VISUALITY AS MIRACLE

Venice Cinema Biennale 2022

The programs of Venice cinema biennale welcome films – both documentaries and features - which gave the examples of visual miracles to spectators.

Should we start with “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” by Laura Poitras (Golden Lion Award for Best Film) or with “Riget-Exodus” by Lars von Trier? Or with “GLI ULTIMI GIORNI DELL’UMANITÀ» by Enrico Ghezzi, Alessandro Gagliardo?

In “Exodus” we see (again) the infernal hospital Kingdom – and the visual narration includes the medieval connotations from Dante to others, from Bosch to Dali and Morandi. The figurative circus, created by von Trier, gives real delight to professional viewers. And a lot of sensible irony. The words from the director’s statement: “Borders come in many forms; they may be lines drawn with rulers on white paper… The lines of the borders may be illustrative if not to say quite fictitious and downright mean; they may be drawn in a soft, red color, practically invisible, and perhaps even as a dotted line, almost as if indicating an apology or even—shame…Entering and leaving often entail violence, for, of course, any visitor is expected to return after ending his or her business…». We could find approximately the same ideas between the lines of “Divine comedy”.

In “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” by Laura Poitras we see the impressive kaleidoscope of images made by photographer Nan Goldin. Anecdotes, which were appearing from resistance and dismay and melancholy of Goldin’ friends. The photographer fixed the moments of wanderers – often they are drag queens and addicts – always with the controversial way of thinking/living and understanding of reality. The extraordinary eye for composition. Images full of chaotic energy and spontaneity.

“GLI ULTIMI GIORNI DELL’UMANITÀ» by Enrico Ghezzi, Alessandro Gagliardo starts with touching and intriguing montage of stone faces of angels from the medieval facade – the kaleidoscope (yes – again kaleidoscope) of emotions is unbelievable. Aftewards – filming of everyday life in the director's flat& And also - archives, archives. The authors, whom we see on the screen - Abel Ferrara, Bela Tarr, Straub & Huillet, Hans-Jürgen Syberberg, Koji Wakamatsu, Sergej Paradžanov, Otar Iosseliani, Shin'ya Tsukamoto, Bernardo Bertolucci, Federico Fellini and many other greats. Their ideas on cinema art seems visible – and that’s another miracle.