New Discovery: Martin Eden

Photos by Francesca Errichiello, courtesy Kino Lorber.

By Jesy Odio

How can you capture the feeling of an entire century in cinema? It must be shot on film, of course. Start with electro dance music of the 80s, include some of the decadent vehicles of the 50s, and don’t forget bleached highlights for your protagonist. 

You’ll end up with a feature film, sprinkled with found footage and elusive jump cuts, whose aesthetic at first appears anachronistic, but eventually it gets under your skin with all the struggles, epiphanies and tragedies of a hundred years.

Martin Eden’s life story seems to mirror the arc of the recent era, from idealistic Marxist to disenchanted tycoon, with only the hollow gifts of capitalism to show for his striving. It’s no surprise to discover that Pietro Marcello’s deftness in collage and assembly comes from a decade of experience making documentaries. I can’t imagine anyone else being able to encapsulate, individually and collectively, the entire 21st century in one epic, heartbreaking story. 

Martin Eden is now streaming on KinoNow.