THE SERVANT #5: International Films that are Unavailable in the United States
It’s an honor to be a part of Issue №5 of the film zine THE SERVANT, published by Beyond Video in Baltimore! You can also pick up a copy at Vidéothèque video store in Pasadena! I wrote about some of the great international films that are still unavailable to own on physical media in the United States. Hopefully you have a local video store that carries them, or you can try to buy them online. I recommend them all!
“In many ways, we currently live in a golden age of access to cinema. Streaming sites provide easy access to many films and TV shows, and for older and more obscure titles, boutique physical media labels from Shout Factory to Vinegar Syndrome are releasing more and more every day. But still, there are many films that have fallen through the cracks, and remain frustratingly unavailable. This is especially true for international films that play festivals worldwide, but fail to find a US distributor and only get a physical release in their home country. Every year acclaimed new films premiere at Cannes or Sundance, but without proper distribution, they can easily disappear from public memory. Here are six films of many that deserve accessibility in the United States, so that a wider audience can appreciate their brilliance. Hopefully you have a video store like Beyond Video (Baltimore) or Videotheque (Pasadena) near you that stocks these titles, and with a Region Free player, you can enjoy them too.
The Bears Famous Invasion of Sicily (2019)
This wonderful animated fantasy by Lorenzo Mattotti, based on the beloved Italian children’s book by Dino Buzzati, tells the story of the king of the bears invades the land of men when his young son is kidnapped. Brought to life in gorgeous 2D animation straight out of a child’s imagination, this magical fable debuted at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival to great acclaim, and has played multiple film festivals in the US, but still has not had a theatrical release. The only physical release has been in Italy (without English subtitles) and Canada (with English subtitles).
Maeve (1981)
Many films about “The Troubles” in Northern Ireland have been made after the violence ended, but this 1981 drama was filmed right in the thick of it, telling the story of a young woman who has moved to London to get away from the endless bloodshed and political extremism. Director Pat Murphy went on to make the James Joyce & Nora Barnacle biopic “Nora,” but for decades her debut film was unavailable, until the BFI put out a terrific BluRay last year. We can only hope someone like Kino Lorber brings it to the US. On top of that, there’s still no physical release of Murphy’s second film “Anne Devlin” from 1984.
Stieg Larsson: The Man Who Played With Fire (2018)
“The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo” and it’s sequels are a global phenomenon, with 5 movies and counting. But sadly, author Stieg Larsson died of a heart attack before the books were even published. This documentary by Henrik Georgsson looks at Larsson’s life, specifically on his career before writing novels, as a journalist investigating neo-nazi groups in Sweden. You’d think that Larsson’s fame would make a documentary about him very popular, but alas, after a Sundance premiere, the film is not available in the US, but you can get a DVD from Australia’s Madman Films.
Fugue (2018)
One of the best debut films of recent years was Agnieszka Smoczynska’s “The Lure,” a dark fantasy musical about mermaids working in a Polish nightclub. It was bold, brilliant, and ended up in the Criterion Collection. Smoczynska’s second film “Fugue” is a much more subdued drama, about a woman who loses her memory and struggles to reconnect with her husband and son, but it’s still a complex, fascinating character study. Sadly, this film did not get the Criterion blessing. It did play briefly on the MUBI streaming service, but if you want to own it, you’ll have to shill out for a Polish DVD.
Bait (2019)
One of the best independent British films of the last few years, “Bait” is a sharply drawn & deeply felt drama about a small fishing town where the locals are being forced out by wealthy new arrivals. Shot on black and white 16mm film, with the dialogue dubbed in post-production, it has a fresh and unique feel, along with terrific naturalistic performances. Despite being BAFTA nominated, this never got a US release. Thankfully there’s a UK BluRay from the BFI with special features. Hopefully director Mark Jenkin’s next film gets a bigger release.
Window Horses (2016)
Truly independent animation, from the likes of Bill Plympton or Don Hertzfeldt, is so rare that it should be cherished and championed. Anne Marie Fleming’s animated feature about a Canadian girl of Chinese and Iranian descent who travels to Iran for the first time for a poetry competition feels handcrafted in every frame, but that makes the emotional story hit even harder, and the great Canadian actress Sandra Oh is excellent in the lead role. This is a curious example, since you can actually rent it online on Amazon. However, there is no physical media release at all, even in Canada. While I’m happy it’s available to stream, unlike the other films on this list, the fact that it could disappear from Amazon any day, leaving no other way to watch the film, terrifies me.”
