Western (2017, Valeska Grisebach)
I have been racking my brain to put words to what it is Valeska Grisebach does in Western that is so incredibly hypnotizing and brilliant.
All I wrote the first time I saw it was: "Incredibly bare minimalism. Grisebach finds something incredibly vulnerable in this masculine culture, and she never lets it go".
This holds true once again - it is something in how Grisebach shoots masculinity, in particular hyper-masculinity and downright toxic masculinity. What she is able to do is find something genuinely vulnerable there - something sad - something that makes you empathise, feel something - it is, frankly, jarring. We have all seen films that revel in this behaviour, and we have seen films shows it as dangerous, scary and/or (purposefully) unnerving. But that is not this film.
Take for instance an early scene where the boss harasses a young woman by the river, and practically assaults her - while the men simply sit and watch. There is something pitiable about how they look on - and fail to do anything before several lines are crossed. It finds weakness, complacency, unease, powerlessness. Who are these men? Why are they the way they are? Perhaps we won't get those answers, but the experience of the all-male workplace, and the petty, childlike, and brutish way they act leave a lasting impression.
However, it is not solely masculinity at display - there is also a degree of National chauvinism, and cultural relations. Our Germans are working in Bulgaria, building up the infrastructure - and as one gleefully shouts - they are back after 70 years (referring to the Nazis in WW2).
Large sets of the film are focused on communication without language and the bonds that can still be made. Our lead character, Meinhard Neumann's "Meinhard" in particular stands out by in some ways being able to assert himself against his fellow German, and strike relations and even friendships, with the Bulgarian population - to the confusion of the others - and there is a lot of clear subtext - including the prominent use of a German flag - at one point shot as if enveloping Meinhard, or perhaps even as a cape.
The entire film is calm, stripped back and minimalistic. There is no true excess emotions - the camera rather captures larger contexts and contrasts with a peering eye - shredding our characters, in particular our Germans, and leaving them naked - but still hard to comprehend and touch. This peering eye, and the details it manages to capture make Western a powerful, visceral experience - though, just as the first time I saw this film there seems to be even more just out of reach. 9/10.
-
What are your thoughts on it?
