Catching Up With Kim Ki-duk

Kim Ki-duk’s ARIRANG was an official selection at AFI FEST 2011 and he was a guest of AFI FEST in 2012, where he presented his new film PIETA. We caught up with him in anticipation of the film’s theatrical release this month.

Your last film, ARIRANG was a documentary about how you dealt with the guilt from an incident in your life, and PIETA, similarly, deals with characters who are seeking redemption for acts that they have committed in the past. Did making this film feel like a cathartic experience for you?

I think that ARIRANG was a film about how people lose their faith in a money-centric society. No matter how good a relationship you may have with your fellow man when faced with the prospect of fame or money, even deep relationships can become quite fragile. PIETA also raises this question of how human relationships can be cruelly affected by the involvement of money. PIETA was not an act of catharsis. I did not make a vindictive movie to force people to repent their actions.  It’s just a shame that we are living in an era where money is destroying human values. 

What made you want to frame this story in such a religious sense? Why did you title it PIETA?

I think religion in the lives of human beings stems from the fervent prayer of those suffering from events outside of their control. I think we can see the Catholic “Pieta” for many people associated with the intense image of the Virgin Mary in times of sadness or suffering. I felt his image of “Pieta” sadly looking out over the heartless money-centric modern society was perfect for the PIETA movie concept. 

The maternal relationship in this film is unconventional to say the least, can you talk about some of the other mother-son relationships that you’ve explored in your other films?

This is certainly not the first time I’ve explored mother-son relationships in this way in my movies. My first film ADDRESS UNKNOWN was a story about the relationship between a mixed-race son of a U.S. soldier and his Korean mother. In Korean society what is called “motherhood” is a mother’s love. For Korean people, especially Korean sons, this love is the driving force in their lives. I wanted to face the reality of the violence perpetrated on the mother as a hostage of the events happening to her sons, I hoped to show this in PIETA.  

Do you think its harder or easier to get films made that include graphic violence?

This is not the case. Violence is easy. You can shock both the physical and mental aspects of someone. I think violence can be personal between individuals, or larger groups, or entire populations, or even between countries. Currently, the most dreadful violence that can be perpetrated is war. Even now, the aura, the potential, of war still hangs across the Korean peninsula. Even now North Korea and the United States continue to puff themselves up with Nationalistic pride and fight with each other. Why don’t the leaders of both Nations just meet with each other? I don’t know. I hope they can abandon their egos long enough to meet and listen to each others point of view. Perhaps, even though human beings are aware that reconciliation is that simple, we enjoy the tension and violence. 

What will you be working on next?

Now I’m in the midst of shooting the second half of my film MOBIUS If possible, I’d like to make it a movie that overcomes the tensions between the United States and North Korea.

17 May 1 Permalink

Catching up with Jordan Vogt-Roberts

Filmmaker Jordan Vogt-Roberts’ short film SUCCESSFUL ALCOHOLICS was an official selection at AFI FEST 2010.  His feature film debut THE KINGS OF SUMMER premiered at Sundance earlier this year.  We caught up with Jordan in anticipation of his new film’s upcoming theatrical release.

You’ve had such success with your short films, and such talented casts in your short work as well, what were some of the biggest challenges that you encountered in making your first feature film?

