Weekend viewing: The Congress
There are a handful of books and movies which are difficult for me to recommend. Not because they’re not worth one’s time, but because they are so unique in their storytelling and leave such a profound impression that I stumble for words when trying to describe them. The Congress (2013) is at the top of that list. It took several viewings and a few years of contemplation until I was able to piece together Ari Folman’s puzzle of a film. Perhaps not the most straightforward experience, but certainly a fascinating and contemplative one.
The Congress is a film in two acts; the first, in live action, depicts actor Robin Wright (played by herself) as she goes through the struggles of an aging career and caring for her family. In the second act, Robin searches for her son in an animated universe in which the depiction of her persona and ultimately, her essence, is no longer under her control. The differences between both acts are striking, separated not only by time but also by style and story. The second act is so surreal and bizarre, that the world it depicts as our own future seems totally implausible.
In fact, The Congress struck me as so outlandish that I stopped three-quarters of the way through my first viewing of the film. I eventually realized that this confusion was the point. The shared psychedelic trip in the potential future depicted in the film is so far removed from our own reality that it reminds us that, more often than not, attempts to predict our future in the context of our experiences today are very likely an exercise in futility.
The Congress is a cautionary tale offering a possible reality in which the media industry may come to rule the experience of living itself. This is a worthy, timely discussion which intersects topics like life vs. instagram, the metaverse, and, to a certain extent, surveillance capitalism. In the film, those who buy into this shared, animated world are entirely disconnected from their real-world selves and have no contact with those who chose to stay behind. Through this exploration, the film asks questions about what is means to be us. Will we evolve to be able to shape the nature of human reality? What we would be if we could be, well, anything - and which parts of our soul would we be giving up in the process?
The Congress (2013)
Ari Folman
Starring:
Robin Wright
Harvey Keitel
Jon Hamm
Danny Huston