Richard Linklater's "Blue Moon" at the 16th American Film Festival
We could start like this: “a new film by a brilliant director, starring a galaxy of Hollywood icons!.” And while that would be entirely true, this year we’re choosing a warmer, more neighborly way of telling the story.
Since the festival’s visual identity beats to the rhythm of North American suburbia, we’re gathering the filmmakers whose works (or performances) you’ll see at AFF (November 6–11) in our dream neighborhood as part of the Next Door Neighbor* series. To get things started, we’re dropping by Richard Linklater’s house — where you’ll find two of his newest films, Blue Moon and Nouvelle Vague, alongside the cult classic SubUrbia.
There are many ways into North American suburbia, but the best way is simple: grab a festival pass, or secure your media or industry accreditation.
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America in a nutshell (or in your driveway)
A house, a garage, a driveway with one car (or better yet, two), and a neatly trimmed lawn out front. Copy and paste. The American suburb is one of the country’s most recognizable symbols — a sign of order and prosperity, but also predictability and constricting social norms. A paradoxical stronghold: seemingly tight-knit, yet profoundly individualistic. No wonder American filmmakers have turned their cameras on suburbia for decades—among them today’s featured director, Richard Linklater. His SubUrbia (1996) is a distinctly ’90s ode to hanging out, buzzing with undercurrents of both freedom and dread—maybe the purest screen version of those nights when “the boys head out.” In the suburbs it’s never exactly bad, but it’s never quite good enough—something you’ll see for yourselves in this rediscovered gem at the AFF.
Next Door Neighbor: Richard Linklater
Everything seems in its place: shelves lined with Americana, the Stars and Stripes waving outside. But peek into the bookcase and the impressive DVD collection, and you’ll see that this neighbor is far from “just another American guy.” Linklater is suburbia’s erudite: revisiting and reshaping American myths (Boyhood), deftly playing with genre (Hit Man), while nurturing an enduring love affair with Europe (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight). In his newest film Nouvelle Vague (screened this summer at New Horizons), he sends a love letter to Godard and the French generation that revolutionized cinema—just a preview of what awaits at AFF.
Blue Moon – that jazz!
Premiering in Poland at AFF, Blue Moon is further proof of Linklater’s boundless range—and, most of all, his pitch-perfect ear for dialogue (and monologues, too).
The early 1940s—the world is consumed by war, but in New York, the golden age of jazz is in full swing. The radio plays My Funny Valentine, Manhattan, and the title track Blue Moon—timeless classics of American songwriting penned by Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers. In Linklater's bittersweet story, they are played by Ethan Hawke—in perhaps his best (and certainly one of the most demanding) roles—alongside Andrew Scott, winner of the Silver Bear in Berlin. Together they form a remarkable duo, joined by Margaret Qualley in a luminous turn. During one night in a hotel bar, we witness a clash of different views on art, the beauty of artistic partnership, and the hell of male rivalry. Blue Moon not only adds to New York mythology, but also continues Linklater's reflections on boyhood, boyishness, and different shades of masculinity. The film also dares to ask: can we truly separate the art from the artist, whose life is not always orderly or admirable? (description: Adam Kruk, translation: Barbara Feliga)
The 16th American Film Festival takes place November 6–11 at New Horizons Cinema in Wrocław. The full program will be revealed October 21, with single tickets on sale starting October 23.
*For the record: this isn’t a separate section of the program — just the communications team having a little fun with a promo cycle.
