January

Based on Bulgarian writer Yordan Radichkov’s play of the same name, January, the fiction debut from documentary filmmaker Andrey Paounov, sees two men known only as The Porter (Samuel Finzi) and The Old Man (Iossif Surchadzhiev) huddled together in a cramped cabin during the midst of a snowstorm. Early that morning, a third man, Petar, had made his way into town, taking the horse and sledge, as well as his shotgun, with him. The horse returns later that day, but there’s no sign of Petar. Instead, a frozen wolf is stood in the sledge. As strangers begin to arrive at the cabin (all of whom are waiting for Petar in some fashion), they each begin to make the journey through the ominous forest that separates the remote cabin from the city. Each time the horse returns with another wolf.

The sense of mystery this situation creates is instantly arresting. None of the characters have the slightest idea of what has come of their companions, let alone what sort of strange force roams the woods. Whether it’s a hungry pack of wolves or a mischievous spirit, the curiousness of the premise will have viewers wanting to know more.

Even more enthralling than the surreal plot is the sense of place Paounov establishes. Presented in an oppressive black-and-white with an ambience as chilling as the howling winds, this bleak setting possesses an uncanny dreamlike quality that’s stylistically like the eerie world of Eraserhead. Much like Lynch’s seminal film, trying to penetrate the symbolic significance of anything going on here will prove a difficult undertaking. But with enough meaty concepts that tackle communism and capitalism, there’s plenty for audiences to ponder and debate.

Unfortunately, this film is unable to sustain its atmosphere throughout its runtime. Unnecessarily tedious monologues on topics as mundane as the anatomy of lobsters drag the pacing to an agonising slog that even the striking cinematography struggles to salvage. Moreover, events become increasingly bizarre to the point that it becomes difficult to tell whether the filmmaker is playing a joke on the audience. By the point we reach a head-scratching scene that references Kubrick’s The Shining, it becomes impossible to tell how much of this tale viewers are supposed to take seriously.

Andrew Murray

January is released in select cinemas on 27^th January 2023.

Watch the trailer for January here: