LA DISPARITION DE JOSEPH MENGELE ***1/2 (vo German)
Kirill Serebrennikov is one of Russia’s most important new wave directors, with such powerful films as LETO, about a 1980s rock star, which made a huge splash in Cannes 2018, the feverish PETROV’s FLU, or the densely tragic TCHAIKOVSKY’S WIFE from 2022. Being an adamant dissident, he now lives in exile between France and Germany, where he just made this film about the “butcher of Auschwitz”, who performed unthinkable medical experiments on inmates in the concentration camp.
The film, based on the non-fiction novel by Olivier Guez, is in black and white, representing the tortured life of a torturer, in various episodes under the different names he used during the 30 years of his flight in South America. Mengele was brought up in a wealthy Bavarian family, with all the right connections and medical studies, until he was transferred to Auschwitz as an SS medical officer. There, the film turns to colour, as Serebrennikov believes it was the happiest time of his life – in full control of his experiments along with his consistent belief in the superiority of his race.
The years after WWII, spent hiding and running between Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay, show his dark, unchanging character. Even when his only son Rolf comes to visit the aging, miserable man, asking him if he really committed all those atrocities, he never answers, never regrets.
This is a difficult, heavy work to witness, draining one’s soul. The German actor August Diehl does an excellent job as Mengele, conveying all the smooth elegance and evil that was ingrained in the man.
(Showing at the Grütli Cinemas)
LA FEMME LA PLUS RICHE DU MONDE *** (vo French)
Isabelle Huppert is not only a star but also a fine character actress. Here she tackles another strong personage, this time one who actually existed.
What does an elderly, somewhat bored woman do when she has billions at her disposal as the head of a huge cosmetics conglomerate? You’ll have the answer here, in this entertaining film by Thierry Klifa. It’s loosely based on the real life scandal around the L’Oréal owner, Liliane Bettencourt, who fell for the charms of a photographer charlatan who managed to both amuse her and take millions (almost a billion!) from her until the butler and the family decided to put a stop to it. Or was it all possibly worth the happiness he brought her?
It’s amusing, outrageous, terribly French – both fun and tragic. And of course Laurent Lafitte as the gay, often vulgar photographer, Raphaël Personnaz as the butler and Marina Fois as the daughter are all excellent in this ‘biographical’ farce.
The facts are on Netflix, in the documentary on this whole fiasco – “The Billionaire, the Butler and the Boyfriend”. See it afterwards.
REGRETTING YOU *
This Hallmark-style, supposed romance/scandal/tearjerker belongs on its TV channel and not on the big screen. Its obvious storyline, inept acting and generic characters are cringingly embarrassing and its actors all somehow resemble one another in their uber-American shiny looks and naïveté.
To avoid.
L’HOMME QUI RÉTRÉCIT – (vo French)
Why would Jean Dujardin, one of France’s finest actors, make such a useless film?
It’s far too slow (you wish you could fast-forward), without any character development or interest in his family. A tiresome, miserable moment of cinema.
EXTRA, EXTRA!
The GIFF – the GENEVA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
31 October – 9 November
Special guest – Stephen Frears, with many of his great films, including his 1985 MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDERETTE to DANGEROUS LIAISONS and THE QUEEN, starring Helen Mirren, plus a conversation with Frears on November 7th.
Also a special section on Dutch cinema, and the GIFF’s innovative virtual reality and digital cinema at the Maison Communal de Plainpalais. The festival is centered at the Theatre Pitoeff, and at the Grütli Cinemas.
Look up the schedule for the hundreds of films and events on their website.
Superb **** Very Good *** Good ** Mediocre * Miserable – no stars
By Neptune
Neptune Ravar Ingwersen reviews film extensively for publications in Switzerland. She views 4 to 8 films a week and her aim is to sort the wheat from the chaff for readers.
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