I think filmmakers spend so much time thinking about their first feature because everyone from peers, media and executives put such incredible weight on it. So inevitably you run through the infinite possibilities of “Am I ready?”, “What if I mess this up?”, “Am I a hack?”, “What if it’s just okay and not a masterpiece?”, “Orson Welles made CITIZEN KANE in his twenties, where does that put me?”. I think it’s too easy to get caught up in those anxieties and forget that you’re there because you have a job to do. The whole prep period on this movie basically didn’t exist for me because it overlapped with the post production schedule on my TV series MASH UP for Comedy Central. That was a really crazy time and it didn’t help that we had some people involved with the movie who basically proved to be pretty incompetent which meant that you need to step up and carry extra weight. In a weird way this was a blessing because my brain couldn’t run crazy with the aforementioned anxieties because I was too busy throwing myself at it whether I was awake or asleep. It consumes you and that’s almost it’s own challenge to deal with in itself. I had a sit down with my DP, friend and frequent collaborator Ross Riege when he showed up to Ohio where I basically said “Right now, we either make every part of this movie better than anything we’ve done before…or we go home…forever”, we just sort of had this mantra of fail boldly and fail bravely. We saw it as being fortunate enough to be making a feature film, which was ultimately the entire reason we got into this business and moved to L.A., so we just felt a responsibility to ourselves to go for it at all times – I’m sure there’s a sports cliché about leaving it all on the court and that’s probably applicable. There were camera moves and set ups that we didn’t know if they would work, but dammit we wanted to try and push things for ourselves. Production is production so ideally you’ve trained yourself in the art of trusting your instincts, being a leader and executing well enough that when you show up to the first day on the set of your first feature it doesn’t feel any different from another day on set. I know that’s not a very romantic answer but that’s how it felt. The biggest new challenges were just adjusting to the length of the shoot and really keeping track of the big picture in terms of plotting and characters. Making sure the whole thing unfolds properly when you shoot it out of order. That was the new muscle so to speak.

This film is infused with such a nostalgia for childhood, specifically male adolescence; is it at all similar to your childhood?

I was always a dreamer and a troublemaker. I wasn’t a bad kid, I was just always instigating and hatching plans or schemes. I’m a really nostalgic person but I feel like even at a young age I recognized the duality of that age. Incredible freedom and incredible pain that comes from not knowing your place in the world. I remember the dichotomy of not wanting to grow up yet wanting to be taken seriously. Bill Watterson, the creator of Calvin and Hobbes has a quote where he says “People who get nostalgic about childhood were obviously never children” and I’ve always found it fascinating that someone who created such an incredibly earnest look at adolescence could be so jaded about it. I think myself and the movie very much reflect that idea. I think the people I find most fascinating in the world from Shel Silverstein to Shigeru Miyamoto or Steve Jobs are people who were able to keep the child inside them alive yet transition into adult life. Once that kid inside you dies I don’t think there’s any bringing it back to life.  I’m also just really obsessed with what masculinity is in 2013 considering we’re basically a generation of wusses raised on technology and video games. 

People traditionally think child actors can be difficult to work with, what do you think is more difficult, children or celebrities?

It was really important to me that the kids in the movie be actual teenagers below the age of 18 as opposed to twenty five year olds playing 15. They needed to be real and authentic as opposed to movie stars. The kids in my movie were incredible to work with and it was important to me that I wasn’t their boss but their friend. We tried to run a set where there wasn’t a separation between kids and adults, they were all actors there to do a job because they were invested in a project. 

This film has such a powerful and unusual script, you never can tell where the narrative is going to take you.  What attracted you to working with (screenwriter) Chris Galleta?

Chris is amazing and we immediately clicked. Him and I have very similar sensibilities but I knew that I could take his script and really push it to a place that was perfect for my first feature. He laid the groundwork that allowed me to create an indie comedy that had the heart of John Hughes movies mixed with the cinematic scope and technique of early Amblin films and fuse that with extremely contemporary alt comedy and add in some lyrical terrance Malick Homages. I fell in love with the script because I knew I could push all of those things and effectively shout “HEY! Comedy doesn’t have to be this boring thing we’ve turned it into over the last 20 years. Remember when films weren’t as disposable?” Chris gave me such an incredible base to build off of and really that’s all I could ever ask for.

Like a lot of other independent directors, you’ve had a lot of success working in television lately, do you see yourself returning to that or doing more features in the future?

I love all mediums of filmmaking. Commercials, TV, Web. They all of their own quirks. The internet is the wild west and super fascinating. I love commercials because it’s the rare time you actually have a budget to play with and I love the challenge of knowing your exact parameters in terms of message and length and then trying to make something awesome. I have my own TV show which we might do a second season of and I’ve done some for hire stuff but I’m really still trying to figure out what my place in TV is. Features on the other hand… that’s why i’m here. I grew up falling in love with movies and the worlds they created. That’s my priority and that’s where I want to be.  

