MIFF 2017 - Day 16

Aelita, Queen of Mars

A fascinating silent film from the USSR that pre-dates Metropolis. It tells the story of corruption and idealism in post-revolution Russia and also the story of pre-revolutionary Russia by way of the culture of Mars, where the queen, Aelita becomes obsessed with the human Los. When he finally builds a rocket and gets there, he brings revolution and it doesn't work out so well for the queen... It's visually striking, with inventive costumes and sets. Sadly, you probably won't be able to see it with the excellent live score provided by The Spheres. I felt a bit sorry for them though. By my count, the print we saw was about 15 minutes shorter than what's commonly available online. And it showed as the band had to jarringly transition between tracks on a number of occasions. It was a brilliant live event all the same.

I Am Not Your Negro

Somewhere between a documentary and an essay on race in America, Raoul Peck brings to life the words of James Baldwin, a black writer and activist I had never heard of, but who is incisive in a way that speaks as prophetically now as it did when he was alive. And that's damning. It's a powerful film that'll enlighten, provoke and depress you in equal measure. Go see it.

Marlina the Murderer I'm Four Acts

Damn, I did not see this one coming. Surprises are the best thing about MIFF. A feminist Indonesian spaghetti western with surrealist elements. Beautifully shot, with a deadpan sense of humour and an unflinchingly grim depiction of the struggles of Marlina and the women she encounters, it's a story of empowerment, oppression and indifference. The violence against the women is nasty and shocking. The denouement powerful. It's bloody brilliant.

The Void

The B-est of B movies. Take Assault on Precinct 13, The Thing and In The Mouth Of Madness and throw them in a blender. It's not particularly well written and the cinematography is too muddy for my taste, but it was fun enough. Some great gore and creature effects, but it doesn't aspire to be much more than that. But hey, those films are enjoyable.