Film Festival
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: Me and the Cult Leader
On 20 March 1995, members of the Aum Shinrikyo, a doomsday cult, orchestrated five coordinated attacks on the Tokyo Metro. During rush hour they released Sarin gas on three different lines, killing twelve and severely injuring many more. The perpetrators, including the leader Shoko Asahara, were executed, but the group is still operational; albeit under …
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: Influence
We are well and truly living in the era of post-truth, where experts and facts play second fiddle to polemic, propaganda and targeted messaging. This didn’t just happen over the last decade with the arrival of Trump, Brexit and the rise of populism. This took years in the making. Step forward Tim Bell and Bell …
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: Film About A Father Who
Whilst she might not be a household name to most, Lynne Sachs is well-known within the documentary community. The American experimental filmmaker has been working within the industry for the last thirty years, much of her work involves collaboration and a melding of different mediums. Sachs has been chosen to be subject of a retrospective …
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: Welcome to Chechnya
As highlighted most famously by Pussy Riot, when it comes to same-sex relationships Russia is far from progressive. Indeed, the state’s close ties to the church mean that members of LGBTQ+ communities face a number of challenges. This is amplified in the Chechen Republic, where Islam is the dominant religion and Ramzan Kadyrov’s tyranny is …
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: The Viewing Booth
Now, more than any other time in human history, we’re beginning to take a long hard look in the mirror and question our core beliefs. A wave of political populism has polarised societies like never before. Everything has to be black and white. There is no room for ambiguity. Every human has prejudices. It’s natural. …
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: The Go-Go’s
Many of the best bands burned fast but burned twice as bright. This could have been said about The Go-Go’s. They started out as a punk bad before gradually gravitating towards the power pop which would make them famous. After a tour of the UK, their debut album, Beauty and the Beat, was a surprise …
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: Aswang
During Rodrigo Duterte election campaign to become the President of the Philippines he promised to kill thousands upon thousands of criminals and eradicate crime within the country. Whatever you think about the controversial figure, he was certainly true to his word. Since he came to power in 2016, and subsequently issued a shoot to kill …
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: Flint
Once known for its automobile production, Flint, Michigan is now synonymous with public health issues, specifically the water crisis the city has been suffering since 2014. It’s a story which has hit news channels across the world. The scandal has also been covered extensively on TV and in film; most notably by Michael Moore in …
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: Us Kids
In 2019 there were more mass shootings in America than days. Let that just sink in for a moment. These murders take place in a variety of locations, but all too frequently happen in schools. Many of these massacres are now notorious. The list seems endless, but the most well-known are Sandy Hook, Columbine, University …
Film Review: This is Not a Movie
Robert Fisk is the embodiment of a certain generation of foreign correspondent. Privately educated, he started out reporting on The Troubles in Northern Ireland before eventually becoming the Middle East Correspondent for the Times in 1987. Always outspoken and fiercely committed, he has lived in Beirut ever since. When one of his stories was pulled, …