“Luna Papa” Mamurakat, the heroine dancing on the moon

dance on the moon

Khudoinazarov's films are often compared to those of Emir Kusturica, but in terms of the celebratory space, they are closer to the films of Federico Fellini, who himself acknowledges his influence. Additionally, the film resonates with Wes Anderson's films in its unpredictable slapstick comedy, focus on vehicles such as trains and motorcycles with sidecars, and the presence of animals. And the large-scale set shooting of ``Luna Papa'' has the same ambition as `` The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou '' (2004).

Mamlakat is a word that means "nation." Just as the boys in ``Boys on a Locomotive'' visited their father and were looking for a home, Mamurakat is also looking for a space where he and the father of the child in his womb can feel safe. If we replace "nation" with the word "homeland," it would be possible to say that Khudoinazarov's film depicts people who have lost their homeland. It is suggestive that ``Luna Papa'' is set in an unexplored region bordering the country. Because it is an unexplored area, people from different cultural backgrounds come together and try to create a new culture. There are "experiments" that include barbaric acts.

Khudoinazarov, who passed away at the young age of 49, once said that ``finding the sea'' was important when making movies. The origin of the sea. We miss the sea, we miss the moon, we miss the earth of days gone by. Mamurakat is searching for a world where he can regain what he lost, somewhere other than here. If the moonlight illuminating this land is not kind, let's make another moon ourselves. It is symbolic that the first cut of this film is an overhead shot that traces the surface of the moon.

Mamurakat's energy for life, which rushes through like a gale, transcends not only national borders but also the earth. Mamurakat discovers his hometown called the moon. A mamura cut that doesn't belong to anyone. Start dancing again from here. Mamurakat will continue to dance his own dance on the moon. I miss the smiles I had when I was dancing on Earth like a running lantern.

Text: Daiji Miyashiro (maplecat-eve)

Movie criticism. Contributed reviews to ``Leos Carax: Movie Wanderer'', Eureka's ``Wes Anderson Special'', Real Sound, Soen, otocoto, Toshio Matsumoto Special Pamphlet, etc.

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