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Venice 2024 Review: “Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo”

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“Seeking Haven for Mr. Rambo,” the debut feature film by Egyptian director Khaled Mansour is a powerful exploration of fragile masculinity, class differences, societal pressures, and the search for self-redemption. set in a working-class neighborhood of Cairo, the film focuses on 30-year-old Hassan, who lives with his mother and his beloved dog, Rambo. Their lives are upended when their landlord, Karem, decides to evict them to expand his car repair workshop. Hassan’s mother takes legal action against Karem, sparking a chain of hostile encounters that culminate in a public humiliation for Karem: after a physical altercation, Rambo, the loyal dog, bites Karem in a particularly sensitive area, leading to further escalation and forcing Hassan into a difficult journey across Cairo to find a safe place for Rambo.

Venice 2024 Review: “Possibility of Paradise”

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In “Possibility of Paradise”, Serbian documentarian Mladen Kovačević presents a bold, unconventional exploration of human desires and ambitions, set against the backdrop of Bali, Indonesia. The film is divided into a series of seemingly unrelated vignettes, each highlighting a different individual or group in search of their own version of paradise. An unconventional structure and observant, non-interfering camera heighten the film’s existential and philosophical undertones, inviting viewers to engage deeply with the questions it poses, rather than providing easy answers.

Venice 2024 Review: “Super Happy Forever”

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“Super Happy Forever,” by Japanese filmmaker Kohei Igarashi, is a beautifully tender and subtle exploration of grief, coincidence, and how our relationships with those we’ve lost continue to exist in the small, everyday things that remind us of them.

Karlovy Vary 2024 Review: “Celebration”

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Bruno Anković’s debut film “Celebration,” which premiered at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (KVIFF), is a haunting exploration of moral ambiguity and historical trauma. Set from pre- to post-World War II Croatia, the film delves into the stark and brutal world of Mijo, a man caught in the desperate struggle for survival during a time when his country was torn apart by political and ideological conflict. With its elliptical narrative and unsettling themes, Celebration offers a grim meditation on how suffering and desperation can trick one into following the dark path of fascism.

Locarno 2024 Review: “Drowning Dry”

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Lithuanian filmmaker Laurynas Bareiša’s sophomore feature “Drowning Dry” is a unique portrayal of masculinity and its consequences, solidifying the director’s reputation as a true auteur. Following his 2021 success with Venice Orizzonti winner “Pilgrims“, Bareiša already manages to surpass himself with his subtle yet precise exploration of fate, gender dynamics, and the influence of toxic masculinity.

Locarno 2024 Review: “Toxic”

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“Toxic,” the directorial feature debut by Saulė Bliuvaite and winner of the Golden Leopard at this year’s Locarno Film Festival, is a holistic look into the realities of a community in a Lithuanian industrial town. The film centers on 13-year-old Maria (Vesta Matulyte), who, after being abandoned by her mother, is left to survive a harsh world with only her grandmother as a guardian. This isn’t a story about easy resolutions or hopeful escapes; it’s about survival and the fleeting connections that offer some semblance of comfort amidst the turmoil of life in a bleak lower-class industrial village. The film’s portrayal of a community trapped in cycles of poverty and exploitation feels authentic, particularly through its focus on Maria’s evolving relationship with Kristina (Ieva Rupeikaite), another girl her age with dreams of becoming a fashion model.

Locarno 2024 Review: “By the Stream”

Hong Sangsoo’s “By the Stream” marks his 32nd feature film and impressively, once again his second release of the year. With an ever-steady pace that only few filmmakers can match, Hong’s output is impressive not just for its quantity, but for the depth and originality each work consistently brings. In his previous film, “A Traveler’s Needs” Hong turned his attention to the acquisition of language, exploring the way foreign languages can bring new dimensions to one’s understanding of life. Now, with “By the Stream” he shifts his focus to the world of art, examining the process of creation, the authenticity it holds within the context of reality, and the impact that making art can have. Perhaps even more than his previous works, “By the Stream” is also a meditation on the blurred lines between truth and fiction, the fiction we can find in truth, and the truth that is hidden within fiction.

Cannes 2024 Review: “When the Light Breaks”

In Rúnar Rúnarsson’s latest film, “When the Light Breaks,” Una and Diddi, two young Icelandic art students and band members, are deeply in love. They find themselves lost in the mesmerizing dusk, their thoughts drifting away as they smoke joints together. They dream of traveling, ultimately choosing Japan as their destination. When the sun rises, Diddi will break up with his girlfriend, Klara, allowing him and Una to openly embrace their relationship. The future seems bright for the couple until their hopes are shattered by a tragic event.

Cannes 2024 Review: “The Other Way Around”

Jonás Trueba’s “The Other Way Around” is a sensitive, cerebral rom-com that balances humor, philosophy, with meta-fictional elements, and uses the latter two elements to distinguish itself from the genre. The film follows Ale (Itsaso Arana) and Alex (Vito Sanz), a couple on the brink of separation after 15 years together. Trueba’s approach to the narrative is unconventional and refreshing, turning the typical breakup story on its head by having Ale and Alex throw a party to celebrate their separation and repeatedly finding themselves having the same conversation.

Berlin 2024 Review: “Who by Fire”

“Who by Fire,” the third feature film by Canadian director Philippe Lesage, delves into the various dynamics of relationships against the isolated backdrop of a Canadian wilderness lodge, with seventeen-year-old Jeff at the narrative’s core. Invited for a holiday by his friend Max to director and family friend Blake Cadieux’ home, Jeff is introduced to a set of complex relationships, leading to life-altering revelations and events.