Page - 146 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 05/01

the other becomes a delinquent. The thriller explores violence and friendship as two sides of the same coin. Extreme violence characterises everyday life in an area where hope does not seem to be possible; the balance between love and destruction marks the existence of both men, the promoter of justice and the promoter of crime. Werk ohne Autor (Never Look Away, Florian Henckel von Donnersmark, DE 2018) explores the relationship between systematic violence in familial and societal relationships in Germany during the Nazi era over three generations. The body of female family members is the place where systematic and personal violence is perpetuated. The film, which is not very convincing in its narrative or stylistic strategies, articulates the struggle between the destruc- tive power of violence and the liberating energy of love and artistic creativity. Even when using stereotypes and naive assumptions, the film looks for ways to resist and break the chain of endemic violence that can be manifest in a political system or hidden within the intimacy of personal relationships. The articulation of the devastating effects of social and familial violence and the subversive, strong and effective power of love is the main topic of Roma (Alfonso Cuarón, MX 2018), the festival’s masterpiece. The film, which has an autobiographical dimension, mirrors the atmosphere in Roma, the district in Mexico City where the director grew up. Winner of the Golden Lion and the Signis award (and numerous awards at other festivals worldwide), Roma is a Fig. 2: Roma (Alfonso Cuarón, MX 2018), https://www.labiennale.org/it/cinema/2018/ selezione-ufficiale/venezia-75-concorso/roma [accessed 30.12.2018]. 146 | Daria Pezzoli-Olgiati www.jrfm.eu 2019, 5/1