I caught this extraordinary think-piece in a rep house (remember them?) in the late '80s -- and was struck by how such a tremendous film could be so little-known. In following the complex activities of a bunch of seemingly-unrelated Parisians, Soviet-Georgian-born director Otar Iosseliani does indeed suggest a world wider than any one city could contain. It's like watching a beehive, with a cast of crazies and/or criminals buzzing around manically, mostly missing one another but occasionally intersecting. In this, Favorites of the Moon somewhat recalls Nashville, Short Cuts, and Magnolia -- yet Iosseliani is less interested in "explaining" and tying-up loose ends than either Altman or Anderson. He just presents these people and their peculiar doings (some of which are very, very funny), then lets viewers figure it all out for themselves. Fascinating!
In fact, the only complaint I have about Favorites of the Moon is how difficult it is to find!
In fact, the only complaint I have about Favorites of the Moon is how difficult it is to find!