It’s been a hot, hot minute since I’ve watched a movie in the theater during the week, and it’s been even longer since I watched two back-to-back! Nothing like getting two foreign, independent films in on a work night.
I headed to my local (still kind of far) independent theater to catch two films I’d been anticipating for most of the year, as they won’t be there by the time the weekend rolls around. The first film I saw was Afire. I believe this was initially on my Tribeca at Home list until I realized that I could not, in fact, watch it virtually at home. Luckily, I didn’t have to wait too long for it to come around! In this German drama, we first meet friends Leon and Felix as they have to trek the rest of the way their seaside rental house (courtesy of Felix’s family). They are both there for work, as Leon is a writer and Felix is applying to art school, though Leon takes much more stock in this than Felix. They quickly learn that someone else is staying in the house, and they eventually meet a bit of a free spirit named Nadja. Finally roped into the mix is Nadja’s most recent hook-up and local lifeguard, Devid.
Everyone besides Leon is there for a good time, and they are really making the most of their short vacation. Leon, on the other hand, is a terrible grump. He’s also just so mean! I understand that he’s stressed about his sophomore novel that’s he’s due to review with his editor in a few days’ time, but he is completely self-centered. Despite the good times this seaside vacation home offers, there is also the threat of forest fires that have been plaguing a lot of the surrounding areas. It takes some real tragedy and a firm talking to before Leon finally wises up, but I still ultimately found him insufferable.
Speaking of self-centered people, it was like these two movies were made to be shown back-to-back! In Ira Sach’s Passages, we first meet blunt, free-spirited director, Tomas, as he’s finishing up his latest film. While he is harsh in this first scene, we see him totally let loose at the wrap party. There, we meet his printmaking husband, Martin. He’s a bit more reserved and heads home early because he has to work in the morning. It’s at that point where Tomas meets the young and beautiful, Agathe. The two dance and drink, and by the end of the night they hook up. I can appreciate that Tomas is honest with Martin almost as soon as he’s home, and it feels like Martin is willing to look past this latest transgression, but things just kind of spiral from there.
Tomas is convinced he’s in love with Agathe, and soon he decides to leave Martin. That is, until Martin starts his own relationship. Tomas gets back in Martin’s good graces when he reveals that Agathe is pregnant, so they can have their own family with this child. I was really rooting for Tomas and Martin until I realized just how selfish Tomas really is. I don’t know if he’s fueled by boredom or wanting what he can’t have, but he totally wrecks the lives of his two loves for his own benefit. I suppose it’s a bit of a spoiler when I tell you that, thankfully, things don’t work out for Tomas.
Both of these films were fantastic in their own way, though I have to give the edge for Passages. Everyone’s performances were magnetic and visceral. I highly recommend checking these out if you get the chance where you live.