Flare: Be kind

This is the second edition of BFI Flare to be held virtually, and it was a pared down edition this year. I managed to catch all but five of the features, and I also saw 22 short films this year. The quality level was exceptional, and it's a shame how many of these movies won't get distribution, meaning that they will be very hard to find, especially the smaller gems. But they're worth seeking out on streaming services in the coming months as a welcome antidote to Hollywood bombast. The films and events at this festival always carry a strong personal punch, which is why it's one of my favourite annual cinematic events. And I am of course looking forward to the no doubt exuberant parties next year. Not that I can remember what a party feels like! Here are two final film highlights, plus my favourite features and shorts...

I Am Samuel
dir Pete Murimi; with Samuel, Alex, Redon, Rebecca 20/Ken ****
Filmed over the course of five years, this is an astonishingly brave documentary about a gay man's life in Nairobi. Homosexuality isn't illegal in Kenya, but "unnatural" sex is a felony. And vicious public attitudes are even more dangerous. But Samuel knows that it's important for him to tell his story, and filmmaker Pete Murimi has made a remarkably intimate film that eloquently pleads for compassion and understanding... FULL REVIEW >

Valentina
dir Cassio Pereira dos Santos; with Thiessa Woinbackk, Guta Stresser 20/Br ****
Infused with earthy realism, this Brazilian drama highlights the enormous obstacles a trans teen faces in a society that's tilted against her. Using handheld camerawork to create a fly-on-the-wall style, filmmaker Cassio Pereira dos Santos recounts a series of everyday situations caused by people who are thoughtless and sometimes outright hateful. And the film sharply depicts intrepid people who stand up to hate in whatever way they can... FULL REVIEW >

B E S T   O F   T H E   F E S T

1. 
   POPPY FIELD
2. SWEETHEART
3. JUMP, DARLING
4. I AM SAMUEL
5. RURANGI
6. SUBLET
7. BOY MEETS BOY
8. THE DOSE
9. VALENTINA
10. FIREBIRD

B E S T   S H O R T S

1. 
   LAND OF THE FREE
2. BEING SASCHA
3. ESCAPING THE FRAGILE PLANET
4. VICTORIA
5. COSMOPOLITAN
6. POOL BOY
7. THE NIGHT TRAIN
8. BABY LIES TRUTHFULLY
9. SON OF SODOM
10. EDEN

All feature and short film reviews are linked on the site's BFI FLARE page.

Flare: Catch the sun

As the weather brightens up, although it's still rather chilly, the 35th BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival is coming into its final weekend with a series of virtual films and events. The programmers have really tried to recreate a festive atmosphere with lots of extras this year, including some musical playlists. But it really hasn't been the same at all - being able to meet journalists, filmmakers, actors and other friends has been sorely missed. Still, the films have been exceptional, and there are still tickets for some online screenings at BFI FLARE, plus free access to interviews and all of the short films, including the terrific Five Films for Freedom. Here are a few more solid highlights... 

Sublet
dir Eytan Fox; with John Benjamin Hickey, Niv Nissim 20/Isr ****
Israeli filmmaker Eytan Fox recounts another warm, observant story about people grappling with issues of culture and identity. It's a loose, thoughtful script that touches on themes in ways that are both engaging and meaningful without ever getting heavy. It's about the transformational power of an unexpected friendship, and how it might be able to remind who you are. Yes, this is a delicate, simple, beautiful little film... FULL REVIEW >

The Dose [La Dosis]
dir-scr Martin Kraut; with Carlos Portaluppi, Ignacio Rogers 20/Arg ****
From Argentina, this darkly involving thriller quickly pulls the audience in with its shadowy production design and intriguing characters. While adding plenty of pitch-black comical touches, writer-director Martin Kraut maintains a low-key pace that continually reveals creepy details about characters who are superbly underplayed for maximum effect. All of this creates wonderful freak-out interaction that quietly raises the tension and skilfully keeps the viewer on the wrong foot... FULL REVIEW >

P.S. Burn This Letter Please
dir Michael Seligman, Jennifer Tiexiera; with Michael Alogna, Claude Diaz 20/US ****
Beautifully compiled from original documents, archive film and new interviews, this film explores an under-documented segment of American history, namely the drag scene in 1950s New York, where young men found a sense of belonging. Even if it's a bit long, this is a wonderfully eye-opening trip into the past, revealing a lively subculture that's been underground for decades and today is a glorious part of the mainstream... FULL REVIEW >

Cured
dir Patrick Sammon, Bennett Singer; with Kay Lahusen, Frank Kameny 20/US ****
This rousing documentary confronts the "disgust, discomfort and fear" that was stoked in American culture in the mid-20th century, led by bigoted psychiatrists who wrongly labelled homosexuality as a mental disorder. With recently unearthed footage and vivid firsthand interviews, the filmmakers highlight people who forced the medical establishment to change a harshly discriminatory system. The film ends on a perhaps too-celebratory note, but is hugely informative and inspiring... FULL REVIEW >

Note that all reviews are linked on the site's BFI FLARE page, including the Five Films for Freedom and more shorts to come.

