2016 Cannes Marathon: Salaam Bombay!

(Winner of the Camera d’Or and Audience Prize at the 1988 Cannes Film Festival)

Directed by Mira Nair and screenplay by Sooni Taraporevala from a story by Nair and Taraporevala, Salaam Bombay! (Greetings Bombay!) is the story of the day-to-day life of children living in streets of Mumbai as they struggle to survive. The film explores the world of Mumbai in the 1980s which was filled with the seedy world of crime where children try to live with a sense of goodness in a very dark world. Starring Shafiq Syed, Hansa Vithal, Chanda Sharma, Raghuvir Yadav, Anita Kanwar, Nana Patekar, and Irrfan Khan. Salaam Bombay is a majestic yet gripping film from Mira Nair.

Set almost entirely in the city of Mumbai (then called Bombay), the film revolves around a young boy who had been left behind by a traveling circus where he stays in the city trying to raise money so he can return to his home village and pay back his older brother for a bicycle he burned. There, he struggles to work by giving tea to people in his crowded neighborhood in the streets while befriending a drug dealer and a young girl who is forced to become a prostitute. It all plays into that sense of survival in a world that is quite unforgiving yet Krishna/Chaipau (Shafiq Syed) does whatever he can no matter how hard things are. Even as he is eager to reach his goal and do what is right, despite the fact that his older brother is abusive to him, in a world that is very troubled.

Sooni Taraporevala’s screenplay isn’t just about Chaipau’s own attempt to struggle but also his friendship with the dealer Chillum (Raghuvir Yadav), who works for a local drug lord/pimp in Baba (Nana Patekar), as he struggles with his addiction to drugs. Another character Chaipau meets, who is also working for Baba against her will, is a young girl named Sola Saal (Chanda Sharma) who would be sold to a brothel as a virginal prostitute. Chaipau would also do things with other young boys such as steel and do whatever work to make money where it is about the need to survive. Though there is a structure, much of it is very loose to play into the day-to-day struggle of these characters where Chaipau would also have to take care of a young girl named Manju (Hansa Vithal) whose mother (Anita Kanwar) is a prostitute that is married to Baba. The script would also show these children trying to do whatever they can to have good lives where there’s a moment in the third act where they work for a wedding for 20 rupees and how bad they’re treated by the people in the party including children their own age.

Mira Nair’s direction definitely has an air of realism to the film as it was shot around 52 different locations in and around Mumbai in the span of 52 days. Going for a cinema verite style of sorts, Nair captures that sense of energy and chaos that surrounds the streets of Mumbai where it does feel cramped and claustrophobic in its narrow streets. Nair’s usage of medium shots and some close-ups add to that sense of claustrophobia into the frame as it include some dramatic moments between Baba and his wife arguing about the state of the things. There are also these discomforting moments when a touring journalist (Sanjana Kapoor) is thinking about interviewing Baba until she sees his abuse towards Chillum. Nair’s direction would have some wide shots to have a look into Mumbai as this world that is very vibrant world as it’s also got a grimy look yet has a tone that feels very exotic in the way it smells and feels. Nair also has this air of a world that is trying to catch up with the modern world but there is so much that is holding it back as people are struggling to live day-by-day.

Even as Chaipau and other kids are doing the best they can only for so much to go wrong where he and Manju would be sent somewhere else in its third act. It play into that reality of India trying to reinvent itself but also the reality of these children who might not have a future no matter how hard they struggle. Overall, Nair crafts a mesmerizing yet provocative film about children struggling to survive in the streets of Mumbai.

Cinematographer Sandi Sissel does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography in the way it has this mixture of beauty and grit that play into the look of many of the daytime exteriors and interiors in Mumbai along with straightforward lighting for some of the nighttime interior scenes. Editor Barry Alexander Brown does amazing work with the stylish usage of jump-cuts and dissolves to play into some of the action and dramatic moments as it also captures that sense of energy of the city. Production designer Mitch Epstein, with art directors Nitin Chandrakant Desai and Nitish Roy, does fantastic work with the look of some of the places inside where the characters live as well as a few prop creations. Sound editor Margaret Crimmins does nice work with the sound as it has an air of realism in the way it captures a lot in what is recorded on location. The film’s music by L. Subramaniam does incredible work with the music in its mixture traditional Indian music with elements of jazz to play into a world that is modern but also raucous.

