The Surprise Film Unveiled

Day 8 - Wednesday, 9 August

The "Bronx" was in Locarno tonight with the Piazza screening of France's second film in competition, Bronx-Barbès by Eliane de Latour, a story of violence, fraternity, rebellion, honour and respect in an African shanty town. "The west sees black Africa either as a defeated, overpopulated continent inflicted with Aids, tribal wars and corruption, or takes a "politically correct" view, founded on the censorship of a good conscience," states the director, whose work as an anthropologist has been dedicated to societies in West Africa. Upon entering the stage to present the film, Eliane de Latour warmly thanked the festival organisers for their endeavour to get visas for the two leading actors from the Ivory Coast.

The screening of the film, which was very warmly applauded, was followed by a discussion between the director and the audience at the Swiss RadioTelevision stand, which lasted well past midnight. Asked about her influences, Eliane de Latour acknowledged Jean Rouch, a famous documentary filmmaker who made films about black Africa, mainly in Niger.

After Switzerland, it was Germany's turn to take over the Grand Hotel in Locarno. Sausage, cheese, and delicious tarts were on the menu of the well attended cocktail. Among those in attendance was prominent film critic Andreas Kilp, from General Frankfurt, who accepted to tell us his true opinion about the present situation of German cinema, represented by 2 films in competition at Locarno.

"The problem with German movies," he said, "is that they are financed by state institutions. These institutions have selecting committees composed of representatives from German TV networks, churches and the state and trade unions. These committees tend to finance the tamer and lamer projects instead of the audacious or courageous ones. The films pass a kind of censorship that is not called censorship. And therefore most of the films are as un-involving as they could be. Philip Gröning's film is not audacious, but it's very personal. That's apparently his film."

"I think there are very interesting things in German cinema now" said Groning. "There is a change occurring in production, there is a lot of money because a lot of people have made a fortune on the stock exchange. German cinema is trying to be commercial again. The results are not there yet - a rare example is Lola Run Lola by Tom Tykwer. Yet, I cannot speak as an insider because I do my own stuff in my own way. Which happens to be a very natural thing for German filmmakers..."

In the warm and cosy Locarno evening, ice cream stands continue to be amblers' favourite halts. As for the festival's menu, it finally delivered its "surprise film," which had kept movie buffs' tongues waggling until the very last moment with the wildest bets. Some had betted on a film from continental China, and... continental China it was indeed, with Shuo Wang's Baba (Father, 1996), a comedy exploring the difficult relationship between a widower and the son he is raising by himself. Adapted from his own novel, Shuo Wang's film is also full of ironic allusions to the regime and contemporary Chinese society and was banned by the Film Office before it even reached the Censor's office. Enough to make one wonder how it ever made its way to the festival's competition. Some say it was smuggled in, with Marco Muller himself providing the necessary English subtitles... Fuller report tomorrow after investigation.

Tomorrow's Piazza screening is Mua Oi (The Season of Guavas) by Nhat Minh Dang (Vietnam).