I dare you not to lose track of reality when Watching The Death of Cinema And My Father Too. This is as meta a film as they come as reality, film and a film version of reality crash together.
The film started when director Dani Rosenberg was going to make a film with his father about his fleeing with his family from an attack. However before they could start film his father was diagnosed with terminal cancer. As he struggles to adjust the script his father slips further away. As he struggles to make the film things begin to shift as an actor is brought in to play his father and the film becomes less about the intended subject and more about Rosenberg, his father and their family.
This is a slice of life and an examination of cinema as well as a meditation on the nature of reality and a few more things. This little head trip is a compelling film. Its compelling because not only are we pulled into the film by its many levels and we, intially, want to see how they all come together but after a while we stop being interested in the trik and we just want to hangout with the characters. We begin to care about their stories on multiple levels and it keeps us engages.
In making such a layered film Rosenberg has pulled off a hell of a trick. One would be hard pressed to think this was his first feature since the complexity is not something you see in a first time lng form director. Once I stopped thinking about the characters I found I was impressed by the highwire act.
This is a great film and the sort of film that is a reason why I love the New York Jewish FIlm Festival
THe film plays virtually January 13. For more information go here
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