IFFR 2021 - Gritt
IFFRHow does an artist invoke emotion into their craft? When their work is stale and predictable, drastic measures must be taken. Surely, then, Gritt, from director Itonje Søimer Guttormsen, must follow suit? Following a struggling artist looking for that one inkling of quality, the idea that will elevate them to the next level of their craft, Birgitte Larsen plays the titular character up as a mixed bag of troubles. Caring at one moment, cold the next, this mixture makes for an interesting and odd character, one that is not entirely devoid of good or bad emotions. All of this mixed together makes for a difficult, but compelling feature that has more than a handful of stand-out moments.
Guttormsen’s direction is the obvious lead here. Compelling stories are cluttered throughout this narrative, but the various styles employed here make for a refreshing, varied utilisation of camera angles, lighting, and brief moments of respite. A faux documentary style is utilised most of all, the character is natural in their position on screen and how they interact with those around them. Nothing about them feels as if they are deterred or embarrassed by the presence of a camera.
Integral to this feeling throughout is Larsen, who offers a decent performance that relies on those around her, rather than on her own abilities. This is a problem for the narrative to work on, rather than Larsen, who merely comes across others as though they were part of the scenery. Relaying her life story in pockets, Gritt showcases a spiralling artist. Desperation is evident, moments that claw for that ever-desired natural feeling work well. It is the small details here that work best of all. Larsen draws blanks, blags her way through interviews and conversations with strangers that she must impress, and these early seeds of fabulist narrative styles are integral to the pacing and message found within Gritt.
Gritt doesn’t have much clarity, and it shuffles from scene to scene without any clear or convincing narrative path, but that is indeed the beauty of this piece. That relatively unknowing, underlying tension is utilised thoroughly well, and when paired with the strong soundtrack and musical cues that come with such intensity, it is no surprise that Gritt is a rewarding experience on the whole, even if it doesn’t manage to display its strongest themes with clear vision at its heart.