The Congress
Ari Folman’s follow-up to the emotionally raw Waltz of Bashir, The Congress delves into the personal relationship actors have with their roles, and their audiences. Robin Wright plays a fictionalized version of herself in a world, where actors are getting their likeness scanned by studios. Studios can then put these actors in their projects without the actors’ consent. 20 years after Wright signed the agreement, her journey to renew the contract takes her into the all-animated Abrahama City, where she will speak at the studio’s “Futurological Congress.” The film splits between live-action and animation, reflecting her perception and anxieties as the animated sequences move forward. These animated scenes took me into contemplative places, as she rationalizes her internal conflict with potentially giving up her identity and passion. As admittedly easy it is to get lost in the trippy-animation, if you let yourself go and just follow Wright on her quest, she’ll take you into some interesting places.
The Congress is available on Prime.
