Locarno 2024

Locarno 2024 Review: “Drowning Dry”

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”

“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 Sang-soo’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 film 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 realm 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.