Tabu

I was really impressed with and enjoyed Miguel Gomes' 2012 film Tabu (apparently a homage to a F.M. Murnau film with similar story structure). The film does an admirable job of presenting a compelling story within a beautiful formalist style defined by the black and white cinematography. The story starts out with a with a mysterious prologue featuring an 18th century explorer who, we learn via the narrator, is haunted by the ghost of his deceased wife. Even though none of the characters from the prologue figure into the main story, it can be said that the scene establishes something of a poetic tone and also one of the themes – the inability of escaping one’s own heart, as well as introducing the idea of colonialism in Africa by the Portuguese. Thus, the viewer is thrown off balance when the first section "Paradise Lost," is revealed to be set in the present in modern day Lisbon. Furthermore, this section is shot in super-sharp, high-contrast 35mm film stock. In this section we met a lonely woman who works for liberal causes, Pilar (Teresa Madruga) living alone. She becomes concerned about her lonely elderly neighbor, Aurora (Laura Soveral) who is being looked after by a servant of African descent, Santa-hence the only African connection to the prologue. I was guessing that there would be some mediation of the legacy of colonialism through this caretaker. But it finally ermerges that Aurora's prior life in Africa will be focus of the second section, "Paradise," of the film when she is dying and refers to her crocodile escaping to her neighbor's house in her confusion. She asks Santa to find that mysterious neighbor, Ventura (Henrique Espirito Santo). Once he arrives and begins to tell their story, which is the second part of the film "Paradise." This part of the film is shot on grainier – and blurrier – 16mm with out dialogue, which also gives it a distinctive look illustrating the idea that the past is more foggy and dreamlike and is coming from some unknown subjective viewpoint. In this section we learn about their pasts in Africa as well as how their doomed relationship blossomed and died there. The war between the Africans and colonists is largely a background to the personal story of forbidden love and tragedy, but exists as a legacy of the Europeans impact nonetheless. The young Aurora (Ana Moreira) and  Ventura (Carlo Cotta) 50 years earlier in colonial Africa are charming characters with interesting traits that distinguishes themselves from their elderly counterparts. Aurora is an expert game hunter and Ventura plays drums in a 60s rock band that does Portuguese covers of the Ronetts "Be My Baby" among other songs. It is fascinating and beautiful films, certainly one of the best I've seen in some time and one of the best from the year it was released. I am looking forward to tracking down his previous two features and catching his recent 6 hour magus opus released in three parts: Arabian Nights.