Flare: Tell your story

Spring has definitely sprung in London - it's not a lot warmer, but the sun has made its presence felt. So it's perhaps not as easy to sit indoors and watch movies at home. The 35th BFI Flare continues as a virtual event, with screenings, Q&As and screen talks every day this week. Press screenings ended on Sunday night, so I've seen the vast majority of films now, and am enjoying watching a range of short films this week, plus the conversations with filmmakers and actors. Tickets and information are available at BFI FLARE, including free access to all the talks and short films. Here are a few more festival highlights...

Dramarama
dir-scr Jonathan Wysocki; with Nick Pugliese, Anna Grace Barlow 20/US ****
Like The Breakfast Club for drama queens, this snappy comedy centres on theatre nerds having one last party before life splits them up. It's brightly silly and thoroughly engaging as it plays with a range of bigger issues. With his feature debut, writer-director Jonathan Wysocki taps into his own background and meaningfully explores issues from sexuality to religion through the eyes of five over-expressive teenagers on one eventful night... FULL REVIEW >

Kiss Me Before It Blows Up
dir-scr Shirel Peleg; with Moran Rosenblatt, Luise Wolfram 20/Ger ***.
Busy and funny, this Israeli comedy follows the transgressive romantic adventures of a young woman and her grandmother. Writer-director Shirel Peleg keeps the tone light even as serious themes gurgle up from the subtext. Things wobble a bit later on, both due to the serious topics and of course the requirements of the romcom formula. But the characters remain sympathetic, and the movie has a warmly affirming message... FULL REVIEW >

No Ordinary Man
dir Aisling Chin-Yee, Chase Joynt; with Billy Tipton Jr, Susan Stryker 20/Can 1h24 ***.
This documentary centres on groundbreaking American musician Billy Tipton, who has essentially been erased from history due to a lack of understanding about trans-masculinity. Strikingly well shot and edited, the film features artists and authors who discuss the bigger themes, which kind of sidelines Tipton's fascinating life. But his son offers telling firsthand memories, and the way the issue is explored has real power to change perceptions... FULL REVIEW >

Note that all full reviews from the festival are linked on the site's BFI FLARE page. The Five Films for Freedom are there now, with more shorts coming soon.

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CRITICAL WEEK 

I only saw a few non-festival films this week, although at four hours Zack Snyder's Justice League might count as two or three. It's like binge-watching a series, so is of course far more satisfying that Joss Whedon's cut of the film. It's also still rather murky and messy. I also saw seven very strong shorts about young men coping with masculinity and sexuality issues in The Swedish Boys. I have quite a few things to catch up with once the festival finishes on Sunday.

Flare: Show your face

Spring is here, and the 35th edition of the British Film Institute's Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival continues running virtually for the second year in a row. It's hardly surprising that most online screenings are sold-out, but some tickets are still available at BFI FLARE. It should be noted that all the short films, including Five Films for Freedom, are free to watch on BFI Player, as are many of the special events like conversations with actors and filmmakers. So even without the parties, there's a lot going on. But I'm still missing hanging out with my annual Flare friends (or any friends at all as lockdown rolls on and on). Here are some more film highlights, including my best of the fest so far...

Boy Meets Boy
dir Daniel Sanchez Lopez; with Matthew J Morrison, Alexis Koutsoulis 21/Ger ****
Freeform filmmaking adds earthy authenticity to this German drama, which follows two young men over 15 hours. Filmmaker Daniel Sanchez Lopez assembles this mainly in visceral closeup, seemingly shot on a phone camera as characters take a loosely meandering journey. The approach gives the film a striking sense of intimacy. So if the plot feels thin, the attractive actors and sparky subtext make this worth a look... FULL REVIEW >

