The extended family in Sorrentino’s Foreign Oscar nominees
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Today we are talking about two films that must be watched (in the cinema!). Paolo Sorrentino’s is set in Naples, Maria Speth’s in Hesse.
by Renate Mumelter
“It was the hand of God”
It all starts with a dizzying flight over the Gulf. In the cinema seat I move towards Naples in order to immerse myself in a supposed time difference. It leads to the Naples that lives on San Gennaro, that has a Monaciello with magical power and a Maradona, who was Naples’ real magician.
Paolo Sorrentino’s homage to his city is pure screen cinema with images that captivate, actors who are also there in close-ups, with people who are so diverse that it never gets boring. Sorrentino is a Neapolitan and it is said that the film is autobiographical. Whether or not Sorrentino is talking about himself by young Fabietto remains a minor matter.
The story tells of an extended family, of a house where neighborhood matters, of being normal, of being different, of a harmonious marriage, of traumatic events and of growing up that Fabietto who wants to become a film director. Naples is not poor but middle-class and educated, so not Naples, which is usually kissed on the hand in films. The fact that a lot of Neapolitan is spoken in between doesn’t matter. Everything can be guessed at.
All locations, all actors are cleverly selected and put even more cleverly into the picture by camerawoman Daria D’Antonio. A homage to the cinema. Anyone who knows Fellini cannot help but think about his films. He is just as invisible as Sergio Leone, Franco Zeffirelli, Antonio Capuano and Maradona. “Il cinema non serve a niente ma ti distrae”, Fellini is quoted as saying. “Il cinema ti distrae dalla realtá. La realtà è scadente. “
“Mr. Bachmann and his class”
plunges directly into reality. Director Maria Speth accompanied Dieter Bachmann’s class at the Stadtallendorf comprehensive school for months. The 3:37 hours of the film made me fearful too. But none of that happened. Maria Speth manages to take the audience with her over this long distance. In an interview with the weekly magazine Die Zeit, she explains exactly how she does it.
In the cinema I became more and more familiar with the students. When I look at the film photos today, it is as if I were meeting old friends: “Look, Steffi” or: “How Hassan laughs.” It is actually exactly the process that takes place in the class between teachers and students and among the students too. A prerequisite for a good relationship is care and trust. Mr. Bachmann’s class is made up of 12 nationalities, the knowledge of German is different, as are the cultural backgrounds. Dieter Bachmann and Maria Speth Film show that it can be used successfully. A film that is not only interesting for school people.
In these December days, it is not bad at all to withdraw for a few hours from the hustle and bustle to the other world of Stadtallendorf.
“Mr. Bachmann and his class” can be seen on Thursday, December 9th (8pm) at docu.emme in Merano, and on December 10th, 11th and 12th at 3:45 pm in the film club.
Photo (s): © 123RF.com and / or / with © archive Die Neue Südtiroler Tageszeitung GmbH (if no information is available)
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