Haar, 2023.
Directed by Ben Hecking.
Starring Kate Kennedy, Balász Czukor, Fehinti Balogun, Jack Morris, Claudia Jolly, Éva Magyar, Maddie Rice, Will Brown, Grace Chilton and Ágota Dunai.
SYNOPSIS:
While stranded on location in Budapest, Hungary, Jef, a busy film production manager, contemplates her life, relationships and memories.
Shot entirely on Super 8, Haar has a dreamy appearance about it. This is well in keeping with the magical nature of the work which delves into its central character’s memories to try and uncover her motivations and identity. Haar is an old word for a cold wet sea fog, and it perfectly describes the nature of old memories that can prove extremely difficult to get a handle on.
Director and writer Hecking imbues his work with a European New Wave style, a tone that is beautifully reinforced by the strains of Jacques Brel singing ‘Jef’ on the closing credits.
Jef (Kate Kennedy), a production manager stranded in Budapest, Hungary is clearing up after a shoot for a TV show. There is an air of anxiety about whether the show will get a second season, or be cancelled. Jef has worked in film for a decade, and takes a no-nonsense approach to getting things done. While going from place to place tying up loose ends she receives a devastating phone call that will shape and reshape her view of the world.
Kennedy is a stand out actor here, carrying the film throughout its runtime. The character of Jef is not easy to sympathise with at first, but as the intricacies of her thought processes and challenges are revealed, her actions become more understandable. Past and present relationships with lovers are given plenty of attention. In one case, a mutual masturbation scene conducted on face-time offers a funny-sad view of remote relationships. Another evocative moment with an ex reveals just how self-serving Jet could be.
The co-lead in Haar could be said to be the city of Budapest itself. Driven around by Balász Czukor’s amiable chauffeur, we see lovely shot after shot of Hungary’s charming capital. Tellingly the haar of Jef’s memories is from somewhere else more personal, but this link between location and person is made beautifully.
Without giving away too much, Haar is a play of two halves; before the news, and after. Jef receives a phone call with this news and finds herself sifting through memories to find out what she wants, and who she is. The film brilliantly shows how vulnerable we all are, how life can alter in a single moment, from something we thought we knew into something completely different.
Imaginative, subtle and psychologically sophisticated, Haar is a compelling watch and fully deserving of distribution.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert W Monk
