Review: Life is an act of enigmatic cartography in Ana, en passant
Life is an ongoing act of discovery, creation, and (most interestingly) cartography in Fernanda Salgado's deeply touching Ana, en passant , which makes its world premiere at the Festival de BrasÃlia do Cinema Brasileiro later this month (it'll also play at VIFF and BFI). It's rare to see a movie that's so aesthetically alive. The visual dynamism underlines and enhances the thematic concerns, adding depth and texture to every scene (often, literal depth and texture). It's a thrill to watch, to behold. It reminded me of watching Olivia & the Clouds , so multi-faceted and fascinating is its approach to telling its story. Ana lives in Paris, where she was raised by her recently-deceased grandmother, who herself emigrated from Brazil many years ago. Paris is Ana's home, but it feels less like home without her grandmother, who was a kind of North Star, a grounding force, a friend, a guide. Following her passing, Ana finds a box that was left behind for her, a kind...
