by Carina Pepene
What do all of them have in common? My IDFA 2024 watchlist. The International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam took place between the 14th of November to the 24th, bringing for its 37th edition unique movies from all around the world.
This year, I selected my viewings based on themes and, well, quite frankly, vibes. In no specific order, here are all the movies I’ve watched and my thoughts on them.
“We construct a different reality. […] I tried to simulate what i felt, recontructed what i saw. The film is a reflection of my world view.” – Kazuhiro Soda, director of “The Cats of Gokogu Shrine”
The Cats of Gokogu Shrine
I never thought I would be so moved by a movie about cats, but there I was at Pathé, captivated by “The Cats of Gokogu Shrine”, directed by Kazuhiro Soda and his producer/ wife Kiyoko Kashiwagi. It would be untruthful to say that this movie is solely about felines, however they are indeed the starting point. The film goes beyond that, exploring the cohabitation of the aging population of a small Japanese village and their relationship with the local stray cats.
“The Cats of Gokogu Shrine” is an observational film, adhering to a set of 10 strict rules crafted by the pair. Among these rules: no research beforehand, no meetings with the subjects prior to filming, and shooting as long as possible within a small radius (200 meters, in this case). The movie was shot over a span of two years, during the Covid-19 pandemic, when the film-making couple decided to leave New York behind for the Japanese coastal town of Ushimado. And, the movie indeed subtly conserves this fragment of time – there are masks, mentions of vaccines and job cut outs. We get to observe a period of uncertainty and turmoil and how that affected even such small communities. It’s not just a movie for cat enthusiasts – the ethnographic essence makes it universally enjoyable!
An Evening with Radu Jude- Eight Postcards from Utopia and Sleep#2
Radu Jude brought two of his latest movies “Sleep #2” and “Eight Postcards From Utopia”. The screenings were followed by an entertaining talk moderated by IDFA’s artistic director, Orwa Nyrabia. “Eight Postcards from Utopia”, directed with Christian Ferencz-Flatz ended up being awarded The Beeld & Geluid IDFA ReFrame Award special mention.
I enjoyed them both, and particularly the newly awarded “Eight Postcards from Utopia”, which felt like a Romanian inside joke. Curious about my in-depth thoughts and Jude’s takes on AI and TikTok? Check out my complete review here: Warhol’s life after death and Romanian inside-jokes. An Evening with Radu Jude at IDFA.
Two Strangers Trying Not To Kill Each Other
“Two Strangers Trying Not To Kill Each Other” falls under a genre that never fails me – artists in love. Joel Meyerowitz, world-renowned street photographer, and writer Meggie Barrett are the protagonists of a compelling story told through the lens of filmmakers Jacob Perlmutter and Manon Ouimet. The film follows their lives in Tuscany, living in the South of Italy, then their return to New York. Their relationship seems almost too good to be true, having met by chance in 1990. Now, the couple being in their 70s/ 80s, is facing the shadows of love, mortality, but also lingering resentment.
Meggie feels eclipsed – her work is underappreciated compared to her spouses. She thinks she gave up much of herself to accommodate Joel’s fame, past and passion. This dynamic plays out in sequences at their ping-pong table: the effort to keep the ball in play, the subtle negotiations of their partnership, and the eventual decision to leave Tuscany and return to New York. Love requires effort, compromise, and resilience.
The Belle from Gaza
The search for THE belle from Gaza begins with an almost mythological tale: a beautiful trans woman who journeyed on foot from Gaza all the way to Tel Aviv. Director Yolande Zauberman embarks on her quest with nothing but an old photograph, roaming Hatnufa Street in hopes of tracing her down. She interviews other trans sex workers hoping to find the traces of the mysterious protagonist, however the path gets more twisted with every person that discloses a contradicting puzzle piece.
“The Belle from Gaza” is stunning visually. Thematically, I found the film’s exploration of religion the most striking. The story of Natalie, one of the girls interviewed, who transitioned during the filming was quite powerful. After her transition, she started practicing Islam. In a shot that stuck with me, she is wearing a veil that covers her face. She talks of a merciful God and recites from the Qouran, all while her family would not accept her. Moments like this are profoundly moving, yet the film struggles to cohesively link the experiences and identities of its subjects, leaving the narrative feeling unfinished.
She Dances by The Sea
In a world premiere, director Jian Fan brought to IDFA a follow up story on Xiuhua Yu, a Chinese poet who has cerebral palsy. Known for her brutally honest poetry and online fame – with hundreds of thousands of books sold – Yu emerges as a complex, unapologetic figure. Having left an abusive marriage, she longs for true love. On a livestream, she finds her future-partner, Yang, a young man who admired her work. She falls in love for the first time with hopes of an idyllic connection. The internet questions their age gap relationship – why would such a sensitive man be with an older, disabled woman? Their relationship crashes and Yu has to bring herself up once again.
Yu curses, she loves fiercely, and she confronts life with a raw authenticity. Jian Fan’s film captures her essence and imperfections as a poet, woman and partner. With sequences flashing between her personal life and her latest project combining dancing with poetry, we don’t get to see her as a moral hero, nor infantilised. She is a flawed woman. I found her portrayal quite refreshing.
The next edition is set for November 2025, but the festival’s spirit continues year-round. Until then, IDFA will host events like the “Best of IDFA on Tour” starting in January and the IDFA Women’s Summit in March.
