Channeling the French approach of having a female protagonist and focusing almost exclusively on her, as seen in films like “Blue is the Warmest Color” and “L'evenement”, Elena Naveriani turns the whole thing on its head, by having a middle-aged, plain-looking woman as her protagonist instead of a gorgeous young woman. Her approach is both refreshing and functions as a kind of meaningful irony regarding cinema standards, in a script based on a 2020 novel by feminist author Tamta Melashvili.
Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry is screening at Osaka Asian Film Festival
One morning, a 48-year-old shopkeeper named Etero is out foraging wild blackberries near her small Georgian village when the sighting of a blackbird causes her to slip and fall down a ravine. Her near-death experience has her seeing various instances of herself dead, but also makes her contemplate her life, and particularly her single status, despite the fact that she was happy with it until now. Suddenly, the comments of her married friends and neighbors start hitting home, and in the spur of the moment, she decides to have sex with Murman, a married deliveryman bringing an order in from a nearby town. Expectedly, the deed brings a number of changes in her life.
Granted, films about the sex life of 48-year-olds are not exactly plentiful in cinema, and even when they do, the women look like Monica Bellucci in her 48. This time, however, Elena Naveriani focuses on a rather ‘normal' looking woman, even moving a step forward, by having her repeatedly appear in sex scenes or just plainly naked, in a choice that appears both utterly realistic and as an act defiance towards the standards of beauty in cinema. That the same treatment also concerns Murman, cements this approach in the most impactful fashion.
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Apart from this, Naveriani makes a comment about the place of women in (Georgian) society, with the smug comments Etero receives from her friends regarding her single status, and the fact they never suspect that she could have an affair, highlighting them clearly. The fact that a near-death experience makes the protagonist change her mentality could also be perceived as a philosophical comment regarding what makes people really change, but in the end, this remains just as a footnote.
Apart from the context, however, “Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry” remains a love story at its base, with the back and forths between the two and their adorable flirting being the most entertaining aspect of the movie. Don't expect the Hollywood approach to romantic films, as Naveriani keeps her narrative grounded to reality until the end, which is, however, ambiguous, since the whole thing could be perceived as a punishment for a woman who dared dream of a different (erotic) life.
With the camera focusing intently on the protagonist, Eka Chavleishvili's acting emerges as a crucial factor regarding the quality of the film, and it is easy to say that she passes the test with flying colors. Her somewhat laconic demeanor still has her feelings and thoughts being quite evident, while scenes such as the one with the story regarding her ‘suitor' as much as her reaction during and after the doctor will definitely stay on the mind of any viewer.
DP Agnesh Pakozdi keeps the camera focused on the protagonist, while her overall approach is definitely characterized by realism and a no-punches-pulled ‘attitude' that becomes particularly evident during the nude scenes. Aurora Franco Vögeli's editing retains a relatively slow pace, on par with arthouse films.
“Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry” is both a good and an important movie, with the latter aspect, particularly considering the protagonist and her story, being what makes the film truly special.
