Eureka - English subtitled
Radical, dreamy triptych, largely shot on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota, in which slow cinema grandmaster Lisandro Alonso (Jauja, Liverpool) explores the tensions between indigenous culture and the modern world.
In three stories (the first part of which turns out to be a TV broadcast in black and white), the director shares his views on the ill-treatment of America’s indigenous people, past and present. Alaina – in part two – works as a policewoman on the reservation, where alcohol and violence are daily routine. It’s like bailing out a sinking ship with a teaspoon. In part three, her niece Sadie asks her grandfather if he would like to transform her into a marabou, so she can leave this sad life behind.
However, the storylines are not served up so clearly and logically. As a viewer, you have to be patient and not think too much about the how and what. What is certain is that the director wants to detach us from time and space, while highlighting the wretched situation of the native Americans. This produces hypnotic and meditative images, reminiscent of Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s films. Lovers of unusual cinema will enjoy this mystical film. (av)