74th Berlin International Film Festival: “REAS” Review

As we plough through this cursed era of remakes and unnecessary sequels, any film or TV series that features a brand new story is a blessing – and there’s nothing more original than real life. Lola Arias directs Argentinian self-proclaimed hybrid musical REAS, which sources its material from the charming inmates of Ezeiza prison a…

74th Berlin International Film Festival: “Who Do I Belong To” Review

Who Do I Belong To by Meryam Joobeur, screened in Competition at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, is a poignant yet powerful exploration of family and its identity, inspired by a chance encounter during a road trip in Tunisia. Joobeur’s journey began with a desire to reconnect with her homeland and evolved into a…

74th Berlin International Film Festival: “Young Hearts” Review

Warning: Spoilers ahead. Set amongst the fairytale-like rural landscapes of Belgium, Anthony Schatteman’s Young Hearts takes us into the lives of Elias (Lou Goossens) and Alexander (Marius De Saeger) as they pry open their feelings for one another – and navigate first love. With musical magic from Ruben De Gheselle, the film suffocates you with…

74th Berlin International Film Festival: “Through Rocks and Clouds” (Raiz) Review

Premiering in the Generation Kplus section at this year’s Berlin Film Festival, Through Rocks and Clouds weaves a poignant if predictable tale of tradition and industrialization, set in the rural Peruvian community of Rumicancha.  At the heart of this Peruvian-Chilean coproduction lies Feliciano (Alberth Merma), an innocent 8-year-old alpaca herder whose world revolves around football…

Daejeon’s Batman & Robin: “A Killer Paradox” Review

Warning: Spoilers ahead. Parasite star Choi Woo-shik is a righteous serial killer in Netflix’s latest whack at prompting viewers into questioning the meaning of true justice. A Killer Paradox, directed by Lee Chang-hee and based on the webcomic by Ggomabi, is grittier than the average Korean drama, gentler than American thrillers, and honest with its…

“It Was Like Fire”: DXMON On Their Debut “HYPERSPACE”

With the energy of a hundred Border Collies on caffeine, six chirpy faces arrived on a call with the press on the 25th of January to talk about their recent debut with HYPERSPACE. The endearingly zestful attitudes of Minjae, Seita, Hee, TK, Rex and Jo will have been paramount in getting to this point, as…

The Human Rights Watch Film Festival to Open with “Mediha” by Hasan Oswald

The Human Rights Watch Film Festival, now in its 28th year in London, has revealed a line-up of 10 award-winning, international feature-length films in partnership with Barbican Cinema and Rich Mix and generously supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. The festival programme, presented at the Barbican and Rich Mix from 14-22 March, 2024, includes…