THE KINGS OF SUMMER opens in theaters May 31.

13 May Permalink

Catching up with Filmmaker Ben Wheatley

Director Ben Wheatley’s last film KILL LIST was an official selection at AFI FEST 2011.  We caught up with the director for a few questions in anticipation of the upcoming release of his latest film SIGHTSEERS.

This film while still very violent has a decidedly lighter and more humorous tone than your last film, are you moving in that direction or do you intend to return to darker material with your future work?

I think I’d like to keep my options open. I think I’ll make another horror film at some point, but I wouldn’t rule out a rom com.

What was it like to have your film premiere in Cannes last year?

It’s was nerve-racking , and in retrospect, it was a lot of fun. 

Your two leads have such amazing chemistry, can you tell us a little about how your found them and put them together?

Alice and Steve had been developing the characters for years together before I got involved. 

You’re pretty much finished with your next film A FIELD IN ENGLAND, and it sounds very different from your previous films, can you tell us a little about what we can expect?

Expect magic mushrooms, big hats, shoot-outs and freak-outs. It’s half period piece, half Roger Corman’s THE TRIP.

SIGHTSEERS opens in theaters on May 10  in New York at Landmark’s Sunshine Cinema and in Los Angeles at Landmark’s Nuart Theater in West L.A.  SIGHTSEERS will alsol be available on VOD May 13.

8 May Permalink

AFI Alumni at the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival - Updated

We are proud to announce that the 66th Annual Cannes Film Festival will feature 15 films from AFI Conservatory Alumni. The festival will begin May 15 and will run until May 26.

Competition

THE IMMIGRANT                                                                                                   Kayla Emter (AFI Class of 2008), Editor

ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE
Affonso Gonçalves (AFI Class of 1993), Editor

Director’s Fortnight

THE CONGRESS
Paul Van Zyl (AFI Class of 1984), Production Staff

Un Certain Regard

FRUITVALE
Rachel Morrison (AFI Class of 2006), Cinematographer

LA JAULA DE ORO
Diego Quemada-Diez (AFI Class of 2001), Producer/Director/Screenwriter

Short Films Competition

HVALGJORDUR (WHALE VALLEY)
Darin Mercado (AFI Class of 2001), Producer
Magnús Viðar Sigurðsson (AFI Class of 1992), Executive Producer

Short Film Corner

FOUR DAYS
Jack Swanstrom (AFI Class of 1995), Director

GOLDENSTATE
Deniese Davis (AFI Class of 2012), Producer
Moshe Sayada (AFI Class of 2012), Director/Screenwriter
Cami Starkman (AFI Class of 2012), Screenwriter/Editor
Stefan Weinberger (AFI Class of 2012), Cinematographer
Lavinia DeCastro-Walsh (AFI Class of 2012), Production Designer

HONOR SOCIETY
Tiffany Laufer (AFI Class of 2003), Director/Screenwriter/Editor

HOPSCOTCH
Sheena McCann (AFI Class of 2011), Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Petr Cikhart (AFI Class of 2012), Cinematographer

MAE AND ASH
Shuchi Talati (AFI Class of 2011), Director/Screenwriter
Jaspar Granderath (AFI Class of 2011), Cinematographer

SCHOOL’S OUT: LESSONS FROM A FOREST KINDERGARTEN
Lisa Molomot (AFI Class of 1998), Director

SIX LETTER WORD
Lisanne Sartor (AFI Directing Workshop for Women, Class of 2012), Producer/Director/Screenwriter
Samuel Kim (AFI Class of 2011), Cinematographer
Sevdije Kastrati (AFI Class of 2011), Camera Operator

