Went to see a Lithuanian lesbian movie at MSPIFF, "Summer of Sangaïlé," directed by Alanté Kavaïté. The lead actors, Julija Steponaitytė and Aistė Diržiūtė, were really good in an understated way. One shot held on a gaze said much without being trite or stale like that technique sounds. The girl meets girl plot also worked surprisingly well, fresh yet familiar.
I was skeptical before seeing the film at MSPIFF, because of lukewarm reviews by dudes and what seemed like a weak trailer.
The synopsis was suspiciously bland/BTDT:
"17 year-old Sangaïlé, is fascinated by stunt planes. Afraid of heights, she has never dared to even enter in one of the cockpits. At a summer aeronautical show, nearby her parent's lakeside villa, she meets Austé, a local girl of her age, who unlike Sangaïlé, lives her life to the full with creativity and dare. As the two girls become lovers, Sangaïlé allows Austé to discover her most intimate secret, and finds in her teenage love the only person to truly encourage her in flying."
Turns out a few clips could not do justice to the cumulative effect of the film's languid, quiet but at least subtly motion-filled scenes. At first the main character is drifting, then shifting this way and that, thrashing, and then riding hard towards her chosen destination. It was a little cheesy at first that she wants to fly planes, then not.
The water, grass, sky, even building exteriors are beautiful and meaningful in this film, with few wasted backdrops, costumes, props. The often-used-in-queer-film conceit of a character who.makes clothes for offbeat fashion photography is still effective here.
I liked the many shots where the Earth and nature is still, containing the people who are in motion, fighting, wanting, taking,never content just to be. Except in rare moments. Really well done.
Trailer for "Summer of Sangaile"
Posted via Blogaway
No comments:
Post a Comment