The casting by Hassan Kutty is brilliant as it features some notable small roles from Sanjana Kapoor as a foreign reporter, Anita Kanwar as Baba’s neglected and frustrated wife, and Irrfan Khan in a small role as a letter writer. Nana Patekar is fantastic as the very devious Baba as a man who claims to be a lot of things but is really evil as he is abusive towards his wife and abusive towards their daughter Manju. Hansa Vithal is wonderful as Manju as a little girl who helps Chaipau with some chores as well as wanting to play with someone as she embodies that air of innocence. Chanda Sharma is excellent in a largely silent role as Sola Saal as a young teenager who is forced to become a virginal prostitute as he copes with her role only to find solace through Chaipau’s generosity.

Raghuvir Yadav is amazing as Chillum as a small-time drug dealer who struggles with his addiction as he takes in Chaipau and help him while dealing with Baba’s own disdain towards him. Finally, there’s Shafiq Syed in a phenomenal performance as Krishna/Chaipau as this young boy struggling to work and make money to return home where he also deals with the horror of his surroundings and the people he would encounter where he would see good in the few he meet as it is this very realistic yet evocative performance.

Salaam Bombay! is an outstanding film from Mira Nair. Featuring an incredible cast, sumptuous images, and a mesmerizing score, the film is truly one of a kind in terms of capturing a world on the fringes of society as it is largely told from the perspective of a young boy and those trying to survive in the streets of Mumbai. In the end, Salaam Bombay! is a magnificent film from Mira Nair.

Mira Nair Films: (Mississippi Masala) - (The Perez Family) - (Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love) - Monsoon Wedding - (Hysterical Blindness) - (Vanity Fair) - The Namesake - (Amelia) - (The Reluctant Fundamentalist) - (Words with God) - (Queen of Katwe)

© thevoid99 2016

The Namesake

Originally Written and Posted at Epinions.com on 1/9/08 w/ Additional Edits & Revisions.

Based on the novel by Jhumpa Lahiri, The Namesake is the story of the life of a young Indian-American who deals with his identity as he struggles with his own culture clash while learning about the root of his name and his family. Directed by Mira Nair and screenplay by Sooni Taraporevala, the film is a multi-layered story that explores the experience of immigrants as it's told from multiple perspectives from the young man and his parents. Starring Kal Penn, Tabu, Jacinda Barrett, Zuleikha Robinson, and Irfan Khan. The Namesake is a powerful and compassionate film from Mira Nair.

Ashoke Ganguli (Irfan Khan) is riding on a train in India reading a book by Nikolai Gogol when he talks to an old man named Ghosh (Jangannath Guha) about the world when a crash occurred. Three years later in 1977, Ashoke is with his family as he is about to meet his bride Ashami (Tabu) in an arranged marriage as they're set to depart for New York City. Though Ashoke manages to find work through a college and be accustomed to American lifestyle, Ashami feels lonely and confused. Yet, she finds comfort in Ashoke as they eventually gain a son the following year whom they name Gogol as the pet name when they're still waiting for her grandmother to give the baby boy his official name. With a baby girl named Sonia to follow, things started to feel blissful despite Ashami's cultural confusion as she and the family return to India following her father's (Sabayasachi Chakravarthy) death.

It's the mid-1990s as Gogol (Kal Penn) has become a typical American teenager who listens to grunge rock, smoke pot, and is about to graduate. Yet, he still struggles with his name Nihil Gogol Ganguli after learning from a teacher (Linus Roache) that he was named after a Russian novelist who had a bleak outlook on life. Though Ashoke and Ashami are struggling with Gogol and Sonia's (Sahira Nair) American outlook, they decide to take the family to India for the summer. Before leaving, Ashoke gives Gogol a present which is a book by Nikolai Gogol that Gogol doesn't seem enthused about yet Ashoke says it will bring him something. Around that same time, plans for a possible arranged marriage is made between Gogol and a young girl named Moushimi (Zuleikha Robinson). During their trip to India, the family visit relatives and other places as the big moment is the trip to the Taj Mahal where Gogol learns what he wants to do with his life. Returning home, Gogol also decides to change his name back to Nihil for a business identity.

Years later as he becomes an architect, Gogol finds happiness in an American girlfriend named Maxine (Jacinda Barrett) while his parents find themselves becoming disconnected with their children as Sonia now lives in California. With Ashoke set to work at a Cleveland university for a semester, he becomes worried for Ashima who never lived alone all her life. Though an awkward visit from Gogol and Maxine arrive for lunch on their way to a vacation, Ashima struggles to deal with Gogol's life while Gogol is trying to think more about himself. It is there that Ashoke has a private moment with Gogol about his name. Then, an event forces Gogol to rethink his entire life as he returns to India and learn about his identity. After seeing Moushimi again, he starts to find himself in touch with his Indian heritage while starting to accept who he is. Still, his acceptance also forces him to learn the true meaning of his name and what he wants with his life.

