Crónica de una mentira

It was a coincidence that I saw Welcome, a touching story about a Kurdish refugee, and then In the Beginning, a touching story about a French impostor. Welcome didn’t make much of an impression, whereas In the Beginning did, but the films are united by similar diction and a similarly harmonizing storytelling tone. Why? If I am able to judge, then because In the Beginning does not infer anything and does not lobby for anything. it eagerly tells a story that is so unlikely that it could only have actually happened. The story of a man who overcame a huge inner emptiness through a bit of road that led nowhere. Only there did he find the meaning and purpose of existence. Cluzet's famous transformation from a closed and cold vagabond into an enthusiastic and laughing motivator is absolutely believable. Gianolli plays beautifully with the antithesis of a handheld camera and epic compositions from the structure. The final heroic paraphrase of many famous victorious gestures at the sunrise in the east should in fact upset a person. But you can’t help but cheer for the protagonist’s momentary triumph over himself in Gianolli's film. Also because, in the end, a first-class imposter is needed to give people the illusion of hope. Perhaps false hope, but in the end a vital hope. (23.11.2009)

We have Harry Jelinek and his sale of Karlštejn Castle; France has Philippe Miller with a user guide for financial “tunnelers" titled “How to build a freeway without planning permission". As much as the first half was outstanding, during the second, fairytale half, full of pathos, you ask yourself if it wouldn’t have been shorter and more realistic as a regular documentary. (06.01.2013)