What does it mean to be human in a world that is as dark as it is comedic? There is no one more qualified to ponder the mysteries of imperfect existence than the great filmmaker, Roy Andersson. All of his films speak to the banality of life, while never giving up on the prospect that something more could be lingering just under the surface.
The details and depth of his latest film, “About Endlessness,” carry on the missions that seemed completed as the “Living Trilogy” finally came to fruition. After all, Andersson himself must have pondered how to follow up the perfect symmetry of “A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence.” That film not only cemented his place as one of the best European filmmakers but gave him the coveted Venice Film Festival’s Golden Lion in 2014. Yet, here he is again with another reflective ‘branch’ of contemplation to be explored. It all sits there waiting for those curious and courageous enough to handle the director’s signature style.
READ MORE: 2019 Venice Film Festival Preview: 15 Must-See Movies
Here’s the film’s synopsis:
With ABOUT ENDLESSNESS, Roy Andersson adds to his cinematic oeuvre with a reflection on human life in all its beauty and cruelty, its splendour and banality. We wander, dreamlike, gently guided by our Scheherazade-esque narrator. Inconsequential moments take on the same significance as historical events: a couple floats over a war-torn Cologne; on the way to a birthday party, a father stops to tie his daughter’s shoelaces in the pouring rain; teenage girls dance outside a cafe; a defeated army marches to a prisoner of war camp. Simultaneously an ode and a lament, ABOUT ENDLESSNESS presents a kaleidoscope of all that is eternally human, an infinite story of the vulnerability of existence.
The new film, which is a featured presentation at both the Venice Film Festival and Toronto International Film Festival, stars Tatiana Delaunay and Martin Serner. Watch the first trailer for “About Endlessness” below: