Continuing our talk about the Belarusian festival Listapad, where we watched three new films today.

Non-competition Films

At Listapad, in addition to the competition program, there is also a section of films presented outside of it. These films are not at the festival by chance: they literally continue its idea and traditions, commemorating significant dates for Belarusian cinema. The third day introduced young viewers to the modern Chinese animation “White Snake”, which is the first part of a two-part animated film.

«White Snake»

Snake catcher Xuan meets a lost girl in his village who does not remember her past. Driven by love, the man decides to embark on a dangerous adventure to help the lost woman find her sister. Along the way, they will encounter many enemies from the past, who will reveal the secrets of bygone days to the heroes.

“White Snake” is a new Chinese two-part animated film based on the repeatedly adapted legend of two snakes capable of taking human form. The debut of young Chinese director Amp Wong offers a fresh perspective on established traditions.

The division of this large animated film into two parts is not accidental: this element not only serves as a link between antiquity (“White Snake”) and modernity (“Green Snake”) but also reveals the sisters from a new, unexpected angle. You can watch the films separately. However, for a more accurate understanding of the project itself, it is worth watching both parts. This is an excellent way to spend an evening with the family, watching an animation that has grossed a record sum for the Chinese market.

However, it should be noted that the film also has its drawbacks. Despite its interesting concept, the debut of the young Chinese director is unlikely to surprise modern viewers: almost all of its elements have been repeatedly seen in American cartoons. Dragons and the mysteries of Chinese mythology could have been distinctive features if the animation had come out 10 years earlier, but now, when Disney has presented a “Chinese” princess, they are unlikely to surprise anyone.

There are also problems with the script, which is full of plot holes. The characters of the film, in their pursuit of the “past,” encounter many vivid heroes who do not have time to develop enough, which leads to a dull ending to the story. And the villain leaves much to be desired: the unusual approach to revealing the antagonist bypasses the details of his image, so you don’t believe in the presence of a serious threat to the main characters.

Children's Film Competition

«Fish and Puddle»

Twelve-year-old Ali is a brilliant teenager with a difficult character, who grew up in a poor family. Due to numerous violations and pranks, the boy is expelled from the best school in the city, which becomes the final reason for the teenager to present his works at a science fair and fulfill his cherished dreams.

“Fish and Puddle” is the second film by Iranian director Ali Barati, created for a teenage audience. This is an interesting look at the growing up of a difficult but at the same time brilliant teenager in modern-day Iran.

The strange, at first glance, title “Fish and Puddle” is also chosen for a reason: a teenager trying to prove to the world that he has already grown up gets lost against the backdrop of adults.

A typical school story about nerds becomes a terrible film that will probably not interest children at all. The main character of the film—a twelve-year-old boy—is too cardboard a character, from whom the creators try to squeeze the maximum: they create a conflict between father and son, flirt with teenage relationships, and also portray the boy as an absolute genius against the backdrop of his new classmates. True, all this does not save the film: most conflicts remain unresolved, and some important characters never get development. A passable work that is unlikely to receive anything, remaining without public love.

«Young Cinema» Competition

“Young Cinema” is another program of “Listapad” that has undergone significant changes with the arrival of the new management. Previously, the festival had a competition called “Youth on the March,” which included films by young directors. Now, access to the competition is granted to the first works of directors under the age of forty, which scared many fans of “Listapad.” Will there be anything good if usually the very first works only shape one’s style? As it turned out, there will be even things you don’t expect to see at a festival organized in just two months.

«White Building»

“White Building” is an incredible case where an unusual film from the Venice Film Festival makes it to Belarusian cinemas, albeit in limited release. It is generally hard to believe that there are almost no places left in our world where movies are not made. This is also evidenced by the very fact of the existence of a film straight from “uncharted” Cambodia, which is planned to be nominated for the Academy Award this year.

Young documentary filmmaker Kavich Neang made his first film in his native capital of Phnom Penh, returning from the Korean Film School back to his homeland. This is the story of three young people leading a carefree life until one of the characters' lives begins to fall apart. The building where he spent most of his life is slated for demolition, so the poor family decides to move to a rural area. The boy’s farewell to his home is a key element of the film, enchanting with its magic for two hours.

The building acts as a separate character in the film, and therefore has the greatest influence on the lives of its inhabitants: the imminent move worsens the health of the father, who suffers from diabetes, and also affects the mother, who will have to say goodbye to her previous traditions. And the title of the film seems to hint that as soon as the heroes leave their “native” territory, their lives will start anew from a clean slate.

“White Building” is a representative of the still “undiscovered” cultural level for most, which surprises with its language.