Anhedonia

"Ahedonia" is a real gem! One of those that are becoming all too rare. It is a delight to watch : the unusual pace of the story leave us captivated, the characters are interesting, starting with Kino (the late composer Arvo Part's alter ego); the director succeeds into bringing together poetry, dazzling visual and editing ideas and even humor in this drama. All of us need this kind of films that deal with Art (with a capital A), friendship and beauty, all in a lively and original way.

The film made me want to follow the works by Michael Henry, the English director, who is also the producer and an actor. I won't be surprised to see more and more people talking about his works.

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?

Every year we hope that the Indie scene can keep thriving and challenging the constraints of the standard blockbuster. In a current climate where the hot debate seems to be the 'cinephile' Vs 'comic book lovers' (which would actually make for a great title in the MCU no?) it seems Anhedonia has come just at the right time.

The premise of the film should really give a hint to the viewer that this isn't a typical character study of a man discovering himself, although there are elements of that here, rather it focuses on the human spirit. Okay I know that sounds real cheesy and Richard Curtis is probably already reading this through an algorithm he checks daily but this film does a fantastic job of avoiding the cliches.

Everything has been plotted out to allow our character to go on a true arc, the obvious symbolism of the vast countryside are not too on the nose, rather it amplifies the characters grief and also the settings just look fantastic so why wouldn't you get in those amazing establishing shots. The only details missing are the whereabouts of each character, in building an ambitious plot/world the viewer can get lost in between scenes and yet this doesn't hold it back. In fact you could say that it just further pushes the tone (both filmic and in this case a literal musical tone) to the forefront.

Finally it's clear how much dedication, work and love has gone into creating this film. Just by the short rolling credits we gain an appreciation for how this is true indie cinema, no doubt full of favours and rather than relying on grandeur it's filmmakers have let the story unfold and with it a highly satisfying conclusion.

This is a film that raises a lot of questions and only occasionally gives you answers. For most people that might be frustrating, but I prefer that in a film. Inception, Shutter Island, Primer, 2001, Mother!, Lost Highway - they all leave you wanting more, and that's exactly what I felt at the end of this beautiful microbudget film.

I feel like originiality is lacking from the cinema these days. Everything seems to be remake, sequel or franchise, so it's refreshing to find films like this.

The acting on show here, especially from Liam Blundell (Kino Warren) and Ross Leyshon (The Philistine) is full of range and intensity. Usually the first thing that suffers on lower budget films is performances, but that's really not the case here. If anything it's what gives the bizarre events throughout such emotional weight.

It's really well shot by Andrew Toovey, the music by Sebastian Moody took my breath away, and the ideas in the script are out of this world! I feel like it could've been maybe five minutes or so shorter in a couple of places, but that's minor criticism for a film this rich and profound. The ending moved me greatly and I look forward to watching it again soon. Highly recommend!

I totally loved this film, it showcased how much we need variety in cinema, low budget, but produced on a way that is slick and able to exude quality. The storyline is captivating, it's very different, it's that unique aspect that draws you in, I loved the almost surreal aspect. Visually it made great use of the landscape, which was both harsh and incredible. Standout for me was the villain of the piece, Ross Leyshon.

Loved it. 9/10