Promises Written in Water

Last updated
Promises Written in Water
Promises Written in Water.jpg
Official poster
Directed by Vincent Gallo
Written byVincent Gallo
Starring
Cinematography Masanobu Takayanagi
Edited byVincent Gallo
Music byVincent Gallo
Release date
  • September 7, 2010 (2010-09-07)(Venice)
Running time
75 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Promises Written in Water is a 2010 experimental drama film written, directed, edited, and produced by Vincent Gallo. The film stars Gallo, alongside Delfine Bafort, Sage Stallone, Lisa Love, and Hope Tomaselli.

Contents

The third feature film to be directed by Gallo, it premiered at the Venice Film Festival, alongside his short film The Agent (2010). The film received polarized and mostly negative critical reviews; though a minority of positive reviews called it one of the year's best films. It was nominated for the Golden Lion.

After just two festival screenings, the film became unavailable for the general public to watch, per Gallo's wishes. Since 2010, the film has never been screened or made available to watch for the general public.

Synopsis

"Kevin is a long-time, professional assassin, specializing in the termination of life. Mallory is a wild, poetic, beautiful young woman confronting her terminal illness and eventual suicide. She reaches out to Kevin to take responsibility for her corpse once she passes, requesting his protection of her dead body’s dignity until her cremation. Kevin’s acceptance of this request causes uncomfortable self-reflection and changes the lens through which he views death." [1]

Cast

Production

In April 2010, Kyle Buchanan of Movieline reported that the film had originally begun as an indie production, titled The Funeral Director. According to Buchanan, Gallo, alongside actress Alison Lohman, had signed on to star in the film in 2007. It was to be directed by indie filmmaker Pete Red Sky, who only possessed one other film credit to his name. Before filming, Lohman left the film's production, and Gallo was given a producer credit. Through Gallo's help, the film's cast was filled out with Sage Stallone, Delfine Bafort, and Esther de Jong. [2]

After filming begun, Sky was reportedly a passive and inexperienced director, frustrating Gallo. Halfway through production, Gallo called for a meeting with the film's producers and director and presented an ultimatum: threatening to walk unless he was made director. The group agreed and made Gallo director, giving him control over the project. Sky, no longer director, "was left with little to do but follow Gallo around on set." [2] Under Gallo, the film was re-titled Promises Written in Water.

In an interview with Lodown Magazine , Gallo confirmed that he had taken control of the film from Sky, stating:

"I show up on the set and it's ridiculous and I can't take it anymore, and as much as it hurts, I said to Mr Red Sky...I'm so sorry man...You don't know what you're doing. You don't know anything about filmmaking...I wrote him a cheque for $50,000 and moved on." [3]

Gallo, who helped self-financed the finished film, described the film's budget as "a few hundred thousand dollars". [4] Gallo has explained that his goal of the film was "to make choices as if this was the first movie ever made and not to buy into the story of what cinema should be. This means making the film on the hoof, without much in the way of preparation." [4]

Release

The film released at the 67th Venice International Film Festival, [5] premiering In Competition, alongside 21 other films competing for the Golden Lion. [6] The film had two showings, which occurred on September 7 and September 8, 2010. [7] It was one of three films featuring Gallo to premiere at the festival, alongside Gallo's short film The Agent (2010), as well as Jerzy Skolimowski's Essential Killing (2010). Gallo shunned all publicity at Venice, and arrived dressed in a balaclava. He refused to hold a press conference for Promises Written in Water, and did not take the stage to accept his Volpi Cup for Best Actor, which he won for his performance in Essential Killing. [8]

Promises Written in Water was later shown at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 15, 2010.

