Film Review: Paradise Trilogy: Love (18) (Austria/Germany/France 2012) (Director: Ulrich Seidl) (German, English and Swahili with English Subtitles) Saturday 27.07.2013 15:15 The Filmhouse Cinema Screen Two, Edinburgh, Faith (18) (Austria/Germany/France 2012) (Director: Ulrich Seidl) (German and Arabic with English Subtitles) Saturday 10.08.2013 15:30 The Filmhouse Cinema Screen Two, Edinburgh, Hope (15) (Austria/Germany/France 2013) (Director: Ulrich Seidl) (German with English Subtitles) Friday 23.08.2013 15:30 The Filmhouse Cinema Screen Two, Edinburgh 

LOVE:
This is the first part of a trilogy, the following two parts are released in coming weeks. I was intrigued by this loosely connected triptych of films, each of which concentrate on a differing notion, following on from Love is Faith & Hope. After getting my tickets for all three films and prior to seeing this first part I had heard reviews where claims were being made about how difficult to watch this particular part was.

Despite the title, this film concerns itself with middle-aged overweight white european women going to Kenya for the purposes of sex tourism. The film's subject matter is handled in a balanced manner and the presentation of the story well paced.

I found the film interesting, though not enjoyable. There were scenes that portrayed the tourists exploiting as well as being exploited. There were some scenes which were intimate and bordering upon graphic in their presentation. I initially found these scenes degrading and without dignity. Though then by sticking with the scenes I found my notions of concepts such as dignity being questioned and their culturally bound nature being highlighted. I had contemplated walking out due to my discomfort, though at the same time my awareness that I had tickets for the other two films is what kept me seated.

This film felt like an ordeal. I would find it very difficult to recommend this to people, even if I knew them to have strong stomachs.

Rating: 08/10.    

FAITH: 
This second part of the trilogy has as its central character the sister of the sex tourist from the first part. The film begins showing the character as her work as what appears to be a radiographer. We then hear she is having a holiday from work though is staying home. We see this person using her holiday time to go to people living locally and harangue them in their own homes for their sinning ways while trying to introduce them to 'the mother of god'. Some of her visitations are more tolerated than others. It is very clear from the start that the central character has a profound devotion to her faith.

The film then 'goes up a notch' when the characters estranged husband, who is of differing though equally intense faith, returns having been away for a couple of years. It then becomes apparent that the central characters strength of faith and practice is a relatively recent development and although the reasoning for this development is never made explicit, it appears to have been a response to her husband's accident and subsequent absence.

The film brings in ideas about icon-based love-replacements, the blindness of fanatical religion and people's desperate need to have some sense connection and understanding, and that within times of crisis the expression of this can be manifest through very confused and absurd means.

This film had moments throughout that were very funny. The central character, despite her dogmatic ways, was portrayed with an endearing warmth. This whole film was a joy to watch and there were no moments of discomfort like with the first film.

Rating: 09/10.

HOPE: 
The final part of the trilogy centres on the daughter of the sex tourist, who we were introduced to at the start of the first film when she was being dropped of at her aunt's before her mother went on holiday.

Her aunt drops her of at a Fat Camp, which becomes the setting for the rest of the film. The daughter, Melanie, is a normal chubby 13 year old. There are very endearing scenes of the children in their shared rooms exchanging experiences, dancing and playing games such as 'spin the bottle', essentially being kids in a very normal way.

The film concerns itself with Melanie's fixation with the slightly creepy doctor at the camp, who she makes a point of trying to see each day. The fixation appears romantic/lustful. The doctor also appears inappropriately friendly towards her and gives cause for her fixation to develop.

There are several scenes which border upon exploitative before becoming either restrained/protectively sheltering from the adults, or highlighting the sweetness and naivety of innocent exploratory youth.

I was left intrigued by the title: was it titled 'Hope' due to the innocent and youthful nature of the central character who therefore had the potential to not become like her mother or aunt (both exploiters in their own ways). Or was it due to the fact that potentially exploitative situations did not become such due to people finding restraint or protective persons intervening. Or was it all of this.

I found this film on the whole enjoyable. Though as some scenes felt as though they were moving towards exploitation of a child, I was aware of a building anxiety followed by relief. This does not mean it was any less rewarding a film to watch, more that the characters were well enough portrayed that as a viewer you could not help but care for the girl.

Rating: 09/10.

Note on trilogy as a whole: the second and third films, in retrospect make me see the central character of the first film as even less likable. I have a sense that the character of the second film probably had very little support from her sister throughout the times of her marriage deterioration. Melanie, I suspect did not have a particularly supportive or nurturing relationship with/from her mother, and this may be a reason (along with just normal childhood) for over (or comfort) eating. The trilogy as a whole feels to have been very well considered, structured, and performed and as a whole gives the viewer lots to consider.

Rating (FOR THE TRILOGY AS A WHOLE): 10/10