SFIFF: Frozen

nobody@vox.com(Garth) — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:12:33 -0700

So I saw "Frozen" last night, my first movie in the SF International Film Festival. It was an Indian movie about a small family living in the Himalayas with a kind of coming of age story tucked in. Shot in black and white, it had a beautiful almost Ansel Adams quality about it.

To match, the story was highly conceptual and never really dove into too many details; situations are setup for the characters to react to without much explaintion behind the cause of these events. The army suddenly commandeers this family's remote and desolate land to fight "rebels". A whole base is constructed but nothing more is given about who the rebels are or why they are fighting, and there are never any attacks. The army is there simply to provide tension with the family.

Almost as interesting was the audience for this film. They were mostly older and liberal in the way that they couldn't imagine anyone being as open minded as them. The director was there and spoke before the movie, asking if anyone had seen Bollywood films; most of us raised our hands. He then jokingly apologized that this wouldn't be a Bollywood film and there wouldn't be any dancing. Spontaneously, audience then clapped for themselves in self-congratulation that they were more educated than to think that. One woman even shouted out "Bollywood aren't the only kind of Indian films" as if addressing 'those' people who didn't know any better. The director politely replied, "Yes, of course, I know".

Overall, I thought the film was interesting and well shot but, at the risk of losing my liberal badge, I didn't think it was great. I'd say this is a good Netflix rental if it is released in the states.

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SFIFF: Frozen