One of the many virtues of Sebastian Mihăilescu’s startling first feature Mammalia is that you never know where he’s taking you. From one scene to another, the film is always unpredictable, even disconcerting. This is the same feeling Camil (István Téglás), a troubled young man, experiences.
Film linastub inglisekeelsete subtiitritega. Ilma eestikeelse tõlketa.
ENG
One of the many virtues of Sebastian Mihăilescu’s startling first feature Mammalia is that you never know where he’s taking you. From one scene to another, the film is always unpredictable, even disconcerting. This is the same feeling Camil (István Téglás), a troubled young man, experiences. He feels diminished and insecure with the women around him, especially with his partner, who disappears to
join a secret community of women dedicated to eerie fertility rituals somewhere near a lake. But Mammalia rejects the very notion of synopsis. In the surrealist tradition, Mihăilescu works with free associations, some of them as funny as they are unsettling, like when the shadow of Camil’s bald head over his partner's naked body begins to look like a huge penis. A dream or wishful thinking? Masculinity and gender roles are always at stake in Mammalia, and always in crisis.
Shot on vivid 16mm by Barbu Bălăşoiu (DoP on Cristi Puiu’s Sieranevada), Mammalia privileges fixed shots with movements within the frame, and the use of space is always very expressive. Its weird humor is reminiscent of Roy Andersson. But Romania has its own tradition, that of Eugen Ionescu and The Theatre of the Absurd.
EST
Üks Sebastian Mihăilescu jahmatava esimese mängufilmi Mammalia paljudest voorustest on see, et sa kunagi ei tea, kuhu ta sind viib. Ühest tseenist teise, film jääb endiselt ettearvamatuks, kohati isegi häirivaks. Samat tunnet tajub ka probleemne noormees Camil (István Téglás). Ta tunneb ennast tühise- ja ebakindlana teda ümbritevate naistega, eriti ta partneriga, kes kaob jäljetult , et ühineda salajase naiste kogukonnaga, mis on pühendunud jubedatele viljakusrituaalidele kuskil järve lähedal. Mammilla aga tõrjub igasugust arusaama sünopsisest.Võttes eeskuju sürrealistlikust traditsioonist, töötab Mihăilescu vabade assotsiatsioonidega, millest mõned on naljakad kui ka rahutust tekitavad. Näiteks kui Camili kiilaspea vari tema partneri alasti keha kohal hakkab välja nägema tohutu peenisena. On see unänugu või soovmõtlemine? Mammalias on alati kaalul maskuliinsus ja soorollid ning nende omavaheline kriis.
Film on filmitud Barbu Bălăşoiu (DoP Cristi Puiu Sieranevadas) poolt 16 mm erksale pildile. Mammalia eelistab fikseeritud võtteid, kaadri sisese liikumisega ning ta ruumikasutus on alati väga väljendusrikas.
Selle veider huumor meenutab Roy Andersoni käekirja. Aga Rumeenial on oma traditsioon- Eugen Ionescu ja Absurdi teatri traditsioon.