Rūrangi
dir Max Currie; with Elz Carrad, Arlo Green 20/NZ ****
This warm, earthy drama from rural New Zealand is a remarkably astute look at people struggling with their emotions as they try to make sense of a long-ignored truth. While some of the plot points feel incomplete, director Max Currie recounts the story with a remarkable openness about central the issue of gender identity. This makes it easy to find ourselves in these characters and see through their eyes... FULL REVIEW >

Poppy Field [Câmp de Maci]
dir Eugen Jebeleanu; with Conrad Mericoffer, Alexandru Potocean 20/Rom ****.
Verite filmmaking infuses this Romanian drama with earthy realism. It's a remarkable balance of offhanded wit with the gnawing difficulty of trying to hide who you really are from everyone around you. And this central character is himself unsure what his sexuality means to him. This is a crisp, unblinking look at the very real dangers of both self-loathing and societal prejudice, depicted in a way that's never remotely preachy... FULL REVIEW >

Tove
dir Zaida Bergroth; with Alma Poysti, Krista Kosonen 20/Fin ***.
Lushly designed with a darkly intriguing storytelling style, this biopic traces the life of the Finnish creator of the iconic Moomins. Director Zaida Bergroth and writer Eeva Putro recount the story using an intimate perspective, getting under the skin to highlight unexpected feelings, cultural context and wider issues that add strong resonance. It's an involving, pointed dive into the art world, and it carries a nice personal kick... FULL REVIEW >

More to come...

Flare: Let your colours burst

The 35th BFI Flare continues to run online this year, and it's a bit sad to think of BFI Southbank being so empty these days, without lively screenings, special events and of course the parties. At least the smaller number of films in the programme have been uniformly strong, a terrific mix of entertainment and more pointed themes. I've even been able to do a couple of interviews with actors and filmmakers (using webcams of course). Everything is available online this year at BFI FLARE until March 28th, with timed-ticketed screenings of the features and free access to the shorts, including this year's Five Films for Freedom. More on those here next week. In the meantime, here are a few more feature highlights, including my favourite festival film so far...

Colors of Tobi [Tobi Színei]
dir Alexa Bakony; with Tobias Benjamin Tuza, Eva Ildiko Tuza, 21/Hun ****
This Hungarian fly-on-the-wall documentary observes the life of a trans teen and his impact on his family and community. While noting the vicious public homophobia this young person faces, the film centres on parents and friends who are genuinely working through issues to support him. The film is sharply well-edited, bringing out resonance that highlights bigger themes, while filmmaker Alexa Bakony recounts a powerful story in a straightforward, compelling way. FULL REVIEW >

Cowboys
dir-scr Anna Kerrigan; with Steve Zahn, Jillian Bell 20/US ****
Spectacular Montana landscapes add natural beauty to this modern-day Western, which takes on complex issues with sensitivity and big-hearted humour. Writer-director Anna Kerrigan tells the story with beautifully observed style, quietly catching the perspective of a child who's looking for someone to see him for who he is. The story perhaps bites off more than it can chew, overcomplicating an already important central theme. But it's involving and strikingly well-made. FULL REVIEW >

Sweetheart
dir-scr Marley Morrison; with Nell Barlow, Jo Hartley 21/UK ****.
Packed with jaggedly witty observations, this British comedy gets into the mind of a teen who thinks her life couldn't get any worse. Writer-director Marley Morrison tells a hugely engaging story about a character brought to vivid life by gifted actor Nell Barlow. The pacing may meander in the middle, but this is a breathtaking feature debut, and one of the most astute movies about adolescence in recent memory. FULL REVIEW >

The Obituary of Tunde Johnson
dir Ali LeRoi; with Steven Silver, Spencer Neville 19/US ****
Taking on enormous issues in an inventive way, this brightly well-made drama is superbly directed by Ali LeRoi from an astute script by Stanley Kalu. The film takes on huge things things people face in seemingly perfect lives, hinging on the experience of a wealthy Black teen. It's long and a little scattershot in its approach, but the vivid characterisations make it riveting. And the raw urgency is breathtaking. FULL REVIEW >

Note that all full reviews will be linked on the site's BFI FLARE page.

Flare: Share the love

The 35th edition of the British Film Institute's Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival kicked off tonight virtually, for the second year in a row. I've been covering this festivals for more than 20 years, and it's a shame that once again there aren't all those lively nightly parties and events - it's something worth looking forward to every year. Thankfully, there's still a terrific collection if very strong films - all to be watched at home alone without that wonderful communal buzz at BFI Southbank. Next year it should be wilder than usual. Here are a few highlights to kick us off...

