Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: AFTERWATER [Berlinale 2022]
The essence of art for art's sake depends on nature of how successful it is in creating a path of perspective."Afterwater" [Forum] is bathed in a natural essence that does take over the senses though it becomes more an overt sensual reading without true context until it moves closer to the end. The film supposedly takes place in Berlin and right outside its limits though it feels more akin to the texture of Scandinavia. The reasoning though of different groups of people integrating in the first half speaks to the metaphor of The Garden. But as the film moves on, it regresses back to the primal with grunts being the primary form of communication while the subtitles speak of the reasons for feeling. However it is only when there is integrated images of mechanical subterfuge working as trying to be organic in nature is when the film hits its mark but it takes a lot of patience to get there. Director Dane Komljen has a very specific grasp about what he is doing but the result is also more art installation than a respective film.
Some of the images are beautiful and his texture of actually moving backwards in the format and clarity of what we are seeing is an interesting choice but at times takes away from the detail (though one might suggest that is the whole point so the viewer can project what he or she thinks it is onto the screen). In this last bit which has 2 woman and a man scrounging or caressing the earth (depending on how one views it) the breakdown of society in the meaning seems to be a reflection of moving away from the earthdespite that biological need. The lakes in a certain estimation are about rebirth and unity although the reality is that only happens when people are of the same mind (which doesn't happen as much anymore). Some of the shots do linger out of focus or very dark for a little too long (of course for effect). Other than that, the main time the film hits a rhythm is when there is a long quiet meditation an irony of electronic music or dance peeks in (though only in the first half). "Afterwater" tries some interesting things but does come off a little winded where a more even chapter based structure would give a sense of trajectory without necessarily compulsion or expectation. B-
By Tim Wassberg
