27th Far East Film Festival: “My Friend An Delie” Review

Childhood could be compared to a butterfly’s wing. So vital to the creature’s navigation yet so delicate that any human could tear it and impair it forever, the similar fragility of a young mind is not something that should ever be ill-treated. Director and actor Dong Zijian’s My Friend An Delie, in all its care…

27th Far East Film Festival: “The Stone” Review

What happens when two artists, known more for their work in music, acting, and design, step behind the camera to tell a story rooted in faith, greed, and blood? You get The Stone – a hypnotic, high-stakes thriller that pierces the surface of Thai spiritual subculture and delivers a cinematic experience rooted in Thai identity…

“Cloud” Review: Capitalism and Alienation in the Digital Age

Few directors are as skilled as Japanese auteur Kiyoshi Kurosawa when it comes to articulating the alienation and paranoia of the digital age. One of his first international breakouts, already decades deep into his career, was 2001’s Pulse, a distressing ghost story about the gradual supernatural invasion of the online world which managed to accurately…

39th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – “Summer’ Camera” Review

Having its world premiere at this year’s BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, Summer’s Camera is the feature directorial debut of Divine Sung, a South Korean filmmaker. The film depicts a wonderful and subtle exploration of youth and love. It also captures the theme of self-discovery while painting a portrait of a high school student,…

39th BFI Flare: London LGBTQIA+ Film Festival – “Việt and Nam” Review

If you’re a Vietnamese filmmaker, presenting a story to the world about two star-crossed lovers nicknamed Viet and Nam is all but asking the audience to interpret the trajectory of their relationship as a metaphor for the nation itself. The third film from writer/director Truong Minh Quy attempts to avoid this straightforward categorization due to…

75th Berlin International Film Festival: “The Good Sister” Review

Sarah Miro Fischer’s The Good Sister, screened in Panorama at this year’s Berlinale, is a haunting exploration of family bonds tested by the unimaginable. The film depicts the emotional turmoil of Rose (Marie Bloching), whose brother Sam (Anton Weil) is accused of a sexual offense. By centering the narrative on a sibling rather than the…

75th Berlin International Film Festival: In Conversation with Charlotte Devillers and Arnaud Dufeys, Directors of “We Believe You”

At this year’s Berlinale, We Believe You made an impact with its unflinching portrayal of the intersection between the legal system and the emotional toll of a custody battle involving abuse allegations. Directed with precision and sensitivity, the film explores the labyrinth of judicial procedures while centering on Alice, a mother fighting to protect her…