November

Um espetáculo de bizarrice num mundo pagão fictício baseado em mitos estonianos. É lindamente filmado a preto e branco, incrivelmente imaginativo e certamente original, mas todas as ideias maravilhosas (criaturas esquisitas com o visual no estilo de Švankmajer feitas de ferramentas antigas, a protagonista - lobisomem, a condessa sonâmbula, cuspir hóstias, a luta absurda dos aldeões com a peste, poções de amor feitas de excrementos, conversas poéticas com o boneco de neve, a marcha dos mortos e tudo o mais) estão infelizmente presentes apenas sob a forma de estranhezas isoladas que no máximo ajudam a criar uma atmosfera do cenário mágico realista, mas não têm qualquer significado para o enredo. A história sobre uma rapariga apaixonada cujo amante se apaixona por outra rapariga é então apenas um tronco sobre o qual nenhum dos referidos ornamentos de fantasia malucos se mantém propriamente, e tudo se desfaz um pouco. No entanto, se os organizadores do festival Weird Europe estivessem à procura de candidatos adequados para serem incluídos no programa, November é a escolha natural. (04/07/2017)

This is basically a story of unfulfilled love with a tragic ending, set in a strange community of people where there is no room for it. The distinctive visual poetics are partially complemented by the oppressively unsettling atmosphere, which serves as a link to the bizarre scenes with occasionally morbid undertones. I admit that I literally fell in love with this audiovisual delight, which is full of secrets. (90%) (28/11/2021)

Who would've thought? I've just watched an obviously artistic film. I can tell because it was black and white. Even though form triumphed over content at times, I couldn't tear myself away because I was fascinated by how powerfully František Vláčil influenced Estonian-Dutch-Polish filmography. It was quite a bizarre film, which made me fond of kratts (except for that chatty globetrotter), learn how to fight the plague and how to make a romantic meal quite cheaply (although I would rather forget that). When I read that the genre was Drama / Fantasy / Romantic, I was apprehensive, but it turned out I was terribly wrong. The romance was a bit different, just like the whole film, which got me scared that something extra had been mixed in with my morning medication, but then I realized that it was the screenwriter and director who took something extra. Plus, it was good for their budget :-) It was a peculiar film that I don't have the conscience to recommend to anyone. Surprisingly enough, I enjoyed it a lot, not just because of the great atmosphere of forests with trees gnawed by hungry villagers. / Lesson learned: If you want to fool the Devil, be innovative. (02/07/2023)