Like a lot of film life long film buffs my fascination with movies began with the old ‘B’ flicks that were always shown for Saturday afternoon matinees in the local movie house. From there the typical progression is to get into the big Hollywood block busters full of action and thrills. The next step is to mature a bit and move towards films of substance and meaning. It was at that time that I was introduced to the independent film world and I have been grateful ever since. An Indy movie does not have to satisfy the bottom line driven suited executives that control the major studios. In most cases the cast and crew are in the project for the love of the art of cinema. This typically shows with the passion and intense means of expression that a well constructed independent film can provide. They also are able to delve into topics that would not appeal to the major studios but are still well worth while to watch. Such a film is ‘Red is the Color of’ by Anne Norda. This is an incredible movie that is gripping; pulling the audience in and not letting them go. It is a shame that a film of this degree of excellence is relegated to what is frequently referred to as a niche movie. It is a woman’s film since it was made by a woman and has a feminine perspective. It is a gay film since it features a lesbian relationship. When people are quick to brand a film with designations such as these they tend to overlook the true impact of the film. This is a film that meets the criteria of the above mentioned niches but most importantly it is a human film. It does appear that many people involved with film feel compelled to place every movie in a nice, neat little category. You can have some degree of overlap such as a dramatic comedy or science fiction western but most are comfortable with a straight forward theme and sharply targeted demographic. Those fans of movies would dismiss this as a lesbian flick and leave it at that. I am not part of that particular audience but I have enjoyed films of all sorts for well on fifty years now. What attracted me to this movie was the emotional impact that he has. The film is a powerful character study that is extremely well directed, written and acted. Forget the labels and watch this move for the sheer love of cinema.

This film is the first time as writer and director for Anne Norda and she does an incredible job in both arenas. She has come up with a poignant study of people caught by circumstances to faces truths about themselves they never before realized. Norda infuses some classic plot elements into a modern setting creating something that is fresh and novel. The main characters of the story are Mary Shaw (Irina Björklund) and David Stellar (Peter Franzén). They are a married couple and both perusing careers as artists, to be specific painters. The trouble that initially comes between them is the fact that they are both in different levels of their careers. Mary is considered by the art world as one of the hot young artists on the scene. David, on the other hand, has stalled badly unable to come up with a new idea to direct his work. This type of situation has been played out in numerous stories but usually is placed as a plot point instead of one of the driving motivations for the characters. They want their relationship to be a symbiotic one but David is starting to feel as if Mary is in charge. This does lead to a blow to his male ego that is difficult for him to content with successfully. His current specialty is to paint nudes with red hats that he is unable to sell. He goes for realism that is just not marketable. Mary has a very different spin on art when she uses her own blood in her paintings. The title of the film is most likely derived from the juxtaposition of the use of the color red. For Mary it is her art literally being made from her own life’s blood putting a piece of Mary into each painting. For David the red of the hats in his paintings just becomes a reminder of his own failure in the same world that his wife excels at. The situation is worsened when David begins to use a beautiful young woman as a nude model, Julie (Eliza Pryor Nagel) and an obsessive fan, Fran (Carey DiPietro), begins to hound Mary. Another classic theme that Norda employs is the romantic triangle only she gives it a twist with the young model caught between the husband and wife.

Ms Norda is a highly visual director. She opens the film with a stark white canvas with drops of bright red blood showing how Mary uses her own blood to create her highly personal art. As Mary begins her latest piece there is an intense look of determination on her face heightened by the slightly pushed contrast that softens as she pauses to answer the phone. Norda uses her camera and the lighting as an integral character of the film which serves to bring the audience into the innermost emotions of the characters. The bare workspace of Mary’s is contrasted with the warmth and clutter of David’s studio. It is filled with boxes with earth tones all around. This is also a physical representation of the discrepancies between the couple. Mary can afford her own studio while David has to work at home subjects to interruptions by his wife. They are also a very modern couple as shown when Mary buys them a virtual baby to rest their parenting skills. Eventually the virtual baby dies do to neglect resulting in a wider schism between them. When Julie begins to come between David and Mary she is a means for changes in them without much being altered in her. The attraction that Julie shows towards both of them is at first exciting to David but when feelings and a new sexual perspective awakens in Mary the rift between them grows. Julie brings to the surface desires that have been repressed in both David and Julie She is a tease that appears to enjoy the sexual power she holds over both of them. Eventually deeper motivations start to come out in all involved adding amazing depth to the story.

This is one of the best crafted films I have seen in a long time. It is a shame that the only way a movie of this worth can get out is through so called niche film festivals but at least they are willing to give a chance to a film like this when the studios would shun it. It is ironic that a Pauley Shore flick can get a green light but something like this can’t but that is another story. Norda exhibits great restraint in many scenes not going down the path to pander to more puerile interests especially with the shots that revolve around nudity. This film reminded me a lot of the experimental stage plays that my wife and I used to see in Greenwich Village here in New York. Norda taps in to raw human emotion with stunning results just like those plays were able to do. There is also a very intimate look and feel to the piece that brought me back to those small plays where you watched the actors while sitting on bridge chairs a few feet away from the stage. If you care at all about cinema as an art form and want to watch something at the beginning of what is destined to be a great director and writer be sure to catch this one.