PARIS MOVIE REPORT (May 2011)

[Chris Knipp]

The title of the Diego Lerman film is apparently La mirada invisible, not ojo. I would agree with you in strongly preferring Larain. Obviously his two recent films and Lerman's are set at around the same time and during dictatorships. I dare say also people find Pablo Larain's films harder to watch, but I don't hesistate a minute to say they are more original and powerful than La mirada invisible or than much else; the more I think about them the more they amaze me for their originality and daring, especially the first one of the two.You are probably rightt that Lerman's film' it adheres rather closely to certain conventions, but we may differ otherwise; the Variety review says the same things you do, but I would differ from the latter in actually preferring the second half of the film to the first. I'll comment further ifI get a chance, but don't know yet if I'm going to get around to a full review. My Paris stay is nearly over, and I'll be in transit tomorrow. And La mirada invisible/The Invisible Eye doesn't entirely qualify as a "new" film seen in Paris like the current Cannes releases, being from Cannes 2009. Its theatrical release here is new, of course.