Raindance: Express yourself

It's been an eventful weekend, with Halloween, a blue moon and the announcement that London is going back into lockdown for a month. At least we have the Raindance Film Festival to distract us, even if we're watching it on our own at home. Here are some highlights from this weekend...

Under My Skin

dir-scr David O'Donnell; with Liv Hewson, Chloe Freeman 20/Aus ****

With his feature debut, Australian filmmaker David O'Donnell uses some clever visual touches to reveal the inner life of the central character, whose various sides are played by four different actors. The film's sensitive tone is powerfully involving, and O'Donnell never takes a simple route through the material, quietly digging deeper into a provocative situation. And while it's a big topic, the story remains personal, never preachy.

Nuclear

dir Catherine Linstrum; with Emilia Jones, Sienna Guillory 19/UK ***

Dark and unnervingly intense from the opening shot, this slow-burn drama churns with emotion. Director-cowriter Catherine Linstrum ambitiously uses dreamlike elements and unusual settings to create intrigue while unpicking a dysfunctional family. Beautifully shot and performed, it's quiet and artful, although the narrative has a couple of grinding gear shifts along the way. Still, the underlying feelings have resonance that gets stronger as things gradually comes into focus.

Materna

dir David Gutnik; with Kate Lyn Sheil, Lindsay Burdge 20/US ***

This anthology tells four separate stories that converge at a pivotal event in the life of four women. It's packed with skilled depictions of the tension between independence and vulnerability, taking almost surreal routes beneath the surface. There are some clear connections between the strands, as the film explores the impact of demanding mothers on both children and society at large. These are strong stories that leave us thinking.

Madame

dir-scr Stephane Riethauser; with Caroline Della Beffa, Stephane Riethauser 19/Swi ****

Using an archive of home movies, Swiss filmmaker Stephane Reithauser takes the audience on a meaningful trip through his relationship with his larger-than-life grandmother. It's a bracingly original exploration of how gender roles force people into double lives, written as a nostalgic message to a woman who, through her unflinching honesty, encouraged him to be himself. The kaleidoscopic approach and lively characters make it both engaging and powerfully important.

NB. My anchor page for Raindance is HERE and full reviews will appear in between these daily blog entries. Much more to come...