Films about cultural clash, isolation, family, and acceptance often tend to be overdramatized or sometimes done with humor. Yet, from the vison of Mira Nair whose roots remain in India while splitting her time also in New York City. With a wonderful script by Sooni Taraporevala, the film definitely pays true to Jhumpa Lahiri's novel in this story of change and culture. Nair’s ethereal and evocative direction is amazing from the film's opening scenes in India that is filled with color to the grayish look of winter that reveals the sense of change and isolation from the viewpoint of Ashima. Isolation is the theme of Ashima whose fears to be alone as she deals with not just loss but also her children departing for their own worlds.

Then there's the character of Gogol who like his mother go through a change in character development. While she deals with her own isolation and cultural clashes, Gogol deals with a cultural clash in a similar way yet also his own identity as he becomes confused about himself and his name. Then there's the theme of acceptance where both Gogol and Ashima start to get into in the third act. Yet, for both of them, it becomes a fulfillment of their characters as they're each guided by Ashoke who acts like a guide for everyone as his bravery is really the glue that holds the story together. Nair's direction is truly superb in the way she places her camera, the framing, and presentation is great. Even in the film's final moments has an emotional payoff that is extremely moving without being manipulative or overly sentimental. It's Nair at her finest.

Cinematographer Frederick Elmes does great work in capturing the beauty of India with his fluid camera while adding bits of grainy distortion for flashback sequences including Ashoke's train crash. Elmes work in his photography is brilliant to show the contrasting look of India and New York City in all of its splendor as its exteriors are great while the interiors, notably in India are just exquisite. Editor Allyson C. Johnson does excellent work with the film's editing in the use of transitions and perspective cutting to convey the sense of emotion in the film's scene along with the structuring of the story and flashbacks. Even the film's pacing is solid without being too slow or too fast with credit also going to Nair in her direction.

Production designer Stephanie Carroll and art director Suttirat Anne Larlarb do great work in the differing look of the times from the colorful yet street look of India to the clean, American suburban homes that Ashoke and Ashima live in along with the homes Gogol visits. Costume designer Arjun Bhasin does exquisite work with the traditional Indian clothing that Ashima wears throughout the film along with the contemporary clothing other characters wear in the American sequences. Sound mixers Dave Paterson and Joe White do excellent work in conveying the different cultural atmospheres of India and America in all of their glory. Music composer Nitin Sawhney does excellent work in creating a subtle, traditional Indian score that is filled with layers of vocals and sitars while the soundtrack is a mix of traditional Indian music, Indian pop, hip-hop, and rock music including Pearl Jam.

The casting by Cindy Tolan is great in employing a wonderful mix of Indian and American actors. Small appearances from American actors Glenne Headly and Daniel Gerroll as Maxine’s parents, Brooke Smith as Ashima's library co-worker Sally, and Maximilano Hernandez as Sonia's boyfriend Ben are nice to see along with a cameo from British actor Linus Roache as Gogol's literature teacher. Indian actors Tanusree Shankar and Sabayasachi Chakravarthy as Ashima's parents, Ruma Guha Thakurta and Tamal Sengupta as Ashoke's parents, and Jangannath Guha as Mr. Ghosh are great in their brief scenes. Soham Chatterjee is wonderful as the four-year old Gogol with Noor Lahiri Vourvoulias as the baby Sonia.

Mira Nair's niece Sahira is great as the teenage/adult Sonia who starts off as a typical Indian-American teenager who couldn't relate to India while dealing with cultural changes and then as a woman who takes care of her mother. Jacinda Barrett is excellent as Maxine, Gogol's American girlfriend who loves Gogol and wants to understand his Indian heritage despite a few awkward moments involving his parents that shows her naivete and innocence. Zuleikha Robinson is wonderful as Moushimi, an arty young woman who starts off as a nerd and is then seen as this beautiful, cultured woman who like Gogol, struggles with her own heritage. Robinson's performance is filled with charm and depth as she is a wonder onscreen that includes a great dance sequence of sorts with her and Kal Penn.

Known to American audiences for his comedic film roles including Van Wilder, Malibu's Most Wanted, and the stoner cult-classic Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle, Kal Penn delivers an impressive performance as Nikhil Gogol Ganguli. Penn does a great job in selling the American teenager that he is struggling with his name and identity while he is then seen as an adult. Then when his character changes and deals with this conflict of identity, Penn shows his strength as a dramatic actor as he is a huge revelation in the film. It's also noted he got the part as he was suggested by Nair's son and a friend of his for the role. Irfan Khan delivers an amazing, subtle performance as Ashoke Ganguli, a man whose wisdom on life is just a joy to watch. Khan's performance is really the centerpiece of the film as his character guides both his wife and son into their own path to self-discovery. Khan's performance is definitely one of the year best and must certainly not be overlooked.