SWIMMING IN AIR

Justin Tipping (AFI Class of 2011), Director

THE TRESTLE AT POPE LICK CREEK
Hannah Chipman (AFI Class of 2012), Producer
Vuk Mitrovic (AFI Class of 2012), Director/Screenwriter
Rahel Grunder (AFI Class of 2012), Screenwriter
Yong Jin Kim (AFI Class of 2012), Cinematographer
Cami Starkman (AFI Class of 2012), Editor

Special Screenings

SEDUCED AND ABANDONED
Nicolas Emiliani (AFI Class of 2007), Line Producer: Napa Valley
Dwjuan Fox (AFI Class of 2007), Line Producer: Los Angeles

22 April 1 Permalink

AFI FEST 2013 presented by Audi ANNOUNCES DATES AND CALL FOR ENTRIES

The American Film Institute Celebrates the Year in Global Cinema

and Continues Unprecedented Offer of Free Tickets To All Screenings

LOS ANGELES, CA, March 5, 2013 – AFI FEST 2013 presented by Audi officially announced its dates and call for entries today. The American Film Institute’s annual celebration of artistic excellence brings the audience and the entertainment community together to explore the year in global cinema through the new works of film masters, moving image icons and breakthrough talents, and is the only film festival of its stature that is free to the public. This year AFI FEST will take place November 7 through 14 in Hollywood, California, the movie capital of the world, at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre (formerly known as Grauman’s Chinese), the Chinese 6 Theatres at the Hollywood & Highland Center, the Egyptian Theatre of the American Cinematheque and the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel.

AFI FEST mixes nightly red carpet galas of Hollywood films with award-winning and highly anticipated new auteur works from filmmakers around the world. Emerging in 1987 as a program of the American Film Institute, the festival has paid tribute to numerous influential filmmakers and artists over the years, including Pedro Almodóvar, Bernardo Bertolucci and David Lynch as Guest Artistic Directors, as well as top film talent such as Darren Aronofsky, Danny Boyle, Marion Cotillard, Catherine Deneuve, Johnny Depp and Meryl Streep, to name a few. In addition, AFI FEST has showcased scores of films that have produced wins at the Oscars^® in recent years, including A SEPARATION, AMOUR, THE ARTIST, BLACK SWAN, THE KING’S SPEECH, LIFE OF PI, LINCOLN, PRECIOUS and SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.

“AFI FEST is where the films of talented emerging filmmakers have the opportunity to screen alongside the current works of masters of the art form,” said Jacqueline Lyanga, Director, AFI FEST. “Last year’s festival included many extraordinary films from across the globe, from the World Premiere of Steven Spielberg’s LINCOLN and Ang Lee’s LIFE OF PI to first-time feature filmmaker Tosh Gitonga’s NAIROBI HALF LIFE, whose film was AFI FEST’s Audience Award Breakthrough winner and Kenya’s first-ever Foreign Language Film Oscar^® submission.”

The 2012 festival featured the World Premieres of HITCHCOCK from Sacha Gervasi and the previously mentioned LINCOLN from Steven Spielberg, as well as the Secret Screening of SKYFALL from Sam Mendes, and brought over 200 filmmakers from all over the world to Los Angeles to present their films to the city’s audience of film-lovers, including new films from established filmmakers such as Léos Carax, Matteo Garrone, Michael Haneke, Kim Ki-duk, Cristian Mungiu, Sally Potter, Walter Salles and Hong Sang-soo, among many others.

Submissions are now open and filmmakers are invited to submit narrative, documentary, experimental, animated and short films at AFI.com/AFIFESTor through Withoutabox.com. The final submission deadline for short films (under 30 minutes) is August 2, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recognizes AFI FEST as a qualifying festival for the Short Films category of the annual Academy Awards^®. The final submission deadline for feature-length films is August 16. Films found solely through the submissions process are presented in the festival’s Breakthrough section, providing an opportunity for new filmmakers to share their vision with the world and receive a $5,000 cash prize.

