Life For Sale (Luftbusiness) reviews
Review by on 12 Oct 2008
The story of LIFE FOR SALE happens at the present day in Germany. It is a drama film and the characters live in modern society.
Filou is a young, bald boy who is homeless. Very tall with characteristic cheek bones he is also a quiet impressionable person, who loves music. He plays on ‘air guitar’. He has got two friends: Liocha (Russian boy) and Mortiz. They survive, just, thanks to donating blood (every week) or walking dogs. Finally they have another idea for money. Together they sell themselves on an online auction. One of them sells his childhood, the second his future and the main character – his soul. After this their whole life changes incredibly. They are not the same people anymore. With money comes problems and away go friendships. The music in the film perfectly fills the background and gives it an unforgettable atmosphere. The end of the film is really surprising and a little bit horrifying.
The message is deep-meaning. The director tries to say that nowadays, in the 21st century, we can sell everything, even humans. The other information, which he wants to tell, could be the fact that money always divides people. It is a really sad conclusion, but unfortunately true. For me the film was an extraordinary experience and a few hours after this performance I could not stop thinking about it.
I would recommend LIFE FOR SALE to everybody who even once was wondering how money can change being human.
Anna Pilkowska (Young Critics)
The story of LIFE FOR SALE happens at the present day in Germany. It is a drama film and the characters live in modern society. Filou is a young, bald boy who is homeless. Very tall with characteristic cheek bones he is also a quiet impressionable person, who loves music. He plays on ‘air guitar’. He has got two friends: Liocha (Russian boy) and Mortiz. They survive, just, thanks to donating blood (every week) or walking dogs. Finally they have another idea for money. Together they sell themselves on an online auction. One of them sells his childhood, the second his future and the main character – his soul. After this their whole life changes incredibly. They are not the same people anymore. With money comes problems and away go friendships. The music in the film perfectly fills the background and gives it an unforgettable atmosphere. The end of the film is really surprising and a little bit horrifying.
The message is deep-meaning. The director tries to say that nowadays, in the 21st century, we can sell everything, even humans. The other information, which he wants to tell, could be the fact that money always divides people. It is a really sad conclusion, but unfortunately true. For me the film was an extraordinary experience and a few hours after this performance I could not stop thinking about it.
I would recommend LIFE FOR SALE to everybody who even once was wondering how money can change being human.
Anna Pilkowska (Young Critics)
Review by on 23 Sep 2008
Very engaging and credible actors, despite the phantasy and mistery of the story.
Very engaging and credible actors, despite the phantasy and mistery of the story.
Review by on 23 Sep 2008
The film was extraordinary, with some unforgettable images, but the director's own comments added so much to the pleasure of the experience. A lovely and complicated fable about belief and its power.
The film was extraordinary, with some unforgettable images, but the director's own comments added so much to the pleasure of the experience. A lovely and complicated fable about belief and its power.
Review by on 20 Sep 2008
LIFE FOR SALE aims to extend some deep-meaning messages to its audience. But it also forces you to think long and hard about what exactly it's trying to say. It's certainly a commentary on modern society, and seemingly faith and spirituality too. Or maybe it's more about inequality and desperation. It's difficult to say; there are a lot of big issues being tackled, but we're left without firm conclusions on any of them. This is no reason to dismiss the film however; perhaps the point is, in the end, that there are no definitive answers.
The film follows three young, homeless men who each sell a part of themselves on an online auction website in order to get some cash. Filou's soul sells for an extortionate amount, and despite the credibility of this situation, the link between his act and the profit-driven society we live in, the idea of selling one's soul to the City, is clear from the start. Just like the other two men, Filou suffers for his decision but redemption is eventually found in an unlikely source (I shan't give it away) but perhaps the significance of this saving grace is lost through cultural dissimilarities.
The three main actors are, at times, captivating in their roles (especially Joel Basman playing Liocha) and the music is something that you definitely won't forget in a hurry. Martyn Jaques and The Tiger Lillies provide the full soundtrack in all its eeriness and brilliance. LIFE FOR SALE is an intriguing film and it will leave you pondering for a long while after.
Becky Hawketts, Festival Daily
LIFE FOR SALE aims to extend some deep-meaning messages to its audience. But it also forces you to think long and hard about what exactly it's trying to say. It's certainly a commentary on modern society, and seemingly faith and spirituality too. Or maybe it's more about inequality and desperation. It's difficult to say; there are a lot of big issues being tackled, but we're left without firm conclusions on any of them. This is no reason to dismiss the film however; perhaps the point is, in the end, that there are no definitive answers. The film follows three young, homeless men who each sell a part of themselves on an online auction website in order to get some cash. Filou's soul sells for an extortionate amount, and despite the credibility of this situation, the link between his act and the profit-driven society we live in, the idea of selling one's soul to the City, is clear from the start. Just like the other two men, Filou suffers for his decision but redemption is eventually found in an unlikely source (I shan't give it away) but perhaps the significance of this saving grace is lost through cultural dissimilarities.
