Der Tag vor dem Abend

A single day and night in the life of an elderly woman going about her routine at home: DER TAG VOR DEM ABEND. In line with the literalness of the title, no comment is made; the film opts instead for patient observation. She cleans, cooks, sunbathes in the garden, fills in crossword puzzles and engages in other activities that together form a collection of miniatures of old age. An empathetic, tender gaze is paired with a rigorous film grammar, as everyday rituals are carefully framed and strung together with grace. Domestic surfaces thus become austere geometric compositions, and everyday life is turned into an atonal, percussive choreography of gestures. As the sun sets, however, occasional digressions gradually emerge, such as a sequence that depicts the march of a colony of ants and delves into the neighbouring non-human realm, or the abstract, flickering colour-field passage that follows an evening of classic films on television. Perhaps mirroring the workings of an aging psyche, these wanderings give way to an uneasy, sleepless night, where the gentle wryness dissipates and a more disquieting, dreamlike tone takes hold. Such is the achievement of Max Koller’s debut: turning the ordinary into a playground for cinematic invention. (Salvador Amores)

In the presence of Max Koller.

Max Koller: STÜRZENDE BUCHEN (2020, K), CARPE MEMO (2024, K)