Bernell Dorrough170 films. 31 countries. Hundreds of self-important critics trying to outdo each other with their knowledge of Slovenian cinema. The 12th annual St. Louis International Film Festival has arrived, and it’s bigger and brassier than ever. Now nearly a week deep into the event, it’s time to look back at some of the initial highlights and look forward to the upcoming films.
This year’s festival is not so different from its predecessors in content, but its size and scope continue to grow. “We’ve broadened the international film selection and increased the number of awards and local filmmakers involved,” said Chris Clark, the managing and artistic director of Cinema St. Louis, the group that organizes the festival. Clark, along with the two other members of Cinema St. Louis, scouts the world’s film festivals every year looking for possible SLIFF features. He and his colleagues must also wade through nearly 900 submissions, picking out only the best. As the festival has gained significance, the candidate pool and the number of films ultimately included have increased dramatically. Whereas the first SLIFF offered only 25 films, this year viewers can choose from about 170, including 45 international films, 18 documentary features, and 90 fictional shorts.
Deliberating moviegoers intimidated by those staggering numbers can approach the festival using helpful categories, or Sidebars, which group films along similar genre lines. The specificity of the Sidebars continues to increase each year. “There’s a new Mental Health Issues Sidebar, made up of a critical mass of films that fit that category, which seemed appropriate; in fact, we should have done it sooner,” said Clark. “The same goes for Women in Film, as well as Cinema for Youth, which we’re making a more permanent fixture.”
Especially interesting is the Interfaith Sidebar, made up of films and documentaries “distinguished by their artistic merit; contribution to the understanding of the human condition; and recognition of ethical, social, and spiritual values.” While this is all good and well, the one film I saw under this category, “Hukkle” (a weird, David Lynchian black comedy), seemed a bit of a stretch as a “spiritual” piece. Still, Cinema St. Louis’s aims aren’t too lofty. “I don’t think we can change the world,” said Clark, “but we want to broaden horizons and point out that just because there not be a rabbi or priest in the film, it can still have spiritual elements. Almost every film is a morality play in one form or another, after all.”
The festival is also peppered with unique special events. This year’s SLIFF kicked off Thursday night with a screening of the French animated piece “The Triplets of Belleville,” which has received worldwide critical acclaim. A cocktail reception followed in the Starlight Roof of the Chase Park Plaza. With tickets at a hundred bucks a pop, you can bet that the poor inhabitants of the Cadenza dungeon didn’t make it to such a swanky social soiree, but luckily former editor-in-chief Dan Carlin caught “The Triplets” during his semester abroad in France. The film will return to St. Louis this January for a week-long run, so be sure to catch it then.
The University has also lent its resources to several special events already. Chinese director Johnnie To paid a visit to Brown 100, home to those gigantic introductory Anthro and Psych courses, to talk about his newest film “PTU.” (Tragically, hundreds of students returned home dejected after mistakenly thinking they were going to hear actor Jon Favreau talk about his role as the lovable Gutter in “PCU.”) In addition, our own Professor Gerald Early led a lecture entitled “The Disorder of the Holy Order: Priests and Clergy in American Film,” on Saturday.
But behind all the posh parties, celebrity interviews, and politically correct sidebars, there are some very fine films, and we saw plenty of ’em. The aforementioned “Hukkle” was a good little introduction to the festival, a brief, nearly dialogue-free feature length film from Hungary. The screening opened with a short introduction to the festival that featured St. Louisans doing their best dramatic impersonations. Beatle Bob, who was in fine form at the Tivoli that day, appeared against a white background doing his famous dance. “Bond, James Bond,” he said, although Austin Powers is probably a more apt comparison. The other Bob in town, Baton Bob, also appeared in full tutu regalia, and with a coquettish, demure voice delivered that famous line, “I’m ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille.” “Secret Things,” a sultry French examination of sexual power, was also screened Friday.
Saturday offered “Bonhoeffer,” a documentary about the famous German protestor and martyr that senior Cadenza editor Travis Petersen just couldn’t resist. Sunday featured Canada’s “The Wild Dogs,” a haunting drama set in Bucharest, and the Thai sex comedy “Sayew.” As for upcoming films and events to look forward to, take it from the horse’s mouth itself. Clark especially recommends “Life After War” and “Power Trip,” two films that might look slow but are actually thrill-packed. Also, “The Tracker,” an Australian feature about racism and revenge, is an “amazing low flier…quite the jewel.” “The Flower of Evil,” the newest film from French New Wave director Claude Chabrol, is an examination of a bourgeois family’s sinister secrets. “800 Bullets” is a fast-paced, hilarious send-up of the spaghetti Western genre. “It’s wide-screen, it’s got great sound, everything about it is smashing!” said Clark. Finally, the two big features on closing night Sunday, “In America” and “Girl with a Pearl Earring,” should be excellent bigger budget affairs.
The final days of the festival are winding up, so if you haven’t already, head down to Delmar or over to the Hi-Pointe for a smorgasbord of great international cinema.