New Wave Films
Film Review: It Must Be Heaven
Unfortunately, once again our news feeds are dominated by tensions in Israel and it seems that there’s unlikely to ever be a satisfactory resolution to this lengthy conflict. Whilst there are often Israeli films at European festivals it’s much rarer to get content from Palestinian directors. Let’s be honest, occupation tends to focus the mind …
Film Review: Ava
It’s certainly not easy growing up as a teenage girl in the modern world, regardless of where you live. You probably feel assailed from every side. If it’s not the media’s relentless obsession towards beauty and perfection or the toxic social media, it’s boys being utter twerps. At least growing up in a Western democracy …
Film Review: Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc holds a fairly unique position as a historical female. Not only is she still revered after hundreds of years, her reputation has only grown since her death. Although, like many of her sisters, that didn’t prevent her being burned at the stake. The ‘Maid of Orléans’s story has been captured on film …
LFF Review: Martin Eden
Jack London was one of the most important and influential American novelists of his generation. His writings embodied the thirst for adventure which epitomised the era but also were a product of his radical political opinions. Much of his work reflected his socialist leanings, most notably in The Iron Heel and Martin Eden. The latter …
LFF Review: Talking About Trees
The cinema of Sudan is almost completely unknown on a world stage. Whilst not overly surprising for an impoverished African country, this hasn’t always been the case. Years of oppressive governments, hard-line religion and a struggling economy has resulted in almost all the cinemas closing down. Film-makers, who at one stage were winning awards on …
Film Review – Tehran: City of Love
Iran has found itself in the news a lot recently. If it’s not the breakdown of the nuclear deal or maritime piracy it’s the alleged attacks on Saudi Arabia. It’s a country we hear little about unless there’s a diplomatic crisis or something awful has happened. However, it’s easy to forget that until the 1979 …
Film Review: Rojo
Latin America has never been the most stable region in terms of politics or government. When not acting as a microcosm of the Cold War, the continent’s recent history has been marred by Military Juntas and brutal dictatorships. Argentina in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s is a case in point. A coup d’état in …
Film Review: Ash is Purest White
It’s easy to forget that until the introduction of economic reforms in 1978, China was a purely communist country. The landscape in 2019 is a far cry from the Maoist era. Whilst things are beginning to slow down, the Celestial Empire has consistently been one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Huge cities …
Film Review: The House by the Sea
It is said that blood is thicker than water and to a greater extent that appears to hold true for most people. That doesn’t mean we necessarily like our brothers and sisters, spend much time with them or have anything in common. One thing that does bring families together is the illness or death of …
Film Review: An Elephant Sitting Still
2018 has been a great year for first-time film-makers. Some of the best cinema created around the world has been produced by directors making their feature debuts. Whether those film are huge smashes such as Bradley Cooper’s A Star is Born or Ari Aster’s Hereditary or surprise successes like Boots Riley’s Sorry to Bother You …