TRIFECTA: Problemista, Crossing, Head South: NZIFF 13th Floor Report #3

13th Floor coverage of the New Zealand International Film Festival continues. The 13th Floor’s Shamin Yazdani shares her thoughts on these three films:

Problemista 

If Michel Gondry, Miranda July and Wes Anderson had a baby it would likely be Julio Torres’ debut feature Problemista. Starring Torres and Tilda Swinton (whose performance is flawless, as per) Problemista is thought-provoking while remaining light and whimsical with a sprinkle of surrealism. It explores some important and interesting subtext around capitalism, exploitation and the erosion of human connection in modern society, but ultimately subscribes to a ‘Barbie 2.0’ approach in its failure to commit to its own interrogations.

Crossing 

A film about tenacity, identity and dignity, Levan Akin’s Crossing intersects the juxtaposition of palpable loneliness and connection through the story of Lia, a retired teacher who embarks on a journey to find her long-lost niece, a trans girl named Tekla. The film strings together a series of scenes that are so heavy with truth that even the most deliberate and intentional of unfoldings appear drenched in the mirage of beautiful spontaneous accidents.

Head South 

What do The Talented Mr. Ripley, Amelie, basically every Woody Allen film, and Head South have in common? They effectively demonstrate how a location can become an essential living, breathing organism in the narrative of a film. Set in Christchurch in 1979, Head South is Writer/Director/Producer Jonathan Ogilvie’s largely autobiographical tale as told through the eyes of teenager Angus as he discovers the underground post-punk music scene. The film succeeds to deliver classic Kiwi humour and one liners, great casting and chemistry, and ultimately a strong voice – a testament to Ogilvie’s auteurism. As he introduces the screening, Ogilvie attests that much like life itself, Head South is a dramedy; It mirrors the complexities and contradictions of the human experience. “Life itself is rarely purely dramatic, or purely comedic”. That said, it definitely delivers a blindsiding suckerpunch.

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