The Berlinale, well skilled in social and political labyrinths started this year as well with a political "Master class". A most intriguing person on the Berlinale was Roman Polansky (if we will not take into account the Chinese film "Together separately"). He was in a detention on demand, the western press published scandalous materials about him - as if he will be released on bail of 4.5 mn EUR by Swiss Court, and his movement on the country's territory will be controlled by a special chip attached to his body. He became a most dynamic and invisible person of the festival. By the fatal coincidence his new film is named as well exactly - "Invisible writer". In his film the journalist and writer (Evan Mc Gregory) tries to fit a memories of PM of the GB (Pirs Brosnan) to the frames of political correctness and to make them acceptable for the public. However inwardly it becomes known that there is a person witness of a materials of the secret service and knowing an"unnecessary information". If we say it in the language of a cinematography the way of Polansky lays to the Hichkok's direction. Exactly after this starts his style - slightly heavy, but still big Polansky: a beautiful landscapes, almost with the sense of naturalness. With a black humor and tense narrative usual for Hichkok. This Berlinale has own political spots. It is clear that Polansky was not present he did not arrived to Berlin, and a mystification about him became scandalous one. As a rule such stories are for demand in international festivals, however in Berlin this is a common story. For example a naked bodies on the red carpet of "Berlinale palast", the supporting action for the democracy in Iran and a swell a film of a mystical film director "Exit from the store".
A next step of festival directors was as well carefully thought out. After the Polasky's 2-hour film, here was a Skorsese's "polyphonic thriller" with elements of mystics - "Island of damned". It was indeed a world level. On the background of "Leo" (German journalists are calling with this nick name Leonardo di Caprio), it was even more impressive. He plays a main role in this film. Like Polanski, Skorsese as well makes a living area for his personages with the dark, terrifying background. They became objects for observing and experiments. Action is happening in 50-th, in USA, when after the "cold war" there was almost psychologically stamped people. On the island were a psychiatric hospital for the dangerous special criminals is, two policemen are investigating the story of a mother murdering her children. One of the policemen's role plays Leonardo di Caprio. He is suffering himself from the recalling of past WWII and concentration camp.
It should be said that too much political correctness is boring and sometimes ironical. One of critics said that Skorsese's black entourage of his films makes them boring and at the same time a multicolored circus.
In return the Romanian film - "I am whistling when I want it" is far from such classical "spooks". This is a first appearance in Berlin of Romanian film director residing in USA. Florian Sherban is welcome in Berlin. Here are welcome all discovered by own efforts. In Europe there is a Romanian films' boom, after the Czech, Hungarian and Western European countries films.
Two years ago a triumph of Kriatin Mungius ("4 month, 3 weeks, 2 days") at the international film festival in Cannes became a notorious one and now optimistically expected is his new victory in Berlin. But it is yet to be proven that a scenario is more ‘useful' then an obligatory posture of stars in the red carpet.
Here was as well Fritz Lang's "Metropolis" filmed in 1927. This was a debut from one point of view, as the lost 27-minutes fragment of the film was rediscovered at this time. This film is a good example, to make it clear how much the cinematography has lost as an art in the background of today's political correctness.
Davit Bukhrikidze
