Sydney Film Festival Review: A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence

Nils Westblom and friend in
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence

Venice Golden Lion winner A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence is an absurdist collection of vignettes that is quite loosely strung together by a semi-linear storyline involving two party-favor salespeople in the 1940s. They're surrounded by an assortment of characters, including a bar owner who sings to patrons to pay her in kisses to the tune of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," as well as an amorous flamenco dance instructor who knows nothing of boundaries.  The film opens with a couple of hilarious takes on dying, including an elderly mother in her death bed who is literally packed and ready to go. 

The entire film is composed entirely of still shots; the camera doesn't tilt or so much as zoom in or out.  Despite the stationary setup, each frame is full of luxurious detail and dimension. Sallow in tone, yet richly composed, they have the appearance of being run through an Edward Hopper filter.  That being said, at times, the film is so polished, it often plays like a series of highly produced international commercials created by a cheeky director.  Though, that shouldn't diminish the quality.  The humor is an acquired taste, though a great deal of the audience I saw it with ate up all the yucks and farce.  Quite harmless, but if the amusement here isn't your bag, the whole film will be a bit of a sit, especially if you're not open to the ideas portrayed.

Some are more obvious than others.  From the comfort of the mundane to the little chances we take in life that feel bigger than they actually are, director Roy Andersson is fascinated with our need to connect in the context of the ridiculous world we live in. He observes that history has given us a lot of men who sit back and watch the world burn, while more bravery is shown in the common minorities.  A military may be innocuous in one set of circumstances and can be completely cruel in another. The only element that changes are the surroundings.  The peaks and pitfalls of life are left to chance.  All we can do is be present in life's more intimate moments, and laugh about it all really. 

However, in what amounts to a climax as far as there can be in a story such as this, there's a poignant moment that may or may not be a dream that occurs reminiscent of the Holocaust on one level, but to a corporate misstep between Sweden and Chile to the more discerning.  It's quite out of the blue, yet carries a heightened sense of pathos. The director clearly acknowledges that he is not detached or superior to his considerations on life and the harrowing moment is muted in its solemnness. Just as the characters have languished through the movie and lethargically released cries here and there, the tactic is the same but the effect different. The joy we experience in life comes from the same part of our soul that expresses pain.