The Human Rights Watch Film Festival, now in its 27th year in London, presents a line-up of 10 award-winning, international documentary films in partnership with Barbican Cinema, and generously supported by players of People’s Postcode Lottery. The festival programme, presented in person at the Barbican from 16-24 March, includes in-depth Q&As and panel discussions with…
Category: Film
“Ivalu” Short Film Review
Writer-director Anders Walter’s Ivalu is a somber story about childhood trauma. Having made his mark with Helium, which won the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film in 2014, the 45-year-old Danish filmmaker is now competing for the award once again with his latest short film. The Greenlandic-language film is adapted from an award-winning graphic…
“Joyland” Review
Should a film that’s groundbreaking for its LGBTQ depiction within its own country be held up to more progressive standards when reviewed by international audiences? This is the central dilemma which comes with assessing the various merits of Joyland, the first Pakistani feature to premiere at Cannes and make the Academy Awards shortlist for Best…
In Conversation with Mond Tanutchai, a Thai Actor and Model
2022 was quite a successful year, not only for Thai cinema, but also for the country’s TV releases. One of Bangkok’s biggest television production companies, GMMTV, which also acts as a talent agency for many popular artists, has produced a healthy amount of drama series, many of which are available in the UK through GMMTV’s…
“JUNG_E” Review
Most contemporary sci-fi blockbusters proudly wear their influences on their sleeve. In a movie culture where franchises are dominant, any nods to beloved films of the genre’s past can help gravitate an audience’s attention towards any original project; as much as science fiction thrives on originality, when making movies on this scale, it doesn’t hurt…
Seo Ji-hoon on Acting and His Role of Seok Jae-beom in “Revange of Others”
Seo Ji-hoon, a 25-year-old South Korean actor, debuted in 2016 in Signal, a drama show that consists of a gripping multilayered plot. Although Seo took on a minor role, he quickly gained recognition and was cast in Matching Boys Archery and The Legendary Shuttle, with the latter giving him his first nomination for KBS Drama…
Lee Tae-sung On Movies and Arts – Exclusive Interview
What happens after watching Korean dramas for over 15 years? You develop first lead syndrome or second lead syndrome. Of course, this sounds absurd, but it does happen. Throughout the years, a few actors and actresses have really stuck in my head thanks to their acting, and that includes Lee Tae-sung. Although Lee Tae-sung was…
“Broker” Review
Japanese filmmaker Hirokazu Koreeda has long claimed his biggest directorial influence is that of the British social realist master Ken Loach, even though the similarities between the pair prove superficial when examined beyond the surface. Both are most renowned for their humanist dramas that explore the struggles of those living on society’s margins, although their…
“My life had been leading me down a path designed to help me become the actor I am today.” – In Conversation with Jung Ryeo-won
Jung Ryeo-won never really thought of becoming an actress, but fate had other ideas. Korean-Australian Ryeo-won spent her teenage years in Australia, where she graduated from Griffith University with a major in International Business. One day, while visiting Korea, she was picked by a talent agent and relatively quickly became a part of a K-pop…
Netflix’s “Little Women” – In Conversation with Park Ji-hu and Nam Ji-hyun
Little Women is Korean drama at its best. While we can all agree that 2022 was an extraordinary year for female-based K-dramas, this 12-episode show is a true gem produced by the renowned Studio Dragon. The title, Little Women, has tricked many into considering it a mere adaptation of the 1868 novel of the same…