The film has never been screened since the two festivals in 2010, and is now unavailable for the public to watch, per Gallo's wishes. [1] In a 2011 interview, Gallo said the film would be "allowed to rest in peace, and stored without being exposed to the dark energies from the public." [9] However, in an Instagram message from 2020, Gallo told an inquiring fan that "I may show it one day." [10]

Reception

The film was not distributed and received generally poor reviews from critics, while audience reception leaned more positive. Stephanie Zacharek of Movieline reported that at the Venice premiere, the film concluded with both clapping and booing from the audience. [11] Truls Lie of Modern Times Review reported:

"The documentary language of this fiction film splits the audience into two: At the official screening they clapped for five minutes – but at the press screening they started laughing and booing from the start, where Gallo is credited as director and editor, and for the script, music, production and acting. They were noisy throughout the screening, laughter returned, a mob dominated the audience." [12]

Lie also wrote that that Gallo's film "saved the festival for me. This eccentric man, known for his roles in several movies, brought to mind works by Warhol and Cassavetes." [12]

Leslie Felperin of Variety called the film "underwhelming" and "a disappointment". Felperin also argued that the film would disappoint both Gallo's fans, who expected a better film, as well as his detractors, who would prove unable to dismiss the film. [13]

Deborah Young of The Hollywood Reporter wrote that the film "is an incomprehensible, disappointing effort in which he (Gallo) receives producing, directing, writing, editing, music and acting credits, so there really is no one else to blame if this story about a man who broods on love and death disappears into the waves almost immediately after its festival outings." [14]

Xan Brooks of The Guardian awarded the film 2/5 stars, opining, "It's only 74 minutes but it feels like forever...But it cannot by rights be regarded as a failure, or even as a joke, because one never has the sense that Gallo has lost control of his material...There is no telling just where it will go, or what it will do next. In the straitjacketed world of narrative film-making, that has to count for something." [15] Scott Tobias of The A.V. Club awarded the film a 'C' rating, writing, "Shooting in gorgeous, low-contrast 16mm B&W, Gallo conducts various experiments in form...The majority of fragments have the feel of a sophisticated but derivative thesis project." [16]

Film critic Michael Sicinski [17] gave the film a positive review, writing that "Promises is without a doubt the most experimental feature film I’ve seen at this year’s festival, and that includes Uncle Boonmee ." Sicinski compared the film to Andy Warhol's films Kiss and Chelsea Girls , and added that the film contained a "raucous dance number (set to Polygon Window’s "Quoth")" and "a beautiful nude portrait of Bafort reminiscent of Willard Maas’s Geography of the Body." [18]

In 2017, cinematographer Sean Price Williams called it the sixth greatest film of the past ten years, writing:

"I hate that no one can see this film. I swear I have not included it to show off. Every scene in the film is invention. Never seen a better shot of a man pacing a room. Gallo’s face is its richest. Gray and full of stories. It contains a scene in a café where he repeats his lines over and over until he gets them right. The most simple fantasy of a person who knows he can never truly express himself as he wants to. It’s painful and playful as no one has the nerve to be. Humiliating and human in a way we are not allowed to be, especially on a screen. Still?" [19]

Award

YearAwardCategoryResult
2010 Venice Film Festival Golden Lion Nominated

Related Research Articles

<i>Buffalo 66</i> 1998 American film

Buffalo '66 is a 1998 American crime comedy-drama film written and directed by Vincent Gallo, starring Gallo, Christina Ricci, Ben Gazzara and Anjelica Huston. The plot revolves around Billy Brown (Gallo), a man who kidnaps a young tap dancer named Layla (Ricci) and forces her to pretend to be his wife to impress his parents after he gets released from prison.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vincent Gallo</span> American film director, writer, model, actor and musician

Vincent Gallo is an American actor, director, writer, producer, musician, and model. He has won several accolades, including a Volpi Cup for Best Actor, and has been nominated for numerous more, including the Palme d'Or, the Golden Lion, and the Bronze Horse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Apichatpong Weerasethakul</span> Thai film director

Apichatpong Weerasethakul is a Thai independent film director, screenwriter, and film producer. Working outside the strict confines of the Thai film studio system, Apichatpong has directed several features and dozens of short films. Friends and fans sometimes refer to him as "Joe".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sage Stallone</span> American actor (1976–2012)

Sage Moonblood Stallone was an American actor. He was the eldest child of actor Sylvester Stallone.

