After watching Saudade, the latest release from writer, director, and actor Kemal Yildirim, it's easy to find words of praise.
Named after a feeling of longing, melancholy, or nostalgia, Saudade is one of the first films I've seen in a long time without clicking Pause.
So what's this film about?
On the surface we have a troubled couple making out, slapping each other around kind of film. Essentially flashbacks of a stormy romance with fairly straightforward images of coffee grinding and cleansing (reminiscent of Lady Macbeth?). But the camerawork, pacing and strong performances suggest more.
If we were to compare this short film to music, someone like Erik Satie might come to mind. The tight edits are reminiscent of the parsimony in Satie's work. And the overall feel is atmospheric and somewhat ambiguous, again like Satie.
A phone call in the closing scene could answer a few questions. Make Saudade clear. But I was still trying to put things together after the credits.
Some might find this deliberate mystification lacking and others, satisfying. There is no definite epiphany; instead, we're just left with lingering uncertainty.
I've been reviewing Yildirim's films for almost a decade, and Saudade is a definite step forward or perhaps a shift in direction. The film deals with memories, emotion and is infinitely subtler than the director's earlier projects.
Saudade is an open-ended drama that will probably speak to more moviegoers than we realize.
