Austin Film Festival 2021
Greetings again from the darkness. The symphonic crescendo of Maurice Ravel’s “Bolero” is perfectly synched with this film’s crescendo, creating a heart-racing, frantic few moments of passion, lust, revelation, and shock – for both the characters and viewers. Also shocking is discovering that this is writer-director Gabriele Fabbro’s first feature length narrative film (after many shorts and videos). This is expert filmmaking and creative storytelling that harkens back to classic 1970’s cinema in a time when it’s certainly needed and appreciated.
Veteran Italian actor Lidia Vitale stars as Roxanne. The film opens on her haggard face as she utters, “F-you”. Right on cue, the organ music thunders over the opening credits. Her bitterness is aimed at the banner hanging outside the church where she works. The words on the banner dare state, “Everything will be fine”. This is March 2020, and Italy has just begun the initial shutdown over COVID-19.
Roxanne is a passionate restorer of pipe organs, and this 1700 church currently houses two – one from 1500 and one from 1900. After a workplace tragedy, Roxanne’s supervisor, Paolo (Marcello Mariani), finds her an assistant who will work for organ-playing lessons and food. Lucia (Ludovica Mancini) is a young, eager-to-learn mute. Her soft, soulful eyes are in stark contrast to Roxanne’s sharp facial features and stone cold glares of loathing. Whereas Roxanne is angry, annoyed, and hot-tempered, Lucia remains spirited, open, and energetic.
Of course, the barriers between the two slowly break down, but the twists and surprises and secrets are gradually unveiled. Roxanne’s obsessions are not limited to the beautiful pipe organs and sweet Lucia has a side to her no one would have predicted. Ms. Vitale’s performance really drives the story and the building of trust between Roxanne and Lucia. The manner in which conveys the softening of her barriers and the re-directing of her focus is fascinating.
Without being overbearing, the film reminds us of the pandemic through Paolo’s all too frequent ringing of the ‘death bell’, the television reports playing in the background, the protective mask defiantly looped around Roxanne’s ear, and the warning that nature may carry out God’s wrath. And speaking of nature, the camera work outside the church is, at times, stunning in its beauty, striking angles, and message. It’s rare to find a filmmaker’s ‘first’ feature so original and well-executed, and that is on top of Mr. Fabbro’s use of powerful pipe organ music throughout. This is a truly fine film that hopefully will find an audience.
Posted by David Ferguson 
Greetings again from the darkness. Sometimes what we see on screen doesn’t tell the whole story about a movie. Writer-director Kazuya Murayama delivers his first feature film, and it’s based on the true story of a 1992 murder in Japan. Not only did Murayama fund the making of this film (there is no producer or Production Company), but the murder took place in the town where he was growing up … and in the same park where he often played.
Greetings again from the darkness. This compelling film is the debut narrative feature film from co-writers and co-directors Adam Sjoberg and Seanne Winslow. Filmed on location in Oman (not sure I’ve ever seen another filmed there), it’s based on a true story and features first time actors in the key roles.
Greetings again from the darkness. After watching the trailer, I settled in for what I expected to be a traditional French farce, always a welcome relief from the usual festival heaviness. While I can’t say the trailer is misleading – all of the scenes are present in the movie – it’s just that writer-director Stevan Lee Mraovitch has delivered more of a dark comedy with a message than a laugh-a-minute joy ride in his feature film debut.
Greetings again from the darkness. The opening sequence is surreal and a bit creepy, and with it, first time director Valdimar Johannsson accomplishes a couple of things. First, we witness the rugged beauty of rural Iceland, and second, he sets us up for a bizarre tale, as we follow a heavy-breathing unseen creature (or being) that frightens some wild horses before making its way into the sheep pen. Johannsson co-wrote the script with Sjon, the renowned Icelandic novelist, poet, screenwriter, songwriter, and composer.
Greetings again from the darkness. German filmmaker Christian Petzold has a track record of creating thought-provoking, intelligent, and ambitious films such as 
Greetings again from the darkness. Remember when an exonerated OJ Simpson vowed to dedicate his time to finding “the real killer” of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman? For some reason that memory came back in the early stages of this film as a Melbourne-based Australian Federal Police agent returns to his isolated hometown after his childhood friend is implicated in a murder-suicide. See, that agent left town as a teenager when he was suspected of being involved in the murder of a local teenage girl.
Greetings again from the darkness. “You say you want a revolution … well, you know … we all want to change the world.” Writer-director Michel Franco hits head-on the always hot, and very current topic of the haves versus the have-nots, and I immediately thought of those Beatles’ lyrics.
Greetings again from the darkness. Carl Jung coined the term synchronicity to describe occurrences that appear related, yet lack a clear connection. Writer-director Anders Thomas Jensen (Nicolaj Arcel is credited with the idea) starts us off with a slew of coincidences: Mathilde’s bike is stolen, her dad calls to say his military assignment has been extended, her mom decides they should take the train to town, a man surrenders his seat to Mathilde’s mom, a passenger throws away his sandwich while getting off the train, a bomb derails the train after that stop, a key witness in a criminal trial is killed, and the man who gave up his seat is a probability expert who begins assembling the pieces before going to Mathilde’s dad to present his case. Were these coincidences related or is it possible meaning is being found where none exists?
Greetings again from the darkness. Who is the woman in the picture? What did the five men toss in the river? Why are those men chasing the man in the hat? Why is that other man wet? If the man in the hat is running from the five men, why does he keep running into the same people? What are those two measuring now? Why doesn’t anyone (ok, almost no one) speak? Why are there so many questions, and why, by the end, do we not care that most go unanswered?
Movie Reviews from the Dark 