Competition review - THE ENDLESS RIVER by Oliver Hermanus

Realism and poetic allegory. Intense but challenging, which inevitably makes it alienating to many, the sophisticated THE ENDLESS RIVER by OLIVER HERMANUS premiered in the official competition of the 72nd VENICE FILM FESTIVAL.

The paths of a man and a woman, the former being a Frenchman who recently moved with his family in South Africa and the former a woman who was recently reunited with her husband after his three years long spell in prison due to gang related activities, cross quite casually in a cafè. A dark and violent destiny, however, is what will bring them together again. 

THE ENDLESS RIVER is the intense and wonderfully challenging new film by OLIVER HERNANUS, one of the most acclaimed South African directors of recent times. 

The nature of the film, which balances realism with poetry marks a sharp turn of style for the filmmaker, and a welcome one at that. The film can be described as a film noir, and indeed the thriller part of its story makes for its backbone, but it is used sparingly and progresses at a slow, sombre and quiet pace, which makes it very thought provoking if a little too challenging for those who are looking for something more conventional. On top of that, the thriller is contrasted by the sophistication of a very compelling and very intimate psychological drama. 

This is achieved through a cohesion in the excellent work of cinematography by CHRIST LOTZ, who is just as good as depicting the beautiful and mysterious vastness of the South African landscape, which a time feels painted in watercolours, as he is with his lengthy close-ups of the human faces, particularly those of the two leading characters. So effective are these shots, and so rewarding is the choice to allow them room to breathe, that it's easy to linger upon every smile, frown or even tear of their closely examined changes in expressions, thanks also to the restrained and yet excellent turns by CRYSTAL-DONNA ROBERTS and NICOLAS DUVACHELLE. Although on this point, it must be said that the overwhelming style of the drama may make their dialogue seem a little artificial and even their performances either wooden or exaggerated with very little in between - it is much better when all that is required of them is to mostly stand still, but that is due to the nature of the film rather than a way of pointing out their incompetence in their trade.

Essentially, the film might easily alienate a viewer who simply has no patience for the challenge of watching a slow film, that abuses its cose plotline to the point of it serving as an allegory for the exploration of much more human themes. Among these themes, is the inevitable and repetitive shifts in relationships, from passion to commitment, a theme that has incidentally been a dominating one at the 72nd VENICE FILM FESTIVAL. 

Nevertheless, THE ENDLESS RIVER is without a doubt a film that is to be protected. Its quietness, enigmatic nature and alienated mystery recalls ANTONIONI. Its sharp contrast of genuineness, violence and a mythological type of poetic flow seem to draw influx from some of PASOLINI's works. Arguably, something else that might anger the average viewer is the sense of neo-colonialism that the film seems to have, but this reading might spur needless controversy that pales in comparison of a much more visceral type of human or even metaphysical connection. 

The film has, nevertheless, split audience reactions in Venice and will probably not be as successful as it might have been in the seventies, when audiences were a little more willing to be transported by such a characteristic energy. As it happens, for many a lot of it might seem repetitive. The problem is that, while that may be true, it is also true that especially in the third act, the repetition has a purpose and meaning that is cohesive with the storyline, and the reason why a filmmaker can't afford himself the luxury of playing with the filmmaking form in a three dimensional way is not a reason that should speak against the film but the psychology of today's film criticism instead.