GFF 2013: The Legend of Kaspar Hauser

Writer-director Davide Manuli takes the basic concept and some specific details from the true story of Kaspar Hauser, and twists it into a surreal techno-western that will fascinate and infuriate in equal measure. In a dual role, Vincent Gallo is suitably deranged as The Sheriff - the spitting, rambling, peaceful lunatic who discovers the person who may or may not be Kaspar washed up on the beach one morning - and his less-featured brother, The Pusher, but the most enigmatic, fascinating presence is that of Kaspar, the “boy” played by the supremely androgynous Silvia Calderoni.  

Despite the apparent absurdity, the film follows a linear narrative – the discovery, life, and death of Hauser – and each progressive section is handily divided into clearly defined chapters. That's where the normality ends, however. Scenes vary from strange to maddeningly repetitive; one features the characters literally going around in circles. With an excellent, pounding soundtrack by electronic artist Vitalic, this hypnotic, mesmerising film has “future cult classic” written all over it. [Becky Bartlett]