Berlinale 2020 Wrap-Up

1. First Cow

A beautiful, sensitive and "laid back" anti-western that tries to reconstruct the birth of US-American capitalism and the „American Dream“ around 1900 – but mostly is a convincing story about a friendship between 2 men. The audience loved it, and it is a pity that the film did not take home at least one award (e.g. Kelly Reichardt for best directing). A movie of fine nuances and calmness, surprisingly unpretentious and even un-American.

2. The Fountainhead

A hidden gem of classic movie-making: Following a script by Ayn Rand (based on her own novel) King Vidor directed this story about a man of adamant principles who just won’t compromise with society: Howard Roark (Gary Cooper) is an architect who unflinchingly follows his artistic vision of the perfect building“ to the extremes that, at one point, he prefers to work in construction to designing a building which violates against his principles. A plea for idealism, individualism and the autonomy of art as the central force of societal progress, beautifully shot in avantgardist black-white-frames.

3. Time to Hunt

Visceral, testosterone-pumped genre-cinema from South Corea in a form which Hollywood is afraid to do nowadays: Four guys without future plan a risky heist to rob a local (illegal) game hall, but they underestimate the Corean mafia who runs the place. A thrilling cat-and-mouse-game starts, full of over-the-top-violence, suspense, and side-splitting sound design that goes to your guts. A memorable cinema experience, obviously drawing from Michael Mann and other US-American action-virtuosos.

4. DAU. Natasha

The scandal film of the 70th Berlinale: Even before the first screening German newspapers took aims against Ilya Khrzhanovskiys megalomaniac art-project as there have been alleged reports about abuse of power and assaults on set - which the (female) actresses denied right away at the official press conference, stating that „we knew, what we were doing, we decided on our own, how far we go“. „DAU. Natasha“ itself is a highly interesting and uncompromising cinematic arrangement to test and challenge to possibilities of the medium film, playing with different levels of reality and fiction.

5. Malmkrog

200 minutes of philosophical discussions in French about Good and Evil, God and Antichrist, war and peace, Europe and its cultural, ideological and political implications. Cristi Puiu challenges his audience, but also the current Zeitgeist by going back 120 years to a Russian aristocratic gathering where highly educated men and women talk about highly important issues without getting anywhere ultimately. Elegant setting meets precise acting meets exquisite Mise en Scene, while Puiu seems fascinated and the same time repelled by his protagonists.

6. Delete History

A charming and entertaining french comedy about 3 "social media victims" who try to take it on with the tech giants in Silicon Valley (and elsewhere): On a narrative level quite conventional, the benefits of "Delete History" lie in the sensibility for a changing society and social structure that creates a new precariat of people left behind by the digital revolution. Directors Delepine/Kervern treat them with sympathy, quite unusual for recent films. Includes a fabulous cameo by French author Michel Houellebecq as a suicidal man.

7. Ossessione

Lucchino Visconti’s first feature film, screened at the Berlinale in a beautifully restored new version, tells a story of love, hate, and deceit and driven and equally cunning protagonists. Led by a convincing performance by gorgeous Clara Calamai, visually compelling and morally highly ambiguous and differentiated.

8. Duel in the Sun

King Vidor’s melodramatic Technicolor masterpiece as a central piece of a great retrospective: Jennifer Jones as "Pearl", an Indian "half-blood", is torn between two men, the aggressively charming Lewt (a great performance by Gregory Peck!) and the well-mannered, but boring Jessy (Joseph Cotton). She gives in to her lust and to a wild and dangerous amour fou with Lewt, constantly torn between love, hate, and violence which will ultimately lead to several dead bodies. The impact by omnipotent producer David O. Selznick can be spotted in almost every scene, but his hubris and megalomania did no harm to this haunting piece of western.

9. Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets

A highly likable cinematic love letter to bars and their "citizens", male and female barflies who found a second home there, where they can be themselves and talk about and live the small and big issues of life. The documentary by American filmmaker talents Bill & Turner Ross sheds light on the "forgotten America", far off gloss and glamour, and shows us that all people, wherever they may come from, go to or look like, want and deserve just a little respect and dignity.

10. Siberia

After "Tommaso" the next quite unusual Abel Ferrara-film, and by far the most divisive feature in the Berlinale competition: While one part of the audience loved it for its courage and boldness, the other part literally fled from the screenings in disgust. Ferrara draws from the writings of C.G. Jung and Sigmund Freud and takes us on a journey into the (his?) subconsciousness, led by a solid performance by Willem Dafoe.

Christian Klosz lives in Vienna and is the editor-in-chief of Austrian film magazine Film plus Kritik. https://filmpluskritik.com