<i>Steve + Sky</i> 2004 Belgian film

Steve + Sky is a 2004 Belgian comedy-drama film written and directed by Felix Van Groeningen in his directorial debut. It stars Titus De Voogdt, Delfine Bafort and Johan Heldenbergh. The film is set in Kortrijksesteenweg in Ghent, which is known for its many brothels, and follows two 22-year-olds whose lives crosses paths.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">57th Venice International Film Festival</span> Film festival

The 57th annual Venice International Film Festival was held between 30 August to 9 September 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">66th Venice International Film Festival</span> Film festival

The 66th annual Venice International Film Festival, held in Venice, Italy, was held from 2 to 12 September 2009, with Maria Grazia Cucinotta serving as the festival's hostess. The opening film of the festival was Baarìa by Giuseppe Tornatore and the closing film was Chengdu, I Love You by Fruit Chan and Cui Jian.

<i>Black Swan</i> (film) 2010 film by Darren Aronofsky

Black Swan is a 2010 American psychological horror film directed by Darren Aronofsky from a screenplay by Mark Heyman, John McLaughlin, and Andres Heinz, based on a story by Heinz. The film stars Natalie Portman in the lead role, with Vincent Cassel, Mila Kunis, Barbara Hershey, and Winona Ryder in supporting roles. The plot revolves around a production of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake by the New York City Ballet company. The production requires a ballerina to play the innocent and fragile White Swan, for which the committed dancer Nina Sayers (Portman) is a perfect fit, as well as the dark and sensual Black Swan, which are qualities better embodied by the new rival Lily (Kunis). Nina is overwhelmed by a feeling of immense pressure when she finds herself competing for the role, causing her to lose her tenuous grip on reality and descend into madness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2010 Toronto International Film Festival</span> 2010 film festival edition

The 35th annual Toronto International Film Festival, (TIFF) was held in Toronto, Ontario, Canada between September 9 and September 19, 2010. The opening night gala presented Score: A Hockey Musical, a Canadian comedy-drama musical film. Last Night closed the festival on September 19.

<i>Essential Killing</i> 2010 Polish survival/political thriller film by Jerzy Skolimowski

Essential Killing is a 2010 Polish survival political thriller film co-written and directed by Jerzy Skolimowski and starring Vincent Gallo and Emmanuelle Seigner. Gallo stars as an Islamic insurgent, who finds himself fighting for survival in a frozen woodland, pursued by soldiers.

<i>Surviving Life</i> 2010 Czech film

Surviving Life is a 2010 Czech comedy film by Jan Švankmajer, starring Václav Helšus, Klára Issová and Zuzana Kronerová. The film uses a mix of cutout animation from photographs and live-action segments, and tells the story of a married man who lives a double life in his dreams, where he meets another woman. It premiered out of competition at the 67th Venice International Film Festival.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">68th Venice International Film Festival</span> Film festival

The 68th annual Venice International Film Festival was held in Venice, Italy between 31 August and 10 September 2011. American film director Darren Aronofsky was announced as the Head of the Jury. American actor and film director Al Pacino was presented with the Glory to the Film-maker award on 4 September, prior to the premiere of his upcoming film Wilde Salomé. Marco Bellocchio was awarded with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in September. The festival opened with the American film The Ides of March, directed by George Clooney, and closed with Damsels in Distress by Whit Stillman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scott Haze</span> American actor

Scott Haze is an American actor. He is known for his role in the 2013 film Child of God, as well as Thank You for Your Service (2017), the 2021 Western Old Henry, and others. He also directed Mully (2015), a documentary on the African humanitarian Charles Mully.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">69th Venice International Film Festival</span> Film festival

The 69th annual Venice International Film Festival, organized by Venice Biennale, took place at Venice Lido from 29 August to 8 September 2012. The festival opened with the Indian director Mira Nair's The Reluctant Fundamentalist, and closed with the Out of Competition film The Man Who Laughs, directed by Jean-Pierre Ameris. Terrence Malick's film To the Wonder was met with both boos and cheers from critics at its premiere.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">72nd Venice International Film Festival</span> Film festival

The 72nd annual Venice International Film Festival took place from 2 to 12 September 2015. Alfonso Cuarón served as the President of the Jury for the main competition. A restored version of Federico Fellini's film Amarcord was shown at the festival. The Venezuelan film From Afar by Lorenzo Vigas won the Golden Lion award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Delfine Bafort</span> Belgian fashion model and actress

Delfine Bafort is a Belgian fashion model and actress.

