The Party (5 Stars)

This is a short film made in 2017. I say "short film" in the technical sense. A full length film is considered to last at least 70 minutes excluding the final credits. This film lasts just under 66 minutes. In the early days of cinema the line between short films and full length films was set lower, but today it's 70 minutes. Some organisations have their own definition, for instance to compete as a short film for the Best Short Film Oscar the maximum length is 40 minutes including the final credits.

The film is almost a Kammerspiel. All the action takes place in one house, though not in one room. Maybe the film is meant to take place in real time. That isn't 100% clear when cuts are made from scenes in one room to another, but even if the film doesn't take place in real time it's certainly not much longer than 66 minutes.

I watched the film today because it stars Bruno Ganz. He isn't the main character, but in a Kammerspiel all the actors appear in almost every scene together.

Janet has just been appointed the health minister for the opposition party. She and her husband Bill have invited six friends to a celebration party, though only five arrive.

Bill is Janet's husband, a former university professor who's given up his career to support his wife. Reading between the lines, he greatly regrets giving up the job he loved.

April is Janet's best friend, a political activist who has a leaning towards anarchy.

Gottfried is April's husband. He describes himself as a Life Coach, which involves self-healing. He doesn't trust western medicine.

Martha is a university professor who was once Bill's student and lover.

Jenny is a young woman who was once Martha's student, but is now Martha's wife. She's undergone artificial insemination and is now pregnant with triplets.

Marianne is Janet's personal secretary. She sends a message that she'll arrive late because she's busy. Even though we don't see her she's an important character and is a constant topic of conversation.

Tom is Marianne's husband, a successful investment banker. He arrives at the house noticeably nervous and repeatedly disappears into the bathroom to snort cocaine.

The film's strength is in the character relationships. There are conflicts of different types between them. As the shadow health minister Janet supports the NHS, but her husband has been seeing a private doctor behind her back. Gottfried claims that people only become sick when a doctor tells them they're sick. Martha doesn't support any political party, but she politely congratulates Janet on her promotion. There are other conflicts which develop as the film progresses.

This is an intelligent film without being difficult to understand. I recommend that you sit and watch it with a friend, then discuss it afterwards.

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