CANNES 2021: Babi Yar. Context
CANNES 2021Sergey Loznitsa follows up his mesmerising Soviet documentary State Funeral with a sister documentary that follows a similar thematic vein but marks a seismic poignancy in the discussion of the genocide of over 30,000 Jews by the Nazi's in World War II.
Granted, while the linage line from State Funeral to Babi Yar. Context is clear and thematically connected, the latter is a much darker and complicated watch. Any such film that incorporates the type of harrowing discussion as Loznitsa's film does will be a dark and often disturbing experience. Nevertheless, Loznitsa's film, if it is even possible, further expresses an even more depressive, harrowing, and much-needed expression of the events that occurred.
Loznitsa achieves such by incorporating found footage and photographs from the era and looping in faux sounds and audio to curate as close as to the real-life experience as possible. This technique crafts an immersive atmosphere and curated tension that is leading to the inevitable. Crowds gather, listening to vile xenophobic rhetoric; shops are destroyed, people run out of time, often kicked, punched, spat on. All these moments spread out through different countries and towns showcase the terror and indoctrination of the Nazi regime.
Loznitsa’s film does an outstanding and incredibly tough job of showcasing this dark aspect of history in astonishingly enriching detail. Often enough, it becomes quite overwhelming and too vile to even stomach with such painful imagery and verbal discussion, but these are elements that are needed to be as dark and challenging to discuss. Furthermore, these moments brought on-screen cannot help but feel like breadcrumbs for what Loznitsa wants to truly deliver in the last half hour or so of his film, of which are real-life depositions of victims and survivors of the Nazi's genocide. To say these moments are uneasy and tough to watch are a clear as ever understatement. To hear these stories recited, word for word in elongated detail, is devastating to witness.
All in all, Babi Yar. Context is a painful and harrowing watch from start to finish. Not at one stage does Loznitsa undermine, understate or regulate the truth and experience of these people's stories. Babi Yar, Context explores this story in the utmost respect and dignity, and one that will stay with the audience for years to come.
