Gitai and Rohmer at Venice

european-films notes that Amos Gitai’s latest film (starring Juliette Binoche) Disengagement will show at Venice next week. The only Gitai film I’ve seen is the fabulous Esther, which not many people seem to have either seen or liked. There’s an unmistakable tone of contemporary familiarity to the film which is set during bibilical times. The film asks the narrator to judge the events of then and now, and decide for himself the fairness of the situation, whether Jews then were treated any more respectfully than now (which obviously they weren’t). It’s also heavily adorned visually with a sparkling brightness and a rich atmosphere. The colors remind me of some of the old Indian films based on kings and queens.

Also through european-films, the trailer for Rohmer’s latest film that’s in competition at Venice.