On the Road Again Comedy, Drama Propel Mexican Reinvention of Coming-of-Age Movie by Ky N. Nguyen With the startlingly vibrant ìY Tu Mam· TambiÈn (And Your Mother Too),î Alfonso CuarÛn cleverly reinvents the tired, formulaic genre of the coming-of-age road movie. For the Mexican writer-director, it marks a bold return to his homeland following his two relatively mild American features (the lackluster ìGreat Expectationsî and well-received ìA Little Princessî). For those accustomed to American sensibilities, the heady mix of comedy and drama in the sultry ìY Tu Mam· TambiÈnî can be quite an awakening. Photographed by regular cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki (ìLike Water for Chocolateî), the film presents a passionate tour through a beautiful Mexico new to the characters as well as to the audience. Quoting the French New Wave, the story is periodically punctuated by a dispassionate narrator who serves as a distant tour guide. Instead of describing the surface plot elements, he focuses on the context surrounding the characters, scenarios and locations. CuarÛn wickedly satirizes the social and political realities of modern Mexico, addressing the historic p ervasiveness of government corruption and globalizationís devastating impact when a fishermanís waters are invaded by development. Julio (Gael GarcÌa Bernal of ìAmores Perrosî), the son of a single mother, and Tenoch (Diego Luna of ìBefore Night Fallsî), the son of a wealthy and corrupt government official, are best friends. The two lusty, drugged-up teenage boys have just seen their girlfriends go off to an Italian vacation for the summer and are staving off boredom. At an official reception, they run into Luisa (Spanish actress Maribel Verd? of ìBelle ...poqueî and ìGoya in Bordeauxî in her Mexican debut), the twenty-something wife of Tenochís distant cousin. On a lark, they invite her on a trip to an imaginary beach, Heavenís Mouth. For her own reasons, she later accepts, much to their surprise. The ensuing road trip provides the expected results and much more. The film crisply portrays the awkwardness and confusion of male adolescence, which exists in a different form for a troubled young woman. Its self-propelling energy is reminiscent of the French New Waveís ìJules and Jim,î FranÁois Truffautís own classic love triangle flick. The principal actors of ìY Tu Mam· TambiÈnî deliver accomplished, uninhibited performances worthy of comparison to the cast of Truffautís stylized masterpiece. Yet the films are significantly different beyond the obvious plot differences. The raw emotions and vivid situations of ìMam·î make the film feel much more real, though just as memorable. ìY Tu Mam· TambiÈn (And Your Mother Too)î (Spanish; 105 min.) opens Fri., April 5. ëMaelstr^mí: A Fishy Mix If your taste in cinema runs toward the intelligently bizarre, `a la David Lynchís ìMulholland Falls,î try out writer-director Denis Villenueveís sublime ìMaelstr^mî (ìa violent pool from which there is no escapeî). Despite relying on pivotal twists of fate, itís a magical modern fable with a universal and timeless message of spiritual salvation. Narrated by a dying fish, the romantic melodrama follows Bibiane (Marie-JosÈe Croze), a successful 25-year-old woman whose life falls apart after an abortion, a job loss, and a drunken hit-and-run involving a Norwegian immigrant fisherman. Her road to redemption begins when she meets the accident victimís son. Croze successfully inhabits her character, eloquently expressing the loneliness, angst and guilt emblematic of her superficial life in contemporary society. Like ìY Tu Mam· TambiÈn,î the narration sharply interrupts the plot, though here the fish generally adds excitement rather than calm reflection. When a customer complains about an overcooked octopus, its path to the dining table is traced back to the ocean. At times, Norwegian folklore invades the urban landscape. In the world of ìMaelstr^m,î the unbelievable is perfectly logical. The fiercely original script is reinforced by Villenueveís bravado direction. He brazenly combines the styles that make up the filmís visuals and soundtrack, mixing surrealist, abstract, romantic and realistic elements. The disparate mix conjures an appropriately unstable atmosphere and tone befitting the story. ìMaelstr^mî picked up Canadian Genie awards for Best Picture, Director, Actress, Screenplay and Cinematography. ìMaelstr^mî (French, English and Norwegian; 114 min.) is now playing at Visions Cinema/Bistro/Lounge. Portrait of ëPauline and Pauletteí ìPauline and Pauletteî is a small, bittersweet comedy that evenhandedly portrays a family living with a mentally disabled sibling. Unlike typical Hollywood treatment of the subject matter, it declines to romanticize the retarded Pauline (Belgian acting legend