77th Cannes Film Festival: “When the Light Breaks” Review

Under the moody lilac skies of the Northern hemisphere, comes an 80-minute life sampler of the hopeful and free-spirited youths of Iceland, directed by Rúnar Rúnarsson. There’s only really two plot points of the whole film, which would explain its length; the rest is filled in with the characters’ – particularly Una’s – emotional conflicts…

77th Cannes Film Festival: “Universal Language” Review

The latest absurdist gem sitting behind the oh-so-frightening curtain of non-English cinema is Cannes Directors’ Fortnight: Audience Award winner Universal Language, directed by and starring Matthew Rankin. In Persian and French, the film lands us in the snow-laid streets of Winnipeg, starting off in the French immersion school attended by Nazgol (Saba Vahedyousefi), Negin (Rojina…

Melodies Beyond Sound: A Spotlight on Big Ocean, K-Pop’s Inspirational Trio – Exclusive Interview

Hard-of-hearing artists have always faced challenges in the music industry, but their contributions are invaluable and deserve support. While traditionally music has been primarily auditory, advancements in technology and shifts in attitudes are enabling greater inclusivity. Supporting deaf musicians is not only about providing equal opportunities but also recognising the diversity of talent and perspectives…

26th Far East Film Festival “The Goldfinger” Review

Felix Chong’s loose fashioning of the real-life Carrian Group financial scandal of ‘80s Hong Kong into film is a polarising triumph that you’ll either get or you won’t. The Goldfinger has actors Tony Leung Chiu-wai and Andy Lau reuniting on screen, two decades since their starring together in Internal Affairs (2002)—which, amazingly, was also directed…

26th Far East Film Festival: “Bushido” Review

The jidaigeki, or samurai period drama, has been done a thousand times in a thousand different ways, but it can still feel refreshing like Kazuya Shiraishi’s Bushido. Based on rakugo, or comic storytelling, the narrative follows Kakunoshin Yanagida (Tsuyoshi Kusanagi) a humble ronin who has fallen on hard times and lives in a small community…