SFFS New Italian Cinema Nov. 19-23, 2014

[Chris Knipp]

STEFANO INCERTI: IN THE SNOW/NEVE (2013)



Snowy Italian noir, after Kaurismäki

This by the experienced Stefano Incerti (his eighth film) qualifies as a noir -- one set in the white-out of a wintry landscpe full of the titular form of precipitation -- but also a road movie that's an odd-couple two-hander that may make you think of Georges Simenon (who after all called one of his romans durs Dirty Snow). But Incerti has said he was inspired by Kaurismäki, and that works too. The mood as well as the air is chilly, and the atmosphere is all. Donato (Roberto De Francesco, who looks like a milder, more downtrodden Harvey Keitel with glasses) picks up Norah (Esther Elisha) half unwillingly, in his green station wagon on a snowy country road when she's dumped by a gangsterish man in a luxury car, who thereafter sends her threatening text messages and apparently is following her. The provocatively dressed Norah is very dark and very pretty. Donato repeatedly tries to dump her, but she comes back to the car. Eventually they settle into traveling together. They don't actually go that far, but the going is rough because the weather is heavy and the towns aren't much.

Eventually Donato's whole mission is revealed to Norah sixty-five minutes in. A robbery, not Donato's, a lot of money, a hiding place. What's going to happen? It may not matter much, as Incerti and his cowriter Patrick Fogli tell the story. Eventually Norah, who continues with Donato, learns all about Donato's family and job and what he's up to. We don't know how it will end. This is a little soft as noir goes, though that's also the point: it's Italian noir. And also European noir.

Incerti is most admired for his 2010 Gorbaciof, which starred the brilliant Toni Servillo. De Francesco and Elisha (in her first principal film role) aren't on that level, but they're very good. Unfortunately, despite the effective economy of Incerti's method and the odd chemistry between the two travelers, there is too little happening at times in the first half, and not quite enough happening in the second half to make up for that. Incerti's aim is to keep the audience guessing about the backgrounds and motives of the couple, but there may not be quite enough in the physical action or the revelations about them to justify the wait. Still, In the Snow is atmospheric and the two principals distinctive. The excellent cinematography of Pasquale Mari(who also lensed Gorbaciof) has many nice moments. Some American pop music doesn't help that much, if you're American, but the music isn't really obtrusive and Incerti works in an original way, yet within noir traditions.

In the Snow/Neve, 90 mins., debuted at Courmayeur Noir Filn Festival (Italy) December 2013; also played at Bari and Trento festivals April 2014. Its Italian theatrical release begins 11 December 2014. It is included out of competition in the N.I.C. program and was screened for this review as part of the San Francisco Film Society's New Italian Cinema series (19-23 Nov.), showing at the Vogue Theater 23 November 2014, 1:00 p.m.