99 MOONS

Switzerland, 2022, 110 minutes, Colour.

Valentina D Pace, Dominik Fellmann, Danny Exnar.

Directed by Jan Gassmann..

A blogger wisely remarked that this film will get more favourable responses from film critics than from the average audience.

The 99 moons of the title indicates period of time over which the action takes place, 99 months, over 8 years…

In terms of plot, this is a story about a man and woman and the relationship, varying degrees, intensity, on-off, absences, encounter after a long time.

The writer-director has noted that this film came after his own personal experiences. At the beginning, it is a sex, sexual story, moving more into some personal encounters, touches of friendship, all the while erotic, but then it develops into relationship, some love, but the two people having completely different worlds and so separation.

While this is a film about a relationship and sexuality, it is also a story about power and influence. In fact, as the film begins, it is the woman who has the power. She is confident in her work, in disaster management and science at a world level. She hires men for violent and brief sexual encounters, his being masked, rough, and then she abruptly leaves. Later she encounters the man who works in a bar, serves is one socials. The same activity but it has more than effect on him than on her.

With the sexual beginnings, there is some kind of intimacy, some possibilities of friendship, he having the more needs – but her giving up an overseas appointment to be with him.

One of the difficulties for many audiences is that the two characters are quite unsympathetic, difficult to identify with.

And, so, the various moons pass. She continues her career but he finds a new life, active, out in the forest, working with his hands, some kind of fulfilment. Whether this means the relationship cannot last, it doesn’t.

The film focuses on the woman, her work, her colleagues, her competence, her marriage to one of the executives, the celebration – and the man appearing as a waiter. She makes contact, discovers he is married with a child, continuing his work with his hands.

And so, the question, will they meet again, make the sexual contact? They do – and the question of whether this is something of a new beginning or, more probably, it is the end.

The cinematography is very dark times, too dark – perhaps not enough moonlight!