TIFF 2020: In Between Dying
tiff 2020Hilal Baydarov's In Between Dying is the definition of a morbid existential crisis put to screen. A searching and blunt approach that, with minimal dialogue, speaks a thousand words in a compelling, enriching tale.
In a mixture between the thematic endeavours of Roy Anderson and Andrei Tarkovsky, In Between Dying is a thought-provoking character study of death. Centred through the character of Davud, played by Orkhan Iskandarli, the film explores a fateful character arc that in every single moment is engulfed by the shadow of death. It may sound morbidly grave for an audience, and it would be hard-pressed to argue against such a statement.
Nevertheless, how director Baydarov approaches said sentiment is the crowning glory of In Between Dying. There is a balance between harrowing poignancy and farcical undertones. A delicate balance in fact, but one that rhymes in perfect bittersweet harmony. A yin and yang evolution that with every silver lining comes to the bleak reality of life. Rinse and repeat.
Baydarov's film explores this harmony to utter ghoulish perfection. Each developing circumstance that Iskandarli's Davud encounters offers a brooding mood of unpredictability with superb imagery, yet the inevitable bleak darkness creeps in. The pacing and mood, as well as Iskandarli's performance, are a perfect combination that elevates this often silent material into something quite extraordinary.
Iskandarli's performance is more or less stunning, but it is a role that primarily is utilised as a voiceover. The physicality and visual performance is undeniably potent but it is a film that progresses through its themes, with Iskandarli being an integral instigator of convicting on these melodies for the audience to be immersed. That being said, the problem that usually arises with a narration, and what affects Baydarov's film, is an over-dependence on exposition. The stunning imagery and plot do such a magnificent job of being evocative and having a sense of brooding mood for the narration to verbally reinforce the themes of the film, of which feels unneeded and excessive.
The cinematography from Elshan Abbasov looks incredible throughout. The framing, usually depicted as if it is hiding and witnessing these events, is a small but a subtle implementation that evokes a sense of helplessness. The vast landscape of the image looks utterly spellbinding with a terrific sense of setting utilised in a daunting openness. Both factors reinforce the unsettling element of the unknown and an evocative sense of beauty and anxiety.
Hilal Baydarov's In Between Dying is an enigmatic but also an arcane approach that is convicted of a dreamlike scape. A consistent and somewhat constant use of narration by lead actor Iskandarli overextends the brooding nature into on the nose description, but with a terrific balance of tone and exploration of morality, Baydarov's feature is an astounding piece of cinema.
