Berlin International Film Festival | 17 February

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-- The Forum
-- The Panorama
-- Retrospective
-- Kinderfilmfest
-- New German Films




Parallel: Panorama: Morir (O No) (To Die (Or Not))

To Die (Or Not)

Panorama welcomes ace Ventura

 

He could be called 'the Berlin man'. Barcelona-based director Ventura Pons has a film in Panorama for the third year running: Morir (O No) (To Die Or Not) following 1999's Amic/Amat (Beloved/Friend) and Caricies (Caresses) in 1998. That in itself underscores the prolific nature of Pons, the only director to keep working continuously out of Barcelona. Although his films clock up foreign sales, they are classic auteur films, showing, in his most recent works, says Pons, "the darker sides of ourselves".

Based on a theatrical work by Sergi Belbel, Morir takes seven stories and gives each of them both tragic and happy endings. As ever, this allows Pons to tap excellent local actors ­ Barcelona has the finest theatrical tradition in Spain. He also delivers a memorable take on human emotions and contemporary relations. In less liberal countries than Spain some find Pons' films shocking, others that they are just too close to the bone.

John Hopewell

Berlin 1999 - Berlin 98 - Berlin 97 - Berlin 96