Jump, Darling
dir-scr Phil Connell; with Cloris Leachman, Thomas Duplessie 20/Can ****.
This comedy-drama centres on a luminous, no-nonsense performance from the late Cloris Leachman, a lead role that feels like a gift. Writer-director Phil Connell tells an engaging story about people who find inspiration at opposite ends of their lives. While invoking the spirit of Hedwig as these defiant people refuse to be put into boxes, this is a complex celebration of how empowering it is to be honest with yourself.

Firebird
dir Peeter Rebane; with Tom Prior, Oleg Zagorodnii 21/Est ****
Based on a true story, this Cold War drama traces a romantic triangle in a Russian military setting. Director Peeter Rebane keeps the focus on the characters as they navigate a perilous situation, pulling the audience into the story. This adds vivid personal emotions to the visually stylised filmmaking, and also adds wider resonance. Some earthy grit might have helped, but the film is strongly engaging and very moving.

The Greenhouse
dir-scr Thomas Wilson-White; with Jane Watt, Camilla Ah Kin 21/Aus ***
While this Australian drama takes a complex dive into grief, the earthy characters add strong resonance in a story that spirals into surrealism. Writer-director Thomas Wilson-White taps into visceral emotional responses, which sometimes makes the film feel over-serious and mopey. But he tempers this with real-life humour and everyday family dynamics. So the events get under the skin, reflecting ourselves and our relationships in unusual ways.

Enfant Terrible
dir Oskar Roehler; with Oliver Masucci, Hary Prinz 20/Ger ***
This biopic of live-fast-die-young filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder takes an in-your-face kaleidoscope approach, using heavily stylised scenes that centre on relationships rather than his work. Playing out like a series of disconnected stage sketches, it isn't always easy to watch. But it tells a remarkably intense story about an artist who never quite got to grips with his personal demons, while still leaving an indelible imprint the world.

Note that all full reviews will be linked on the site's BFI FLARE page.

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CRITICAL WEEK

Non-festival films this week included the long-shelved City of Lies, a riveting true crime drama starring Johnny Depp and Forest Whitaker; the lively and inventive ode to The Smiths in Shoplifters of the World; the only sporadically funny prankster comedy Bad Trip; the terrific Greek road romance The Man With the Answers; and another terrific collection of masculine shorts with The Male Gaze: Nocturnal Instincts. This coming week, I have some mainstream releases to catch up with alongside BFI Flare movies, including Jeremy Piven in Last Call, Sarah Sutherland in Like a House on Fire, and the award-winning Albanian drama Zana.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK: Quo Vadis, Aida? • Minari • Luz
ALL REVIEWS >

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Critical Week: Yet another night in

Aside from a certain royal interview and the evolving lockdown situation, the biggest news this week was the most diverse list of Bafta Film Awards nominations in history, a remarkably varied collection of movies, filmmakers and performances that breaks from their tradition of trying to predict Oscar. Attention to British gems and filmmakers outside the system is particularly notable this year, even with some surprising omissions. BAFTA 2021 NOMINEES >

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
The Human Voice
Judas and the Black Messiah
The Dissident • Verdict
ALL REVIEWS > 

As for movies this week, I caught up with two films recently out in US cinemas. Silk Road stars Jason Clarke and Nick Robinson (above with Alexandra Shipp) in a true story about the dark web that's fascinating but rather lacking in nuance. And Tom Holland and Daisy Ridley star in Doug Liman's conceptual sci-fi thriller Chaos Walking, a well-made Western-style adventure that fails to deepen its themes or characters.

Further afield, the prison drama Luz is an American independent film infused with Latin culture as it recounts an unusually introspective, tender romance between two inmates. From Germany, Undine is another seriously clever film by Christian Petzold starring Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski, this time a fantastical, whimsical, darkly moving romance. From Australia, Sequin in a Blue Room is an artful coming-of-age drama about a young man on a journey of self-discovery and connection.From Bosnia, Quo Vadis, Aida? is a flatly stunning, unmissable drama about the Srebrenica genocide told from a powerfully involving perspective. From the Philippines, Verdict is an absolutely riveting drama about a woman navigating a torturous legal system. And I decided to catch up with this documentary on the day it received its Bafta nomination...

My Octopus Teacher

dir-scr Pippa Ehrlich, James Reed

with Craig Foster, Tom Foster 

release US/UK 7.Sep.20

20/South Africa Netflix 1h25 *****

Beautifully shot and edited, this documentary recounts an involving story in a way that's enormously engaging as it traces the extraordinary connection between a man and an octopus over nearly a year. It's a riveting exploration of the nature of student and teacher, friend and foe, predator and prey. And as both of them transform their perceptions of each other, the film becomes both moving and inspirational.

