Fishtail

Somewhere in Montana, amid the desolate flatlands below a majestic mountain range, lies a forgotten ranch by the name of Fishtail – an outpost of civilisation on the edge of the wilds, where time passes at a leisurely pace. In his feature-length debut, Andrew Renzi pays contemplative tribute to modern cowboys from the American West. His visually captivating observation of two ranchers at work, caught on widescreen 16 mm film, was inspired by 19th century romanticised landscapes and also by the documentaries of Frederick Wiseman and Albert Maysles, celebrated representatives of Direct Cinema. The shots of extensive plains, over which a languorous sun rolls across a clear sky, while the sultry air gently eddies above vast herds of cattle, are also reminiscent of classic Westerns, perhaps even Malick's landscape meditation Days of Heaven. The film's spellbinding atmosphere and uncontrived depth are conveyed by the commentary and folk songs of the inimitable actor and songster Harry Dean Stanton. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)