Jornal da Mostra
Vitus
Nº 398 > 29ª Mostra > 15/02/2006
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Leon Cakoff, de Berlim, para o ‘Jornal da Mostra’
Edição:
Renata de Almeida e Leon Cakoff
Edição:
Renata de Almeida e Leon Cakoff
A dramatic comedy, `Vitus`, with Bruno Ganz, delights audiences at the festival
The dramatic comedy, "Vitus", by Swiss director Fredi M. Murer, with Bruno Ganz in the seductive role of an eccentric grandfather, was the most delightful surprise in the first half of the 56th Berlin Film Festival - not in competition as the film should have been, but part o a parallel - Panorama. The public session with Bruno Ganz, who interrupted rehearsing for a theater play in Munich, shows how the Swiss actor is beloved of the German public since his remarkable performance in "Asas do Desejo/ Wings of Desire", by Wim Wenders and, more recently, as Hitler in "A Queda/ Downfall".Stirring applause for Bruno Ganz was followed by more applause in several passages of the intelligent film about a child prodigy predestined to be a virtuoso pianist, with infinite applause at the end of the session and many a tear in the eyes of the audience - a feat for a festival in general heavy-handed when it comes to selection and that definitely prefers to focus on adult problematical themes.
"Vitus" is enchanting because it follows along with the childhood and adolescence of a small genius, extremely sensitive to sound, a pianist, a youthful Mozart, played with impressive spontaneity by two small unforgettable actors - with Frabrizio Borsani as Vitus at the age of six, and Teo Gheorghiu, a real virtuoso small pianist as the character at the age of 12.
The main conflict in the film arises from the pressure of an obsessive mother who imposes a stifling agenda on her genius son so he will not leave off his studies. Bruno Ganz enchants by invariably suggesting escape routes for his beloved nephew. Vitus, in fact, prefers the refuge of his grandfather`s workshop where they construct boomerangs, flying gadgets, and, even take delight in a simulator of real flight, rather than, in fact, complying with his mother`s study program. The real point for both is, in fact, to take off in flight. The comedy becomes dramatic when the boy attempts to fly a glider belonging to his grandfather, jumps off the balcony of his home and winds up in hospital with brain trauma. To the parents, this is a tragedy indeed, but for Vitus, this is freedom to be a normal child, as are all the others.
The film includes some ready jokes that fit well with the narrative, as when Vitus tries to salvage the family finances, invests in the stock market, and says: "To invest in the stock exchange is fine. We can earn 1000% of the investment, but can only lose a maximum of 100%." In another brilliant sequence, young Vitus admits his passion for a teenager six years older and builds an equation based on the logic that men should marry older women since, as men, they are statistically prone to die before women.
Teo Gheorghiu, who plays Vitus at the age of 12 was, in fact, selected from among the extremely talented students of the Purcell School, London. He was born in 1992, in Switzerland, speaks five languages, and has played the piano since the age of nine. His participation at the piano with orchestra brings the film to a close with extreme, unforgettable emotion.
Translation into English: Clare Elizabeth Charity ( clarecharity@uol.com.br )
