Bas Devos’ latest is set in Brussels, where a Romanian construction worker (Stefan Gota) cooks soup, then meets a Chinese doctoral student (Liyo Gong) who studies mosses. They meet once in a restaurant, then again in the woods. People drop in and out, there’s no real cause and effect, and the movie develops its own exquisite dream-logic in place of a traditional narrative. But it all works beautifully. For Devos, it’s not words that convey meaning, but everything else, which is why the emphasis here is on the exquisite cinematography (Grimm Vandekerckhove) and the intricate sound design (Boris Debackere). Working together, they create an effect that is truly immersive. If you can be present to the gentle movement and minute observations of Here, miracles are possible. ~SM
*** Preceded by Pedro Costa’s magnificent 8-minute short Daughters of Fire (As Filhas do Fogo). Set against the backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean island of Cape Verde, the film follows three sisters who are separated by the eruption of the local Fogo Volcano. ***