Page - 151 - in JRFM - Journal Religion Film Media, Volume 05/01

THE WESTERN AS A COMPENDIUM OF VIOLENCE IN HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS I conclude this overview on the topic of violence in selected films presented at the Venice Festival by mentioning two Westerns I count among the most con- vincing movies at the festival, The Sisters Brothers (Jacques Audiard, FR/BE/ RO/ES 2018) and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (Joel Coen / Ethan Coen, US 2018). In these films, violence is the language of communication in all dimen- sions of life. The law of the strongest is the only way to establish order and pro- vide orientation in these dystopian worlds that push the boundaries of the gen- re into new territories. The Sisters Brothers explores the challenge and pre- carious tension created by the power of hegemony based on violence, on one side, and individual emotions and scientific innovation, on the other. Charles and Eli Sisters are the most cruel and most skilled killers of the whole West, but they are tired of their job and are looking for rest after a long life of crime. The encounter with a scientist who has a new chemical formula to find gold in rivers radically changes their views on existence and relationships. Inserting ele- ments of comedy, the film wonderfully depicts the challenges of understanding and feeling at ease in a world that is transformed by innovation and scientific progress. The collection of short episodes in The Ballad of Buster Scruggs Fig. 5: Film still The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (Joel and Ethan Coen, US 2018), https://www. labiennale.org/it/cinema/2018/selezione-ufficiale/venezia-75-concorso/ballad-buster-scruggs [accessed 30.12.2018]. Festival Review: Film Festival Venice | 151www.jrfm.eu 2019, 5/1