Film Festival 1996 Reviews | Gamera Gamera: Guardian of the Universe Japan, 1995 dir. Shesuke Kaneko Drifting Clouds Finland, 1996 Dir. Aki Kaurismaki Sweetness Another level of recognition for me while watching The Nest arose from connections between various images in the film and elements in accounts told to me by my parents about their early life experiences: the sand dunes on the Baltic coast, the spruce forests, the rolling meadows, smoked herring, children’s games. This level of autobiographical but vicarious recognition had its own sort of parallel in the film narrative. Elements of the protagonist's identi- ty reside in memories conserved by others. He goes to great lengths to seek out these specific people in order to have them share in evoking these memories at the sites that remembered events actually occurred. By trying to get at the source of these memories the protagonist seems to seek a better understanding of himself, and to make some sort of peace with events in his life at a point when unexpected and unwanted external changes occurred. War obviously causes immense disruptions that flow through time, space, personal memory, and from one generation to the next. Latvia, along with the rest of the Baltic region, has the distinction of having been invaded militarily three times in alternating succession over four years by two of the twentieth century’s most brutal warlords: Stalin and Hitler. I came into existence because a retreating Nazi infantry was so desper- ate for additional recruits that it pressed adolescent boys into service from occupied populations. And also because my maternal grandparents judged that their adolescent daughter had brighter prospects trekking (without them) towards the Western European war zone than she would under the impending Stalinist re-occupation of Latvia and the expected repeat of mass deportations and executions. vee: 4 * Pm asassttadietles i¢s@na rauda Any time he thought about it, he despaired. December 1996 / Planet of the Arts 31 au o September 1996 v1 turday § Forgotten Silver New Zealand, 1995 Dir. Peter Jackson, Costa Botes and Sorrow by Harald Gravelsins Years later, when they met in Montreal, my parents recognized in each other a sense of isolation rom, and mourning for, homes and families that were irrevocably lost to them. “Displaced person” is a label without much currency these days. We talk instead of refugees and immigrants, terms which imply a relationship between people and foreign governments. A displaced person is someone who has been swept outside of normal community life by history simulta- neously with hundreds of thousands of other people. A person in this situ- ation lives in temporary shelter indefinitely, no longer anchored by a horizon of secure possibilities. The international community waits on the sidelines, hoping these people will eventually return home rather than require permanent resi- dence elsewhere. For those with no country to return to, as in the case of Latvia behind the Iron Curtain of Stalinist rule, a notion of home condi- tioned by memories of loss, separation and uncertainty accompanies the eventual gaining of citizenship elsewhere. The return of the protagonist in The Nest occurs shortly after Latvia has regained its independence from Stalinist Russia. The visit is a return fifty years later to the place his character was formed and many of his passions took shape. What the film shows is a protagonist who on one level is troubled to find so irrevocably changed and scarred a place that will always hold such profound personal meaning for him. On another level, we see the reassur- ance he gains from learning that the vitality and integrity still persists of the culture from which his soul was forged has persisted. More specifically, he is reassured that what he forfeited materially and symbolically at the time of his forced departure - the house his father built through his own labour and timber from the Latvian forest - enters modestly into this political and cultural renewal. The sentimentalism is probably a bit too saccharine for many viewers: old gives way to young with a nobility and generosity that will resonate across generations, and inspire eventual repetition. Unlike the protagonist of The Nest, my parents are determined never to revisit the country of their birth. They, and many others in a similar sit- uation, don’t think they could stand the heartache such a vist would bring them. : One day | might go. For their sake ... and mine. ee Death by Design: Where Parallel Worlds Meet Une mort programmée France/Germany/USA, 1995 dir. Peter Friedman, Jean-Francois Brunet Fallen Champ: The Untold Story of Mike Tyson USA, 1993 dir. Barbara Kopple December 1996 / Planet of the Arts 31 Film Festival 1996 Reviews September 1996 Alert Sweetness Another level of recognition for me while watching The Nest arose ‘rom connections between various images in the film and elements in ‘accounts told to me by my parents about theie early life experiences: the Sand dunes on the Baltic coast, the spruce forests, the rolling meadows, smoked herring, children’s games. “This level of autobiographical but vicarious recognition had its own, sort of parallel inthe film narrative. Elements of the protagonist's ident- ty reside in memories conserved by others. He goes to great leng seek out these specific people in order to have them share in evoking, ‘these memories atthe sites that remembered events actually ocurred ‘By trying to get atthe source of these memories the protagonist, 10 seek a better understanding of himself, and to make some sort of ‘peace with events in his life ata point when unexpected and unwanted ‘external changes occured. War obviously causes immense disruptions that flow through time, space, personal memory, and from one generation to the next. Latvia, ‘along with the rest ofthe Baltic region, has the distinction of having ‘been invaded militarily three times in alternating succession over four years by two of the twentieth centurys most brutal warlords: Stalin and Hitler. |icame into existence because a retreating Nazi infantry was so desper- ate for additional recruits that it pressed adolescent boys into service ‘rom occupied populations. And also because my maternal grandparents judged that their adolescent daughter had brighter prospects trekking {without them) towards the Western European war zone than she would Lnder the impending Stalinist e-occupation of Latvia and the expected repeat of mass deportations and executions. Sorrow by Harald Gravelsins and ‘Years later, when they met in Montreal, my parents recognized in each ‘other a sense of isolation rom, and mourning for, homes and families that ‘were irrevocably ost to them. “Displaced person” isa label without much currency these days. We talk instead of refugees and immigrants, terms which imply a relationship between people and foreign governments. A displaced person is someone who has been swept outside of normal community life by history simulta ‘eously with hundreds of thousands of other people. person inthis situ- ‘ation lives in temporary shelter indefinitely, no longer anchored by @ horizon of secure possibilities. “The international community waits on the sidelines, hoping these people will eventually retuen home rather than require permanent resi dence elsewhere, For those with no country to retutn to, as in the case of Latvia behind the Iron Curtain of Stalinist rule, a notion of home condi- tioned by memories of loss, separation and uncertainty accompanies the ‘eventual gaining of citizenship elsewhere. “The return of the protagonist in The Nest occuts shortly after Latv thas regained its independence from Stalinist Rusia, The vst is 2 retu fifty years later tothe place his character was formed and many of his, passions took shape. ‘What the film shows i a protagonist who on one level is troubled to find so irrevocably changed and scarred a pace that will always hold such ‘profound personal meaning for him. On another level, we see the reassur- ance he gains from learning thatthe vitality and integrity sill persists of ‘the culture from which his soul was forged has persisted, ‘More specifically, he is reassured that what he forfeited materially and symbolically atthe time of his forced departure - the house his father built through his own labour and timber from the Latvian forest - enters ‘modestly into ths political and cultural renewal. “The sentimentalsm is probably a bit too saccharine for many viewers ‘old gives way to young with a nobility and generosity that will resonate ‘2cr03s generations, and inspire eventual repetition. Unlike the protagonist of The Nest, my parents are determined never to revisit the country of their birth. They, and many others ina similar si ation, don't think they could stand the heartache such a vist would bring them. ‘One day | might go. For ther sake ‘and mine, roarnmee Mncemeyn as Sear