Venezia83: The crowd goes wild

It's the weekend, and I'm already exhausted as I cover the 83rd Venice Film Festival, but that's largely because of the blisteringly hot weather. Thankfully, the cinemas and the press workroom are cool, but I feel like I'm baking as I walk between them. Not exactly pizza and pasta weather. And I feel for the celebrities out there on the red carpet in their suits and sequins! Anyway, here are notes on five more very different films...

Don’t Look Back in Anger
dir Will Lovelace, Dylan Southern; with Noel Gallagher, Liam Gallagher 26/UK ****
After Oasis loudly broke up in 2009, launching a 2025 world tour was big news. Fans and the media waited impatiently to see if brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher could appear on-stage together after not speaking for 15 years. This energetic documentary recounts the process with sparky attention to detail, celebrating the band, the music and the global fanbase. And of course the power of forgiveness.

A Place to Heal [15/18]
dir Cedric Kahn; with Zoe Monpart, Malou Khebizi 26/Fr ***.
Because of its naturalistic acting and intimate camera style, this film feels like a documentary until plot points begin to creep in. Actor-director Cedric Khan cleverly puts the audience right into the middle of the action in a home for teens struggling with mental health issues, making sure that we feel the issues and emotions that swirl around both the kids and their carers. So the film is lively, edgy, funny and also darkly moving as it exposes the pain some young people must live through.

Our Share of Sand
dir-scr Shalini Adnani; with Maya Mehta, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub 26/Ind ****
Mohammed Zeeshan AyyubWarm and involving, this gentle drama from India has a subtle undercurrent of tension that emerges throughout the narrative, even as it remains a knowing coming-of-age story. Writer-director Shalini Adnani has a terrific eye for both characters and settings, capturing the rhythms of life in an intriguing corner of the world. And the characters emerge with strong personalities, each on his or her own journey. 

Falling House
dir Mohsen Gharaie; with Laleh Marzban, Rima Raminfar 26/Irn ***.
There's a lot of power in this ambitious Iranian film, which shifts from a family comedy into a dark drama, then dips into psychological horror territory. The extended running time makes the nastiness feel somewhat overwhelming, as a family is ripped apart from within. But filmmaker Mohsen Gharaie keeps the audience engaged with strong characters and some bleak resonance. 

Tijuana, Todavía [aka: Tijuana, Still]
dir-scr Gabriel Gutierrez Morales; with Humberto Busto, Petr Filimonov 26/Mex ****
There's a slice-of-life authenticity to this Mexican drama, which is set just across the border from California. This is the engaging story of an odd couple friendship that quietly develops into a deeper connection, maybe even romance. Writer-director Gabriel Gutierrez Morales and his fine cast are telling an important story that embraces humanity across cultures. And it finds lovely textures in its honest depiction of Mexican society.

Full reviews will be linked to Shadows' VENICE FILM FEST PAGE >

London Film Fest: Sleep with the fishes

And that's a wrap on my 22nd year covering the BFI London Film Festival. I haven't counted up the number of films I've seen this year, but it will still only be a fraction of the hundreds of movies that are programmed here. The closing night saw the international premiere of Martin Scorsese's new movie, and I actually walked right past Robert De Niro and Al Pacino at one point this afternoon, which was pretty cool. Then I saw all three of them, plus Harvey Keitel and Anna Paquin on the red carpet outside the Odeon this evening, mercifully under clear skies. I'm sure they're having a great party tonight. Here are my final few comments on movies, plus the festival award winners and my favourite films of the festival...

The Irishman 
dir Martin Scorsese; with Robert De Niro, Al Pacino 19/US *****
A thumping cinematic epic, this film deserves to be seen on the biggest screen available as it recounts a staggering true story that stretches over half a century. In addition to the expert writing, direction and acting, this is a pungent look at how American culture and politics have become so thoroughly enmeshed with criminality. This isn't shouted loudly, but it's impossible to miss as the story centres on a singular personal perspective.

The Lodge
dir Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala; with Riley Keough, Jaeden Martell 19/UK ***
There's a staggeringly bleak sensibility to this gothic horror movie. Without being particularly scary, it's a seriously unnerving freak-out simply because it gets under the skin. Austrian filmmakers Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala throw all kinds of nasty things at the screen that add both intrigue and unease. It's skilfully shot and edited, with a terrific sense of the settings and a steady stream of inventive visual and thematic touches.

On a Magical Night [Chambre 212]
dir-scr Christophe Honore; with Chiara Mastroianni, Vincent Lacoste 19/Fr ****
French filmmaker Christophe Honore playfully uses magic (complete with Barry Manilow) to explore the nature of a long-term relationship. The story unfolds like A Christmas Carol played out as a French farce, with a collision of past, present and future that offers a jolt of insight into the way we grow and change (or not) within a relationship. It's surprisingly engaging, anchored by a wonderfully deadpan performance from Chiara Mastroianni.

Happy Birthday [Fête de Famille]
dir-scr Cedric Kahn; with Catherine Deneuve, Emmanuelle Bercot 19/Fr ***
With a real-life mixture of comedy and drama, French filmmaker Cedric Kahn explores a variety of intriguing family dynamics. It's not an each film to connect with, because just as it pulls the audience in with some warm humour it veers off somewhere rather dark and disturbing. The superb actors keep up with these mood shifts, although they can be rather jarring for the audience, especially as characters take turns being the bad guy.

LFF Awards

• Best Film: MONOS
• Documentary: WHITE RIOT
• First Feature: Mati Diop (ATLANTICS)

Rich’s Best of the Fest

1. Portrait of a Lady on Fire
2. The Irishman
3. I Lost My Body
4. The Report
5. Monsoon
6. Marriage Story
7. By the Grace of God
8. Bacurau
9. Luce
10. Monos

ALSO: The Kingmaker, Moffie, Invisible Life, Tremors, Martin Eden, Ema, Earthquake Bird, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood, And Then We Danced, The Painted Bird.


Links:
Shadows LONDON FILM FEST homepage (full reviews will be linked here) 
Official LONDON FILM FEST site