Sunday started with a documentary at the Atlantic International Film Festival that drew cinephiles of all stripes.
Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger is a more-than-two-hour-long deep dive into the work of the master British filmmaking team responsible for The Life And Death of Colonel Blimp, A Matter Of Life And Death, Black Narcissus, and The Red Shoes. Narrated by Martin Scorsese, the Raging Bull filmmaker describes his connection to British cinema from when he was a child, and how these films directly inspired some of the choices he made in his own work.
The doc also explains Scorsese’s personal relationship with Michael Powell, who when they met had fallen into hard times, but Scorcese helped revive his career and broader interest in Powell and Pressburger’s work. Scorsese’s presence may draw interest to the material for the more casual movie fan, this is a full meal for anyone who loves classic movies.
Julie Keeps Quiet is a solid Belgian drama set at a tennis academy, with the students switching from Dutch to French while studying German — damn, the Europeans do languages right. Julie is a talented teenager who’s there on a scholarship while a lot of her less talented classmates have parents who had to pay. But that’s not the only guilt she’s carrying. One of the coaches has been suspended when one of the students committed suicide, the suggestion being that he was abusing girls — but he’s still in touch with Julie. Some of the others are willing to go on the record around his behaviour, but Julie isn’t.
The film — shot in low contrast and frequently shallow focus, creating a slightly sinister tone — is as much a mystery as it is a drama. What happened between the coach and Julie? Why is she protecting him? What is she feeling? And what information don’t we have about this school? It’s a terrific, understated picture, with a standout performance from Tessa Van den Broeck, who has an entirely convincing forehand. (Her backhand could use a little work.)
The last film I watched on Sunday was Andrea Dorfman’s Heartbeat screened in its 10th anniversary. I loved this film when it first came out — though I was reluctant to review it because I know a lot of the key players. Now, I’ll just say I think it’s become even more impressive in the decade since its release. That’s partly due to how much the city of Halifax has changed since then, the film capturing an artistic community that’s really shifted with current economic realities. Heartbeat tells the story of Justine (Tanya Davis), an office drone sick of her work who dreams of being a musician, but suffering from a debilitating case of stage fright. She also can’t quite shake her connection to her old boyfriend (Stewart Legere), even though they both know it’s no longer a good idea. She then meets a drummer, Ruby (Stephanie Joline, credited as Clattenburg at the time), who suggests a better possible future. The whimsy in the tone (with plenty of animation helping lift it) and the love for autumnal Halifax is clear in every shot, the performances warm and lived-in (Joline is especially convincing), and the music (largely by Davis) is a delight. I know I’m prone to hyperbole in my reactions to this film, but I’ll say it: Heartbeat is one of the greatest movies about Halifax I’ve ever had the pleasure to see. (For those who missed it on the big screen at the AIFF, it’s available to rent on VOD and digital platforms.)
