Remarkably, “Balane 3” implies that observers might make outstanding filmmakers, as they are drawn to seemingly ordinary moments that others overlook. Essentially, every character and object within the film serves as a storyteller, recounting a tale – though it’s not a traditional one, but rather a genuine, real-life fable.

Yet, it’s worth considering that the gaze of this foreigner could be perceived as colonialist. This is because the filmmaker hails from Portugal, a country with a complex history with Mozambique, which was a Portuguese colony until 1975 and still uses Portuguese as its official language. This historical complexity becomes evident in scenes where Costa captures Mozambican traditions. For instance, a dance sequence reminiscent of the finale in “Beau Travail” might seem innocent enough, but a prolonged negotiation between two feuding families carries similar length and narrative structure to the earlier schoolyard scene. This drawn-out sequence could potentially be seen as a reflection of colonialist oversight.

As Costa’s camera observes locals conversing about virtue, dowry, and other traditions unique to them, it provokes a debate on whether these filmmakers should be privy to such intimate and distant subjects, given their dissimilar backgrounds. This situation recalls the criticisms faced by Claire Denis, another director who filmed in Africa, for allegedly adopting a colonial gaze. However, both Costa and Denis make it clear that they are outsiders, simply documenting what catches their eye. Their lens does not assert ownership over the subjects they capture.

In various settings, whether crowded public events or private encounters, “Balanae 3” portrays a dynamic urban landscape that’s constantly in flux. Each scene might appear disconnected, and there won’t be any continuous storylines to trace or characters to empathize with. Nevertheless, it offers a comprehensive portrait of the city and its inhabitants as a whole.

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2025-03-27 11:16