Level 5

Using today's modern computer technology, Chris Marker made a semi-documentary about the battle at Okinawa - a turning point in World War II.
One of the greatest battles of the second World War took place on the island of Okinawa, south west of Japan. The allies invaded the island in April 1945, preparing the attack on Japan. The bloodbath on Okinawa continued for several months, and hundreds of thousands of people lost their lives, amongst other things through mass suicide. Shortly after, as a result of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, Japan capitulated and the war was over.
A young woman is working on the creation of a computer game that is to simulate the battle on Okinawa. She searches the internet (called OWL - Optional World Link) to obtain information about what happened.
In Chris Markers film ”Level 5”, this is the fictive frame for the documentary sequences about the battle of Okinawa. Like his other films, Marker has cut together material from different areas, resulting in a semi-documentary. The actress' intensive, poetic and emotional monologue, directed at the audience, is mixed with old clips and interviews of poeple who witnessed the battle. The Japanese film director Nagisa Oshima is one of the people who share their memories about the horrible events in 1945. The effect of this semi-documentary films leads the audience to ask themselves: What is fiction and what is real? Where does one draw the line?
Central themes in ”Level 5” are memories, time, history and people affected by the war. Where thematics and story telling techniques are concerned, one can draw parallels with Marker's earlier works. Another point of reference, both thematically and narratively, is Alain Resnais, an old friend and collegue to Marker.
Like in his past films, Marker questions time. He travels through time using film as the intrument. Although ”Level 5 ”deals with an historic event, the audience is constantly reminded of the present, especially through the use of computer technology. One gets a feeling for this by Mark's use of modern technology used in typograhic pictures accompanied by suggestive, electronic music. The combination of sight and sound in these sequences instills a feeling of fear and uncertainty towards technology, the past and the future.
Sara Brolin

Premiärstatus
Nordisk premiär: Medverkande
Catherine Belkhodja, Kenjo Tokitsu, Nagisa Oshima: Producent
Anatole Dauman: Manus
Chris Marker: Foto
Chris Marker, Gérard de Battista, Yves Angelo: Musik
Michel Krasna: Talat språk
French