Movie review: Nirvana

by Caitlyn Buckley

FORT WORTH — “Nirvana is a film that you’ll have to discover for yourself,” Dennis Bishop, festival director of the Lone Star Film Society (LSFS) said by way of introduction. After attending its screening, I agree wholeheartedly.

I’ll be the first to admit that I can be sophisticated and artsy when the mood strikes, but independent films are not a big interest for me. Upon attending the LSFS screening of Nirvana in Fort Worth, I wasn’t expecting to enjoy myself much.

First of all, it has been screened and won acclaim at several European film festivals, so I assumed it would likely be pretentious. Secondly, it is described as “avant garde,” “fast paced,” “elaborate,” and “extravagant,” which all sound like code for “boring art-house film.” Finally, it’s entirely in Russian and I couldn’t find whether or not it was going to be subtitled. (One can only hope!) It was going to take something amazing to change my mind.

The film centers around a young woman named Alisa who decides to move from Moscow to Saint Petersburg. She ends up sharing an apartment with a drug addicted young couple. Almost immediately, she begins an affair with the guy, Dead Man. (Clearly, that doesn’t get her off on the right foot with Vel, his girlfriend.) After a massive physical altercation, they discover he owes his drug dealer $10,000 and has been kidnapped. The two set out to find money to save him. Over the course of the day, they become incredibly close friends, which drives the rest of the movie to its poignant and tragic ending.

“Nirvana pushes the boundaries of typical filmmaking,” says LSFS Programming Director Alec Jhangiani. “It represents a contemporary glimpse of Russia’s youth culture washed in vivid colors and highly-stylized costumes. Local film fans, and those passionate about the arts in general, will be attracted to its creative interpretation of modern life in a stark environment.”

Other audience members described it as “touching,” “heartbreaking,” and “an existential stew.” The best way I can describe Nirvana myself is “beautiful.” Visually, it is absolutely stunning with elaborate costumes, vivid colors, and ornate makeup. For people who might shy away from the subject matter, this is a film to watch nonetheless just to look at the intricate behind-the-scenes work that went into the costuming.

The storyline itself is also beautiful, though painful. The film never tried to manipulate my emotions – a refreshing departure from what I thought would happen.

I highly recommend Nirvana to indie film fans or open-minded people who appreciate good art.

For those interested, the Lone Star Film Society has more screenings continuing throughout the year.