The film's best performance easily goes to Tabu, a famous Bollywood actress in her first major American production. Though she's in her 30s, Tabu definitely brings a performance that starts out youthful as she brought a sense of innocence to the film in her scenes in India. Then in America, she shows depth in her dealing with isolation and cultural change while she has amazing chemistry with Khan. In the role of parent, Tabu has an older look yet remains radiant and spellbinding as this woman who is dealing with her children's Americanized personalities and changing times. Tabu is really the heart of the film and her performance is truly unforgettable.

The Namesake is a phenomenal film from Mira Nair that features great performances from Irfan Khan, Tabu, and Kal Penn. The film is truly one of the most engaging and moving tales about the immigrant experience as well as how a young man comes to term with his identity. Especially as it has very common ideas about family and tradition without the need to embellish as it allows audience to find something extraordinary to connect with these characters and their stories. In the end, The Namesake is a sensational film from Mira Nair.

Mira Nair Films: Salaam Bombay! - (Mississippi Masala) - (The Perez Family) - (Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love) - Monsoon Wedding - (Hysterical Blindness) - (Vanity Fair) - (Amelia) - (The Reluctant Fundamentalist) - (Words with God) - (Queen of Katwe)

© thevoid99 2014

Monsoon Wedding

Directed by Mira Nair and written by Sabrina Dhawan, Monsoon Wedding is the story of a father trying to organize a wedding for his daughter as chaos ensues over families coming over and the bride reluctant to marry a man she barely knows. The film explores the world of arranged marriages in India as it deals with changing times and the emotions that entangle throughout the film. Starring Naseeruddin Shah, Lillete Dubey, Shefali Shah, Vasundhara Das, Vijay Raaz, and Tillotama Shome. Monsoon Wedding is a lively yet exhilarating film from Mira Nair.

Four days before the wedding of Aditi Verma (Vasundhara Das), Aditi’s father Lalit (Naseeruddin Shah) is trying to make sure things are done as relatives are coming from all over the world for the wedding in New Dehli, India. With Aditi’s mother Pimmi (Lillete Dubey) and Aditi’s cousin Ria (Shefali Shah) are all trying to help while another cousin in Rahul (Randeep Hoopa) has arrived from Melbourne. Lalit is still dealing with all of the last minute preparations for the engagement party with help from wedding organizer P.K. Dubey (Vijay Raaz) and his crew as Dubey falls for the family maid Alice (Tillotama Shome). Yet, Aditi is having an affair with a married TV producer in Vikram (Sameer Arya) as she has never met her groom Hemant Rai (Parvin Dabas) that is set to meet hours later.

While Hemant is revealed to be a very nice guy, Aditi isn’t sure while Ria finds herself feeling uncomfortable about the presence of Lalit’s brother-in-law Tej Puri (Rajat Kapoor) who seems to be eyeing her young cousin Aliyah (Kemaya Kidwai). Still, Lalit is trying to deal with all of the chaos as he is facing changing times as his young son Varun (Ishaan Nair)doesn’t have the characteristics of typical Indian males. While Dubey’s attraction to Alice leaves him distracted, Aditi starts to face her own issues about Vikram as she feels she needs to be honest to Hemant about her own hesitation. More complications arise when Rahul falls for another relative in Ayesha (Neha Dubey) while Ria’s issues with her uncle Tej finally are revealed with Lalit feeling overwhelmed by the wedding as well as all of emotional entanglements around him.

Organizing a wedding is something that families will have a tough to do but in the span of four days before the wedding is certainly more chaotic. Yet, it all centers around this man and his family as they’re preparing for the big day as he’s just trying to make sure everything goes well. Yet, he has to deal with people in his family as well as a wedding organizer who is doing things differently that is very different from what this man is used to. Meanwhile, there’s all of these little subplots about various young people falling in love while the bride is having her own romantic issues over her married boyfriend and the man she’s soon to wed as she’s trying to get to know him.

A lot of these storylines and various themes could create a story that is chaotic and hard to follow. However, screenwriter Sabrina Dhawan manages to keep it by keeping these stories simple and inter-connected while giving it a very loose style. The themes that Dhawan explores all has to do with what this man is trying to deal with it as he is trying to figure out his finances while dealing with all sorts of family drama. Then there’s these other stories that all relates to the world of what is expected in traditional India such as arranged marriages. For the bride Aditi, she isn’t keen on marrying a man she doesn’t know as she is going through her own issues with a married boyfriend. Then there’s all of these stories about young love as a wedding organizer falls for the family maid as he wonders if he’ll ever get married.

