You can have a foreign affair

Posted on 28 March, 2019

Just because we don’t speak the same language doesn’t mean we can’t be in love …

… With international films, that is! This is the year of Roma and though the naysayers (I’m pointing at you Steven Spielberg) kept her out of the Academy Awards, she has garnered so many other awards and accolades that we really should know who she is and that Alfonso Cuarón (wonderful director) brought her to life.

So if you are going to dip your toe into international waters what else do you need to know?

• How to speak the language – nope, that’s what subtitles are for.
• How to read subtitles and watch the action at the same time. Although, if you’ve been to lots of rock concerts or shut the world out with your headphone volume turned up to 11, you probably already use them for Netflix (what is it with ‘natural’ acting and not enunciating?) Anyway, you could practice by watching a Scandi crime drama on SBS – if you can follow those plots and read the subbies you are good to go.
• How to enjoy non-retouched acting. It can sometimes come as a shock just how many varieties a beautiful human body comes in – and how much expression can appear on a natural face. Or as a friend of mine said recently: I should watch more French films, they look like us and they show how beautiful we can be with wrinkles, without boob jobs and wearing imperfect teeth.
• How to lean into a story where the action is not predictable – no cookie cutter Hollywood factories in these countries.
• That not every foreign film is about sex.
• BUT, ‘foreign’ does not necessarily mean ‘good’. The only way you’ll know though is to sit through some so you can make an informed judgment (and think how superior you’ll feel if some wannabe film academic starts droning on about Blah’s latest film and you can counter with: Pfft, I saw it at a festival months ago and I really think he’s lost his edge).

Speaking of festivals, the Alliance Française French Film Festival is still on at Palace Electric until 10 April and I can so heartily recommend two films: The Trouble with You and Dumped. The first is a real romp – I laughed, I felt sad, I was shocked and deliciously, wonderfully had absolutely no way of guessing where the story would go next. The return again and again to the retelling of a bedtime story of a heroic father was both hilarious and oddly touching.

The second, Dumped, was the film for HerCanberra’s ladies night and the whole cinema hooted (nay, screamed) with laughter. I have to say it was an absolute treat for mothers and daughters…if mum is broadminded! On the downside though, Sink or Swim is not as good as its English counterpart Swimming with Men.

The French is not the only festival, however. The Scandinavian Film Festival is always another highlight, although my daughter is still getting over the emotional wreak she was after seeing The King’s Choice a couple of years ago. I love Scandi comedies too, always a surprise.

The Spanish Film Festival starts on 16 April and I was lucky enough to see a preview of what is sure to be a hit – Crime Wave starring one of my favourite Spanish actors, Maribel Verdú (see what I did there – that is ‘light namedropping’ and indicates to all that you know your foreign affairs). Again, it’s a comedy but with so much death you wonder whether you should be laughing or not! Excitingly too, it is the women (and their high heels) who drive the action and evil deeds. So much fun.

Two more things to note about this festival – it will include not one, not two but 11 films directed by women (brilliant) and will also incorporate the Cine Latino festival that has been gaining momentum for the last few years. It makes sense, given the amount of collaboration between the two film industries and it makes for a wonderfully diverse program.

In fact, the only problem with international film festivals is that I work full time and there are only so many films I can get to!

Roslyn saw most films as a guest of Palace Electric Cinemas