Something is very wrong in the forests and homes of Levers, the newest feature from Métis filmmaker Rhayne Vermette. People speak of unstable events — sunrises are gifts instead of givens, darkness becomes an increasing presence — while tarot-themed chapters point toward a grand theory of discontent. Are these narratives real, or spun from the television and radio broadcasts we hear throughout? Could these events be a local myth beginning to come to life, or a curse? In a work as captivated with pastoral landscapes as the haunting glow of a tube TV, Vermette extracts possibility from every shot, down to crossfading that recalls the expressiveness of silent cinema. Levers is visually resplendent and a sonic marvel (NYFF).
Primarily self-taught, Rhayne Vermette’s work emphasises an interference of image through collage, photography and analogue filmmaking. Themes of place, time and rhythm are expressed through opulent layers of fiction, animation, reenactments and divine interruption. Deeply rooted in Manitoba, Vermette frequently enlists the talent of her loved ones and community in the making of her films.
