Fest Track On Sirk TV Film Review: THE CONFERENCE OF THE BIRDS [New Orleans Film Festival 2021 - Virtual]
The idea of poetry as a representation of both history and existential angst is an intriguing approach no matter what the subject. "The Conference Of The Birds" [Southern Features] is an almost tone poem of a film based on a poem by Persian poet Attar of Nishapu. What is interesting is that the text inspired by a phrase from the Quran has a distinct application in the perspective of a specific black experience here in America. The film is shot in Belle Glade in the dead center of Florida near Lake Okeechobee surrounded by swamps, flat land, alligators and sweltering heat. The poem is broken into 7 sections, each representing a different path which filmmaker Kevin Contento has brought to bear using local talent in the mid-Florida city including high school football players, ROTC members and others. Some of the imagery especially first walking on the land sand dikes where three boys discover a man in robes praying sets the stage for the first part which reflects in the quest. Different parts of the poem which details everything from identity to wonderment to poverty to knowledge. These are represented sometimes in more abstract but elsewhere more literal ways through nature, materialism and constructs of assumption and relationships. Many times Contento simply has his characters stare unflinchingly at the camera not looking away while staying resolutely defiant .
Other sequences such as in a mall looking at shoes or spending an afternoon with friends is achieved via almost verite shooting, not unlike "The Florida Project" at certain points. The only issue despite some interesting choices is that almost the whole films looks to be ADRed with none of the dialogue seemingly syncing up or original. It is tricky since a lot of the interaction is improvised in the dialogue within a certain vernacular so it would be hard to match up anyway besides the actual live sound. This detaches the viewer from what is going on at many points. The line readings of the poems also come off quite amateurish although this might have been the intent. The backdrops, of course, are unique as that area does play to that notion of desolation. But the lack of wide vistas or landscape shots in contraction to extreme closeups of faces would have been good to show. The desolation and heat would reflect back to the original poem and the strife shown. The poem itself was supposedly written in 12th Century as Genghis Khan was invading Persia. "The Conference Of The Birds" is a textured retelling but mostly misses the mark at times because of it abstract and slightly technically inefficient nature. C-
By Tim Wassberg
