two films

At the filmfest, I saw XXY (Argentina) and Yella (Germany).

XXY was well-done, the story of an intersex teenager and two families. The location was gorgeous, and the contrast between the two families as well, and the incorporation of nature. Alex's character was extremely well-played. The rape scene was terrible, it reminded me of grad school except that in her case it was brute force rather than professional power which was used to intimidate and torment her. The film addressed the issues surrounding the intersex experience well, and used simple language to do so. A great alternative to Herculine Barbin.

Yella was also very good, with an ambiguous ending. I did like the negotiating scenes, but the end compelled me to wonder what the film was doing with the interplay of materialism and death. If one has to be dead in some way to be a successful capitalist. Also, the trauma and the terrible ex-boyfriend who kept showing up was poignant and well-portrayed in terms of the increased sensitivity to nature and her spacing out at points, and her conflicted emotions about her stalking ex. The other thing it did well was show differences between the former east and former west. The stereotype is of venture capitalists from the former west being carpetbaggers in the former east and cashing in on government subsidies, but this film seems to go the other way around as the woman from the former east profits from dealings in the former west. I think this can be explored further, as these questions also play out in the interpersonal relationships. I could really relate to parts of it, and it was an interesting and successful film, but not my favorite, and it was depressing.