by James Mottram
Some things in life you thought you’d never see again. Like the Edinburgh International Film Festival [EIFF] back where it belongs. Traditionally, the EIFF took place in August. It was an ideal positioning in the calendar when all eyes are on Edinburgh due to the renowned Fringe – the vibrant mix of comedy, dance, theatre, and music that plays across the city for the whole month. Then, in 2008, it moved to June, a baffling decision that backfired spectacularly, with the festival losing ground on its rivals.
After quietly shifting back to August last year, with a low-key hybrid festival due to the pandemic, this year’s EIFF showed real promise for the future. Celebrating its 75th birthday, it also marked the first full year in charge of the Australian-born Kristy Matheson [left], who previously worked as Director of Film at Australia’s national museum of screen culture, ACMI, after previously contributing to both the Sydney and Brisbane Film Festivals.
Needless to say, some great Antipodean movies made the cut. A smart, bloody tale of friendship gone awry, the visceral Sissy marks the second feature of Australians Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes. Aisha Dee plays Cecilia, an influencer who is invited to the bachelorette party of her old pal Emma (Barlow), only to discover that her tormenter-in-chief from school, Alex (Emily De Margheriti), is there. Awkward!, as the saying goes. What follows is funny, disturbing, and gruesome in equal measure – but it’s sure to see Sissy gain a cult following.
Also playing was Nude Tuesday, which was the EIFF’s Central Gala, after recently premiering at the Sydney Film Festival. Written by New Zealand comedian Jackie van Beek (2018’s The Breaker Upperers) and directed by fellow Kiwi Armağan Ballantyne, it’s a relationship comedy starring Van Beek and Damon Herriman as a couple who go to a New Age retreat to try and repair their ailing marriage.
Awaiting them is Jemaine Clement’s guru – he’s hilarious – but the real selling point is that the entire dialogue is spoken in gibberish. It sounds like cod-Scandinavian, as if The Muppets’ Swedish Chef has dubbed it all. Subtitles are provided, written by the genius British comedian Julia Davis (Nighty Night, Sally4Ever), who apparently only used the visuals as inspiration – not any script. It’s a unique and sometimes touching comedy about middle-age, marriage and finding your true self.
For those seeking out a quieter experience, there was Juniper. New Zealander Matthew Saville’s new drama sees the estimable Charlotte Rampling star as Ruth, a woman crippled and fading fast as she lives out her days in the home of her son (Marton Csokas). Every day, she drinks from a jug of gin and water – literally half-and-half measures – as she appears to be waiting to die. When she encounters her grandson Sam (George Ferrier), they’re initially combative – she even throws a glass at his head! – but common ground is found in a touchingly-made story.
Documentary-wise, Lachlan Mcleod’s Clean took on the extraordinary life of the late Sandra Pankhurst, who was previously the subject of Sarah Krasnostein’s well-received 2017 book The Trauma Cleaner. A former drag queen and sex worker, who came out as a transgender woman years earlier, when Mcleod joins her, this Aussie was running a business, Specialised Trauma Cleaning Services, cleaning up crime and suicide sites. Well, someone has to do it, as they say.
As you might expect, there were some strong local movies too. Opening EIFF, the festival scored a real coup with Scottish director Charlotte Wells’ extraordinary debut Aftersun, which premiered in Cannes earlier this year. A father-daughter story, set in a Turkish holiday resort in the late Nineties, it stars a nuanced Paul Mescal, the break-out star from the BBC’s 2020 adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Normal People. With his character Calum striving to bond with his 11-year-old girl, Sophie (Frankie Corio), he’s a man who clearly spent his youth at raves, rather than planned parenthood meetings.
Talking of which, Neon Spring proved to be an excellent ride. Set in the underground rave scene in Riga, this Latvian drama from Matiss Kaza felt fresh and vibrant. It follows 20 year-old Laine (Marija Luize Melke), leaving her troubled family life at the door for the evening as she starts hanging out with a new crowd, including Gunda (Greta Trusina). There are real highs and lows in this film – the grinding comedown of reality, banality and sometimes something more disturbing hitting Laine and others like a runaway train. With Magnolia Pictures International now handling worldwide sales, that hopefully means it’ll experience wider exposure.
For those in need of a different sort of tune, The Score saw one of the best casts of the festival – British actors Johnny Flynn, Will Poulter and Naomi Ackie – band together for this crime drama/musical. Written and directed by Malachi Smyth, the film sees two felons (Flynn, Poulter) waiting in a café (where Ackie’s waitress works) to pick up an illegal drop. There are times when it feels like Waiting for Godot, but the real selling point is that several of Flynn’s folk-tinged songs are woven into the story, with the actors singing them. It’s a curious mix of music and misconduct, but one that felt unique.
One of the best European films on show was Eric Gravel’s Full Time, a French drama that blends social realism with the propulsive heartbeat of a thriller. Laure Calamy (from Call My Agent!) plays Julie, a single mother who works in Paris as a head chambermaid. Desperate to change jobs, she has an interview for a market research position – on the very day there is a national transit strike in the city. Gravel conjures an impressive, nervy film, aided by a heart-stopping electronic score by musician Irène Drésel.
The festival closed on the Saturday in contemplative mood with After Yang, the new film from critic-turned-filmmaker Kogonada. His previous effort, 2017’s Columbus, had drawn acclaim, and this latest tale similarly impressed when it played in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard last year. The film features Colin Farrell and Jodie Turner-Smith as parents in a futuristic environment who must contend with what happens when their artificially intelligent helper breaks down, causing a huge emotional impact on the family. Like Spike Jonze’s Her, it’s a sensitive take on the ethical quandaries that surround creating artificial life. Above all, it was a fitting end to an enjoyable Edinburgh. Kristy Matheson has done a fine job.
