In the Country

Kramer's first three films form a trilogy of the radical left in the USA around 1968. In the Country is a chamber play. A man (William Devane) and a woman (Catherine Merrill) have retreated to a country house. A pause for thought after the political activism of the metropolis. Gestures, faces and conversations in which the opportunities and risks of political action are explored. How can revolutionary action and personal relationships be reconciled? Kramer's first feature film, shot in 1966, met with little approval in the USA. ‘We screened it once and people laughed. It was terrible. The only thing was that Jonas Mekas took it to Pesaro,’ says Kramer. The screening at the Italian festival is an early indication of Kramer's affinity with Europe, where his films still meet with a greater response than in his home country. Film critic James Stoller: ‘In the Country is probably the first and last feature film of the New Left.’ (Volker Pantenburg)

Courtesy Cinémathèque française

Photo: Austrian Film Museum