Two days in Venice

Wednesday was a rather special day. After I had to carry my flatmate through the flat’s courtyard we went to our daily discussion. Walter Stokman was an amazingly inspiring speaker and greatly emphasised on the importance and function of documentary. After we’ve been advised that we should not go to Venice as the water level was too high, we spent a calm afternoon on the beach.

The evening screening was Et in terra pax, and I was slowly going bonkers. I stopped counting how many rapes and murders I have seen. However none of the Italian films we have seen came without it. If the national film output of a country can be considered as a mirror of their soul, Italy does definitely require help. Or a new government.

Scena Del Crimine by Walter Stokman was a Dutch documentary about criminality in Naples. Again? Again. Why do they make us watch that stuff? What have we done to them? This said, if I had not already watched 547756 films on violence in Italy, it would have been really good.

Really good was Zebraman by Takashi Miike. IMDB describes it as follows: Being a failure as a teacher and a familyman, Shinichi tries to escape everyday live by dressing up as “Zebraman”, the superhero. Sounds stupid? It is! Zebraman is the perfect midnight movie, having smuggled a bottle of wine and a bottle of beer in the screen, having fun with your pals and just randomly shout and clap as if we were taking part in some sort of interactive theatre piece.

Thursday started with a sore head, but basically I felt good. It was the discussion that got me rolling again, and in the afternoon we went to see beautiful but too touristy Venice. After seeing every tacky tourist shop, Ines and I decided to have an ice cream. What a nice life.

Our film-night started with Seren Yüce’s Majority. It’s good. 13 Assassins is more fun and, again, included the audience in terms of interaction. Every creative kill was highly acclaimed, people clapped and we had a good time, looking forward to Zebraman 2. In the audience with us were Tilda Swinton and Quentin Tarantino, who both obviously enjoyed the movie.

Zebraman 2 on the other hand was a slight let-down. It was not bad. But having turned onto a more serious and philosophical script, it was just not what we hoped for. Still, I don’t regret that. But going to bed at 4 if you have to get up by 8 is not enough.