Slow
Marija Kavtaradzė’s involving romantic drama from Lithuania follows the rapport of two people as they explore intimacy and asexuality.
Greta Grinevičiūtė and Kęstutis Cicėnas
Slow is hardly an enticing title and that's a pity because Marija Kavtaradzė’s film (her second feature) is well worth your attention. Kavtaradzė was born in Vilnius in 1991 and for us there is novelty in seeing a film set in Lithuania. But the appeal of Slow goes far beyond that for this is a love story which reminded me of Richard Linklater’s masterly Before Sunrise, that opening film in his memorable triptych. Here, as there, the film portrays a chance meeting between two strangers who quickly sense a rapport as they walk and talk. The woman is Elena who is both a dancer and a dancing instructor and in the latter capacity she is preparing deaf students for a performance. The man is Dovydas who to support his deaf brother had learnt sign language and now because of that skill finds himself attending Elena's class in the role of interpreter. Each quickly senses the ease that they share when together and Elena is soon reflecting that it is as though she had known Dovydas for ages.
As you would expect, this is the beginning of what becomes a fully-fledged story about these two becoming lovers but early on we discover that this is far from being a conventional tale of that type. As soon as our two central characters talk, they are immediately open and honest with each other and, recognising where their bond could lead, Dovydas, although desiring a relationship, decides that he must let Elena know that he is asexual. We have already seen that Elena has welcomed sexual encounters but this is the first time that she has met somebody who seems like a soul-mate. Since both feel the same way, they start to live together and that turns Slow into a story that explores the problems of a deep relationship in which the sexual side finds the partners inevitably ill-matched.
Kavtaradzė writes as well as directing and has here found the ideal players for her tale. Kęstutis Cicėnas who plays Dovydas is well established in Lithuania not just through films but perhaps even more on account of his stage work. In contrast Greta Grinevičiūtė, the film’s Elena, is less experienced but proves perfect in what is her first leading role. Indeed, one is tempted to say that the film belongs first and foremost to her although it is the unforced rapport of these two actors that makes Slow so engaging. For the early scenes to remind one so strongly of Before Sunrise and yet for the film not to be overawed by that comparison is a considerable achievement and one that illustrates how readily viewers find themselves identifying with this couple whose story is unfolding.
Shot in colour on 16 mm, the tone of the film is initially realistic and I would have preferred it had Kavtaradzė resisted the idea of adding songs on the soundtrack, a too familiar touch for a film that is hardly a conventional romance. For that matter, the fact that Elena is involved in dancing leads to rather too many scenes on the dance floor. Consequently, I came to feel that, with Elena and Dovydas being so very much the central focus here (convincing subsidiary characters do appear but are only involved in passing), Slow would have been more effective if tightened and made more compact. As it is, the film runs to 108 minutes, but the two leading players work so well together that it is well worth seeing even if this piece ultimately seems to fall a little short of its full potential.
MANSEL STIMPSON
Cast: Greta Grinevičiūtė, Kęstutis Cicėnas, Pijus Ganusauskas, Laima Akstinaite, Rimantė Valiukaitė, Dovilė Ŝilkaitytė, Matthew Woodcock, Vaiva Zymante, Mantas Barvicius, Ugnė Ŝiaučiūnaitė, Mantas Stabacinskas.
Dir Marija Kavtaradzė Pro Marija Razgutė, Screenplay Marija Kavtaradzė, Ph Laurynas Bareiša, Pro Des Sigita Ŝimkūnaitė, Ed Silvija Vilkaitė Romanauskė, Music Irya Gmeyner, Martin Hederos and Vincent Barrière, Costumes Fausta Naujalė.
M-Films/Frida Films/Garagefilm International/Film Stockholm-Conic.
108 mins. Lithuania/Spain/Sweden. 2023. US Rel: 3 May 2024. UK Rel: 24 May 2024. Cert. 15.
