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…
Category: Foreign Films
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 – “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…
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 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: “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…
17th Asian Film Awards Nominations Announced
Celebrating its 17th anniversary, the Asian Film Awards (AFA) has unveiled the nominees for its 16 award categories ahead of the ceremony scheduled for March 10, 2024 (Sunday). The Asian Film Awards Academy (AFAA), established by the Busan, Hong Kong, and Tokyo International Film Festivals, aims to honour excellence in Asian cinema. AFAA plays an…
8th London East Asia Film Festival: “Life and Death of the Hollywood Kid” Review
Chung Ji-young has carved out a distinguished place for himself in Korean cinema with a unique and versatile filmmaking style that is marked by its dynamism, social commentary, and a keen sense of narrative craftsmanship. The director’s films are often lauded for their social and political relevance, in which he fearlessly addresses pertinent issues and societal…
The London Korean Film Festival Returns for Its 18th Edition with a Special Focus
The London Korean Film Festival (LKFF) is set to return for its 18th edition from November 2 to November 16, 2023. Held in cinema venues across London, this year’s festival promises to be bigger and better than ever, A Glimpse into Korean Cinema With the distinction of hosting the most extensive program of Korean cinema…
80th Venice International Film Festival: “GOD IS A WOMAN” Review
Warning: Spoilers ahead. Just off the coast of Panama, in the indigenous Guna Yala province, sits an island town vibrant with colourful clothes and happy faces. Ustupo is home to a community of some 2,000 Guna people, whose rich culture and pride in their community is kept well alive to date. 50 years ago, French…
80th Venice International Film Festival: In Conversation with Nehir Tuna, Director of “Yurt”
The 80th Venice International Film Festival recently featured an intriguing and thought-provoking film, Yurt. In our exclusive interview with Nehir Tuna, we delved into the director’s background and the deep influence it had on the making of the aforementioned film. As the writer-director of the project, Tuna shared his deep personal connection to the story,…
80th Venice International Film Festival: “Yurt” Review
In the year 1996, against the backdrop of Turkey’s escalating tensions between religious and secular ideologies, a poignant and thought-provoking film, Yurt, takes us on a journey through the life of a fourteen-year-old boy named Ahmet (Doga Karakas). Raised in a secular environment, his world is upended when his recently converted father (Tansu Bicer) decides…
Ryoo Seung-wan’s “Smugglers” Review
Ryoo Seung-wan has done it again with his twelfth feature – albeit in terms of commercial, rather than critical, success. His latest film Smugglers has earned nearly £30 million since its July 26 premiere in South Korea, making it the fourth-highest grossing film of the year in the country and the summer box office champion….
“December”: Crime, Redemption, and Second Chances – In Conversation with Shogen, Ryo Matsuura, and Film’s Producer, Mina Moteki
December, directed by Anshul Chauhan, is a powerful drama that, hypothetically, delves into the Japanese justice system while exploring the possibilities of offering a second chance to criminals. It does so through the story of prisoner Kana (Ryo Matsuura), a young woman who killed her classmate a decade earlier and whose case is being brought…
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