Film - The Fountain - by Darren Aronofsky

director Darren Aronofsky's first movie for six years, "The Fountain", a metaphysical love story starring his wife Rachel Weisz, has its world premiere at Venice as the world's oldest film festival heads into its final week.

"The Fountain" is a tale of metaphysical love set in the past, present and future which explores the notion of everlasting life.

It follows Tomas Creo, played by Hugh Jackman, on a thousand-year quest for the elixir of life to save the woman he loves.

Jackman is variously a 16th conquistador, present-day surgeon and 26th century astronaut in Aronofsky's first film since the highly successful 2000 picture, "Requiem for a Dream".

Aronofsky admitted Monday that the film, which features visually stunning Sci-fi scenes, nearly did not get made.

"It's an action film, a love story, and a Science Fiction film. It's very hard to get that through Hollywood. Everyone in the world said 'no' several times," he told a news conference to launch the film, which divided critics here.

Fans of Aronofsky's work found the film enthralling, while others said it was a jumble which failed to convince.

"I think what we experience in this film is that dying and coming to terms with death is part of life," said the director.

The young director said working with his wife, who plays Creo's dying wife Izzy, as "fun".

Weisz said the film has caused a profound shift in her feelings about death.

"During the film, because of all the research I did talking to young people who were dying, and with the hospice movement, I got to a place during the film where I was alright about death. There were a few days where I was in the headspace where I could say: 'I could go now'."

"The Fountain" is one of 21 films in the official competition for the Golden Lion award for best movie.

A sumptuous silk-and-swashbuckle Chinese period drama which is being shown out of competition, has won hearts at Venice.

"Yeyan" (The Banquet) stars Ziyi Zhang as Empress Wan, head of ancient dynasty who chooses either charm or carnage to get her way.

"I play a sort of tormented 'Lady Hamlet', continuously changing. My empress is driven by a thirst for power, and this costs her dearly," said Zhang, first propelled to stardom by Ang Lee's Oscar-winning "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon."

"The principal themes of the film are universal, desire and revenge," said Feng, known for Chinese blockbusters like the 2004 movie "A World Without Thieves."

A much quieter Asian movie, the almost painfully slow "Hei Yanquan" (I Don't Want to Sleep Alone) is showing in the official competition.

Dominated by long scenes, Malay director Tsai Ming-Liang's movie is an intricate examination of lust and human tenderness among foreign workers in teeming Kuala Lumpur.

"Hei Yanquan" which stars Lee Kang-Sheng, is Tsai's first film in his native land after making seven movies in his adopted home of Taiwan. He previously won the Golden Lion in 1994 for "Aiqing Wansui" (Vive l'Amour), and the Silver Bear in Berlin for "The Wayward Cloud".

Austrian director Barbara Albert's film, "Falling", focuses on two days and a night in the lives of five thirtysomething women, former schoolfriends who return to their hometown to attend the funeral of their favourite teacher.

Old wounds are reopened, friendships rediscovered as the women revisit their childhood dreams in the film, starring Nina Proll and Birgit Minichmayr.

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Finder said:

Sounds interesting, but I'm more curious as to why Aronofsky hasn't made a film in six years.

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brothermarcus said:

... although i'm not sure it would be a very good "date" movie, unless you were prepared to have some very serious existential discussions with your date over pie afterwards.

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