Update: Video removed by request of the filmmakers.
One of the best-received films so far over at Cannes is Chilean director Pablo Larrain's "No," starring Gael Garcia Bernal. Its rave reviews have even seen many question why it wasn't chosen for the official competition lineup as opposed to the Directors' Fortnight as it may very well have been a Palme d'Or candidate.
"No" follows a brash, young advertising exec (Bernal) who in 1988 launched an audacious plan to win over Chilean voters and help defeat the presidency of their military dictator, General Augusto Pinochet, in an upcoming referendum. Our review from the Croisette described it as "superbly shot, full of human characters, depicting a galvanizing true story while also showing us the hearts and lives of the people on both sides of the vote."
Sony Pictures Classics recently picked up the film for stateside distribution, which bodes well for the Larrain-Bernal collaboration. While there's no word just yet on when they plan to release it, in the meantime we now have a five minute clip from "No" showcasing Bernal in all his might and power, presenting his campaign to a room full of fatcats. [Twitch]
Actually, the film was entirely filmed with the kind of cameras that were used in Chile at that time. Besides that, I'm glad LarraÃn finally made a more easy-to-digest film.
Cannes went for the big names and big stars this year in competition. Too bad for "No" which seems to have the most passionate reviews of any film there.
There certainly is an older quality to the aesthetic, at least in the colors and the grain, but that is certainly progressive (rather than interlaced, which is the hallmark of video).
I plan on seeing this… Bernal is something of a chameleon when it comes to the varying accents of Latin America (not a trace of Mexican in this, though I can't speak to the veracity of his Chilean accent), and he looks strong in this. I'm glad to see that Chile can address this subject in film so head on – it is a very recent part of their history. Other countries should take note, their own taboos can take muuuch longer to see themselves represented on film.
It looks like to me at least the whole movie was shot in video, it has that effect, at least. Is anyone else seeing this or is it me. I dig the clip and so far Pablo Larrain has made supremely awesome films, this included.