Every five to seven years, the Malagasy people in Madagascar participate in a ritual called the Famidihana, or “the turning of the bones,” which involves removing deceased relatives from their respective family crypts and replacing their burial shrouds — usually a lamba — with fresh ones just before dawn. After the deceased are given a makeover, lavish parties filled with dancing, drinking and eating are thrown in their honor and usually go on until the late afternoon.
“VATA” is screening at Skip City International D-Cinema Festival
And just before sunset, the remains of the deceased are returned to the family crypts, usually in a different position than they were in before, to “make them feel more comfortable” until the next Famidihana ritual. (source: travellersworldwide.com). Takeshi Kamei, during his previous movie, “Guitar Madagascar” witnessed the custom and the whole concept of the bone carriers, and decided to make a movie based on them.
The story begins in a small village in southeastern Madagascar, where an elder gathers a group of men and tells them that it is time to bring the remains of Nirina, a young girl who died in another location where she had gone to work, back to the village. Tantely, her elder brother, and three more begin their journey across the island, but during their return, things take a turn for the very strange.
Takeshi Kamei’s film has a unique style, which incorporates elements of documentary, fiction, road movie and much music, while eventually adding an intense ritualistic aspect. As usually in road movies, the approach is episodic, with the smoking peddler, the butchering of an animal, and what follows the appearance of the three hooded men being some of the events the story revolves around. At the same time though, the presentation of the country and its culture and customs is equally intense, essentially giving the movie a folkloric hypostasis that works quite well for the narrative. This element benefits the most by the excellent cinematography, which captures a number of unique locations with artistry and gusto, with the long shots occasionally being breathtaking, as much as the night scenes.
At the same time, this approach also leads to a film that looks much like a National Geographic doc on occasion, in its significant “tour guide” aspect, to the point that it becomes a bit dull and difficult to follow after a fashion. Kamei, however, realizes this fact right when it is about to become a true nuisance, and changes the style to intensely ritualistic, with the appearance of the three hooded men and the events that follow during the night, including the music, the appearance of ghosts and other beings not from reality, being the highlight of the whole movie. The cinematography also finds its apogee in these segments, as much as the editing, in a rather impressive sequence.
“VATA” is not an easy film to watch, and a knack for the particular style of music, which is actually heard throughout, and for travelog-style of films is a necessity here. However, the cinematography, the presentation of this rather unknown custom and the last segment compensate to a significant degree, making the movie one that deserves a watch.
