The French computer programmer Laura inherits the task of making a computer game of the Battle of Okinawa during World War II. She searches the internet for information on the battle, and ...
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A short film that shows Boundless, Surreal objects that are juxtaposed with our present World. Cars, Motorways, noise of our modern society; A giant city in the distance - all that shrouds ... See full summary »
This documentary tells the story of film director Aleksandr Medvedkin, throughout his life a sincere believer in communism, whose films were repeatedly banned in the Soviet Union. Modern ... See full summary »
Director:
Chris Marker
Stars:
Léonor Graser,
Nikolai Izvolov,
Kira Paramonova
French essay film focusing on global political turmoil in the 1960s and '70s, particularly the rise of the New Left in France and the development of socialist movements in Latin America.
Director:
Chris Marker
Stars:
Laurence Cuvillier,
Davos Hanich,
François Maspero
Chris Marker and Pierre Lhomme's LE JOLI MAI (The Lovely Month of May) is a portrait of Paris and Parisians during May 1962;the first springtime of peace after the ceasefire with Algeria ... See full summary »
Directors:
Chris Marker,
Pierre Lhomme
Stars:
Chris Marker,
Yves Montand,
Simone Signoret
THREE CHEERS FOR THE WHALE chronicles the history of mankind's relationship with the largest and most majestic of marine mammals, and graphically exposes their slaughter by the fishing ... See full summary »
The French computer programmer Laura inherits the task of making a computer game of the Battle of Okinawa during World War II. She searches the internet for information on the battle, and interviews Japanese experts and witnesses. The extraordinary circumstances of the Battle of Okinawa lead Laura to reflect deeply on her own life and humanity in general, particularly the influence of history and memories.Written by
Brian Rawnsley <rawnsleb@natlib.govt.nz>
Like the character of Laura (Catherine Belkhodja) in Level Five, the reader or the spectator keeps wondering about the choices and variations of a work with enigmas and changing lines. See more »
Goofs
In one scene Laura imagined the historical possibility of The 9th Division of the United States Army landed in Formosa (Taiwan) rather than Okinawa. But the 9th division was active in Northern Africa and Southern Europe during the World War II, not in East Asia. See more »
In a way it's ironic to comment on this film through this medium as one of its themes seems to be the ephemerality of electronic communication. I say "seems" because this is an often wilfully obscure film in the tradition of Marker's oeuvre. It ostensibly concerns a woman seeking information about the WWII massacre at Okinawa through a futuristic antecursor of the Internet, but who only finds repetitive images and foggy recollections. It seems to be a meditation on the replacement of ideas by images, and possibly a comment on we still ignore tragedy in our world even this information-saturated age. Though intensely cerebral, it's directed stylishly and has moments of genuine poignance, and references to classic French cinema which film buffs will enjoy spotting
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In a way it's ironic to comment on this film through this medium as one of its themes seems to be the ephemerality of electronic communication. I say "seems" because this is an often wilfully obscure film in the tradition of Marker's oeuvre. It ostensibly concerns a woman seeking information about the WWII massacre at Okinawa through a futuristic antecursor of the Internet, but who only finds repetitive images and foggy recollections. It seems to be a meditation on the replacement of ideas by images, and possibly a comment on we still ignore tragedy in our world even this information-saturated age. Though intensely cerebral, it's directed stylishly and has moments of genuine poignance, and references to classic French cinema which film buffs will enjoy spotting