Who would've thought we had a story like this in Portuguese cinema? I was very, very surprised.
"The Girl with the Filming Camera" is Elena, a young Arts student girl who disappears, vanished with no explanation. André, a young filmmaker, finds a camera Elena left in a bar, the last night she was seen. Captivated by Elena's footage, and following her video diaries and work, he starts investigating what might have happened to her, interviewing her friends and the people with who she spent her last night with.
The movie is a fake documentary made with Elena's footage, interviews and André's thoughts. I was pleasantly surprised to see how well edited the movie was, allowing the different segments to flow harmoniously, and eventually leading to a build-up of suspense. I was also very satisfied to see how the director decided to take a look into André's own life and how his quest affects it, without making it a center piece. Being directed by a young filmmaker, I was not expecting to find such good rhythm. There's subtlety, which is very hard to achieve.
Curiously, lots of interviews were actually real, taken from people who had seen the actress who plays Elena in the streets. Most of the actors are not believable at all and completely ruin the movie, since you can clearly see they are faking their expressions.
The build-up is actually very well conceived and I was not, at all, expecting the ending. What a marvelous twist that gives a whole new meaning to the entire movie. A movie about perceptions, about social media and the play between fiction and reality, about obsession. The movie offers a lot to think about, without giving its conclusions in a tray, something I really enjoy. André Vieira had a brilliant idea, executed well enough to be appreciated (even if there's still work to do).
It misses a few details and explanations in the end, I think, to make it all "come together", as it is intended (SPOILER ALERT) you end up confused about an eventual connection between André and Elena beforehand, or not knowing if Elena's friends knew anything (END OF SPOILER).
This movie deserves a chance, because even with its flaws it's a remarkable feature in Portuguese Cinema.
"The Girl with the Filming Camera" is Elena, a young Arts student girl who disappears, vanished with no explanation. André, a young filmmaker, finds a camera Elena left in a bar, the last night she was seen. Captivated by Elena's footage, and following her video diaries and work, he starts investigating what might have happened to her, interviewing her friends and the people with who she spent her last night with.
The movie is a fake documentary made with Elena's footage, interviews and André's thoughts. I was pleasantly surprised to see how well edited the movie was, allowing the different segments to flow harmoniously, and eventually leading to a build-up of suspense. I was also very satisfied to see how the director decided to take a look into André's own life and how his quest affects it, without making it a center piece. Being directed by a young filmmaker, I was not expecting to find such good rhythm. There's subtlety, which is very hard to achieve.
Curiously, lots of interviews were actually real, taken from people who had seen the actress who plays Elena in the streets. Most of the actors are not believable at all and completely ruin the movie, since you can clearly see they are faking their expressions.
The build-up is actually very well conceived and I was not, at all, expecting the ending. What a marvelous twist that gives a whole new meaning to the entire movie. A movie about perceptions, about social media and the play between fiction and reality, about obsession. The movie offers a lot to think about, without giving its conclusions in a tray, something I really enjoy. André Vieira had a brilliant idea, executed well enough to be appreciated (even if there's still work to do).
It misses a few details and explanations in the end, I think, to make it all "come together", as it is intended (SPOILER ALERT) you end up confused about an eventual connection between André and Elena beforehand, or not knowing if Elena's friends knew anything (END OF SPOILER).
This movie deserves a chance, because even with its flaws it's a remarkable feature in Portuguese Cinema.