There’s a lot that goes on in the story yet director Mira Nair manages to play up the looseness of the narrative to create a very engaging approach to the film. Shot on location in New Dehli and with a hand-held style, Nair’s direction is truly intoxicating to watch from the way she lets the film play out naturally. Utilizing real locations for most of the film in New Dehli, Nair allows the film to keep up with its frenetic atmosphere while maintaining an intimacy for a lot of the scenes at the Verma home. Throughout the lavish party scenes that involve dance and such, Nair is always making sure to feature what is going and the reaction from the people watching. The overall work that Nair does is truly enchanting as she creates what is truly an insatiable yet wondrous film.

Cinematographer Declan Quinn does a brilliant job with the film‘s colorful cinematography from the bright and colorful look of the daytime exteriors of New Dehli to a more low-key yet vibrant look for its nighttime sequences. Quinn’s work on the interiors are just as engrossing to look from some of the low-key nighttime scenes to the more straightforward look in the daytime scenes. Editor Allyson C. Johnson goes a great job with the editing as she gives the film a stylistic flair with jump-cuts to play up some of the rhythm while presenting the multiple storylines at a smooth pace so that the transitions wouldn’t be abrupt.

Production designer Stephanie Carroll & art director Sunil Chabra do a superb job with the set pieces created such as the tent for the wedding as well as the home of the Verma family that is exotic and filled with vibrant colors. Costume designer Arjun Bhasin does an excellent job with the costumes from the casual clothing the men and women wear when they‘re shopping or going out to the more lavish look for the ceremonies to exemplify the tradition of Indian weddings. Sound editor Magdaline Volaitis does an amazing job with the sound to play up the intimacy of the home along with the raucous mood of the parties with music blaring that mixes up with the conversations that occurs in the film.

The film’s score by Mychael Danna is phenomenal as its mix of orchestral pieces with traditional Indian music is just a joy to hear in all of vibrancy and excitement. The soundtrack also includes an array of Indian music from traditional to Bollywood-style pop music that just furthers the excitement of the film as the overall work on the music is a major highlight of the film.

The casting by Uma Da Cunha, Dilip Shankar, and Loveleen Tandan is outstanding as it features a wonderful ensemble that appears throughout the film. Among the people in the film for very small roles include Dibyendu Bhattacharya as an assistant of Dubey, Sameer Arya as Aditi’s neglectful lover, Kulbhushan Kharbanda and Kamini Khanna as Rahul’s fun-loving parents, Roshan Seth and Soni Razdan as Hermant’s parents, Ishaan Nair as Lalit’s chef-aspiring son, Kemaya Kidwai as Ria’s adolescent cousin Aliyah, and Rajat Kapoor as the slimy uncle Tej. Other notable small roles include Neha Dubey as the flirtatious Ayesha, Randeep Hooda as the slacker Rahul, and Lilette Dubey as Aditi‘s mother as they all bring humor to their roles.

Parvin Dabas is very good as Hermant, Aditi’s future husband who tries to get to know Aditi while understanding her issues with arranged marriages. Tillotama Shome is wonderful as the very quiet maid Alice while Vijay Raaz is excellent as the jabbering P.K. Dubey who falls for Alice. Vasundhara Das is superb as Aditi, the bride who is going through her own relationship issues while facing the idea of being married to man she doesn’t know. Shefali Shah is great as Ria, Aditi’s cousin who is horrified by the presence of an uncle as she tries to prevent something bad from happening. Finally, there’s Naseeruddin Shah is a fantastic performance as the father Lalit who tries to deal with all of the chaos and emotions in the wedding. Shah’s performance is also one of the most compelling where despite his flaws, he adds a warmth and understanding that makes him one of the best dads presented on film.

Monsoon Wedding is an enchanting film from Mira Nair that features an amazing ensemble led by Naseeruddin Shah. The film definitely has something to offer for a wide audience in terms of its themes as well as being something that families could relate to. For people interested in the works of Mira Nair, this film is definitely the best thing she’s done as it has a style that is fluid while being very accessible for the themes she’s presenting. In the end, Monsoon Wedding is a sensational and enchanting film from Mira Nair.

Mira Nair Films: Salaam Bombay! - (Mississippi Masala) - (The Perez Family) - (Kama Sutra: A Tale of Love) - (Hysterical Blindness) - (Vanity Fair) - The Namesake - (Amelia) - (The Reluctant Fundamentalist) - (Words with God) - (Queen of Katwe)

© thevoid99 2011

11'9"01 September 11

11’9”01 September 11 is an anthology film of 11 short films by some of the world’s revered filmmakers as they each make a short film about 9/11 based on an idea by Alain Brigand. With each short having a running time of 11 minutes and nine seconds and one frame about 9/11, it allows each filmmaker from different countries to respond about the infamous attacks on September 11, 2001. The result is a fascinating anthology film from some of the world’s best filmmakers.

