Beanpole (2019) - Kantemir Balagov

[Heinz-Klett]

Beanpole | Trailer | NYFF57 - YouTube

Director: Kantemir Balagov

Cast: Viktoria Miroshnichenko, Vasilisa Perelygina, Konstantin Balakirev

In immediate post-WWII Leningrad, two women, Iya and Masha (astonishing newcomers Viktoria Miroshnichenko and Vasilisa Perelygina), intensely bonded after fighting side by side as anti-aircraft gunners, attempt to readjust to a haunted world. As the film begins, Iya, long and slender and towering over everyone—hence the film’s title—works as a nurse in a shell-shocked hospital, presiding over traumatized soldiers. A shocking accident brings them closer and also seals their fates. The 27-year-old Russian director Kantemir Balagov—whose debut feature Closeness caused a stir at Cannes and the New Directors/New Films festival just last year—won Un Certain Regard’s Best Director prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival for this richly burnished, occasionally harrowing rendering of the persistent scars of war.

https://www.filmlinc.org/nyff2019/films/beanpole/
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10199640

[thecooldud]

A Tripods sequel at last!?

[Cremildo]

This is Russia's submission for the International Feature Oscar.

[Mothravka]

Will be on MUBI UK next week.

https://mubi.com/specials/lff

[Cremildo]

Beanpole – Official U.S. Teaser - YouTube

[Mothravka]

Saw it yesterday, as well as Balagov's previous film Closeness (2017). It's okay at its height, but nothing really elevates it from being anything else than quite ordinary and miserable social realism, which was the same problem with both films.

[puddy77]

https://youtu.be/73_7Y95snIs

[BluBonnet]

Finally watched this, a bit bleak for the most part but offers a bit of hope towards the end. A well-acted movie for sure.

[scarletlion]

Seems I liked this alot more than most people. It's incredible that a 27 year old has enough guile to make any feature film yet alone one this good. And it's Kantemir Balagov's second feature. How does one so young get the life experience, technical know how, intellect, ideas and confidence to accomplish this project? I have no idea.

It's a tale of two women rebuilding their life after the war in the barren, torn apart Stalingrad, but could also be an analogy for how the city or even Russia itself begins to heal wounds and give itself new life after conflict. The film is bathed in a rich green colour palette to perhaps symbolise peace / fertility / hope / a new era etc. The performances by Viktoria Miroshnichenko and Vasilisa Perelygina are completely off the charts. They portray these broken women searching for any way to become fixed, if that's even possible. A search for new life after all the death they must have encountered.

Although the final 20 minutes is a tiny bit flawed, this is a stunning piece of work by someone who's seemingly one of the most promising young directors around.

9/10

[HipsterTrash]

[Show spoiler]She forces her friend to get raped just so can have another child. Then the movie later tries to make us feel her pain as she reveals what she went through. But that point she's done too much damage that I don't care. I can understand her pain but I don't sympathize for her at all because of her actions. The film tries to make me both understand and feel for her.

I can see the healing aspect for sure. But yes, the film wants me to feel for these characters. Otherwise what's the point?

[SleazyForWeasley]

If you like films with meaningless, painful silences between each individual word.... This is the film for you.