“Festivals are a place of great discovery, and every year we look forward to finding new films and filmmakers through our submissions-based Breakthrough section and in our Oscars^®-qualifying Short Film program,” said Lane Kneedler, Associate Director of Programming, AFI FEST.

Filmmakers can e-mail programming@AFI.com or call 866.AFI.FEST for more information about the submissions process.

A still from AFI FEST 2012 Audience Award Breakthrough winner - NAIROBI HALF LIFE.

5 March 3 Permalink

Alumni Nominated for Film Independent Spirit Awards and National Board of Review Awards

AFI is happy to congratulate the following AFI Conservatory alums that have been recently nominated for the 2013 Film Independent Spirit Awards and the 2012 National Board of Review Awards.

2013 FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS
(7 Films with 9 Alums credited)

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
Affonso Gonçalves (AFI Class of 1993), Editor
Best Feature (Nominee)

THE INVISIBLE WAR
Kirby Dick (AFI Class of 1983), Director/Screenwriter
Best Documentary (Nominee)

KEEP THE LIGHTS ON
Affonso Gonçalves (AFI Class of 1993), Editor
Best Feature (Nominee)

MOSQUITA Y MARI
Magela Crosignani (AFI Class of 2008), Cinematographer
Augie Robles (AFI Class of 1995), Editor
John Cassavetes Award (Nominee)

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER
Rita DaSilva (AFI Class of 2005), Additional Editor
Best First Feature (Nominee)

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (Screened at AFI FEST 2012)
Masanobu Takayanagi (AFI Class of 2002), Cinematographer
Jay Cassidy (AFI Class of 1976), Editor
Best Feature (Nominee)

SOUND OF MY VOICE
Zal Batmanglij (AFI Class of 2006), Director/Screenwriter
Rachel Morrison (AFI Class of 2006), Cinematographer
Best First Feature (Nominee)

2012 NATIONAL BOARD OF REVIEW AWARDS
(11 Films with 15 Alums credited)

ARBITRAGE
Lauren Versel (AFI Class of 1984), Executive Producer
Brian Young (AFI Class of 1974), Executive Producer
Top 10 Independent Films

ARGO
Sharon Seymour (AFI Class of 1984), Production Designer
Alfonso Gomez-Rejon (AFI Class of 1997), Second Unit Director
Top Films

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD
Affonso Gonçalves (AFI Class of 1993), Editor
Top Films

DJANGO UNCHAINED
Robert Richardson (AFI Class of 1979), Cinematographer
Top Films

END OF WATCH
Jillian Longnecker (AFI Class of 2002), Co-Producer
Top 10 Independent Films

THE INVISIBLE WAR
Kirby Dick (AFI Class of 1983), Director/Screenwriter
Top 5 Documentaries

LINCOLN (Screened at AFI FEST 2012)
Janusz Kamiński, AFI Class of 1987), Cinematographer
Sarah Broshar (AFI Class of 2005), First Assistant Editor
Top Films

NO
Daniel Dreifuss (AFI Class of 2007), Producer
Top 5 Foreign Language Films

THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER
Rita DaSilva (AFI Class of 2005), Additional Editor
Top Films

PROMISED LAND
Gregory Weimerskirch (AFI Class of 1994), Art Director
Top Films

SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (Screened at AFI FEST 2012)
Masanobu Takayanagi (AFI Class of 2002), Cinematographer
Jay Cassidy (AFI Class of 1976), Editor

18 December 1 Permalink

Catching up with AFI FEST 2012 Filmmaker Roger Hayn

Can you briefly summarize your short film INTRODUCING BOBBY?

The film might best be described as a collage-form character portrait of an individual in conflict with himself.

How did this story come to you or what was the inspiration that began this journey?

I’ve always referred to myself as a ‘sensation enthusiast’ and I’m fascinated by the concept of character. I’m mainly attracted to characters in a state of psychological turmoil who experience an intense variety of emotions. Bobby is a complex character who exists in territory that’s unfamiliar to a lot of people, which is exactly what I’m inspired to make films about. Overall, I aimed to tell a story about a troubled personality who I identify with and also admire in many ways. 

