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Abstract filmmaking will never burst into the mainstream, a fact that in my eyes only makes endeavouring to explore the abstract more essential. However, when doing so, filmmakers take significant risks, risks that could see them produce something nobody relates to, or possibly even understands. Fortunately, those intrepid auteurs willing to try have inspiration from the likes of David Lynch amongst others, who prove it is possible to make something extraordinary. Unfortunately, it is the films which leave the mind wanting, that define the genre for most. Marcus Flemmings’ second film “Palindrome” is one of those films. 

Palindrome tells a non-linear story, cutting between the present and past of Anna (Sarah Swain), a spiteful artist who, in the past, thinks Paris is the only solution to promoting her art. Time passes, and she is apart of an unclear traumatic event, one that elevates her to stardom, but leaves her all the more lost. We also follow Fred (Jumaane Brown), a patient in a psychiatric facility, who may, or may not be, imagining Anna as an element of his psychosis, as he tries to save her from dying.

There’s a lot there to unpack, it almost goes without saying that Flemmings’ was decidedly unclear about what he is trying to say, and that’s the fatal flaw. Yes, abstract or “arthouse” films are often intentionally ambiguous. Still, there should be a way to put the pieces together, or at the very least, some apparent message or purpose, Palindrome does not offer that. 

What Palindrome does offer is a connection between two individuals that is entirely unsubstantial. Why is Fred the only person in the world who can save Anna? Why would Anna ever contact Fred? Of course, this is a literal way to look at things, but even going further abstract, their lives are hardly similar, and it is a relationship that fails to inspire any deep thought instead evoking the cinema sin of confusion. This lack of justification only compounds the fact that the ending fails to provide a clear resolution for either character opting to end with the crescendo and offer nothing further.

The film is desperately trying to say something here, particularly with Fred, who does show some character progression. He realises he needs to be a better more present person who sticks to his guns and lives life on his terms, and this does impact on the films ending, it’s just there’s no reason to care. If this is indeed the point that people need to make the most of life and be themselves, then Palindrome is a cruel and heartless way of depicting it.

Palindrome is a dark film, one with very little compassion and plenty of twisted imagery. For it to all be about growth is startling. Nobody could feasibly change in this purgatory Flemmings creates, it reeks of repression and offers zero encouragement. Even Anna herself, who contacts Fred to tell him about her impending death, essentially says, “don’t worry that I’m about to die, just make sure you know who I am”. She wants to be remembered, not to be successful, she’s an insufferable figure portrayed with a strange effort to garner empathy. And although I empathise with her turmoil, Fred certainly doesn’t, as he fails to do the one thing Anna asks of him. 

On the technical side of things, there is little to say. Still, there is a likeable performance by Thomasin Lockwood who plays avid reader Maria, a chatterbox who offers Fred a helping hand. It is a bit of an empty role, but she steals every scene she’s in which is commendable. Outside of that, all the performances are par, owing little to the actors themselves and more to the screenplay which offers plenty of dialogue but ignores that most of the lines are superficial.

Palindrome is an unreasonably dark film that tries too hard to say a whole lot and ends up saying very little.

A young NASA scientist named Isaac (Ryan Masson) becomes obsessed with finding proof of extraterrestrials after a close encounter.

We live in a world where we are basically oversaturated with deeply depressing with dark themes. That’s not a bad thing at all, though, don’t get me wrong. In fact, my favorite movies of all time are those that make you think long after the credits roll. One of the best examples of a science fiction movie, in particular, being immensely interesting and enthralling all the way to the end is Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey.

But sometimes, you just want to watch a movie that is going to entertain you and will leave you feeling perhaps a little bit nostalgic. Eric Demeusy’s Proximity is exactly that type of movie and it’s such a delight. It never really takes itself too seriously and instead opts for more lighthearted thrills while also managing to tell a compelling story of love amidst the alien story.

One of the reasons why this movie works as well as it does is thanks to the performances from the two lead actors, those being Ryan Masson and Highdee Kuan. Together, they deliver some of the strongest performances of the entire year thus far. They are asked to do quite a bit emotionally, oftentimes having to show their emotions with just facial expressions and they make it look easy.

Not only that, but their chemistry together felt quite strong. It genuinely seemed as though they had known each other in real life for many years and were close friends. In addition to that, their characters were developed in satisfying and interesting ways. By the end of the film, I did find myself wrapped up in their stories and I was glad that I was able to go on a journey with them.

Although that journey is incredibly fun and gives off major Steven Spielberg vibes in all the best ways, this movie can be a little bit too goofy for its own good at times. There are several scenes in which our protagonists are on the run from futuristic soldiers complete with laser guns and everything. These scenes sadly broke a lot of tension that was otherwise planted very well within the movie’s storyline.

Furthermore, the main villain here was not only quite predictable but was similarly corny and over-the-top. The motivations behind why they are doing what they are doing aren’t ever made too clear, and instead, they come across as one-note and incredibly flat.

But none of that takes away from the fact that this film was, as a whole, quite entertaining and is a greatly lighthearted watch. It won’t grip you and take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions or anything like that, but it will more than likely put a smile on your face and will even make you nostalgic thanks to its influences from 80s films such as E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. How can you go wrong with that?

Proximity is an enjoyable, nostalgic blast to the past, even if its villain and certain story beats are a bit familiar and goofy.

Shepherds In The Cave: Review – The shepherd has a responsibility offering humanity a guarantee that natural laws will be respected. There are spaces that exist to be travelled across and spaces that exist to be cultivated. The shepherd must know and respect these rules that are part of a social conflict between the shepherd and farmer. The shepherd recognises and respects the growth of the flock because this brings serenity. 