<i>You Go to My Head</i> (film) 2017 romantic thriller film

You Go to My Head is a 2017 romantic thriller film, directed and produced by Dimitri de Clercq. The film was produced under the banner of CRM-114 and The Terminal. The film stars Delfine Bafort, Svetozar Cvetković, and Arend Pinoy. The plot revolves around a woman who is suffering from post-traumatic amnesia. The film premiered at the WorldFest-Houston International Film Festival on 27 April 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">77th Venice International Film Festival</span> Film festival

The 77th annual Venice International Film Festival was held from 2 to 12 September 2020, albeit in a "more restrained format" due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Johnny 316 is an 1998 independent film from French director Erick Ifergan. The film stars Vincent Gallo, alongside Seymour Cassel, Louise Fletcher, and Nina Brosh.

<i>The Agent</i> (2010 film) 2010 American film

The Agent is a 2010 short film written, directed, edited, and produced by Vincent Gallo. It stars Gallo and Sage Stallone, in Stallone's final film role prior to his death.

References

  1. 1 2 Jagernauth, Kevin (29 July 2011). "Vincent Gallo Doesn't Plan On Releasing 'Promises Written In Water'". IndieWire .
  2. 1 2 Buchanan, Kyle (15 April 2010). "EXCLUSIVE: How Vincent Gallo Staged a Coup on the Set of His Next Film". Movieline . Archived from the original on 2011-12-03.
  3. ↑ "Vincent Gallo: The Context of Gallo - Metropia & Promises Written in Water". Lodown Magazine . Archived from the original on 2023-05-31.
  4. 1 2 Macnab, Geoffrey (15 October 2009). "The gall of Gallo: 'Talking to the press is sort of beneath me now'". The Independent .
  5. ↑ "Venezia 67". labiennale.org. 29 July 2010. Archived from the original on 31 August 2010.
  6. ↑ Adler, Tim (29 July 2010). "Venice Announces Competition Line-Up". Deadline .
  7. ↑ "Venezia 67: PROMISES WRITTEN IN WATER - VINCENT GALLO". labiennale.org. 2010. Archived from the original on 2010-11-01.
  8. ↑ Collett-White, Mike; Aloisi, Silvia (12 September 2010). "Favoritism charges follow Tarantino Venice awards". Reuters .
  9. ↑ Lim, Dennis (8 June 2012). "R.I.P. 'Promises,' It Was Nice Knowing You". New York Times .
  10. ↑ "Eu salvei o cinema hoje. Simples assim. De nada. Pra quem perdeu, segue imagens". Twitter . 14 October 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-10-15.
  11. ↑ Zacharek, Stephanie. "Postcard from Venice: Vincent Gallo Keeps His Promises, François Ozon Scores With Stars". Movieline . Archived from the original on 11 September 2010.
  12. 1 2 Lie, Truls (15 December 2010). "Mostra 2010: Death in Venice". Modern Times Review .
  13. ↑ Felperin, Leslie (6 September 2010). "Promises Written in Water". Variety .
  14. ↑ Young, Deborah (14 October 2010). "Promises Written in Water — Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter .
  15. ↑ Brooks, Xan (7 September 2010). "Promises Written in Water". The Guardian .
  16. ↑ Tobias, Scott; Murray, Noel (15 September 2010). "TIFF '10: Day 6". The A.V. Club .
  17. ↑ "Michael Sicinski - The Criterion Collection". Criterion.com. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  18. ↑ Sicinski, Michael (September 2010). "2010 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL". academichack.net. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  19. ↑ "10/10: Sean Price Williams". Projectr.tv. 2017. Archived from the original on 2021-06-23.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.