As a seasoned film critic with over three decades of experience under my belt, I have seen countless films that have left me spellbound, enraged, or simply bewildered. The Venice Film Festival, with its rich history and unparalleled prestige, never fails to deliver an eclectic mix of cinematic masterpieces and controversial works that push the boundaries of artistic expression.
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Andres Veiel’s film “Riefenstahl” – a piece that questions the popular image of one of Germany’s debated filmmakers – is among the 17 German movies being screened across different categories at the Venice Film Festival.
Exploring Leni Riefenstahl’s hitherto untouchable archive, a 160-minute movie unearths long-hidden secrets that the creator of the 1935 propaganda film “Triumph of the Will,” fought to conceal for over half her lifespan.
Veiel was hired as director by Sandra Maischberger, the producer from Berlin’s Vincent Films, following her acquisition of unrestricted access to Riefenstahl’s archive after the demise of Horst Kette, Riefenstahl’s lifelong partner and husband in 2016.
As a movie enthusiast, I wholeheartedly believe that this festival is perfectly suited for our film. The political climate in Germany and Italy shares striking similarities – both grappling with the surge of right-wing ideologies and an increased appetite for propaganda and misinformation. For engaging discussions about our film, I can confidently say that it’s one of the most ideal festivals we could have chosen.
In Venice, there are lingering specters of the past too. Riefenstahl exhibited numerous films on the Lido during the 1930s, including her two propaganda films for the Nazis and her inaugural feature, “The Blue Light,” produced in 1932. She even held a retrospective on the Lido in the 1950s, an era when she was trying to create a persona that distanced herself from the Nazi regime. As depicted in the documentary “Riefenstahl,” much of this new image was fabricated, largely through deceit.
Despite its challenging nature, as it portrays Leni Riefenstahl’s seeming involvement in the murder of Jewish men in Poland and her fondness for Adolf Hitler, “Riefenstahl” is expected to be a highly sought-after film in Venice.
Another highly awaited movie, Tim Fehlbaum’s film “September 5,” set in the 1972 Summer Olympics, is showing in the Horizons Extra competition category. This film, which unfolds during the Munich Olympics when Palestinian terrorists tragically killed 11 Israeli athletes and coaches, centers around the crisis as experienced by the ABC sports broadcast team. The movie stars Peter Sarsgaard and John Magaro as sports commentators who are suddenly required to shift their focus from tracking athletic events to the hostage crisis involving the Israeli athletes, exploring how such devastating incidents can put a journalist’s moral compass to the test.
Two films co-produced by Germany are being featured in the main competition: “Harvest,” directed by Athina Rachel Tsangari, based on a book, and “Maria,” a collaboration between Italy, Germany, and the United States, which is helmed by Pablo Larrain and tells the story of opera singer Maria Callas.
Looking further ahead, German films are also heading to the Toronto Intl. Film Festival.
At TIFF, one of the notable films is “Sad Jokes” by Fabian Stumm, which makes its international debut in the Discovery section. The movie explores the unique bond between Joseph and Sonya, who are co-parenting a child while maintaining a platonic relationship. However, complications arise when Sonya experiences a mental breakdown, causing Joseph to divert his focus from a fresh film project and grapple with the emotional fallout of a split from his partner, Marc.
Additionally announced are “Edge of Night” by Türker Süer, “Seven Days” by Ali Samadi Ahadi, and “The Sunset Special 2” by Nicolas Gebbe. These titles have already been disclosed.
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2024-09-01 09:16