Struggling with burn-out, and worried about his ability to be a good father to his teen son Tom, filmmaker Craig Foster turns to the ocean for inspiration, drawing on his childhood in the ocean near his home at the tip of South Africa. In an effort to feel amphibious and to eliminate barriers, he eschews a scuba tank or wetsuit and returns into the kelp forest every day. And he becomes fascinated by an octopus, building trust that leads to an unexpected back-and-forth relationship with her. Their ongoing adventures are simply awesome, revealing the inter-connections between living things.

Cinematographer Roger Horrocks gloriously captures how it feels to float through an underwater forest amid a wide range of creatures. This is augmented by Foster's own work behind the camera, revealing the extravagant diversity, balance and beauty under the sea. Meanwhile, the narrative is grabbing hold of us as we watch these two very different creatures begin to interact in unexpected ways. And the ultimate message is simple and provoctive: "She taught me to feel that I'm part of this place, not a visitor."

9.Mar.21

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Next week's films include the new four-hour cut of Zack Snyder's Justice League, Robin Wright's Land, the romantic comedy Me You Madness, the comedy drama Shoplifters of the World and the acclaimed Russian drama Dear Comrades. There will also be press screenings for the forthcoming edition of BFI Flare, with the festival itself kicking off virtually on Wednesday 17th March. Reports to come!

 

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Critical Week: Take on the world

As Britain continues to strain against the ongoing lockdown restrictions, it seems like all of my friends have already had the vaccine, but I'm still waiting. It's now looking like cinemas won't open until mid-May at the earliest, so these online screenings will just have to do for now. Another film that really should have been seen on the big screen was Disney's animated adventure Raya and the Last Dragon, which looks breathtaking however you see it as it spins an energetic, involving and ever-so-familiar tale. Less successful is the strained attempt to "update" Tom and Jerry with a half-hearted human-based plot. Sticking to what made the cartoons work might have been a good idea, but what do I know?

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Notturno • Moxie • Justine
The Truffle Hunters
White Colour Black 
ALL REVIEWS >

More grown-up films this week included the legal drama Foster Boy, a rather formulaic film with Matthew Modine based on a powerful true story; the bonkers French mystery Keep an Eye Out, a police pastiche with a hilariously black sense of humour; the true-life disaster epic Fukushima 50, chronicling Japan's near catastrophe in the wake of the 2011 earthquake/tsunami; and the artfully involving odyssey White Colour Black, in which a British photographer explores his roots in Senegal. There was also this virtual screening as part of the London Indian Film Festival...

Evening Shadows
dir Sridhar Rangayan; scr Saagar Gupta, Sridhar Rangayan; with Mona Ambegaonkar, Devansh Doshi, Ananth Mahadevan, Arpit Chaudhary, Sushant Divgikar 19/India 1h42 ****

The standard coming-out story is given a nice spin in this warm-hearted Indian drama, which centres on a mother-son relationship. It's a strong depiction of how a conservative culture piles expectations on young people and accepts endemic sexism and homophobia. Filmmaker Sridhar Rangayan carefully reveals compassion under the cruelly bigoted surfaces, creating a vivid portrait of the enormous issues that face women and queer young people in communities that are ruled by hatred.

After four years away, Kartik (Doshi) returns home for a family event, then is surprised by his harshly controlling father Damodar (Mahadevan) with a prospective bride and more criticism about his career as a photographer. No wonder he chooses to live in Mumbai and keeps his boyfriend Aman (Chaudhary) a secret. When he comes out to his loving mother Vasudha (Ambegaonkar), she struggles with what to do with this information in such a close-minded corner of India and with such a dogmatic husband.

The actors are terrific even if the characters are a bit schematic: Kartik is relentlessly smiley, while Damodar shouts angrily at everyone and rails against news stories of the Supreme Court's imminent ruling on whether homosexuality should remain criminalised (under a law brought in by British colonialists). In the middle, Ambegaonkar shines as a woman working through her feelings. The coming-out sequence is beautifully played with honest big emotions. So even if the film sometimes feels rather melodramatic, it touches on some real nerves and grapples with darker, often unmentioned issues in society. And it leads to a staggeringly strong confrontation.

 LONDON INDIAN FILM FESTIVAL • 28.Feb.21

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Coming up this next week, I have the British immigrant romance The Drifters, the dark American romance Luz, the Australian drama Sequin in a Blue Room and the German fantasy Undine.

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