Iran (written and directed by Samira Makhmalbaf) is about a schoolteacher (Maryam Karimi) trying to teach young Afghan kids about what had just happened as they look at a tall chimney stack to think about the attacks in New York City. In France (directed by Claude Lelouch and written by Claude Lelouch and Pierre Uytterhoeven), a deaf woman (Emmanuelle Laborit) writes a letter to her American boyfriend (Jerome Horry) who is working at the World Trade Center as she is unaware of what is happening. Egypt (written and directed by Youssef Chahine) is about a documentary filmmaker (Nour El-Sherif) communicating with a dead soldier (Ahmed Haroun) from the 1983 Beirut bombing as they try to make sense of war and what happened in the U.S.

Bosnia-Herzegovina (written and directed by Danis Tanovic) is the story of a young woman (Dzana Pinjo) going to a protest rally, much to the wishes of her mother (Tatjana Sojic), as she meets her legless friend (Aleksandar Seksan) where the events of 9/11 threatens the rally. Burkina Faso (written and directed by Idrissa Ouedraogo) has a young boy (Lionel Zizreel Guire) claiming to see Osama Bin Laden as he rallies his friends to hunt him down for the reward money so they can help his ailing mother. In United Kingdom (directed by Ken Loach and written by Paul Laverty, Ken Loach, & Vladimir Vega), Vladimir Vega writes a letter to the people of 9/11 as he talks about the 1973 Chilean coup d’etat that happened on that same date. Mexico (written and directed by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu) is a short that collects brief images of bodies falling from the Twin Towers with sounds of what is happening on a black screen.

In Israel (directed by Amos Gitai and written by Amos Gitai and Marie Jose Sanselme), a soldier (Liron Levo), an officer (Tomer Russo) deal with a car bombing while a news reporter (Keren Mor) tries to cover what happened only to learn about what happened in NYC. India (directed by Mira Nair and written by Sabrina Dhawan) is the true story of an Islamic family wondering the whereabouts of a man who is rumored to be a terrorist. United States of America (written and directed by Sean Penn) is about a widower (Ernest Borgnine) who believes his wife is still around until light appears for his flowers. In Japan (directed by Shohei Imamura and written by Daisuke Tengan), a man (Tomorowo Taguchi) returns from World War II acting like a snake causing trouble among people from his village.

9/11 was a tragedy that really affected the world about terrorism and the chaos following the attacks. Yet, it’s not an American event that happened but also the world as the film is about how the world reacted to an event as catastrophic as 9/11. For 11 filmmakers, each one had to make a short with a running time of 11 minutes and nine seconds so they can each shed provide insight into how they feel about what happened on that day. The overall result is a film that has some great segments, some decent ones, and one that is really ridiculous.

The film starts off innocently by Samira Makhmalbaf who creates a story about a schoolteacher trying to teach her young students about what just happened. For these young Afghani refugee kids whose parents are building a shelter in wake of what just happened, they’re not exactly sure what happened as they’re talking. Yet, it’s all about the innocence of children trying to understand that they’re world is going to change. Makhmalbaf’s short along with Idrissa Ouedraogo’s short in Burkina Faso has an air of innocence that isn’t displayed often as the latter is about a boy wanting to capture Osama Bin Laden to get reward money for his ailing mother with the help of his friends.

These two shorts are among the highlights of the anthology film as both filmmakers each provide their own ideas about what happened at 9/11. Others like Claude Lelouch, Danis Tanovic, and Mira Nair provide more personal stories about the attacks on a more dramatic scale. While Lelouch uses 9/11 as a dramatic plot-point in this story of a woman wanting to leave her boyfriend, Tanovic puts a bit of politics over the events of Bosnia-Herzegovina as the woman wanting to protest finds a bigger reason to do her protest. Nair’s story is based on the true story of a young Islamic-American man lost during 9/11 as his family is forced to confront the possibilities that he’s a terrorist where they’re suddenly isolated by neighbors over a misunderstanding while it’s ending is a lesson about prejudices and loss.

Directors like Youssef Chahine and Amos Gitai both provide some political ideas about their own situations of 9/11 in relation to the Middle East. While Chahine’s segment is a bit over-stylized with its story of a director talking to a soldier, it does provide a point about the fallacies of war and conflict no matter what side anyone is on. Gitai’s short is shot entirely in one continuous short as a car bomb attack happens as a reporter tries to reveal what is going though she’s being cut off by her editor about 9/11 as she tries to state all the important tragedies that occurred on September 11th. It’s a chaotic segment though it tries to reveal that just because something happened in the U.S. doesn’t mean that the tragedies in Israel shouldn’t be ignored as it’s a good short despite having a heavy-handed message.

