IN THE CITY OF SYLVIA (José Luis Guerín, 2007)

José Luis Guerín’s 2007 film In the City of Sylvia is what I imagine Europe to be. This is a film that really delves into the day-to-day life of ‘Europeans’ by telling a very off-kilter, but wholly understated story. It’s a film that rushes by you. It has the ability to fully encompass you, and bring totally into its world. It is a world of beauty, and simplicity, and angelic looking people, and faces, but a world of loneliness, and awkwardness. It also contains some of the driest and funniest moments in film.

It is a film that can endure in one’s mind for long periods after viewing. Its mystery and beauty taking grasp of your mind, and not letting go. It is a film of such lush, serene imagery, and placid thoughts when examined. It seems to be so innocent, and simple, but in reality it is a film of quite an astounding amount of depth, and says much more about the dark parts about humanity than one may imagine looking on its gorgeous surface.

http://www.theauteurs.com/films/1082

José Luis Guerín
In the City of Sylvia

Your thoughts?

This is most definitely a masterful film conceptually and cinematographically, and it does run very short. Still, I don’t know about you, but I could not appreciate the beauty of the people.

The beauty of the films characters is not illustrated in any conventional way, instead; Guerin’s patient style allows us to conjure our own conscensus on each being. Whether it be spectating how his hands slide over the paper in his drawing book, or how she grips her bag with a fragile vigor. SYLVIA is exactly what I demand of modern Cinema, yet its not afraid to recall cinema’s past through the similarities in narrative it has with Resnais’ Marienbad.

Fantastic film.

I could more than appreciate the beauty of everyone. It’s the glimpses, the one half-second where you see someone who has no idea that you’re looking at them that they show their true beauty. Almost more than any other film I think this one emphasizes that point.

If we’re talking about influence, though… the film shares more than a just a little bit to Rivette, and Rohmer.

Did you find that too? I just recently watched this film as well, and was a little bit reminded of early Rohmer. I think kenji or someone mentioned it, about how it is similar in a way to The Bakery Girl of Monceau? Yes, to Rivette as well, of the beginning chase scene in Celine and Julie.

indeed Kenji was correct. In the City of Sylvia shares some direct references to The Bakery Girl of Monceau, and Celine and Julie Go Boating.

Rivette? Interesting. This calls for a rewatch!

It does indeed!

Added to my watchlist.

This makes a great double bill with Unas fotos en la ciudad de Sylvia (which I personally like even better!).

una de las poquisimas peliculas que pueden compararse con el cine de los grandes maestros; bergman; antonioni; kurosawa; kubrick y bunuel y en especial tarkosvky recibirian al genial catalan con los brazos abiertos en el panteon del cine

This is now available in the US for rent and for streaming on Netfilx. I’d say that is a plus.

heh wonder what ever happened to Col. Dax….

Added to my Netflix queue.

Saw this – and then re-watched. It is a film of allusion and illusion. A man is searching for a woman he met casually six years ago. He becomes obsessed with his image of her, making a diary of drawings and writings. He hangs around a cafe looking for her. Finally, when he thinks he has spotted her, he chases her through the streets of Strasbourg, which become an elaborate maze – with dead ends and repeating characters wandering about.

Although the references to Rivette and Rohmer above are accurate to a point, I think of this film more as a modern day homage by Guerin to Resnais and Last Year at Marienbad. Similar to Marienbad, it is about someone thinking or imagining they have met someone before – is it an illusion or not? This is a more straight-forward treatment – perhaps – but this film has some subtle traps for the unwary – much like Guerin’s other works.

The ciinematography – as in all Guerin’s films – is really the story. It is a film of images and reflections, of nuance and shadow. A film with minimal dialogue and action, where the images and sounds must be followed closely. The careful use of music adds to the atmosphere. Watch the faces carefully. The wind blowing the pages of the man’s diary at the end (an allusion to Parajanov perhaps?) are mirrored in the blowing hair of one of the women we observe from behind. A good example of the more contemplative Spanish school of filmmaking ala Erice.

I really enjoyed this film, although it took until half way to really get into. (I guess I got my bearings at that point) 75/100. Here are some thoughts and questions:

>My short description of the film: a kind of Gen X Contemplative Cinema/Romance. Why Gen X (or Gen Y)? Well, because the character seems like a twenty-something; he seems to be drifting—hanging out at cafes, writing/drawing in his journal, not really knowing what to do next with his life; and looking for romance or female companionship. That describes a lot of my twenties. I also thought of a European version of mumblecore film.

>Here’s a question some may ask about the film—and I think it’s a valid one: why the long takes of streets and buildings or of people looking around, talking or waiting? I’m interested in hearing other thoughts on this, but here’s my take. First, this really creates the mood and flavor of sitting around watching others. It’s quiet, contemplative (when you’re by yourself, as this character was) and can be a bit lonely. The long takes create the same feeling.

>The second reason is that the city is an important character in the film, and I liked the way the film establishes this character. It reminded me of my trips to other cities, especially those with friends that I know. When I travel I like walking around and getting a feel for the city. Gradually, as I become more familiar with the place, I begin feeling a part of the place; it starts feeling like home (well, not quite). I like that feeling and the film does the same thing. By the end, I felt more oriented and more familiar with the actual place—as if I could move around there instinctively.

