SCFZ

Polling the films of director Lav Diaz

The rules:

- your list can include no more than half of the Diaz films you've seen, up to a maximum of 5. So if you've seen seven of his films, for example, you can list only a top 3. It's only if you've seen ten or more of his films than you can list the maximum of five.

- i'll assume ballots are ranked unless you tell me otherwise. unranked ballots are fine.

- deadline for ballots: next Tuesday, in seven days, whatever day that is

- if anyone is watching films for these polls, then i'll extend the deadline up to three days, if someone requests an extension

- next poll: whoever posts the first ballot in this thread is free to nominate the director we poll next, unless you've nominated in this round already (everyone should get a chance). Already nominated this round: oscarwerner, greennui, mesnalty, bure, ofrene

umbugbene created an index on letterboxd of all of our previous polls here: letterboxd.com/umbugbene/list/index-of-all-scfz-director-polls/

one rule for nominees: at least 3 scfzers need to have seen 10+ of a nominee's films, or at least 4 scfzers need to have seen at least 8 of the nom's films, so if it isn't clear if that will be the case, we'll confirm that's true before moving forward

if 24 hours pass after a poll opens, and no one eligible to nominate has posted a ballot, then i'll nominate someone, and then we'll start over, and everyone will be able to nominate again

seen one, will try to see one more if i can find something... i expect this poll won't get as many votes as other polls, so i'd encourage everyone who can vote to vote for the max allowed number of films, just so the poll will work better.

Seen 3.
I vote for
From What Is Before (2014)
His films are ok, but he never convinced me he must take more then 4 hours to tell his story instead of 2.

I've seen four but only two of which have typical Diaz runtimes (the other two were shorts).

1. From What Is Before (2014)
2. Norte, the End of History (2013)

Have yet to see A Lullaby, which I figure would rank high, but:

1. From What is Before
2. Century of Birthing

Melancholia

Seen 14:

1. Norte, the End of History
2. Century of Birthing
3. Melancholia
4. Evolution of a Filipino Family
5. A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery

seen 6

1. melancholia (honestly, any film that name-checks ted hughes, but even without, this was epic and i ♥)
2. death in the land of encantos
3. century of birthing

Evolution of a Filipino Family
melancholia

seen 12

From What Is Before
A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery
Heremias: Book One
Melancholia
Florentina Hubaldo, CTE

Seen 8

1. Florentina Hubaldo, CTE
2. From What Is Before

He's not one of my favorite directors, but his cinematography is tremendous, and I adore the lizard scene in Florentina Hubaldo.

i've seen 24, so i guess i've seen the most of anybody here? if i was 'choosing,' i'd only vote for three, but he is a wonderful filmmaker.

my favourite is a clear winner:

1. Florentina Hubaldo, CTE

One of the best films of the decade, century, that I've ever seen, really, just an astonishing, moving piece of work.

The next two are equally clear-cut choices:

2. Storm Children, Book One
3. Elegy to the Visitor from the Revolution

Odd in that their lengths are short, for Diaz, and I rank them so highly, but they are razor-sharp in focus and clarity.

4. Melancholia
5. Heremias: Book One

I could easily vote for From What Is Before in the place of Heremias, but the ideological sprawl of Heremias has more emotional heft, even if they are works of equal artistic merit, so far as I am concerned. I haven't seen his work from the last two years.

GreatPumpkheia wrote: ↑Tue Nov 05, 2019 5:09 pm I've seen four

arkheia - you can pick our next director if you like!

crypt trotsky wrote: ↑Wed Nov 06, 2019 6:17 pm

GreatPumpkheia wrote: ↑Tue Nov 05, 2019 5:09 pm I've seen four

arkheia - you can pick our next director if you like!

Fun! Think we might have enough views for Gregory La Cava?

interesting choice! it's definitely possible la cava will have the views, though i've only seen five (i would have guessed i had seen a lot more). if anyone has seen 8+ gregory la cava films, please post here!

8 la cava movies, thought I'd seen more too.

Only 2 La Cava's here.

and i only have three!

I've only seen 2, but I hope we have enough views so I can enthusiastically vote for Stage Door.

I only have 4 La Cavas, including 2 cartoons and one he co-directed - One Touch of Venus.

how do i only have 2 la cavas? this is bizarre. i feel like in my TCM-obsessed days they were showing tons of movies by him. did i just.....ALWAYS skip them or something?

GreatPumpkheia wrote: ↑Thu Nov 07, 2019 2:36 am Fun! Think we might have enough views for Gregory La Cava?

i would have liked to poll la cava, but i don't think we have the views for a successful poll. do you have another suggestion?

crypt trotsky wrote: ↑Fri Nov 08, 2019 3:18 am

GreatPumpkheia wrote: ↑Thu Nov 07, 2019 2:36 am Fun! Think we might have enough views for Gregory La Cava?

i would have liked to poll la cava, but i don't think we have the views for a successful poll. do you have another suggestion?

Sure! How about Louis Feuillade?

I have 10 Feuillades.

i've got 8 feuillade, if shorts count (they should do, to make up for the reaaaaaaallllyy long ones that i haven't actually watched apart from les vampires) and would happily watch a ton more, i even have the gaumont early treasures 1 dvd that i haven't even looked at yet, and had pencilled in vendémiaire for november viewing anyway....so....yay

i'm 99% sure i know of some other scfzers who have seen a lot of feuillade, so i'll start that poll now!

results

1. Melancholia (2008) -- 12 pts
2. From What Is Before (2014) -- 11 pts
3. Florentina Hubaldo, CTE (2012) -- 8 pts
4. Century of Birthing (2011) -- 6 pts
4. Norte, The End of History (2013) -- 6 pts
6. A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery (2016) -- 5 pts
7. Evolution of a Filipino Family (2004) -- 4 pts
7. Heremias: Book One (2006) -- 4 pts
7. Storm Children, Book One (2014) -- 4 pts
10. Elegy to the Visitor from the Revolution (2011) -- 3 pts
11. Death in the Land of Encantos (2007) -- 2 pts

up at letterboxd:

https://letterboxd.com/fliptrotsky/list ... -poll-176/