'Colossal' influence on IU cinema

James Naremore said he was forever changed when he saw Pedro Costa’s 2006 film “Colossal Youth.”

“Every now and then a filmmaker comes along who not only makes really impressive movies but makes you rethink what movies are or can be,” said Naremore, emeritus professor in IU’s Department of Communication and Culture. “I think he’s arguably the most important filmmaker alive.”

Yet Costa and his films are relatively unknown in America.

The IU Cinema has an opportunity to change this situation with a rare United States retrospective of Costa’s films and an appearance by the filmmaker himself. This opportunity begins today with his film “The Artful Tableau of Everyday Life.”

Costa’s influence as a filmmaker began when he traveled to the islands of Cape Verde off the coast of Africa.

Since then, Naremore and IU Cinema Director Jon Vickers agreed that Costa’s films have focused more on depicting this lifestyle.

“Ninety-nine percent of what we see in cinema isn’t what he considers cinema,” Vickers said.

Film critic Jonathon Sturgeon said beyond conventional storytelling, Costa’s films have radicalized the documentary style.

“Costa closes the door for the viewer to be able to tell whether it’s a documentary or a narrative fictional film,” Sturgeon said. “He makes the distinction between those two things matter less.”

But for Costa, there’s a dignity to depicting everyday life with a real sense of beauty, Naremore said.

He said all of Costa’s films reflect that.

“They have a painterly beauty and stillness,” he said. “Some people might say he’s aestheticizing or prettifying poverty, but he’s not doing that at all. He’s become very intimately involved in the lives of these people, and he’s giving them a certain kind of beauty and integrity that their lives do have.”

Costa’s films may pose a challenge for general audiences, but Sturgeon said he feels there is merit to be seen in his work.

“Costa’s cinema is thought of as very slow, but it is actually very observant and very beautiful,” Sturgeon said.

Vickers said he encourages anyone interested to take part in this world cinema treat.
“Come out to his more narrative films first, get a taste of his filmmaking style, even though it will migrate into something more challenging, and if you like what you see, go deeper,” Vickers said. “This is an honor to host him in this facility. He’s sought after, and we feel very fortunate that we can bring him here.”