#4 A BREEZE OF CHANGE
05/09/2006
As the Shadowis the portrait of a thirty-year-old single woman, Claudia, in the superbly photographed concrete jungle that is Milan. As a typical member of the consumers' society (that is, of a society where everything has already been consumed —in fact, Claudia does not take pleasure in eating or drinking, and has passion-less relationships), she is blasé, fairly narrow-minded, and expects nothing ("what on earth could happen?!" she says). In the beginning of the film, her daily routine is depicted in a infinitely subtle way, and with a realism enhanced by the way the images are framed —there is always something in the foreground through or behind which we can see her insignificant life unfold.
Olga represents what Claudia fears most, although she works, ironically, in a travel agency: change —she is indeed not open to novelty, as reveals her saying that Olga is "nice" because "she minds her own business". Yet, this refreshing character breaks Claudia's boundaries, not only by getting her to do —reluctantly— new things but also by voicing (through a song) something Claudia probably never realised before: her loneliness. In comparison to Olga's all-encompassing enthusiasm, Claudia's ideas seem all based on clichés (a girl dresses up to pick up guys, one has to look forward to going on holidays, finding work is difficult), an utterly banal way of seeing things Olga even makes fun of by describing, in joke, a postcard Ukraine.
Although Olga has only been here for a few days, her disappearance gives Claudia something to look for. However imperceptibly, her life is changed —in a discreet way which can remind us once again of James Joyce's Dubliners, a discretion underlined by Olga's last wish "to be forgotten". Marina Spada delivers here, with admirable integrity and a minimalism which in fact indicates a complete mastery of her subject, a splendid moodpiece which truly moved the Venice audience.
What inspired you the character of Claudia?
I did not particularly think of other films. Claudia is a modern woman like many others I know —my intention to focus on her condition also explains why men are completely absent from the film. What I am depicting here is normality. Thus, when Olga asks Claudia if she wants a family, the latter answers "Of course, like anyboby else" but she does not intend to do anything about it, she is just "waiting". At some point, I realised that this was in fact a crucial dialogue in the film.
Why did you choose to represent change by means of an eastern girl?
Because my heart beats in the East. My generation has been fascinated either by America or by the search for a ideal that Eastern Europe represented during the Cold War. I like that Olga is an "alien", that she truly enjoys life, as shows the way she dresses and carries herself —in complete contrast with Claudia's "invisibility".
How did you direct the actresses to obtain these outstanding performances?
We cut and cut and cut again —which is more difficult to do than adding things.
What is the question journalists have asked more?
How much the film cost! And I refuse to answer such a question: value has nothing to do with cost!
Bénédicte Prot (Cineuropa)
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