A mystery in Venice

If you feel like watching a film which revolves around a mystery in Venice, you should watch A Haunting in Venice, the last film by Kenneth Branagh. As in Murder on the Orient Express and in Death on the Nile, Kenneth Branagh reprises his role of the detective Hercule Poirot. The three films are based on Agatha Christie novels but unlike what happens in the previous films, the reference to the novel written by Agatha Christie is not so evident in Branagh´s latest film. A Haunting in Venice is based on The Hallowe´en Party, a novel published in 1969. The Spanish audience may be not so familiar with this title because the title chosen for the Spanish translation of the novel was The Apples (Las manzanas). The novel provides the director with inspiration for A Haunting in Venice but the new film is not just a cinematic version of the book unlike other film adaptations.

A Haunting in Venice is set in an eerie post World War II Venice, in the claustrophobic atmosphere of an Italian palazzo which is falling apart. The building has a terrible story related to the death of orphan children who were abandoned there and the plot begins with a party which has been thrown for some orphans on All Hallows´ Eve. After the party, a séance which Poirot attends reluctantly – as he is now retired – triggers the rest of the story. A friend of the sleuth, Ariadne Oliver – a successful crime fiction writer – plays a very important part in the story as she is the one who encourages Poirot to go to the party in order to unmask Mrs. Reynolds, a controversial medium, a role wonderfully played by Michelle Yeoh. The film has all the ingredients of a classic Agatha Christie novel and even if the original novel may not be one of the most popular ones, Kenneth Branagh has managed to create an excellent whodunnit which is set in a very spooky atmosphere and I think that this fact makes it perfect for these days when people choose to celebrate Halloween. The film was released 6 weeks ago and it´s still on at our local cinemas, which means that it´s been attracting cinemagoers for a long time!!

As in the previous films, the film has a star-studded cast and I must say that all the members of the cast are perfect for the role they play.  

As usual, cinema offers us a wide range of possibilities and if these days you have a liking for spooky and supernatural themes, I´m sure your local cinema will be showing a film you´re bound to enjoy!

 

At the end of a long, hot summer

At the end of summer – a long, hot summer as in the film directed by Martin Ritt – it´s  time for festivals again. Film festivals such as the Venice Film Festival or the San Sebastian Film Festival to mention but a few usually work hard to attract film stars. The more famous the actors are, the more media attention the festivals get. However, this year fewer stars have walked along the red carpet of the aforementioned festivals as a result of the strike that has been going on since last July. Everything started five months ago when Hollywood screenwriters decided to go on strike in order to fight for better working conditions related not only to their wages but to the profits generated from streaming platforms and the influence of the AI on their work. As our-present day societies change in nearly unthinkable ways due to the quick technological advances which are becoming part of our everyday lives, new challenges but also new possibilities, uncertainties and even threats begin to loom in the horizon of  creative arts. The need to regulate the rights of the workers of the cinema industry, especially those of the writers on whom the essence of a film or a TV series rests became one of their most important demands. Hollywood screenwriters were the first to demonstrate in the streets and the first to stop working. A few months later, Hollywood actors joined them: actors who are not famous and actors who are famous all over the world. Not only the rights of writers are at risk when AI enters the cinema industry but also the rights of actors. The idea that IA is threatening our lives has come up as part of a heated debate over the last months but the threat is subtle and we don´t seem to care too much about it. As usual, we will grasp the consequences of this uncontrolled use of IA perhaps when it´s too late. That´s why, it´s comforting to see the people of the cinema industry battling for their rights but also making us aware of our vulnerability in this extremely digital world. Last Wednesday, the Writers´ Guild of America reached an agreement so that the strike has come to an end this week. The Screen Actors´ Guild will probably follow suit.

The SSIF came to an end yesterday. It is true that there were fewer stars but it´s worth noticing that this year Víctor Erice and Hayao Miyazaki were presented with the Donostia Award during the 71th edition of the festival. Víctor Erice had also received the Golden Shell for The Spirit of the Beehive 50 years ago. Miyazaki, who is 82 years old, received the award virtually during the opening gala. His last film The Boy and the Heron was also shown during the gala after its premiere at the Toronto Festival on 7^th September.

 

            This summer will be remembered by the lack of film stars during premieres and festivals but also by the release of films such Oppenheimer and Barbie, being the latter a box-office success.