Alps (EOTWS)

End Of The Week Shorts #53 extract: Alps (2011)

Though many compare Alps to Dogtooth, Alps is most like Lanthimos first film, Kinetta. In such, it deals with a universal Lanthimos themes: care giving, privacy and loneliness. In following a group of people who act as surrogate family members and friends for grieving people, Alps contrasts ideas of caring for other people with personal ulterior motives. Like Kinetta, this then sees characters move toward and away from professionalism and intimacy with the gap between the two highlighting the film's central concept of action as humanity. Drama then emerges when characters try to bridge the gap between their professional personal lives; it is when they try to find value in one and integrate it into another, that trouble emerges. And this is all because, when actions are perceived as one's humanity, one can too easily be fooled into thinking playing parts will have you grow and change as a person. The fact is humanity is deeply internal and cannot be simply imitated; a crushing fact for some.