The Japanese short provided by Shohei Imamura, in his final work as a filmmaker, is the one that deviates from everything that is about 9/11 as it’s more about the aftermath of war and its effects on soldiers. Though it’s the short that doesn’t seem to fit in, the final message about the fallacy of Holy War does make a compelling point about what Imamura wants to say. The most shocking and most harrowing short comes from Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu as his segment is just a simple tale of all of chaos happening as brief images of bodies jumping off the tower and then fade-to-black for sounds of bodies hitting the ground. It is definitely the most uncomfortable one in the entire film yet it ends with the words “Does God’s light guide us or blind us?” as Inarritu is asking more questions rather than provide answers about this tragedy.

With the highlights of the film coming from Nair, Inarritu, Ouedraogo, and Makhmalbaf with really good ones from Lelouch and Tanovic, the best segment comes from Ken Loach. Loach’s short about Vladimir Vega’s experience about his September 11 tragedy back in 1973 Chile when Pinochet overthrew Salvador Allende is one of the most haunting stories told. With Vega both narrating and singing about what happened as he writes a letter to Americans about what they’re dealing with. It’s also a reminder that he hopes they don’t forget about what happened in Chile and the role they played into Allende’s overthrow and his death on that day either by suicide or murder. It’s also a sad reminder that though Vega lives happily in England with his family, he could never return to Chile over what happened.

With Loach’s short being the best for its mix of personal storytelling and political insight, the worst one comes from Sean Penn. Despite a great performance from Ernest Borgnine, it’s definitely one of the most ridiculous as it’s about a widower wanting light outside of his house so the flowers would bloom as he talks to his wife as if she’s still here. The ending is without a doubt one of the worst as it involves one of the towers falling and sunlight appears for the flowers to bloom. The ending might be offensive to people though Penn was probably not intending to do that though he approaches it in a very bad way.

While there’s some great technical moments in some of the shorts, notably the ones by Gitai, Loach, Inarritu, and Lelouch in terms of photography, sound design, and music score. Each short is presented by a transitional scene of the world map as it plays to soft electronic music and later a somber orchestral piece that is provided by Alexandre Desplat. This way, it allows each short to be unified into one film as it ends up being one of the most intriguing yet powerful anthology films about one of the most horrifying events of the 21st Century.

11’9”01 September 11 is an excellent anthology about the world’s reaction to 9/11. With some great pieces by Samira Makhmalbaf, Mira Nair, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu, Idrissa Ouedraogo, and an outstanding one from Ken Loach. It’s a film that emphasizes that 9/11 is a world event that shook up everything that happened. While it’s not an easy film to watch due to its subject matter, it does allow audience a chance to see what other countries think about what happened and how it relates to their own feelings. In the end, 11’9”01 September 11 is an extraordinary though chilling film about the horrors of 9/11.

© thevoid99 2011

New York, I Love You

New York, I Love You is an anthology film about love in the city of New York that collects 11 shorts film by ten different filmmaker. The second part of the City of Love anthology films that was preceded by the 2006 anthology film Paris, Je T’aime. The film includes stories directed by Brett Ratner, Joshua Marston, Mira Nair, Fatih Akin, Natalie Portman, Yvan Attal, Allen Hughes, Jiang Wen, Shekhar Kapur, Shunji Iwai, and inserts by Randy Balsmeyer. The film includes an all-star cast that includes Natalie Portman, Irffan Khan, Christina Ricci, Orlando Bloom, Hayden Christensen, Rachel Bilson, Chris Cooper, Ethan Hawke, Maggie Q, Bradley Cooper, Shia LaBeouf, Drea de Matteo, Olivia Thirlby, James Caan, Anton Yelchin, Blake Lively, Julie Christie, and John Hurt. New York, I Love You is a pretty good film that has some moments that is cluttered with some unnecessary transitions.

A young thief (Hayden Christensen) tries to woo a young lady (Rachel Bilson) at a bar where he meets her much older boyfriend (Andy Garcia) while dealing with other issues. Meanwhile, an Indian jeweler (Irrfan Khan) talks with a Jewish woman (Natalie Portman) who is set to be married the next day as they discuss their cultural differences. A young music composer (Orlando Bloom) is trying to finish some music for a film as a young woman (Christina Ricci) keeps calling him to discuss the things the director wants. A writer (Ethan Hawke) engages into a conversation with a married woman (Maggie Q) as they share a smoke together. In the fifth segment, a young man (Anton Yelchin) has been dumped by his ex-girlfriend (Blake Lively) as his local pharmacist (James Caan) helps him by having his handicapped daughter (Olivia Thirlby) as his date.

