photo, courtesy of Visions du Réel 2009
Nyon film festival 2009
by Jillian Hudson
“Spaghetti alle Vongole” was an excellent first attempt for director Lila Ribi. The camera captures her father’s severe depression and his difficulty in communicating with his daughter. Ribi manages to convey her feelings of disappointment and sadness at the lack of a father during her childhood as well as her desperation to establish a relationship with him now.
The sadness and the frustration are palpable in the intimate scenes in her father’s kitchen where it’s just a girl asking her father to let her in to his life. It was a very brave move for Ribi to take on a project that hit so close to home. If her father had been willing she could have taken the story even further.
The only downside of the film is the composition of the scenes. The camera is often oddly placed, framing the scene almost uncomfortably. The shots are unstable which adds an air of home video, but at the same time it creates a feeling of sea sickness that detracts from the strength of the dialogue.
If this film is a taste of what’s to come I am looking forward to seeing Lila Ribi’s next project.
see Visions du réel
GenevaLunch, 27 April 2009.
Filed under: Arts and Entertainment, Society
Tags: Add new tag, documentary, film festival, Lila Ribi, Nyon, Spaghetti alle vongole, switzerland, Visions du reel 2009
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