Dystopian art film “Gummo” to screen at Cinema Daal

CAIRO – 5 December 2017: “Gummo” (1997), a disturbing American dystopian art film is to screen on Wednesday at Cinema Daal as part of its weekly film screening program.

“Gummo”, directed by Harmony Korine, is considered a cult film dedicated for adults however it has gained popularity among the cult-productions fan base.

The film is set in a town called “Xenia” in Ohio, where a tornado had devastated the area. It is narrated by a boy named “Solomon”, who is present throughout the film, giving comments and introducing characters. “Solomon” and another boy named “Tummler” pass their free time in the town with destructive and disturbing behaviour.

“Gummo” is meant to explore America’s deep social issues including drug abuse, violence, poverty, mental illness, racism, and abuse, among other ideas. The scenes of the film are irregular and do not follow a clear plotline. They represent aspects of American society that are often ignored in cinema.

The film is unscripted, and most of the characters are played by non-actors. The director meant to deliver an honest depiction of impoverished American neighborhoods, emphasized by its surreal images and dialogue, and the disturbing and graphic behavior shown.

The film stars Jacob Reynolds as “Solomon”, Nick Sutton as “Tummler”, Jacob Sewell as “Bunny Boy”, and Chloë Sevigny as “Dot”.

Harmony Korine, the director, was awarded several prizes for his work on “Gummo” including the Special Jury Award at the Gijón International Film Festival, the Open Palm Award at the Gotham Awards, and the KNF Award at the Rotterdam International Film Festival.