Telling a full/complete story in a small amount of time is an art. Can you talk about the challenges in the cutting room and discuss the challenges and advantages of making shorts?

When I finished filming I had nine hours of footage and three additional hours of unlabeled audio recordings. It was a nightmare. I have a tendency to lose focus on a project if I don’t complete it immediately so I spent roughly 40 hours cutting up and assembling everything in a dark windowless room. I operated on practically no sleep. By the time I was done I hated the film and never wanted to see it again. Luckily that changed after a while. As for making shorts - I think they just require you to be more concise with what you’re trying to express. They require you to think in terms of what can be made ultimately gratifying within a compressed period of time. There are unique freedoms within those restrictions, so it’s all about adjusting the way you approach narrative.

You mentioned during your stay in Los Angeles that AFI FEST was the only festival you officially submitted to. Why is that?

I’m going for quality over quantity with the festival screenings. I’d prefer it only be exhibited a few times by festivals with strong reputations. I think the film is better left as something intimate and, though I’d like for it to reach an audience, I’d rather not jam it down anyone’s throat. I might screen one or two more festivals but no more than that. Also, I’m filming a new short in early 2013 and always try to focus on new projects instead of lingering on old stuff.

What are some of your AFI FEST 2012 highlights? (Events you attended, people you met.)

I generally avoid film-making circles because I find myself as an artist benefiting from a certain amount of isolation. It also allows me to cherish situations where I do actually interact with other filmmakers, such as at AFI FEST. Coming to LA and mixing with nothing but film people for five days was in itself one giant highlight. I also loved meeting the AFI programmers and staff, who I can’t thank enough for inviting me to the festival. 

13 December 1 Permalink

AFI FEST 2012 Films Nominated for Golden Globes

Congratulations to all the AFI FEST 2012 films that have been nominated for Golden Globes!

BEST MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
LIFE OF PI
LINCOLN

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Marion Cotillard, RUST AND BONE
Helen Mirren, HITCHCOCK
Naomi Watts, THE IMPOSSIBLE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – DRAMA
Daniel Day-Lewis, LINCOLN

BEST MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Jennifer Lawrence, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK
Maggie Smith, QUARTET

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MOTION PICTURE – COMEDY OR MUSICAL
Bradley Cooper, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM
RISE OF THE GUARDIANS

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
A ROYAL AFFAIR
AMOUR
KON-TIKI
RUST AND BONE

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Sally Field, LINCOLN

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MOTION PICTURE
Tommy Lee Jones, LINCOLN

BEST DIRECTOR – MOTION PICTURE
Ang Lee, LIFE OF PI
Steven Spielberg, LINCOLN

BEST SCREENPLAY – MOTION PICTURE
Tony Kushner, LINCOLN
David O. Russell, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK

13 December 3 Permalink

AFI FEST Filmmakers Nominated for Independent Spirit Awards

We are so proud that many talented filmmakers who attended AFI FEST 2011 & 2012 have been nominated for Independent Spirit Awards!

Best Feature
SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (AFI FEST 2012)

Best Director
Julia Loktev - THE LONELIEST PLANET (AFI FEST 2011)
David O. Russell - SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (AFI FEST 2012)

Best Screenplay
David O. Russell - SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (AFI FEST 2012)

John Cassavetes Award
THE COLOR WHEEL - Alex Ross Perry & Carlen Altman (AFI FEST 2011)
STARLET - Sean Baker (AFI FEST 2012)

Best Male Lead
Bradley Cooper - SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK (AFI FEST 2012)

Best Documentary
THE CENTRAL PARK FIVE (AFI FEST 2012)

Best International Film
AMOUR (AFI FEST 2012)
ONCE UPON A TIME IN ANATOLIA (AFI FEST 2011)
RUST & BONE (AFI FEST 2012)
WAR WITCH (AFI FEST 2012)

