Emilia Derou Bernal and Julien Debard in a still from Anaïs Volpe’s ‘Indemnes’

Anaïs Volpé's 'Indemnes' reinvents the palette of tragedy at the International Film Festival Rotterdam

E. Nina Rothe January 24, 2019

How do you personally survive tragedy, when it hits close to home?

It’s a question that has played in my mind over and over in the last few months. Each of us has a distinct and very human way of dealing with personal tragedy, and none of it is wrong or right, I’ve figured out. It just is.

Filmmaker Anaïs Volpé says that her way of coping with terrorist attacks, which have hit very close to home, literally for the Parisian, is to turn blood into glitter and imagine that the victims have gone to a better place. We hear that time and time again, “they have gone to a better place now,” but in Volpé’s exquisite ‘Indemnes’ (which translates to “Unharmed”) that better place is filled with color, beauty, peace and harmony. It’s a beautiful view into the afterlife, complete with stylish golden jackets, from an artist who has had her own creative style from the get-go.

Hasan Majuni in a still from Mani Haghighi’s ‘Pig’

"So I thought, I’ll make a film about this cry-baby man": Mani Haghighi talks about his latest film 'Pig'

E. Nina Rothe January 7, 2019

It’s interesting that in the same year, two prominent Iranian filmmakers made films where the idea came from the perils of social media. Of course, Jafar Panahi got the inspiration for ‘3 Faces’ from the myriad of fans who send him messages wanting to connect somehow with his talent and rotate in the moons of his celebrity-dom. Mani Haghighi instead with his ‘Pig’ found the humor within the stalking of sorts that happens on the feeds of Twitter and Instagram. And how these days we’ll do just about anything to be famous.

Of course, these two filmmakers are as different as filmmakers can be, yet their latest oeuvres are both featured in the upcoming Iranian Film Festival New York, which will run from January 10th to the 15th at the IFC Center. An event not to be missed.

From left, Angela Fontana, Blu Yoshimi Di Martino and Denise Tantucci in 'Likemeback' — From left, Angela Fontana, Blu Yoshimi Di Martino and Denise Tantucci in 'Likemeback'

Leonardo Guerra Seràgnoli's 'Likemeback': the good times, the lessons, the heartaches and perils of social media

E. Nina Rothe August 23, 2018

During this year's Locarno Festival, a few of the films I watched although narrative features, felt more like documentaries. Wonderfully gratifying documentaries without judgement or a cliche point of view in sight.

One such film was Leonardo Guerra Seràgnoli's 'Likemeback'. Perhaps because of the spontaneous acting by three exceptional young women -- Angela Fontana as Danila, Denise Tantucci as Carla and Blu Yoshimi Di Martino as Lavinia -- or maybe due to Guerra Seràgnoli's script and intimate way of filming this trio of friends on vacation on a sail boat, 'Likemeback' felt real.

Unforced and unequivocally cool.

In this age of #MeToo and TimesUp movements, 'Likemeback' offers a cautionary tale on the power of female sexuality and seduction and how that can be harnessed for the worst intentions. But it also places us in a front row seat on viewing the dangers of social media, when in the hands of the young and inexperienced.

Favorite movies only need apply. Life is too short to write about what I didn't enjoy.

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