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Friday, September 28, 2007

CIFF 2007 wrap-up & comments

Friday, Sept 28 -- Day 8 of 10 and I have to call it a day. And I only clocked in 12 movies. The reasons for this low total is my travel to Vancouver for VIFF. Still, I managed to see plenty of quality movies over this past week.

Rating (out of 10) of films seen during the festival:
4 months 3 weeks 2 days (Romania): 9
The Edge of Heaven (Germany/Turkey): 9
Black Butterfly (Peru): 9
The Mosquito Problem and Other Stories (Bulgaria): 9
Khadak (Belgium/Germany): 8.5
Saviour Square (Poland): 8.5
Persepolis (France): 8
Fresh Air (Hungary): 8
The True Legend of Tony Vilar (Italy): 7.5
Hunt Angels (Australia): 7.5
Two in One (Ukraine/Russia): 6.5
Jade Warrior (Finland/China/Holland/Estonia): 6



Previously viewed films that played at CIFF:

Drained (Brazil): 10
Time (South Korea): 8.5
Armin (Bosnia co-production): 8.5
Ahlaam (Iraq): 8
Mukhsin (Malaysia, screened for Pan-Asian film festival): 8
Vanaja (India): 8
The Bushmen's Secrets (South Africa): 8
Orange Revoluton (US/Ukraine): 7.5
Tambogrande (Peru): 7

Festival favourites: Combining films seen both during and before the festival.

Most unique film:

Drained -- Loved how Heitor Dhalia takes us on fascinating a journey through the bizarre life of Lourenco whose obsessive dark mind knows no limits. The brown tainted lens just adds to the film's earthy feel.

Best cinematic experience:

Khadak (Color of Water) -- It was a real pleasure watching this in the giant IMAX screen because that allows one to soak in all the beautiful visuals of Mongolia in this lavish production.

Most satisfying cinematic experience:

The Edge of Heaven
-- the final few shots in the movie are just perfect!

Daring cinema:

4 months 3 weeks 2 days -- This film certainly made me uncomfortable but at the same time I can't help admire the rawness with which Romanian life under communism is shown.

Most seductive film:

Black Butterfly -- The film shows how an ordinary woman has to resort to seduction and manipulation to destroy the web of lies that power hungry men weave

That's it for this year. A vintage year for films!!!

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