Yella
Jun 1, 2009 Uncategorized
Yella
Without doubt, Christian Petzold is one of the most interesting, unconventional and controversial filmmakers these days in Germany. His new film Yella, which was shown this year at the Berlinale in the competition, likely to change the mixed reactions from audiences and critics basically nothing, because – and this is undoubtedly good news – Petzold is himself and his distinctive narrative style faithful. Especially abroad Petzold is one of the chief exponents of German “perceived Nouvelle Vague,” which relates to the traditions of the new German film, and will update those present at the time. Thus Petzold’s films, are never “just” movies, but always at the same time period criticism and social analysis and breathe the seriousness of West Germany’s condensed reality.
With Yella, Christian Petzold continues its path once more consistently. The heart of the plant Yella (Nina Hoss), a young woman after a failed marriage and the insolvency of the company her husband Ben (Hinnerk Schönemann) of their home turned their backs and Wittenberg will begin anew in the West again. On the ride to Ben-provoking further, an accident in which can be saved only by Yella of need from the car. But even in the West, it has initially little luck, the first job turns out to be rather unfortunate choice, because the company is just as bankrupt as the company of her husband. She learns Philipp (Devid Striesow), a young manager for venture capital, where she began working as an assistant. Fascinated, she learns about the world of financial jugglers and quickly mastered the tricks and swindles, the little code and rehearsed gestures of those species. Soon there are indications of such a thing as a common future, but always pushing hard behind the serene past in Yellas new life. Furthermore, piling up strange characters that indicate that in principle with their lives is something ok … was expecting
How to be Christian Petzold’s Yella serious film fare, it is amazing how consistently the director’s path followed and the mechanisms of conventional filmmaking denied. New, however, the intrusion of metaphysics in Petzold’s recent hyper-realism in his films so far characterized by extreme sobriety is, its rooms were so far above all, places of emptiness and isolation, loneliness and the solidified communication, now added a new symbolic level, everything is loaded with hidden characters and suggesting meanings beyond our experience. In some moments, the film is reminiscent of works such as Blow Up (1966) by Michelangelo Antonio, if promulgated, the rustling of the leaves of a tree impending doom, in others again to horror films like Carnival of Souls (1962) by Herk Harvey. Even if Yella is that when the horror of everyday life, it is possible Petzold, capturing the attention of the viewer throughout the movie, and indeed almost to the exclusion of all rules of suspense. In a way, Yella is the dramatic conclusion and end point, the Petzold with Wolfsburg and ghosts once began – life as we know it is not conceivable without the chimeras and illusions of what we carry deep in our souls with us. Or, in other words, we are all zombies, ghosts and the damned, on the one or the other way. A thought that contributes not just to our satisfaction. But that is hardly in the interest Petzold.
(Joachim Kurz)
Title: Yella Country of production: Germany Year of production: 2007 Length: 89 (Min) of material: (# ) Piffl media
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