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contemporary reality, virtual or otherwise, in the
rest of the world.
In this ‘comedia tragedia’, multi-talent Juan Daniel
F. Molero takes us on a digital trip down all the
perfidious byways of ‘the interwebz’. Peruvian
schoolgirl Luz looks a lot more innocent than she
is. She meets Junior online, who spends most of his
days gaming in Internet cafés. His ambition is earn
a living making amateur porn.
Junior, obsessed by Mayan predictions of the end
of the world, does everything you are not supposed
to do with Google Glass. It is immediately clear
that his seduction of the lovely Luz will have bad
consequences. But for whom?
Full of pixels and glitches, featuring a psychedelic
acid trip amongst ancient ruins and an exorcism
involvingaguineapig,
Videophilia (andOtherViral
Syndromes)
is a fascinating non-love story as well
as a portrait of life today. Molero’s generation grew
up with a flourishing Internet, full of confidence in
the endless opportunities and freedom offered by
this new medium.
Molero,whosedocumentary
Reminiscences
played
in Rotterdam in 2010, pays homage in his feature
debut to the power of the (misleading) image.
As this film shows, the tactics introduced by
controversial Peruvian president Fujimori (1990-
2000) to divert the attention of the Peruvian people
fromwhat reallymatters (using sensational tabloids
full of tales of murder, sex, celebrities, corruption
and paranormal activities), are still being used to
the full.
Vanishing Point
By Jakrawal Nilthamrong
A serious film about serious, complex issues
(including a dramatic car crash), presented in
a light, playful way, the film follows two very
different men, each of whom changes his life in
his own way. This does not seem to be a direct
result of the choices they make. Change can be
like that.
Vanishing Point
is an exercise in self-examination,
even if Thai director Jakrawal Nilthamrong does
not appear directly in the film.
It opens with images of a car crash involving
Nilthamrong’s parents. Disturbing original news
photos are initially used, but the director quickly
switches to a fictional reconstruction at the scene
of a crime, deep in a wood. We do not yet know
how this shocking crime is related to the car
accident. Various facts and stories are cautiously
presented; the pieces of the puzzle do not fall
into place straight away.
Vanishing Point
follows a young reporter
who attends the reconstruction without being
particularly impressed. He is against injustice,
but is unable to give concrete expression to this
feeling. Another storyline involves motel owner
Yai, a joyless voyeur with little feeling for his
family. His attempts to escape his day-to-day
existence don’t really help.
The film is not sombre, however. Nilthamrong
makes good use of diverting elements such as
karaoke videos and popular music to develop
his themes with a light touch. The question of
how his parents’ accident has affected his life is
a serious sidelight; how all of our actions affect
the rest of our lives.
IFFRAudienceAward 2015
During International Film Festival Rotterdam,
visitors are invited to rate the films with a voting
card. The final score determines which director will
win the IFFR Audience Award 2015. The prize is
traditionally handed out on the last Saturday of the
festival (right before the closing film). The prize is
€10,000.
This year’s winner was
The Dark Horse
by James
Napier Robertson, a highly praised drama from
New Zealand telling the true, impressive story
of Genesis Potini, who fought for the future of
disadvantaged children until his death in 2011. In
spite of his own bipolar disorder, he taught them to
play chess and fight for opportunities.
The Dark Horse
In its own country, New Zealand drama
The Dark
Horse
has been described by critics as one of the
best films to emerge from that country in recent
years. This powerful drama tells the true and
turbulent story of Genesis Potini, a New Zealander
suffering from bipolar disorder who died in
2011. In a society in which it is difficult for a lot
of young people to resist the temptation to stray
from the straight and narrow, Potini tries to keep
young people on track through chess. This involves
overcoming the challenges of his condition and
at times some pretty nasty criminals as well.
The Dark Horse
is buoyed by great acting from
Cliff Curtis, familiar from
Whale Rider
(2002)
and
Once Were Warriors
(1994). The directing by
young filmmaker James Napier Robertson, who
also wrote the screenplay, also impresses. This
film is often comical, at times raw, but above all
intensely poignant.
The Dark Horse
is a film that
resonates long after you leave the cinema.
About International Film Festival Rotterdam
International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR)
offers a high quality line-up of carefully selected
fiction and documentary feature films, short
films and media art. The festival’s Tiger Awards
Competitions, Bright Future and Spectrumsections
contain recent work only, among which are many
world premieres. In its Signals section, IFFR
presents retrospectives and themed programmes.
Vanishing Point
IFFR Festival Center - De Doelen
The awards ceremony
