howtofallrelentlessly

EN

Where is the failure located? What is the point, the exact moment in which a structure collapses?

Bogna Juchnowicz’s film “Failures” reveals those scattered moments of intimacy, insecurity, decision making and problem-solving, also unexpected incidents that take part in a creative process. The development of an idea that could feel like a constant journey on the edge of a cliff, where we will meet the fall?

Besides experiencing that thrilling eternal risk that is being an artist or cultural producer, we, women in cultural production, are hit by storms that follow us around: social expectations, genders roles and of course the clock ticking too, our bodies, our presence in front of the other… we, creative women, have a thunder cloud on top of our heads following us and our struggles in professional careers. That climate is part of our experience walking the tightrope. What other downfall can we face?

"What an irony of fate. However, as far as reproductive age is concerned, medicine knows solutions, but as for the age when you can have grants, art couldn't find..." claims Bogna while self-reflecting about the chroma background scene in where the characters discuss the optimal reproductive years that overlaps with the emerging artist moment in which every grant and support found is focused. Indeed Bogna, the irony of fate nonetheless!

Fortunately, “Failures” found a way to show the turning point of the fail and the fall with grace, humour, combining thriller and tension in a wonderful and well-curated set design where the plot flows.

The impressive art direction, by Bogna too, is impressive and leaves a taste of decadence, glamorously failure like bubbles of cheap champagne in an opening of a show without participation-fee. The narrations and rhythm of the film are through a sequence of bright colours, bold clothes and statement pieces carried by the characters with charming naturality; showing off the versatility of Bogna as art director too, she transmits her ideas in the visual impact in every shot. The change of costume and background almost keep the pace of the film like a spontaneous and uninterrupted stream, like a clock ticking in the background making remarks that take the image even deeper. Bogna’s multidisciplinary capacities are present in the entire film, suffering for her condition of “women-orchestra” in the everlasting expectations of perfection that bring the possibility of failure in every step of the way (even a f*** pandemic occurred before starting shooting the film!).

The presence of an imminent fall (the always pending failure) is resolved in a film that encounters performance, improvisation for the creation of an artwork that portraits in a nonfiction oeuvre a fierce honesty about living life, vulnerability waves mixed with pride and emotions. Maybe the true protagonist in the film “Failures” is the insecurities, like the villain that wishes to crush the heroine. This tale shows the heroine saving the day one more time against that evil villain that is always hovering over our heads: we can see the director stand up to falling, fail and fight a thousand times more. Bogna shows the beautiful gesture of persevering, the empathy of collective creation and the fun of criticizing. And in the end, against all odds, the heroine wins and falls one more time.