November (2017)

November: Directed by Rainer Sarnet. With Rea Lest, Jörgen Liik, Arvo Kukumägi, Katariina Unt. In a poor Estonian village, a group of peasants use magic and folk remedies to survive the winter, and a young woman tries to get a young man to love her.

“If you like surrealism and dark fairy-tales, and you havenu0026#39;t seen November yet, watch it before reading my review, because I wouldnu0026#39;t want to influence your expectations.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhen I started watching November all I knew was IMDbu0026#39;s Drama, Fantasy, Horror categorization. Little did I know that I was about to experience two hours of a beauty so mesmerizing that it would almost bring tears to my eyes.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eNovember is one of those rare cinematic creations that transcends the medium from mere entertainment into a profound work of art. I can think of only a handful of directors that have lifted the art of cinema to this level, such as Akira Kurosawa, Stanley Kubrick, David Lynch and Lars von Trier.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eNovember is a surreal, dark fairy-tale that takes place in a mediaeval Estonian village. The story is a mix of Shakespearean romantic drama and rural folklore that pleasantly reminded me of the magical countryside fairy-tale atmosphere in the works of the Croatian naive art painter Ivan Generalic, as well as the imaginative surreal comics by the Greek-French comic creator Fred (Frédéric Aristidès).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe most breathtaking aspect of November is its cinematography. The film is shot in moody, darkly romantic black and white photography with beautiful lighting and screen compositions.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBut November is filled with beauty in multiple layers. A beautiful soundtrack – incorporating Beethovenu0026#39;s Mondschein-Sonate – intensifies the atmosphere, the costumes, sets and overall art direction are gorgeous, and thereu0026#39;s even lyrical poetry of a poignant grace. It will be a challenge to create something more romantic than November has established.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eLast but not least, the casting and actors are also laudable. The two main female characters radiate a magnetic beauty, and the peasants look like they have been time-transported from an actual mediaeval village.”