Darkest Miriam
Canadian feature Darkest Miriam is a slow-burn thriller that follows thirtysomething librarian Miriam (Britt Lower), who is grieving over the loss of her father. She spends her days at work following routine— including dealing with an eccentric clientele — until an accident while she rides her bicycle jolts her out of the ordinary. She begins a relationship with foreign taxi driver Janko (Tom Mercier) but also starts receiving mysterious, ominous letters written in the voice of Italian opera character Rigoletto — who sheltered his daughter from the outside world until she was killed. Director Naomi Jaye has fashioned an intriguing character study that deals in genre elements while exploring themes of love and loss. A dreamlike feel pervades the film. Lower is fantastic as the complex title character, and Jank offers fine work in his costarring role. There’s an eccentricity to Darkest Miriam, but it is by no means an inaccessible one. Jaye ultimately aims to inspire, and her mystery/dramedy blends the whimsical with a dash of the weird.
The Old Man and the Demon Sword (O Velho e a Espada)
Your enjoyment of Portuegese feature The Old Man and the Demon Sword will greatly depend on your affection for microbudget “Let’s make a movie!” projects. The special effects are deliberately cheesy, the acting often questionable — many of the cast members are nonprofessionals — and, though I don’t like to deal in spoilers, I have to say here that the film just kind of gives up at the end, introducing a meta element that didn’t work for me. António da Luz’s lead performance as town drunk and reluctant hero Tonho is an entertaining one, though, and writer/director Fábio Powers obviously invests his film with a great deal of heart. His imagination and creativity are evident, so although The Old Man and the Demon Sword may have its faults — which will certainly be charms to some viewers — the film could be a calling card for him to go on to bigger things.
Darkest Miriam and The Old Man and the Demon Sword screen as part of Fantasia 2024, which runs July 18–August 4 in Montreal. For more information, visit https://fantasiafestival.com/en/.