A man (Bradley Cooper) and a woman (Drea de Matteo) are in different areas of the city thinking about their dissolving relationship. A woman (Julie Christie) returns to a hotel that she likes as she befriends an immigrant bellhop (Shia LaBeouf) as a hotel manager (John Hurt) listens. A young girl (Taylor Geare) walks around Central Park with her nanny (Carlos Acosta) as they wait for the return of her mother (Jacinda Barrett). A painter (Ugur Yucel) is transfixed by a beautiful woman (Shi Qu) as he wants to paint her. A businessman (Chris Cooper) meets a woman (Robin Wright) outside a restaurant as they talk while she is trying to get her husband to notice. Meanwhile, an old couple (Eli Wallach and Cloris Leachman) bicker as they walk to Coney Island while a young woman (Emilie Ohana) is trying to create a video project of all the things she’s seeing.

In this eleven shorts and transition sequences, it’s all about New York City and love through this anthology film made by several filmmakers. Yet, the approach for the entire film doesn’t come across as exciting due to the transition sequences made by Randy Balsmeyer, with writing by Hall Powell, Israel Horovitz, and James Strouse, end up being very distracting and confusing. Largely because characters from the shorts pop up in the transitions with some wondering if they’re still watching some shorts or just a mesh of a bunch of stories. Whatever the approach is, it doesn’t work nor is there a lot of mention throughout the film until the final credits on who directed and wrote each segment.

The film starts off in a bad way with Jiang Wen‘s short that was created with writers Hu Hong and Meng Yao, with Israel Horovitz providing the English adaptation, about a young thief. Along with the transition sequences, that short along with the short that Allen Hughes, with writers Xan Cassavetes and Stephen Winter, had about the dissolving couple speaking in voice-overs and Shekhar Kapur’s short, that was written by the late Anthony Minghella, about an old woman and a crippled bellhop borders into either pretentiousness or just bad storytelling.

Those shorts and the transitions are among the problems with the film while all of them have a similar palette to the cinematography that doesn’t make it very outstanding nor gives a lot of the films a chance to stand out on its own. Kapur’s short does try to put something different to the photography but it only adds to stupidity of that short. Despite the uninspired colored palette schemes and distracting transitions, the rest of the shorts by the other filmmakers do bring in some surprises.

Among them is the short Brett Ratner and writer Jeff Nathanson create about a young man needing a date for the senior prom that proves to be funny but also heartwarming. Mira Nair’s short, with a script by Suketu Mehta, has a very engaging story about cultural differences and longing that proves to be one of the highlights. The two shorts that Yvan Attal made, with writer Olivier Lecot, about the writer and married woman and the businessman talking with another married woman proved to be exciting for the looseness each story has. Fatih Akin’s short about the painter and his Asian muse is very good though it feels a bit shorter than the rest despite the artwork that is presented while the Shunji Iwai short, that is adapted into English by Israel Horovitz, is another surprise over its conversations and surprises.

Then there’s two other shorts that truly become the major highlights as Joshua Marston’s about the aging couple walking to Coney Island for their anniversary is very funny and heartwarming. The other is Natalie Portman’s whose short about a child and her male nanny ends up being the best of them due to its loose style that is in tune with cinema verite but also has a wandering style that is reminiscent of the work of Terrence Malick. While the final result has a lot of great shorts with some touching stories, it only gets bogged down by its lack of visual style for each short as well as a few awful shorts and unnecessary transitional sequences.

On the performance front, there’s not a lot that stands out as anything that involves Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson is bad news. The best performances go to James Caan, Natalie Portman, Olivia Thirlby, Anton Yelchin, Eli Wallach, Cloris Leachman, Irrfan Khan, Chris Cooper, and Robin Wright as they each bring something joyful to the characters they play.

New York, I Love You is a worthwhile anthology film that has some moments but is very weak in comparison to its predecessor Paris Je T’aime. While the shorts from Mira Nair, Brett Ratner, Yvan Attal, and Joshua Marston are among some of their best work while Natalie Portman’s short is an indication of her rising talents as a filmmaker. There’s stuff in the film that aren’t very good along with transitional sequences that just reeks of pretentiousness. In the end, New York, I Love You is best watch from the good shorts the film has to offer but not as an entire film.

Paris Je T'aime - (Tbilisi, I Love You) Rio, Eu Te Amo

© thevoid99 2011