WATCH THE TRAILER HERE
First, the Recap:
Parenthood. While not all of us can see it from the direct perspective of being one, we all know plenty of friends whom we’ve watched raise children, taking on the loving but, let’s be honest, highly challenging facets it creates, the demands it brings, and the copious amounts of needed patience it engenders. In light of this, was exactly does it take to overcome the frustrations that arise when a child is being extremely willful, wanting to do their own thing rather than listen to the voice of reason that we at least hope they will appreciate at some point. For Appa, it becomes his daughter who presents this dilemma as all he attempts to do within their mountain home is feed her. Yet, she continuously refuses what he provides, much to the apparent glee of her younger brother. What can be the outcome of her overt rebellion?
Next, my Mind:
The highest, and frankly most unsettling, yet level of eccentricity that this critic personally experienced with the films screened at the 2nd Annual Berlin Illambra Experimental Film Festival housed at Salon AM Moritzplatz and hosted by Illambra arrived full force through this six and a half minute short from writer/director/editor/animator Jin Woo and producer Hur Ho. Presented stylistically to encompass genres and thematic bends that cover everything from drama to horror to even certain amounts of psychodrama as well, the intentionally simplistic animation weaves the story of one family’s apparently disjointed and dare we say dysfunctional life as a doting father encounters severe resistance from his obstinate daughter when just trying to care for her, while in the “background”, his young son simply causes general mischief for his own amusement.
The thing is, for me anyway, the overall portrayal of this, visually and also audibly, was flat out disturbing in its jarringly candid presentation, with many moments involving the daughter herself so blatantly grotesque, with certain sounds accompanying it all just as freakish and unnerving. It’s truly one of the more wince-inducing sequences of events to witness as a viewer, just in its sheer magnitude of what I am guessing is still purposefully created unease, and I will fully give credit to Woo and Co. for successfully managing to elicit that if it be the intention. As, perhaps, a vehicle to be an illustration of the discordant nature of human relationships and the lack of familial bonds and unity amidst this current world’s chaos, then the film is victorious in that intent as well. It’s stark, weighty, and dark material even with its underlying messages about parenthood I felt it was making in the grander scheme of things.
It’s all opinion and interpretation when it comes to indie cinema, which I have been stating for quite a few of the efforts from BIEFF 2019, and that is perfectly fine obviously. But as to how this particular effort was executed, again full points to Woo for being highly bold, unapologetic, and sincere in the art form and direction chosen here, it just wasn’t a project that resonated for this critic at all, again causing more disquiet in a, well, disquieting way for me rather than enjoyment or absolute appreciation overall. In total, and as already evident above, “San” was one of my least favorite efforts from BIEFF 2019, not because it was in itself not a solid effort representing an indie filmmaker being true to themselves and their art, but more in that it just was TOO “out there” in negative ways for my preferences. But, is that not what makes opinion for force it is? Like I always say–read my mind, but make up your own.
As always, this is all for your consideration and comment. Until next time, thank you for reading!
