Minimals in a Titanic World Berlinale
Let off with a warning for aggression, dancer and aspiring musician Anita returns from prison to perform at her bar, where she learns about the sudden death of her boyfriend, Serge. While close friends process the shock, Anita finds solace in the company of Serge’s roommate, Shema. As she wrestles with the difficult final memories of her boyfriend, Anita must negotiate her bond with Shema while trying to break out on her own as an independent songwriter
Minimals in a Titanic World, Philbert Aimé Mbabazi Sharangabo
Minimals in a Titanic World (2025) follows Anita, a young grief stricken woman. She’s trying to get through her day to day. All while doing her best to make sure her emotions are in check so she doesn’t end up back in prison. The film in its execution oscillates between a traditional plot and character driven drama and colourful mood-piece cinema.
The overall experience is a perplexing one. Director Philbert Aimé Mbabazi Sharangabo’s approach is one that is filled with some fantastic ideas but let down by its mediocre and amateurish execution. The filmmaking overall is a mess , for every unique visual moment and sequence that actually works. There are so many more that just feel as if they were ripped from a student film.
It’s clear that the mood piece segments are meant to have a bigger ‘oomph’ to it than the rest of the film but the stark shift in quality comes off as jarring and frustrating especially when you have to consider the fact that most of the film is poorly shot sequences of people going through the motions. The bulk of the film is marred by flat and uninteresting lighting , amateurish framing and even moments of audio cutting out. Even in the more unique mood piece moments , the filmmaking lets its ideas down.
“It’s clear that the mood piece segments are meant to have a bigger ‘oomph’ to it than the rest of the film but the stark shift in quality comes off as jarring ”
Towards the end of the first act there is a particularly poignant sequence that is a microcosm of the film's issues. A character has a silent conversation with his recently deceased friend. The dialogue is told only through subtitles and we only see these shadows a few feet apart move and communicate. On paper this idea is fantastic but its execution feels very lacklustre and is doing a disservice to its own innovation. What would be quite a poignant moment is let down by form that lacks the technical sheen to really allow its emotion to pop. The form doesn’t allow the exploration of its characters' grief to really feel rounded.
This is not to say the film is a total failure, despite some of its shaky dialogue the performances do really feel incredibly lived in. Sharangabo certainly has captured a very palpable feeling of grief through the performances. Lead actress Aline Amike is fantastic and commands the screen as Anita, someone dealing with the overwhelming weight of grief and stress of adjusting to a new life. It would have been very easy for this performance to be a very over the top and flashy one, but the restraint shown is far more effective. This sense of bubbling anger and dread building within her character was particularly exciting to watch.
Overall Minimals in a Titanic World isn’t a very affecting feature. Philbert Aimé Mbabazi Sharangabo’s debut feature is an ambitious portrait of a young woman struggling with grief and re-adjustment but sadly doesn’t stick its landing at all. Despite a fantastic leading performance and a great score. Most of the film’s unique ideas are let down by subpar filmmaking that holds the film back from really realising its ideas. The rough filmmaking doesn’t give the film a more lo-fi aesthetic lending to authenticity but rather makes it feel at points like a student production biting off more than it can chew.
Release Date: May 9th, 2025
Directed by Philbert Aimé Mbabazi Sharangabo
Written by Philbert Aimé Mbabazi Sharangabo
Produced by Philbert Aimé Mbabazi Sharangabo, Samuel Ishimwe Karemangingo, Remy Ryumugabe, Didacienne Nibagwire, Alexander Wadouh, Roxana Richters, Augustine Moukodi
Starring Aline Amike, Niyigena “Rwasibo Joe” Jean Pierre, Ganza Moise, Nasser Makala, Alice Amike
Cinematography by Samuel Ishimwe Karemangingo, Nasser Naizi
Distributor: Imitana Productions, Iyugi Production, Chromosom Fil, Zili Studios
Runtime: 81 minutes.