It is rare to encounter a film that is so utterly honest and true to its subject, no matter how difficult a tale that is to tell. Gregorio Sassoli and Alejandro Cifuentes, the duo behind the documentary ‘Saint Damian’ have managed such a feat, and in the process, have created a masterpiece that will crack open some much needed truths, all the while conquering every heart in the audience.
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A still of Karla Murthy with her father, courtesy of the filmmaker
A very personal review: 'The Gas Station Attendant' premieres at Sheffield Doc Fest
Back when I was growing up in the US, there was a saying: “Everybody loves a winner” a phrase derived possibly from the 1967 song. Nowadays, from social media to the movies, and through everything in between, we’ve come to love the “losers” much much more. In her personal documentary, award winning filmmaker Karla Murthy talks about one such person. Someone very very close to her — her dad.
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Soad Hosny and Hussein Fahmy in a still from ‘Watch Out for Zouzou’ by Hassan el-Imam
Holding up a mirror to a time of possibilities: 'Watch Out for Zouzou' opens this year's SAFAR film festival in London
The 1972 Egyptian classic enjoys a gorgeous, brand new restoration, allowing younger audiences to discover its magic and its message, while bestowing on those revisiting the film an eerie sense of “what could have been?”
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Benicio del Toro and Mia Threapleton in a still from ‘The Phoenician Scheme’ in theaters on Friday
The Magnificent Wes Anderson: Why 'The Phoenician Scheme' is my fave since 'Grand Budapest'
At the core of his latest film, Anderson, along with co-writer Roman Coppola and leading man Benicio de Toro, has created a wonderfully entertaining antihero of contradictions: European yet eerily Trumpian, bigger than life yet soft spoken, bearing many passports yet without a fixed address, a self professed diplomat who carries a crate of hand-grenades — just in case they are needed. And more often than not, they are.
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Reinventing the narrative: 'Nino' by Pauline Loquès Cannes Review
If you thought a film following a man’s weekend after discovering he’s ill couldn’t be charming, funny, tender, warm and thoroughly entertaining from beginning to end, journalist turned filmmaker Pauline Loquès will change your mind. And your hearts, forever.
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Cannes Gem: A review of 'Urchin' by Harris Dickinson
A film that, aside from its spellbinding leading man and touching crucial themes about the habits that bring us down, again and again, also begs the question: “Who do the streets of London belong to? Those who thread upon them or those who call them home?”
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To be Muslim, French and Queer: 'The Little Sister' Cannes review
What do you do when you don’t see people like you represented in French literature? Well, if you are Fatima Daas, you write a character that has never been shown before — a lesbian, Muslim young woman, first generation French daughter of Algerian immigrants. And then, a great filmmaker and actress like Hafsia Herzi might make it into a film that ends up in Cannes, in Competition. Well, this is what happened.
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Tom Cruise must need a nap after 'Mission: Impossible -- The Final Reckoning'
He runs across London, dives to the depth of the Baltic Sea, flies through the South African sky, most of the time outside an airplane, and never misses a beat — and I was exhausted just watching him do it all…
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A still from ‘Yalla Parkour!’ by Areeb Zuaiter
There are eight DFI-supported titles in this year's Berlinale lineup
And at least one in each section too, including Competition and the new Perspectives for first time features.
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Jacob Elordi in Justin Kurzel’s ‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North’ photo © Curio Pictures
New additions to Berlinale Special program include much anticipated title 'Mickey 17' and new Justin Kurzel series with Jacob Elordi
There is goodness to be found in this year’s Berlinale Special program and it includes some eye candy, for yours truly.
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Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey in a still from Luca Guadagnino’s ‘Queer’
Cinema is "something that is going to change your mind forever": Let's talk about Luca Guadagnino's 'Queer'
As the Italian-born filmmaker heads the Competition Jury at this year’s Marrakech International Film Festival, I’m reminded of one of my favorite, count-them-on-the-fingers-of-one-hand films from this year’s Venice Film Festival and why Guadagnino will always be a beloved filmmaker of mine.
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Fink, Roz and Pinktail in ‘The Wild Robot’, courtesy of DreamWorks Animation
Kindness is a superpower: 'The Wild Robot' review
They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, but feel free to judge this magnificent film by its spellbinding still above.
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Photo by © Akis Bado, used with permission
Locarno Golden Leopard winner 'Toxic' by Saulė Bliuvaitė reviewed
The film, which was awarded top prize by a jury chaired by Austrian auteur Jessica Hausner, was also the winner in the separately juried First Feature Competition.
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Bérénice Béjo and Matheo Labbé in a still from ‘Mexico 86’
Review of 'Mexico 86' by César Diaz: A film with its heart in the perfect place
The fictionalized, yet personal story of the troubled relationship between the filmmaker and his own mother, ‘Mexico 86’ offers a viewpoint into the price women pay when trying to balance motherhood, and a revolution.
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Cate Blanchett and Sasha Baron Cohen in a still from ‘Disclaimer’ by Alfonso Cuaron
Trailer released for 'Disclaimer': **Not to be watched if you can't handle entertainment
'Why War' may be Amos Gitai's most important film to date and will screen at this year's Venice Film Festival
For a man whose personal mission has been to “build bridges through cinema,” as he told La Repubblica newspaper in an interview just published this week, his latest film may prove the most important peace-making link yet.
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Venice Film Festival line up includes latest from Amos Gitai, Scandar Copti, Pedro Almodóvar, plus a series from Alfonso Cuarón, Luca Guadagnino's 'Queer' and Pablo Larraín's 'Maria'
All wrapped up with the Lady Gaga starrer ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’, Tunisian gem ‘Aïcha’ by Mehdi Barsaoui and ‘Wolfs’ starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt — talk about a festival for the stars!
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Sophia Loren in a frame from the film ‘L’oro di Napoli’ by Vittorio De Sica
Vittorio De Sica's classic 'L'oro di Napoli' is pre-opening film of 81st Venice Film Fest
The Pre-opening film will screen on Tuesday August 27th of the 81st Venice International Film Festival of La Biennale di Venezia, on the 50th anniversary of the death of Vittorio De Sica and the 70th anniversary of the film.
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DreamWorks Animation launches brand new trailer for 'The Wild Robot' in Annecy
The latest DreamWorks Animation title will be distributed by Universal and is a new adaptation of the literary sensation by Peter Brown.
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'Being Maria' Cannes Review: A problematic woman or simply someone who dared to call it like it is?
Cinematic, albeit scandalous history was made in 1972 when Bernardo Bertolucci’s ‘Last Tango in Paris’ was first screened. Now French filmmaker Jessica Palud, with the help of a book written by Maria Schneider’s cousin, retells the story to finally bring out the heroine in a woman who simply stood up for herself. And, as is often the case for strong women, lost.
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