Fandom and celebrity obsession in the 1990s looked very different to it does today. There was no social media or online presence. No instant way to discover facts about a star, so ardent fans needed to get their information from print media, radio or TV. That build-up a certain kind of mythos around stars and the harder it was to discover a fact, the more rewarding it became. Two misfits take this to another level in the enigmatic In the Strange Pursuit of Laura Durand.
Antonis (Makis Papadimitriou) and Christos (Michalis Sarantis) are friends who share the same interests but find themselves increasingly struggling to connect with the real world. They’re brought together by a shared love of music, which they explore in their band Speed_28, and their love of a ‘90s porn actress, Laura Durand, who just mysteriously disappeared. When their lives take a turn for the worse, they decide to track her down.
There are so many interesting ideas which bubble to the surface of In the Strange Pursuit of Laura Durand. Channelling an almost punk ethos, Dimitris Bavellas’ film feels fresh and vibrant. Taking the friends on an offbeat, outlandish and extraordinary quest. As a road movie, it’s full of good humour and unpredictable turns. However, it does seem to start running out of gas halfway though, making In the Strange Pursuit of Laura Durand more fitfully fascinating trifle than strange obsession.
In the Strange Pursuit of Laura Durand will be available on Digital Download from 31 January.
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