Mimosas (MA/ES/FR/QA 2016, Oliver Laxe)

Since the GEGENkino booklets are already out there, let’s not keep it a secret any longer. Here’s our opening film for GEGENkino 2017: Oliver Laxe’s MIMOSAS, which had it’s premiere at last year’s Semaine de la Critique in Cannes.

A road movie, spiritual journey, moral tale and religious allegory at the same time with an impressive cast of non-professional actors, whose characters will still stick with you longer after the movie – for sure.


Mimosas

MA/ ES/ FR/ QA 2016, D: Oliver Laxe, A: Ahmed Hammoud, Shakib Ben Omar, Said Aagli, 93’, OV/English subtitles, DCP

A caravan is travelling through Maroccan wasteland to take a sick sheik to the ruined city of Sijilmasa. At the old man’s behest, they opt for the difficult path through the Atlas Mountains. When the clan’s chief dies, fellow travalers Said and Ahmet consent to bring the dead body to where it is destined. The group is joined by the wayward Shakib, who has been instructed to serve as its leader. Soon, suspicion and uncertainty subvert all confidence, the terrain gets ever rougher and strangers cross their way. Inspired by personal travel experience, Oliver Laxe constructs a mystical narrative with laconic lay actors, warm colours and gritty 16mm material, like frozen in time. Partly road movie, somewhat adventure film, sometimes western, but principally fairy tale, dream, existential parable and allegory on the inner struggling, the emotional fighting of the figures, Mimosas is fraught with meaning and nevertheless unpretentious. Somewhere between AU HASARD BALTHAZAR and AGUIRRE, DER ZORN GOTTES. Sometimes absurd and humorous, all of a sudden other-worldly and spherical, then again severe and crude.

06 April, 9pm – UT Connewitz – € 6,5 (5,5 red.)