As a child in the south-eastern Italian region of Puglia, Tonio Creanza helped harvest the durum wheat, vineyards, and olive tree cultivation on his family farm, while constantly observing archaeological features – cave settlements and frescos – which were all part of his daily landscape. Always curious about these artefacts, he questioned where they came from and which culture they were related to.  Turning his childhood curiosity into a career as an archaeologist, Tonio travelled the world until he was summonsed home to help harvest the olives. From 1995 he organised the first archaeological workshop at the site of Jesce, Fornello, a transportation stop during the Roman empire along the Via Appia (Appian Way). 

A self-confessed pragmatist and idealist who acts, Tonio named the project Eutropia, after the imaginary city in Italo Calvino’s novel Invisible Cities. It was to be a place where people would meet and trade experiences, while coming into contact with grassroots cultural conservation. Restoration of stone walls and frescoes, and the cleaning of caves took place and the group continued in an unofficial capacity for fifteen years. According to Tonio, the municipality just had other more urgent matters to attend to so they handed them the keys and left them to it. 

It was a way of avoiding the habitual red-tape that had previously prevented projects progressing, but at the same time meant that sites and museums which held all the artefacts, had appeared to have been mismanaged: “In a country like Italy, where there’s a tremendous amount of antiquity, the question is where to spend the available funds”. Now officially called The Fornello Restoration Project, this cultural conservation initiative founded by Tonio and agronomist Giovanni Ragone, is devoted to restoring medieval frescoes and traditional cultural practices in an extensive network of caves near Altamura.  

The project continues to welcome groups of people for twelve days each summer, all working together on sites in Altamura and Puglia, Matera & Metaponto. Participants come from all over the world, a working vacation for some and research gathering for others. Sites previously owned by farmers, some now owned by the municipality, continue to be in daily use. The caves continue to be used for cheese-making and protecting sheep in bad weather. These caves possess fresco-covered walls – the art-work of 12^th century Byzantine monks who fled persecution in the Balkans and took refuge here. To the visiting foreigners these are exotic treasures – « If you grow up living in this neighbourhood, well then frescoes are just ordinary, aren’t they? », observed one participant.

However, the young Italian participants state that they themselves are often unaware of the treasure the country possesses. Meanwhile the weather-beaten Italian farmers discuss the sale of some of the caves to the municipality, and their memories of wandering tourists visiting the living sites, some of which have now become locked up treasures, away from the gaze of admiring visitors. Their work as regional storytellers has diminished.  « Knowing these things connects you to your roots », states a young Italian engineer. I suspect this is the same sentiment experienced by the farmers. 

Inspired by a friend working on the project, Canadian director and producer Anthony Grieco’s interest in making a film grew when he discovered that the caves were still being used. “The area’s caves and frescoes have suffered from neglect”, he said, “but not necessarily mishandling.” The striking images by cinematographer Jon Thomas mean that the scenes glide slowly, reflecting the measured work – artisanal and restorative – as well as the long summer days, the working farmers, and prolonged communal meals.

Tonio accepts diverse people from around the world into the project. During the summer of the film he welcomed icon restorers, speleologists, art historians, engineers, biological and apprentice anthropologists, and even an asylum-seeker who arrived on the nearby Puglian shore from Libya. All silently working on their own piece of the caves, collaborating and learning as they go. In this rural place, these caves cannot become a museum. The only way they can be preserved is to integrate them, as has always been the way, with the activities and lifestyle of the local shepherds. Cheese is still made in the traditional way, using rennet, and shepherds still have the right of way, their sheep naturally fertilizing the olive fields as they pass. 

Stories from participants are woven together throughout the film as they reflect on the treasure they have in front of them and under their feet. For the participants, the value lies in participating in the discovery as well as the community. Donato, poet, musician, and storyteller is an integral part of the project with his stories and meditations infiltrating the process: “The cave offers us the chance to rediscover our solitude (…) The cave is the heart of the earth. It teaches us to be accepting of ourselves and one another because we’re all strangers on this earth. We are all strangers…”. 

As the summer’s project comes to an end and Tonio listens to the participants reflect on their experience, the words community and connection are repeated – to the site, land, people, both visitors and locals. Tonio embraces everyone, and waves them off back out into the world as they promise to return the following year. 

Grieco’s film admirably brings together history, storytelling, grief, community and the connection that is created from working together. At the heart of the story is the question of the exotic. What is strange and beautiful to one person appears ordinary and banal to the person who sees it and lives with it daily. What is of intrinsic value is essentially the premise of the film, with the film’s aesthetic successfully incorporating the restoration project as well as the locals, who continue their work throughout the summer, observing and being observed by the project participants. The restoration of the caves in Puglia is not just about renovation and repair but also about something being both functional and valuable, while enabling a richer understanding of our world today. 

SHEPHERDS IN THE CAVE was produced with support from the Canada Council for the Arts and Red Mammoth Media. (Screened at Royal Anthropological Institute Film Festival (UK), Ethnografilm Festival (Paris, France), Cinema on the Bayou (Louisiana, USA), Italian Film Festival (Vancouver, Canada), Cinema Grande (Altamura, Italy), Teatro della Memoria (Jesce, Italy), Casa Artelor Gallery (Timisoara, Romania), and the Archaeology Channel Film Festival (Eugene, Oregon).

For more of Anthony Grieco’s film projects, have a look here: https://redmammothmedia.com

You’ll find more information about the project here:  https://messors.com/cultural-landscape-restoration/