The three main actors are, at times, captivating in their roles (especially Joel Basman playing Liocha) and the music is something that you definitely won't forget in a hurry. Martyn Jaques and The Tiger Lillies provide the full soundtrack in all its eeriness and brilliance. LIFE FOR SALE is an intriguing film and it will leave you pondering for a long while after.
Becky Hawketts, Festival Daily
Review by on 20 Sep 2008
Inspired by real life events, director Dominique de Rivaz presents a tale in which three homeless men, Liocha, Mo and Filou decide to raise some cash by selling their past, future, and soul respectively on eBuy (sic). Exactly what these transactions might entail is left for the viewer to imagine; there is no suggestion of who might buy their lives or why, and the consequences of the sales aren’t explored in any depth.
Having previously scratched a living through activities such as dog-walking, blood and sperm donation, the initial euphoria of collecting a few hundred Euros for their marginal existence soon fades, as formerly carefree lifestyles and friendships begin to erode, but there’s little analysis of cause or effect.
The film offers a romanticised view of life on the streets, tempered only by the nightly collection of bodies from cardboard city. Filou, Mo and Liocha however skip lightly through their daily lives and consequently it’s difficult to work up much sympathy for their predicament or to see the sale of their lives as much more than a youthful prank.
A curate’s egg of a film.
Inspired by real life events, director Dominique de Rivaz presents a tale in which three homeless men, Liocha, Mo and Filou decide to raise some cash by selling their past, future, and soul respectively on eBuy (sic). Exactly what these transactions might entail is left for the viewer to imagine; there is no suggestion of who might buy their lives or why, and the consequences of the sales aren’t explored in any depth.Having previously scratched a living through activities such as dog-walking, blood and sperm donation, the initial euphoria of collecting a few hundred Euros for their marginal existence soon fades, as formerly carefree lifestyles and friendships begin to erode, but there’s little analysis of cause or effect.
The film offers a romanticised view of life on the streets, tempered only by the nightly collection of bodies from cardboard city. Filou, Mo and Liocha however skip lightly through their daily lives and consequently it’s difficult to work up much sympathy for their predicament or to see the sale of their lives as much more than a youthful prank.
A curate’s egg of a film.
Review by on 20 Sep 2008
Sell your soul to the Devil and you’re gonna get screwed. Although the Faustian pact is as clichéd a premise as boy meets girl, LIFE FOR SALE (LUFTBUSINESS) attempts to put a modern twist on the age-old morality tale. The auction website eBay takes the place of Mephistopheles, with the hapless Faustians being played by three homeless men who each flog off some metaphorical essence of themselves.
The director, Dominique De Rivaz claims that the movie was inspired by real life events. Yet, her approach is a far cry from the sordid reality of online body trafficking. De Rivaz has made a visually vibrant film rich in allegory and whimsy, with characters spouting out sententious aphorisms as if they’ve wandered off the page of a Beckett play and has colourful sets of picturesque poverty. LIFE FOR SALE is best when it is portraying the eccentricities of this motley crew of down-and-outs, such as a man who makes a living out of his wife’s hunched back, a stroke of which he claims brings good luck.
However, I did find it hard to really empathise with these characters. Their allegorical predicaments remained too distant from anything resembling poverty, with bigger issues of social inequity being sidelined (all the more noticeable considering that the film was shot in Luxemburg, the wealthiest city in Europe). De Rivaz’s spirituality is both her inspiration and her failing, with any suspense created by the ethical dilemmas being dampened by that dull money aint everything mantra of Sunday schools and Beatles songs.
Gerard Corvin, Festival Daily
Sell your soul to the Devil and you’re gonna get screwed. Although the Faustian pact is as clichéd a premise as boy meets girl, LIFE FOR SALE (LUFTBUSINESS) attempts to put a modern twist on the age-old morality tale. The auction website eBay takes the place of Mephistopheles, with the hapless Faustians being played by three homeless men who each flog off some metaphorical essence of themselves. The director, Dominique De Rivaz claims that the movie was inspired by real life events. Yet, her approach is a far cry from the sordid reality of online body trafficking. De Rivaz has made a visually vibrant film rich in allegory and whimsy, with characters spouting out sententious aphorisms as if they’ve wandered off the page of a Beckett play and has colourful sets of picturesque poverty. LIFE FOR SALE is best when it is portraying the eccentricities of this motley crew of down-and-outs, such as a man who makes a living out of his wife’s hunched back, a stroke of which he claims brings good luck.
However, I did find it hard to really empathise with these characters. Their allegorical predicaments remained too distant from anything resembling poverty, with bigger issues of social inequity being sidelined (all the more noticeable considering that the film was shot in Luxemburg, the wealthiest city in Europe). De Rivaz’s spirituality is both her inspiration and her failing, with any suspense created by the ethical dilemmas being dampened by that dull money aint everything mantra of Sunday schools and Beatles songs.
Gerard Corvin, Festival Daily
Film details
Life For Sale (Luftbusiness)
Director: Dominique de Rivaz
Actor: Thomas Lemarquis
Actor: Dominique Jann
Actor: Joel Basman
Actor: Thomas Lemarquis
Actor: Dominique Jann
Actor: Joel Basman
Switzerland/Luxembourg, 2008.
89 mins. German with English subtitles.
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