BLANCANIEVES (2012) - ♦♦♦♦♦

Directed by - Paul Berger

Written by - Paul Berger

Starring - Maribel Verdu, Emilio Gavira, Daniel Giménez Gacho

"At a time when silent film seemed to have reached a new peak of popularity and been a direct influence in modern times arthouse cinema, Blancanieves was released just a short while after the success of The Artist had swept cinema off its feet. The two seem to convey each other in modernising the popular narratives of the Hollywood of the early silent cinema days, and this is a film that mixes melodrama with action and even draws inspiration from a popular tale – the one, of course, of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Here, the titular character is a female bullfighter in Spain in the twenties. 

Blancanieves is quite an achievement. For starters, it is a flawless blend of the modern and fashionable appeal of silent cinema, which used cinematography and art direction to the fullest in achieving a type of atmosphere and magnetism that could be appreciated by a modern audience not necessarily familiar with the language of silent films. At the same time, filmmaker Berger is careful not to overdo the modernism and retains techniques and camera motions that seem to be part of a time long past. 

The narrative is also a little more challenging and intelligent than the admittedly more successful film by Hazanavicious, a comparison that this film will never be able to avoid. This, however, makes it slightly more impressive and offers a more engaging and unique connection with the audience. 

Aside from the visual beauty of the film and the glamour of the costumes, one must also note the delicate handling of the controversial bullfighting element, one that in real life and in modern times is thankfully popularly denounced by the vast majority of people. Here, its violence is not sugar coated, but largely depicted as the source of betrayal, tragedy and overall negativity."

Drama, Spain/Belgium/France