Melancholia
August 9th, 2014 § Leave a Comment
That title just struck me as have let ELENA sit with me for a day. This film, like Von Trier’s, deals with women who have depression, but not quite so literally metaphoric. The biggest similarity for me is the true beauty on screen. Not just in the love the camera gives to its subjects, but in the layered textures that weave into the whole film.
Petra Costa’s ode to her sister who committed suicide while she was just a girl has all the hallmarks of a great piece of art house cinema, yet it is a documentary. With some staged pieces and Petra’s reflective narration, we are taken on a journey that unifies multiple women until their story becomes one. Tying the film together is a great soundtrack featuring Amiina, a moody Icelandic band I’ve seen open for Sigur Ros.
ELENA is the sort of movie you’d only expect to see at a festival, so seeing it play a week of shows at the GI is a rare treat for fans of poetic biographic documentaries. Skip the CGI madness of TMNT and settle in for a quiet cinematic experience.
—peace out, or is it please out, dan