Dir: Jan-Willem van Ewijk | Cast: Gijs Scholten van Aschat, Reinout Scholten van Aschat, Laija Ledergerber | Dutch, Thriller, 100′
Stunning mountain scenery is the setting for this chilly psychological ‘anti-buddy’ thriller, an artful first feature for Dutch filmmaker Jan-Willem van Ewijk.
In a snowbound resort high in the Alps a confrontation between two skiers sets an edgy tone for an unsettling chain of events involving one of them, Rein, a musician, who is still recovering the death of his mother.
When his father Gijs arrives it becomes clear their shared grief is sparking conflict between the two and the film’s title gives us insight into a possible cause without offering any backstory.
The uncomfortable vibe worsens when the widower admits to have started dating – not only a younger woman but also known to them both. Glijs’ innocent attempt to flirt with Rein’s love interest Rega is also a bone of contention between the men especially as Rega is playing hard to get with Rein, and this only adds to his insecurity and general feeling of jealousy and alienation.
Gijs vulnerability when he inadvertently sheds a tear of grief triggers Reva’s protective instinct and she reaches out to the widow offering support and further irritating Rega.
The subtle interplay between the three adults is feels real and convincing possibly helped by the fact that actors Gijs and Reinout Scholten van Aschat are also father and son in real life.
Once on the slopes an intriguing power play begins, Rein, a snowboard teacher, is a fitter and more daring skier than his father who panics when the young man opts for a vertiginous descent and this sparks an avalanche with tragic and unexpected consequences
Never resorting to melodrama Alpha is a spare and visually stylish film Douwe Hennink’s camera keeping a well-judged distance from the protagonists creating a sense of remoteness and disconnection as the men feel isolated and alone in their grief further adding to the frigid sense of unease. An impressive debut. @MeredithTaylor
VENICE FILM FESTIVAL | VENICE DAYS 2024