Robert Altman Award
STARLET - Sean Baker (AFI FEST 2012)

Someone to Watch Award
ELECTRICK CHILDREN - Rebecca Thomas (AFI FEST 2012)

Truer Than Fiction Award
LEVIATHAN - Lucien Castaing-Taylor & Verena Paravel (AFI FEST 2012)
ONLY THE YOUNG - Jason Tippet & Elizabeth Mims (AFI FEST 2012)

27 November 1 Permalink

Adult Violence, Childlike Love

WAR WITCH
11/04/12 - Chinese 1, 3:45 p.m.
11/06/12 - Chinese 6, 1:45 p.m. 

By Andrew Johnson

It would be easy for a film about child soldiers to crumble under the weight of its dour and depressing subject matter, but WAR WITCH sidesteps this problem by being a character-driven film rather than an issue-driven one. Kim Nguyen’s latest offering follows Komona, a young African girl abducted from her village at the age of 12 after being forced to shoot her parents. In the hands of a les assured filmmaker this premise might become an excuse for a laborious exercise in “poverty porn,” but Nguyen treats his subject matter with greater respect, choosing to depict suffering through the eyes of a child rather than the desensitized gaze of an adult—are not the young often more capable of processing horror than the old?

Nguyen inserts elements of magical realism into the proceedings, giving them an eerie and otherworldly atmosphere while also accentuating the thematic subtext. Komona has visions of the dead standing motionless around her, caked in white ash. Her parents are her most frequent visitors, and their presence is a constant reminder of her sins. She may have killed them in order to survive, but they weren’t given a proper burial, and until their souls are laid to rest hers never will be.

The second act plays more like a coming-of-age tale, a MOONRISE KINGDOM-esque romance set against the backdrop of poverty and war-torn Africa. The key difference is that these two youngsters are just old enough to act on their hormonal impulses, something which strikes me as just a bit too subversive for a filmmaker like Anderson, and perhaps for mainstream Western audiences. I usually consider myself pretty open-minded when it comes to sex and gender issues, but when confronted with the prospect of Komona having sex with a fellow soldier (they’re so young!), I found myself forced to grapple with my own assumptions and preferences regarding appropriate sexual behavior. I wondered, were they ready for such intimacy? Was this really the best thing for them right now? Couldn’t it bring more trouble than it was worth?

In retrospect, it seems so silly of me to think so. I had fallen prey to the common cultural myth perpetuated by Hollywood that violence is a more acceptable element of youth than sex. Watching children murder their elders was horrible enough, but it was the idea of teenage sexuality that upset me the most! The brilliance of Nguyen’s screenplay is that it acknowledges common Western perceptions of sexuality in Africa as a tragic act inextricably linked to rape and HIV and gradually turns them on its head.

Here, teenage sexuality isn’t a cause for concern, it’s a cause for celebration, a relieving respite from the oppressive and manipulative sex of adulthood. Komona’s body may be a tool to satiate adult (blood)lust, but it never ceases to be hers, and when she becomes empowered to use it to act on her own desires, she reclaims her innocence rather than losing it. In the haze of young love her sins are momentarily washed away, and the endless possibilities of childhood are instantly possible again.

It’s a small miracle that WAR WITCH didn’t turn out completely unwatchable. Nguyen takes several diverse genres — war film, coming-of-age romance, and supernatural horror allegory, to name a few — and combines them all into something beautiful. The film stands as a haunting reminder that we must take care not to delve too deeply into the darkness of others, lest we be blinded from confronting the darkness in ourselves. As Kamona puts it at one point, “I won’t tell you what happened … you won’t listen anymore.” Nguyen wisely takes the eroticism out of violence and places it back where it belongs, in the space between two people. In doing so, he keeps WAR WITCH from coming another gratuitous look at African suffering and allows his images to retain their power, enabling us to better identify the evil around us.

Andrew Johnson is a freelance journalist and the founder of Film Geek Radio, a network of film-and-TV-themed podcasts.

9 November 4 Permalink