2023’s Home for Rent might not immediately strike you as a terrifying choice for your watchlist, but as the old adage goes, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” In this case, the same applies to a Netflix thumbnail. Thai horror films have a knack for unsettling Western audiences by expertly blending jump scares and…
Author: View of the Arts
View of the Arts is run by female arts journalists and works with a diverse team of writers and film critics.
Dreamcatcher Radiate Girl Power in London – Concert Review
With a snake-like queue of fans around the block, as I entered The Troxy, I realised this would be the first time I would be attending a K-Pop show unaware of what I was getting myself into. With the tour titled Luck Inside 7 Doors, the girls took that luck and turned it into magic,…
38th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – In Conversation with Patiparn Boontarig, Director of “Solids by the Seashore”
Solids by the Seashore, set against a Southern Thai coastal town, tells the story of two young women who cross their paths on a beach that was once sandy but now stands eroded by high tides and replaced by artificial rock seawalls. Shati, a local Muslim woman from a conservative family, encounters Fon, a former…
38th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – In Conversation with Yuqing Lai, Director of “Two Suns”
In its 38th year, BFI Flare: LGBTQIA+ Film Festival in London shines with its programme yet again. Apart from big names and films on the menu, the festival also included little gems from the Asian continent, and Two Suns is one of them. Written and directed by Yuqing Lai, the short film, characterised by its…
38th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – “Two Suns” Review
Even as we advance in technology and are able to capture image in a crisp 4k imitation of reality, directors across the world are still drooling at the imperfect, gritty charm of shooting on film. Digital is too real, too honest, and too faultless. Two Suns is a short directed (and starred in) by Yuqing…
38th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – “Heavy Snow” Review
Heavy Snow, written and directed by Yun Su-ik, is a subtle, heartwarming, and delicate narrative that depicts a friendship and budding romance between two teenage girls and their tumultuous journey through adolescence. At the centre of the story is Seol (Han So-hee: Nevertheless, My Name), a teenage actress whose world is transformed when she encounters…
38th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – In Conversation with Heo Ha-yeon, Director of “Nobody Knows”
While LGBTQIA+ cinema is still not seen in a favourable light in South Korea, many filmmakers dare to venture into that territory, and rightfully so, whether they are part of the community or not. Although not all of these films can be screened in the country itself, international festivals, including BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film…
38th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – “Nobody Knows” Review
Despite significant progress in recent years, the LGBTQIA+ community continues to face discrimination and marginalisation in Asia and around the world. While some countries have made strides towards equality, many from the community still live in fear of persecution, violence, and rejection by society due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. In Asia, cultural…
38th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – “Who’ll Stop the Rain” Review
Although Who Will Stop The Rain is Su I-Hsuan’s feature film debut, it is not the director’s first film. This goes to her award-winning television film Where the Sun Don’t Shine (Taiwan Public Television Service, 2018) which documents the life of a murderer, Dong, after his release from prison, and the difficulties of rehabilitation for…
Crossing Rain: Spreading Hope and Hawai’ian Culture Through Music – Exclusive Interview
The journey of Crossing Rain, a Hawai’ian boy group, is as diverse and vibrant as the culture they represent. With a shared dream of spreading hope and inspiration through their music, one thing is promised: to get you stomping your feet regardless of your age. After they debuted in 2021 with an EP, Dreams, Crossing…
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: In Conversation with Anthony Schatteman, Director of “Young Hearts”
During the 74th Berlin Film Festival, just two days before the festival’s curtain called, I had the distinct pleasure of engaging in a candid conversation with the filmmaker Anthony Schatteman. His film, Young Hearts, earned a special mention from the discerning children’s jury in the Generation Kplus Best Film category. Young Hearts is rooted in…
74th Berlin International Film Festival: In Conversation with Meryam Joobeur, Director of “Who Do I Belong To”
In the film industry, where originality often takes a back seat to commercial formulas, Meryam Joobeur is a truly authentic storyteller. Her latest project, screened in the Competition at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, Who Do I Belong To, beautifully connects themes of family, its identity, and the ramifications of extremism with a deft…
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…
