Mira Nair was born in Orissa, a remote state in North East India. And although she had become interested in acting whilst at school in Simla, she initially studied Sociology at Delhi University. Aged 19 she accepted a scholarship to Harvard University where she took a liberal arts degree and studied film-making for two years, […]
FemmeFilmFest20: Exploring Salaam Bombay! by Mira Nair Read More »
When we think of auteur collaborative projects, bits of film pieced together from the finest filmmakers of the era sharing a common theme, we think of those short film omnibus packages, made for the big screen to give a snapshot of an era of film, but rarely consumed after the fact. We never imagine these
1994 in Film: The Teen TV Movie Series That Bridged Two Eras of French Cinema Read More »
Wong Kar-wai is a true professional when it comes to presenting romance on the screen. Many reading this have seen, or hopefully are at least aware of his best known work – In The Mood for Love (2000). Before that masterpiece came other tales, and in possibly one of his more unabashedly upbeat films we
1994 in Film: Chungking Express Read More »
Our faithful, endearing protagonist, is Thérèse Martin. Or Thérèse de Lisieux. Or even The Little Flower of Jesus. And being titled, Thérèse, the film aims to offer some clarity on the young spiritual journey of this heroine. Not just how others saw (and see) her, but to show her in her own divine, yet organic,
Back Shelf Cinema: Thérèse (1986) Read More »
Recalling, and unable to shake off, the tragic events in Alton, Texas in 1989, when 21 children died in a bus accident, Russell Banks wrote the novel, The Sweet Hereafter. In this case, moving events to upstate New York in Sam Dent. Banks’ well-regarded book told the story of a community ravaged with heartache, following
Film Review: The Sweet Hereafter (1997) Read More »
Prix d’interprétation féminine – Irène Jacob Prix du Jury Œcuménique FIPRESCI Prix In one of the later scenes of Krzysztof Kieślowski‘s dazzling, intoxicating The Double Life of Véronique, the title character (or, at least, one of them) asks a male companion why he has made two puppets. His response is that one will likely be
Caméra d’Or – Tran Anh Hung Prix de la jeunesse – Tran Anh Hung The year 1993, like many others too, has movie experiences to suit most tastes. Movies that have you rolling with laughter; movies that move you to tears; movies that pump your adrenaline. And sometimes, not often as majestically as this next
In 1977 Alain Resnais released his first film in English called Providence. One of the objectives of that film was to conquer the Anglo-Saxon market. Things didn’t go as planned. The film was a critical triumph in France where it also won 7 Césars, but it didn’t do well in the US, commercially nor critically.
Festival de Cannes: Mon Oncle d’Amerique (1980) Read More »
Everything we learn in life comes from the way we are brought into the world, and how our parents teach us. From the accents we develop, to the language we use, to our emotional responses and our social behaviour towards others. It’s something that is inherently built into us from the moment we are birthed
Festival de Cannes: Parental Issues, Lies & Control in Dogtooth (2009) Read More »
The AIDS crisis remains one of the most horrific times for the LGBTQ+ community, leaving an entire generation scarred with death and loss. Robin Campillo‘s 2017 film BPM (Beats per Minute) looks to give a voice and bring the individuals behind the AIDS activism of ACT UP Paris in 1990s France to life. The French
Festival de Cannes Review: BPM (Beats per Minute) (2017) Read More »
