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16 October 2019
Lynn+Lucy, dir. by Fyzal Boulifa - LFF 2019
by Anne-Sophie MarieThe Mayfair Hotel, where I’m about to meet Lynn + Lucy writer and director Fyza Boulifa and newcomer Roxanne Scrimshaw (Lynn), seems very far away from the film’s environment. Set in Harlow, the subtly dark and beautifully acted narrative follows two young mothers who have also been best friends all their lives, in spite (or maybe because of) their very different personas: Lucy the party animal, Lynn almost the wallflower. But when a tragic accident occurs and the local community reacts, (...) Continue Reading »
13 October 2019
Encounters 2019 Arab selection
by judyStrange Cities Are Familiar, Dir. Saeed Taji Farouky
At once lyrical and political, this film centres on a beautifully understated performance by Mohammad Bakri as Ashraf, a refugee living in London who is unable to return to Palestine to be with his dying son. Ashraf is both stern and tender as the London landscape around him transforms into scenes from his past life and the imagined sufferings of his son in the present. Featuring a brilliant use of sound from the outset the film is (...) Continue Reading »
4 October 2019
Our pick of Arab docs 3 - Walled Citizen
by Abla KandalaftWalled Citizen is a documentary by Palestinian filmmaker Sameer M Qumsiyeh in which he attempts to backpack around the world with a Palestinian passport, basically making him persona non grata at customs everywhere. Sameer goes beyond his own personal experience to explore the wider world and concept of travelling and speaks to seasoned backpackers and fellow Palestinians reflecting on the fact that year after year they welcome well-meaning international globe-trotters, who enjoy more (...) Continue Reading »
30 September 2019
Our picks of Arab docs 2: Papa Hedi - the Man Behind the Microphone
by Abla KandalaftFilmmaker Claire Belhassime unbelievably randomly finds out that her grandfather is none other than legendary Tunisian singer Hedi Jouini. As she decides to retrace his life, she uncovers both Hedi’s role in political and social movements and Tunisia’s art scene and secrets and drama at the very heart of her family, shedding light on why his real identity was kept hidden. Even if you’ve never heard of Hedi Jouini, Belhassine’s thoroughly engaging storytelling skills and her expert use of (...) Continue Reading »
23 September 2019
Our pick of Arab docs 1
by Abla KandalaftWe’ve been watching recently - and not quite yet - released documentaries by Arab filmmakers. We’ll be posting our picks and where to find them in the next few days and weeks, starting with the below.
Counting Tiles, dir. Cynthia Choucair
Lebanese filmmaker Cynthia Choucair travels to the Greek island of Lesvos with her sister, a member of Clowns Without Borders, volunteers who seek to bring a bit of laughter and levity to the refugees that have ended up there. Once they arrive on the (...) Continue Reading »
9 August 2019
Short of the Week: Carnal Orient by Mila Zuo
by carrieA cook serves exotic dishes to his hungry, impatient guests. Suddenly the arrival of a mysterious Asian woman re-ignites their insatiable appetite.
Mila Zuo’s atmospheric short is incredibly rich in symbolism and references, conscious or not - from Lynch to Fruit Chan’s dumplings.
This short is brought to us by the fab horror film platform @WatchALTER. There’s a whole treasure trove on their Youtube (...) Continue Reading »
27 June 2019
Support The Girls by Andrew Bujalski
by Ania D. BrettCOMING OUT TOMORROW Excellent statement on the dynamic of precarious work and the women taking it on - SUPPORT THE GIRLS by Andrew Bujalski
SUPPORT THE GIRLS follows Lisa (Regina Hall), the general manager at Double Whammies, a highway-side ‘sports bar with curves’, who has her normally unstoppable optimism and faith – in her girls, her customers, and herself – tested over the course of a long, strange day.
Double Whammies, a low-budget Hooters, is a typical sports bar and “brestaurant” (...) Continue Reading »
17 June 2019
Short of the Week: The Boy and The Sea by Samer Ajouri
by carrieThis entrancing, hypnotising and moving animation is now available to watch online!
Once upon a time there was a boy who had joy in drawing the sea. One day, into the bottom of the sea he dove, in hope of escaping war and misery.
The story did not begin with the worldwide TV snatched image of the Syrian child Elan, thrown on the Turkish shores by the waves, and it definitely did not end with it.
Once upon a time there was a boy who had joy in drawing the sea.
One day, into the bottom of (...) Continue Reading »
11 June 2019
Knife + Heart (Un couteau dans le coeur) by Yann Gonzalez - Fragments 2019
by Abla KandalaftYou And The Night, celebrated at Cannes’s Critics’ Week in 2014, cemented Yann Gonzalez’s reputation as a truly original director, with his own brand of stylish, colourful and erotic filmmaking. With Knife+Heart, Gonzalez offers up a stylised slasher flick in the vein of Italian gialli, set in the heart of the gay porn industry in the seedier parts of 1970s Paris.
The film opens with a particularly gruesome murder in which a masked killer stabs his victim repeatedly with a dildo-shaped knife. (...) Continue Reading »
10 June 2019
Searching Eva by Pia Hellenthal - Fragments 2019
by Ania D. Brett, Coco GreenSearching Eva does not use titular character, Eva Collé, as a metaphor for Generation Z taken for granted intersectionality and ‘always on’ social media. Eva’s identity laundry list and reluctance to ‘be’ a gender, culture or nationality is simply context. Its probe into her life through social media posts and vignettes is simply the setup. The true offering of this documentary is its reflection on perception and presentation. In the age of social media, whose domination isn’t limited to just one (...) Continue Reading »
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