a review of 纯真

When the movie began, almost immediately I started feeling the most visceral sensations of being left in an unfamiliar environment as a child. Memories. Somehow you always know where it's heading (at least the general direction), and somehow it's always brutal. I've wanted to watch Lucile Hajihalilovic's movies for years now. I would occasionally discover one and add it to my watchlist only to then realize I'd already had some of hers there. The premises, titles and covers always resonated and I had a feeling these are movies for me. She must be a director speaks my language, like M. Night Shyamalan or Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Innocence definitely needs a rewatch, as I have a feeling it will become one of my all-time favorites. Worship of matter, garden of Eden, prison-world, secret knowledge .... Not that it matters, but this one's for my Gnostic Cinema collection.