Manifesto (2015)

Manifesto Poster

Rosefeldt’s thirteen-channel video work Manifesto questions the role of the artist in society today. Australian actor, Cate Blanchett, performs the manifestos as a series of striking monologues. The installation draws on the writings of Futurists, Dadaists, Fluxus artists, Situtationists and Dogma 95, and the musings of individual artists, architects, dancers and filmmakers. Passing the philosophies of Claes Oldenburg, Yvonne Rainer, Kazimir Malevich, André Breton, Elaine Sturtevant, Sol LeWitt, Jim Jarmusch, and other influencers through his lens, Rosefeldt has edited and reassembled a collage of artists’ manifestos.

Introduction
"Manifesto" is a 2015 experimental movie composed and directed by Julian Rosefeldt. It stars Cate Blanchett in a tour de force performance, featuring her in 13 distinct vignettes that check out a range of varied characters, from a homeless male to a newsreader to a corporate CEO. Each vignette embodies a different artist's or group's manifesto from various time periods of the 20th century, effectively bringing historic art motions to life through a series of striking monologues.

Innovative Concept and Structure
The film avoids a traditional narrative structure and instead focuses on the thematic and inspirational essence of manifestoes in the art world. These manifestoes are primarily from progressive art movements, consisting of Futurism, Dadaism, and Surrealism, along with from the writings of specific artists and architects like Kazimir Malevich, Wassily Kandinsky, and Le Corbusier. The film dissects, reconstructs, and reinterprets these historical documents, aiming to create a discussion in between the past and present.

Cate Blanchett's Multifaceted Performance
Cate Blanchett's transformative capability is the foundation of "Manifesto". She adjusts her physical appearance, voice, and behavior to suit each distinct character. From a southern mother reciting Claes Oldenburg's manifesto at a household dinner to an anchorwoman exchanging dry recitations of Conceptual Art and Minimalism declarations, Blanchett's range is on complete display screen. In spite of the challenging product, she provides each manifesto with conviction, showing her flexible skill as an actress.

Visual and Artistic Flair
Rosefeldt's instructions is both precise and visually engaging. He crafts each scene to reflect the spirit and context of the manifesto being spoken. The settings range from the magnificence of a funeral eulogy to the mundane interiors of a factory and the abstract chaos of a puppeteer's theater. The movie's cinematography complements Blanchett's efficiencies with its strong, thought about images, producing a fascinating aesthetic experience that reflects the audacity and provocative nature of the manifestoes.

Themes and Cultural Commentary
"Manifesto" welcomes audiences to review the function of art, the artist, and the societal conventions that both face and embrace. It juxtaposes the eagerness with which these manifestoes were written versus the backdrop of daily, typically banal, modern life-- consequently questioning the relevance and effect of these artistic declarations today. It is both a tribute to and a critique of the lofty ambitions of these historical art motions. The film motivates audiences to think critically about the convergence of art, politics, and life.

Crucial Reception and Impact
Upon its release, "Manifesto" got critical honor for its originality, Blanchett's efficiency, and its enthusiastic engagement with complicated artistic ideas. Critics and audiences alike were drawn to the film's intellectual difficulty and its visual beauty. While the film might not appeal to traditional spectators due to its non-traditional format and abstract ideas, it has discovered adoration within art and film circles as a thought-provoking and carefully built piece.

Conclusion
In "Manifesto", Julian Rosefeldt delivers an artistically abundant and intellectually promoting piece that blurs the lines in between cinema, narrative, and art installation. With Cate Blanchett's commanding efficiency and the movie's poignant execution, it serves both as an ode to the revolutionary spirits who crafted these manifestoes and as a consideration on the progressing nature of art and its capability to influence and show society. "Manifesto" stands as a strong evaluation of the enduring power of creative expression and a striking cinematic experience for those going to engage with its profound and complex expedition of culture and creativity.

Top Cast

  • Cate Blanchett (small)
    Cate Blanchett
  • Ruby Bustamante
    Stewardessa
  • Ralf Tempel
    Ksi?dz katolicki
  • Jimmy Trash