WATCH AUT’S AUSTRIAN FESTIVAL’S FIRST FILM –“ PEACOCK”  PROVES AN ENGROSSING, ENTERTAINING SUCCESS. FESTIVAL RUNS FROM 13 – 16TH MARCH SO BE QUICK TO SEE SOME FILMS AS TIME IS AT A PREMIUM.

At Cine Lumiere and the ICA, book to see one of a series of films including carefully selected London Premieres at www.institut-francais.org.uk and www.ica.art. The selection includes “Mehrunisa” an Asian human interest movie which is a premiere in London and all the others are Austrianinfluenced dramas, some dark and foreboding but genuinely gripping and vital.

Now to “Peacock” – written by Bernard Wenger who worked interactively during the filming process. This film has already been shown in Venice and Glasgow and follows the story of an Adonis – like protagonist who works as a rental personality to fill gaps in professional’s lives.  Inspired by a story of such rentals currently in Japan, Wenger has woven delightful and sometimes upsetting scenes and stories of the encounters and dramas of Matthias but with the ultimate communication as comedy and revelations about the funny, bruising and also hilarious dramas  he encounters as he copes with his agency and the characters he meets. Bernard sees the film mainly as a comedy appertaining to the genre of satire.

Our protagonist is a passive character and in what way is he lost? In the end we are shown a “crescendo” scene to the plot and Bernard – liking to leave his plots open, we wonder and make our own ideas about how the Adonis’s future unfolds. The strong film team  includes Albrecht  Schuch, Julia Franz Richter, Anton Noori, Theresa Frostad Eggsbo and SalkerWeber.

When Bernard Wenger writes, he thinks visually.  Awesomely, the shooting days were only 29, and the whole cast was around 90. Scouting locations included looking around 40 houses in and around Vienna, narrowing that down to eight, and then choosing one especially good for night shots. The story is filmed using multiple locations. 

Bernard has already got an idea for a series and two more features having made some shorts previously. His influences for “Peacock” include Bunuel.  The scenes for the shoots encompass open spaces, and there IS a peacock in the story plus one or two very surprising and engrossing dalliances featuring more than one dog.   Bernard notes that the big subject matters of the cinema are love and death. He also particularly likes to focus on break ups which can often leave an audience quizzing themselves on if and when people will get back together again or move on. Nudity features in the story but it is entirely tasteful in my opinion and adds to the drama and plot development to enrich the story including one particular scene but no more “spoilers” on that point. Bernard noted that on all his films he has worked with a firm friend who is skilled in editing.  The result is to be seen when you can.  ENJOY Penny Nair Price