I don’t often get to watch films twice, there is always another film to watch, the next review to write, and two children to chase. This week though, no matter how busy I am, I will make an exception and once again immerse myself in the French film Farewell (Tonight at 8.30pm).
I don’t often get to watch films twice, there is always another film to watch, the next review to write, and two children to chase. This week though, no matter how busy I am, I will make an exception and once again immerse myself in the French film Farewell (Tonight at 8.30pm).
Directed by Christian Carion (Joyeux Noel), Farewell tells the remarkable true story of KGB Colonel Grigoriev, who believes he can reform Russia in the early 80s. Disillusioned by Communism under Brezhnev, he leaks top secret information about a large Russian industrial-espionage network working in the West to the French government. In turn, French President Francois Mitterrand shares this information with President Regan, and collectively they shut down Russia’s intelligence supply, contributing to the dissolution of the Soviet Union a decade later.
There’s plenty of suspense in this fascinating spy drama, regarded as last year’s The Lives of Others, and none of it requires the far fetched action antics of other spy franchises such as James Bond or Jason Bourne. It’s a more realistic portrayal of life as a spy; as well as covering the historical events the film looks at the personal cost of Grigoriev’s actions on his family, and that of his French contact, the young and bumbling engineer Pierre Froment.
Carion had hoped to find a Russian actor to play the role of Grigoriev, but after one Russian actor was pressured to pull out of the project it became clear they wouldn’t find another willing to take on this traitorous role. Six weeks before shooting began they found Serbian director and actor Emir Kusturica, who took on the part. There were more difficulties to solve, such as being denied permission to shoot in Moscow. Carion got around this problem by shooting some beautiful images of Moscow while working on a commercial for Coca Cola, and the rest of the film was convincingly shot on location in the Ukraine and Finland.
Also this week is episode 2 of Iconoclasts (Wednesday 9th November, 8.30pm) our Sundance Channel documentary series that brings together two artists to talk about their lives and careers. This week we venture to Grammy Award winning Lenny Kravitz’s home and studio in the Bahamas, where he hangs with good mate and award winning Producer/Director Lee Daniels (Precious).
Enjoy.