Mr. K”, the English-language debut of Norwegian-Dutch director Tallulah H. Schwab, is a surreal and disorienting experience set in the confines of a seemingly inescapable hotel. Starring Crispin Glover as the titular Mr. K, a traveling magician who checks in for a single night, Schwab creates a Kafkaesque nightmare comedy where the ordinary is warped beyond recognition, and every attempt to find an exit leads deeper into the bizarre.
Tag Archives: Directed by women
TIFF 2024 Review: “Measures for a Funeral”
Over the past eight years, director Sofia Bohdanowicz and actress Deragh Campbell have created a fascinating cinematic partnership centered around the character of Audrey Benac. In “Measures for a Funeral”, their latest collaboration, they explore the blurred lines between biographical and semi-autobiographical storytelling, merging the legacy of a forgotten Canadian violinist, Kathleen Parlow, with their own artistic reflections. The result is a film that is meta and captivating, oscillating between a portrait of Parlow and a meditation on the act of preserving and interpreting history, art, and personal identity through the former two.
TIFF 2024 Review: “Beloved Tropic”
Ana Endara’s debut fiction feature, “Beloved Tropic”, presents a relationship between two women whose lives intersect through a shared dependency in contemporary Panama City. The film centers on Ana María (Jenny Navarrete), a Colombian immigrant and experienced caregiver who harbors a secret, and Mercedes (Paulina García), a wealthy, sharp-tongued high-class woman struggling with the early stages of dementia. What begins as a rather straightforward arrangement quickly transforms into an exploration of autonomy, motherhood, and family.
Locarno 2024 Review: “Toxic”
“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.
Berlinale 2024 Review: “Who Do I Belong To”
Following her 2018 Oscar-nominated short “Brotherhood,” Meryam Joobeur’s debut narrative feature, ‘Who Do I Belong To,’ is a sensitive and emotionally charged examination of a Tunisian family torn apart by radicalization. Through a lens that is both intimate and deeply affecting, Joobeur explores the limits of a mother’s love, faced with the harrowing realities of her son’s actions. Amplified by Joobeur’s strong directorial decisions the film delivers a narrative that’s deeply embedded in the complexities of familial bonds and the pain of disillusionment.
Berlinale 2024 Review: ¨Memories of a Burning Body¨
“Memories of a Burning Body,” the sophomore feature by director Antonella Sudasassi Furniss where the Costa Rican director once again takes the stage at the Berlinale Film Festival shines with her storytelling prowess. Following the acclaim of her first feature, “The Awakening of the Ants,” for its strong feminist lens, Sudasassi Furniss returns with a narrative that pushes the boundaries of how the internal world of women, particularly those of advanced age, is portrayed in cinema even further.
Rotterdam 2024 Review: “78 Days”
“78 Days,” the debut feature film by Emilija Gašić, premiering at the 2024 International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), is a remarkable Serbian production that delves into the heart of a family’s experience during the NATO bombings of Yugoslavia in 1999. Through an evocative narrative captured in the style of a home video, Gašić brings to the screen a story that intertwines the innocence of youth with the harrowing realities of war, making it a true standout example of found-footage filmmaking.
Rotterdam 2024 Review: “How to Have Sex”
IFFR Throughout history, a great number of stories have been told through the male gaze. Even when female characters are centered, they’re often shaped by the desires of male artists. As a result, these works predominantly cater to male audiences. Yet, as the contemporary sociopolitical climate increasingly amplifies women’s voices, the cinematic landscape adjusts accordingly.Continue reading “Rotterdam 2024 Review: “How to Have Sex””
Rotterdam 2024 Review: “The Ballad of Suzanne Césaire”
“The Ballad of Suzanne Césaire” by Madeleine Hunt-Ehrlich is a profound exploration of the life of a groundbreaking yet often overlooked intellectual figure. The film, lasting a concise 75 minutes, adeptly brings to the forefront Suzanne Césaire’s multifaceted identity as an anti-colonial writer, educator, and feminist, but also a real person with her own inner world. Hunt-Ehrlich’s work is a compelling reclamation of Suzanne’s rightful place in history, which has been obscured by the shadow of her more famous husband, Aimé Césaire.
Leiden 2023 Review: “The Feeling That the Time For Doing Something Has Passed”
“The Feeling That the Time For Doing Something Has Passed” is the hilarious and provocative debut feature film by Joanna Arnow, who wrote, directed, edited, and starred in this unconventional comedy. The film is as uproariously hilarious as it is provocatively transgressive and personal. Arnow stars as Ann, a character who is far removed from your typical rom-com protagonist. Trapped in the monotony of a soul-sucking 9-to-5 job, Ann seeks out a series of BDSM encounters with various men, each promising an escape from the dull throes of corporate life and providing a glimpse into the character’s wildest fantasies.
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