Pedro Pinho’s I Only Rest in the Storm is a hypnotic and textured look at power, identity, and longing, set in a tense West African city. The film follows Sergio, an environmental engineer working on a controversial road between the desert and the forest, as it explores the tangled realities of neo-colonialism, expat privilege, and…
Tag: film
78th Cannes Film Festival: “Dandelion’s Odyssey” Review
Dandelion’s Odyssey, directed by Momoko Seto, is an imaginative and visually striking film that goes beyond language and species to tell its story. Combining elements of nature documentary, animation, and abstract art, it remains grounded in emotion and wonder. The film follows four dandelion seeds as they travel through strange, hostile yet beautiful landscapes, reflecting…
78th Cannes Film Festival: “Meteors” Review
In Meteors, Hubert Charuel and co-writer Claude Le Pape deliver one of the most emotionally potent and visually singular films to emerge from this year’s Cannes Un Certain Regard. What begins as a gritty portrait of dead-end lives in France’s rural east evolves – unexpectedly, heartbreakingly – into a tender story about male friendship, addiction,…
In Conversation with Xu Lei, Director of “Green Wave”
Green Wave, a Chinese comedy-drama, written and directed by Xu Lei, tells a quiet, emotional story – not about big conflicts, but about the distance that can grow between a father (Xu Chaoying) and son (Eric Wang). It focuses on the small tensions that often exist in close relationships. Instead of using dramatic twists, the…
In Conversation with Yang Hee-kyung of “The Land of Morning Calm”
Yang Hee-kyung is a celebrated South Korean actress who began her career in theatre before expanding into television and film. She earned early acclaim with a Best Actress win at the 19th Seoul Theater Festival in 1995. Known for her natural charisma, Yang consistently delivers powerful performances, and her role in The Land of Morning…
In Conversation with Yoon Joo-sang of “The Land of Morning Calm”
With a career that spans almost four decades and includes roles in theatre, television, and film, Yoon Joo-sang is undeniably one of South Korea’s most experienced and respected actors. Born in 1949, he has delivered powerful performances across a variety of genres and platforms, earning awards such as the Best Supporting Actor award at the…
In Conversation with Khazsak Kramer of “The Land of Morning Calm”
Khazsak Kramer’s debut in The Land of Morning Calm is a remarkably moving entry into the world of cinema. Taking on the role of Young Ran, a Vietnamese woman living in a rural Korean fishing village, Kramer brought to life a character who is strong yet emotional. From the moment she read the script, she…
27th Udine Far East Film Festival: “The Square” Makes Its World Premiere
For over two decades, the Udine Far East Film Festival has been presenting a wide range of films from East and Southeast Asia. Often these features are making their European premieres or international festival premieres at Udine – but ever so often, the elegant Teatro Nuovo is graced with a world premiere, and audiences in…
27th Far East Film Festival: In Conversation with Sylvia Chang
“I feel we’re very blessed we still have films.” When looking outside feels scary, you tend to panic and freeze. And if art refuses to forgive anything, it’s stillness. It takes courage to choose to create, and great patience to learn from it. The film industry and its relationship with filmmakers have long been considered…
27th Udine Far East Film Festival: “Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants” Review
Two legends of Chinese cinema gracing the stage are enough to get anyone buzzing for the show to come, and Tsui’s adaptation film, Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants, was no less anticipated than his other fantastical masterpieces. Before the film’s international festival premiere at the 27th Udine Far East Film Festival, legendary wuxia…
