Zazy

This movie was a complete surprise to me, in part because the English blurb is so short as to be almost misleading. I supposed it would be just a little criminal blackmail story, while in fact it is much, much more intriguing than that. All three main characters, Tomek, Zazy and Marianna, are brilliantly written and very well portrayed, and the story truly takes its strength from the complex dynamics between them. Zazy is a young girl so cute and clueless (?) that you are often led to think she's innocent of the whole plot, and her main crime is to be a bit moody and willful... except for a small, knowing sly grin she does at times that makes you sit up and wonder. Marianna is wonderful. She begins as just a rich, somewhat arrogant woman in holiday in Italy, and you almost sort of want her to have some misfortune, but her character deepens and while the slightly arrogant rich-woman attitude remains, there is also a great humanity behind it, gradually revealed. One comes to really care for her as her acquiescence in Zazy's demands seems often due as much to a genuine care of her as to fear of exposure. The character around which the story turns however, is ultimately Tomek, who is the darker driving force behind the blackmail plot and also the weak link in it. Tomek is both very loving and alarmingly unhinged, and as someone who has lived for years with a similarly dysfunctional person I can testify that the writing of it is awfully realistic and the acting eerily convincing, so much so that it was sometimes hard to watch (for me). The plot takes a few unexpected turns, down to the very end and is often moved forward by the duality of Zazy's feelings for both Marianna and Tomek. Like most European movies this does not have the polished, plasticky , all-pretty Hollywood look, but it is beautiful to watch anyway. The beginning in Riva del Garda has a beautiful location to play with, the actors are severely attractive, and the photography is lavish and sensual (the scenes where Zazy is day-dreaming of Tomek are particularly beautiful, and also very touching). Certainly not what I would call a feel-good story, but a beautiful, surprising and thought-provoking movie, with wonderfully nuanced characters.

German cinema has the big issue, that you can anticipate a movies style and ending after the first 5mins of a movie, BUT this movie is different! If you put the language aside, this is a movie which could be from any European country.

It starts off in a beautiful Italian town with a very calm and modest atmosphere, but this innocence wont last long. This feeling also reflects in the development of the main character. Actually with changing locations and circumstances, Zazy flourishes, just like the story does. The only "very German thing" this story does is, it makes it easy for the audience to dislike the antagonist, who's acting is refreshing. Also, the sex scenes are extremely well done, with a perfect mixture of intimacy and erotic in once, which is not easy to direct, especially with such young actresses. M.X. Oberg does an incredible job here as well as the camera team!

It's hard to pin point, how to describe that movie most fittingly. On the one hand, you have a kind of Psychothriller, with elements of a "love story". Not only the love between people, but also the love and craving for career and success. The movie underlines the pressure that media has on the current youth and how effects can be more drastic than you can imagine. While not much time passes in the movie plot, we have the feeling that Zazy grows up, maybe to fast. On the other hand you also route for the lead actress to achieve her goals, even though her decisions are questionable at times.

Without giving to much of the story away.... If you look for a refreshing view on German cinema, I can just recommend this movie. It's worth a watch just for the young and talented lead actress Ruby O.Fee, who has a bright future to come indeed!

With good acting and beautiful filming. Suspense and drama are correctly developed. Even on TV this movie was very entertaining, with a great cast.

I was lucky enough to see this movie at the Cannes Film Festival where it screened in the film market. ZAZY is a cool, elegant and concise film that addresses some of the big questions - love, morality, chance - without seeming heavy or self-conscious. The movie is beautifully filmed and the performances by Ruby O. Fee and the others are exemplary.