Anhedonia (2019)
A literal, physical journey is the structure in Henry's 'Anhedonia' that holds this story together. It is very much equal and parallel to the emotional journey 'Kino' embarks on, as he traverses the many miles of countryside to reach his musical mentor.
Each scene, with a few exceptions, is framed in a somewhat cold way with little bias to whether it is protagonist or antagonist in shot. This constant approach is like a control against which the emotional arc of Kino is juxtaposed. By measuring the lead's progress against the stable and considered desolation we can gauge where he is and how far he has to go.
Kino is persued by several entities on his quest. Some are physical, in the form of amoral bounty hunters and questionable executives. Sometimes it is the personal and professional criticism of Kino we watch him face. But always it is the self deprecating and melancholic tendancies hanging over Kino that he struggles to escape.
Henry channels influences such as Lynch and Kubrick in his long, deliberate takes and compositions. Wide, establishing vistas and dialogue rich two-shots alike brim with an unsettling foreboding. However, the film is not void of humour either; some verbal exchanges, clever editing and frame blocking all contribute to an understated presence of humour.
The use of a void-like space in the story, where the rules of time and space appear 'shifted' is a device that elevates the film and is in itself a talking point. 'the territory', as it is known, acts as a metaphysical bridge and seems to be, at least in part, tailored to whomever visits there.
Anhedonia is a low budget film but is executed in such a way that the packaged end product somewhat belays the modest financial backing. Camera work, audio and post production are all of a very high quality and one can't help but feel that the film appears exactly as the writer/director wanted it to. Indeed, while at times the film might seem indulgent, is this not exactly what every filmmaker would strive for..? The opportunity to write and make real a story without distracting agendas from outside parties?