Dora van der Groen). Though sweet and innocent, sheís accurately presented as a day-to-day burden on her caretaker. An additional twist on the typical genreís plot is that the family consists of four elderly sisters. Pauline lives with Martha (Julienne De Bruyn), her oldest sister who spreads jam on Paulineís toast and ties her shoes. Yet Pauline adores Paulette (Ann Peterson), a fabrics shop owner who sings amateur opera. Paulette doesnít return Paulineís affections, viewing her as a pest. What they share in common is a love for flowers and bright colors. The lurid color scheme of reds and pinks is impressionistically captured in digital video. When Martha dies, the relationship between Pauline and Paulette is forever altered. Marthaís will dictates that Pauline receive all of the inheritance unless sheís taken in by Paulette or the other surviving sister, Cecile (Rosemarie Bergmans), who has moved from the familyís hometown to Brussels. Neither is happy with the perceived negative impact Pauline will have on their idealized lives, but each reluctantly gives it a go. When Cecileís French-speaking boyfriend is unable to communicate with Flemish-speaking Pauline, itís a humorous metaphor for the division of Belgium along ethnic and linguistic lines. Directed by Lieven Debrauwer, the filmís steady pace makes it feel a bit too long despite being only 78 minutes. It becomes somewhat repetitious in its detailed account of the daily details of life with Pauline. Still, itís an honest treatment admitting that thereís no easy solution for Pauline and Paulette. At best, they can embrace moments of goodness and love. ìPauline and Paulette (Pauline en Paulette)î (Flemish and French; 78 min.) opens Fri., April 5. Repertory Notes Filmfest DC, the Washington DC International Film Festival, runs April 17 to 28 with more than 100 features and shorts from around the world. With a spotlight on Asian cinema, the programís films come from Argentina, Brazil, Britain, China, Cuba, France, Germany, India, Israel, Italy, Japan, Morocco, Sweden, Turkey and Vietnam. The opening night gala features ìThe Catís Meow,î with director Peter Bogdanovich in person, at Lisner Auditorium ((202) 628-FILM, http://filmfestdc.org). ìThe Complete Satyajit Ray: Cinema Through the Inner Eyeî continues the retrospective of all the extant films by the Indian master of neorealism (http://www.asia.si.edu/programs/satyajit.htm), most playing at the Freer Gallery of Art and the National Gallery of Art. Actress Sharmila Tagore will be present at ìDevi (The Goddess),î screening Sunday, April 14, 7 p.m. at the National Museum of Women in the Arts ((202) 783-5000, http://www.nmwa.org/calendar/calevent.htm#fil). The National Gallery of Art will screen French director Jacques Demyís ìLolaî and ìBay of Angels.î It also showcases the experimental and documentary works of Dutch independent filmmaker Joris Ivens in four thematic parts: avant-garde, progress, visual poetry and filming the invisible ((202) 842-6799, http://nga.gov/programs/film.html). In conjunction with Portable Foreign Film Festivals, the Library of Congressís Mary Pickford Theater presents on video four nights of ìUnknown Russian Cinemaî ((202) 707-5677, http://www.loc.gov/pickford). Actor-writer Ivor Novello, portrayed in the Oscar-nominated ìGosford Park,î stars in 1925ís silent ìThe Ratî at the Capitol Hill Arts Workshop ((202) 547-6839, http://www.filmsonthehill.com). The Baltimore Jewish Film Festival takes place at the Gordon Center for the Performing Arts ((410) 542-4900 ext. 239, http://www.jcc.org/arts/ arts_balt_jew_film.html). The Walters Art Museum presents four classics on Friday nights: ìMan With a Movie Camera,î ìA Day in the Country,î ìHiroshima Mon Amour,î and ìPowaqqatsiî ((410) 547-9000, http://www.thewalters.org/html/adult_detail.asp?ID=21). At the recent DC Independent Film Festival (DCIFF), Grand Jury Award winners included the following international films: Best of Documentary Long Form: ìShouting Silentî (South Africa/USA), directed by RenÈe Rosen; Best of World Cinema Award: ìLast Supper (Zadnja vecerja)î (Slovenia), directed by Vojko Anzeljc; Latin American Cinema Award: ìMiel para Osh?n (Honey for Oshun)î (Cuba/Spain), directed by Humberto Sol·s; and Best of Animation Shorts: ìHasta los Huesos (Down to the Bone)î (Mexico), directed by RenÈ Castillo. Audience Award winners included Latin American Cinema Award and World Cinema Award: ìFóklandî (Argentina), directed by JosÈ Luis MarquËs. Other prizes included the DCIFF Technology Award: ìCopy Shopî (Austria), directed by Virgil Widrich; and the Roland House/DCIFF DC Documentary Filmmaker Award: ìReturn to Belayeî (USA/Senegal), directed by Amy Flannery ((202) 537-9493, http://dciff.org). Ky N. Nguyen is the film reviewer for The Washington Diplomat.