Today I watched a pearl: An movie from an Algerian filmmaker, Papicha (Young Free Woman). It was selected as a candidate for the Oscars as Best Foreign Movie (without official nomination) and got featured in Cannes last year. It just was released here last Friday, with almost flawless critiques. I couldn’t not see it, especially after having watched the trailer.
This movie is freely based on the director’s experience as a female university student during the Algerian Civil War (1990s) and the rise of extremist Islamism. Whilst the plot scheme is typical, it clearly isn’t the most important thing of this movie. The images are powerful, the cinematography is dynamic, accordingly to what is intended to be told and shown, and the results are crude, raw and ruthless. However, it doesn’t lack of a kind of elegance and tenderness in the middle of its cold sterility. The contrast between the small colourful world of a young woman with strong will and dreams and the big barren country and society that surrounds her is sublime. And of course, the group of main actresses delivers it marvelously. You revolve around them, and truly can see how dedicated their acting was.
As I said last week with the Azerbaijiani movie, it’s interesting to see more of a country of which you barely hear of. Aside, being shown is really different from being told. Even me, who normally doesn’t react to violence in movies, wanted to cry some times. You can see how its plot is told a bit conventionally so the tears are a bit forced, but you want to cry when you start to perceive the reality of the situation. Powerful. I don’t know how people who enjoy tearjerkers could react to this.
Recommended, even with its tiny flaws. As an informative piece, a political criticism product and as a cinematography work. Three for the price of one.