There have been multiple movies that touched on topics like schizophrenia or multiple personality disorder, such as A Beautiful Mind (2001) and, more recently, Split (2017). However, in the art-film Manifesto (2015), Cate Blanchett’s character doesn’t suffer from any mental disorder. Rather, the actress convincingly portrays 13 extremely distinct, and sometimes conflicting, characters in just one 90 minute film. The characters range from a heavily-bearded homeless man, a surrealist puppeteer and a prim and proper elementary school teacher. What’s more astounding, is that the whole film was filmed in just 12 days. Usually, performers would require weeks, if not months, to successfully switch between and embody the nuances of a character’s personality. This display of her talent, versatility and expertise makes it no surprise that Blanchett was recently elected as the new president of the jury for this year’s Cannes Film Festival.
The art-history inspired film – written, produced and directed by German artist/film-maker Julian Rosefeldt – was initially meant to be a multi-screen film, with all 13 non-linear episodes (each featuring one character) playing simultaneously while viewers walk through the exhibition at their own pace. The film resurfaced at the 2017 Sundance Festival, as a 90-minute film version and continued to receive high acclaims from critics.
Written as a series of monologues, Blanchett’s lines are a collage of quotes from 20th-century art and political manifestos, such as excerpts from the Dada Manifesto by Tristan Tzara and The Communist Manifesto by Karl Marx and Fredrick Engels. We know, it sounds very heavy and intimidating but fret not. The scenes are ingeniously situated in the perfect settings – as part of a tv news report or while saying grace at the dining table – which make the film, surprisingly, humorous.
Unfortunately, we are not even sure if the art-film would be released in Singapore theatres but if you ever get the chance, don’t hesitate to catch this one-of-a-kind art piece. Even if you aren’t a film buff, you’ll still be thoroughly amazed by Blanchett’s extraordinary performance.
Header image: Chapter Film
Images: IMDb
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