Inspired by the writings of Anatole France and the myth of Lilith, this Latvian feature tells three stories, set in the 17th, 19th, and 20th centuries, about artists undone by mysterious temptresses. Director Yevgeny Pashkevich seems to be going for a dreamlike tone, filling the frames with symbolic imagery and providing little explanation for many of the narrative developments. The result is ponderous and obscure—it feels like hearing someone describe a dream rather than experiencing one. Even the erotic imagery is dull, failing to convey the mad passion the characters prattle on about. In Russian with subtitles.
Gulf Stream Under the Iceberg
2 hours • 2013