>What do people think of the meaning and significance of the title? Here are some thoughts: Sylvia is sort of that girl you meet for a short moment and then later can’t stop thinking about—but you don’t know how to get a hold of her. She represents a longing, a hope and an aspiration for a kind of special relationship. The “city” perhaps signifies the world which this hope lives, but also the actual place, too. (Hmm, I’m fumbling.)

>I liked during the penultimate scene where we see the girl’s reflection in the light rail car; and then we see her talking to someone and the car zooms off. I also liked the blond’s hair flowing in the wind (I almost thought that should have been the last shot of the film.)

No, I’d place it very far from mumblecore. The above references make a lot more sense.

I was impressed by how well crafted the visual storytelling is. If you wanted to try to get someone interested in films with little dialog, this would be a good one to start them with.

Well, notice I said, “European version of mumblecore.” Or do you still not like that description? There are some big differences, but I think both deal with characters in similar boat (waiting to figure out what to do with their lives); they’re looking for and/or struggling with romance. But the filmmaking is technically better than most mumblecore films I’ve seen, and there isn’t a lot of dialogue, as you mentioned.

What did make of the title?

If you wanted to try to get someone interested in films with little dialog, this would be a good one to start them with.

Agreed.

I take mumblecore to an embrace of low budget filmmaking that rejects adornment both in the production—no elaborate composition, no complex blocking, and so forth—and in the story and characters. We typically get awkward young adults dealing with awkward relationships and awkward situations in jobs that don’t match their idea of a “career path”. There is no romantic gloss to soften and pretty up this awkwardness. It is presented plain and uncomfortable.

In the city of Sylvia has an appealing sort of romantic gloss. And it is quite far from the utilitarian camera of mumblecore. You are always aware of the camera. In fact, I would like to see In the city of Sylvia discussed in terms of “the male gaze”.

The use of the camera, the sophisticated compositions, etc. are part of the European aspect I referred to. But the film does have some awkward moments (in the train when he realizes she’s not Sylvia; and in the bar when he makes a pass at a woman). We don’t know what career path he’s on or whether it’s the right one, but I got the sense that he’s sort of drifting—which is the same feeling I get about many of the mumblecore characters.

As for romantic gloss, if you mean the visual qualities of the film, I’d agree, as I mentioned earlier, but in terms of the story or actual events in them, I don’t think there’s much romantic gloss. The film leaves us with a wistful, lonely feeling. Compare this film to Aaron Katz’s Quiet City and I think you’ll see the differences aren’t as great.

How about sharing more about what you mean by the “male gaze.” (I agree that there’s definitely an element of this.)

No, we have the romantic drifter here. He’s not stuck in place and floundering like a mumblecore inhabitant. Also, he kicks back and draws in his sketch book while hanging out at a hip café at the music conservatory? It’s nice and glossy. But I also think that gloss is important in yielding the wistful melancholy that you speak of at the end.

If anyone is interested in talking about details of the visual style, I’d be happy to watch this again. But I couldn’t say much without seeing it. Any hope of turning this into a watch and discuss thread?

I don’t think the guy is much different from mumblecore films—except this guy looks like Orlando Bloom, while the mumblecore actors…let’s say don’t look like Orlando Bloom. He’s basically sitting at a coffee house drawing and writing in his journal. That’s a completely a Gen X slacker thing (Gen Y would be typing on a laptop.) Anyway…

Any hope of turning this into a watch and discuss thread?

You mean, trying to get some others to start a more planned discussion? I don’t think so—but I don’t mean to discourage you. If you want to start a discussion, you should.

There are definitely some nice visual moments in the film.

Did this get anyone thinking of VERTIGO? Though I like Jimmy Stewart a lot more than this guy…definitely found the protagonist to come off as a bit too much of a cipher. Really enjoyed a lot of other aspects to the movie though, especially the extras and the real sense of their daily patterns throughout a cityscape with a very nice character to it. Perhaps somewhere between VERTIGO and PLAYTIME, then.

@Ben S.

I didn’t think of Vertlgo or Playtime, but I’m not closed to those possibilities. The guy is sort of obsessed with finding Sylvia , but I think this “obsession” is less dark and sadder or wistful. As for Playtime, the filming of the city in “Sylvia” grounds the viewer in the place, but doesn’t really critique it or modern life. That’s just my impression though. I’m interested in hearing the connections you saw.

VERTIGO: merely shot reverse shot structures of the first extended scene in which Scotty follows Madeleine. I don’t find the characters or their obsessions otherwise very similar.

PLAYTIME: the repetitive physical idiosyncrasies of locals being a part of the landscape of a city, and the way that different areas (blocks, squares, spaces, with different buildings, landmarks, and lighting moods) have different character. I didn’t mean to imply any connection to Tati’s (admittedly playful) critique of modernization, but there was some very deadpan humor in these patterns that emerged from performances collaborating with the spaces, though nothing approaching the broader comedic intentions of PLAYTIME.

I recently watched Rohmer’s The Bakery Girl of Monceau. I didn’t realize the connection between the two films, but I’m wondering if the connection is something significant or if this film is just a nod to the older one. Anyone?