49th SFIFF - Day One

"Lili et le baobab" ("Lili and the Baobab") (dir. Chantel Richard, France, 2005, 90 mins.) is a NICE film about a French photographer's emotional journey and cultural confrontation when she becomes involved with an unwed mother's predicament in a village in Senegal. It is a leisurely paced film, which does serve the purpose of reflecting the pace of life in this village. However, and I may never say this again, it didn't go far enough in portraying how it changed our lead character's (played by Romane Bohringer) life. There is a fine line in there somewhere between 'nice' and 'schmaltz' and this tread too far on the 'nice' side of the story. I just didn't sense a spiritual change within the woman that I believe we being were led to. Ah well.

The absolute opposite of 'nice' was on display in the wicked "El Metodo" ("The Gronholm Method") (dir. Marcelo Pineyro, Spain/Argentina, 2005, 115 mins.), in which a group of job applicants must debate scenarios and in the process eliminate each other. It's a verbal and extremely more witty version of "The Apprentice," though it does contain its share of plot contrivances. I was able to look past those and relish in the evil word play and nearly brilliant mind games that the characters partake in! There is of course a BIG MESSAGE about what this kind of corporate atmosphere can do to your soul, but I'd rather sit back and watch the 'fun!' Bwhahahaha!!

So, that was an easy day, since the 'Stella Artois Late Shows' are not so 'Late' as just past a normal bedtime this year, and "The Gronholm Method" overlapped the first 'Late Show' tonight ("Metal: A Headbangers Journey") by an hour. However, I'll be there for the three others!