BFI Flare: Cuddle up

I'm enjoying the eclectic films presented at the 40th BFI Flare, which has taken over the Southbank for 12 days this month. We're at the midpoint of the festival, so I'm fairly exhausted by my schedule, as I have to keep watching the regular releases of the week as well as lots of festival films, then find time to write about them. Here are four more superb movies that I hope will get proper releases at some point in the near future. The first is already on Apple TV in North America...

Perro Perro
dir-scr Marco Berger; with German Flood, Juan Ramos 25/Arg ****
Shot in glistening black and white by cinematographer Martin Farina, this surreal drama is so playful that it immediately makes us smile. Argentine master provocateur Marco Berger continues to explore masculinity and connection by blurring lines of sexuality, in this case teasingly lusty inversion of reality. Even if the metaphor is strained, the timeless filmmaking style gives a kick to deeper ideas. It's also sweet and very sexy.

Strange River [Estrany Riu]
dir-scr Jaume Claret Muxart; with Jan Monter, Nausicaa Bonnin 25/Sp ****
Following a Catalan family on a biking holiday along the Danube in Germany and Austria, this understated film zeroes in on a teen as he discovers inexplicable sense of his own desire. But this isn't a coming-of-age story, or a coming-out film. Instead, writer-director Jaume Claret Muxart is inventively digging under the surface to find truths that span generations. So it becomes a fascinating portrait of a family at a pivotal moment in time.

The Last Guest of the Holloway Motel
dir Ramiel Petros, Nicholas Freeman; with Tony Powell, Mick McGuire 25/UK ****
This is one of those engaging, riveting documentaries in which you join the filmmakers on an unpredictable ride, as new details surprise them and us in real time. Ostensibly this is a film about the closing down of a landmark motel in West Hollywood, but directors Ramiel Petros and Nicholas Freeman discover a protagonist in its final manager Tony Powell, an English football star who vanished without a trace more than 40 years ago.

Out Laws
dir Lexi Powner, James Lewis; with Friedel Dausab, Rosanna Flamer-Caldera UK/26 ****
Tracing the experiences of three human rights activists, this engaging documentary explores how British colonialism left a legacy of harsh anti-gay laws around the world. Thankfully, the central figures add a buoyant hopefulness as they encourage each other to keep up the good work. And with a wide range of experts, filmmakers Lexi Powner and James Lewis trace the topic's history and present-day realities with honesty and clarity.

Full reviews will be linked to the SHADOWS @ BFI FLARE page.

BFI Flare: Dance the night away

We're coming into the final weekend of the 39th BFI Flare, and I still have quite a few films to watch, including the closing film Night Stage, followed by a party, which I think we all need after such a busy 12 days. I also want to catch up on this year's Five Films for Freedom. Here are some more highlights...

A Night Like This
dir Liam Calvert; with Alexander Lincoln, Jack Brett Anderson 25/UK ***
Because this film is so beautifully shot in locations around London, it doesn't really matter that the city's geography is rather fantastical, as are two major coincidences in the plot. As lonely people at the end of their rope intersect over one fateful night, it's the big ideas rippling through Diego Scerrati's script that hold the interest. And director Liam Calvert maintains a warm, intimate tone that nicely balances the sometimes overpacked dialog and performances.

The Astronaut Lovers 
[Los Amantes Astronautas]
dir-scr Marco Berger; with Javier Oran, Lautaro Bettoni 24/Arg ****
Smart and very funny, this romcom from Argentina takes an audacious premise and spins it with snappy dialog that playfully references a wide range of movies along with the titular metaphorical running gags. Writer-director Marco Berger takes his usual astute look at masculinity and identity, avoiding cliches while playfully remaining faithful to the genre. Indeed, he includes an unapologetic romance that sneaks in through character-based wit. 

Sandbag Dam 
[Zečji Nasip]
dir Cejen Cernic Canak; with Lav Novosel, Andrija Zunac 25/Cro ***.
Set in rural Croatia, this relaxed drama skilfully captures the everyday rhythms in this place, focussing in on a young gay man who finds himself at a crossroads in his life. The title refers to a wall of sandbags that protects a village from rising river levels, and of course this also represents the wall this guy has built to hide himself from those around him. As a slice-of-life drama, this is a very powerful film that has a lot to say about how a culture can push people away.

Winter Kept Us Warm 
dir-scr David Secter; with John Labow, Henry Tarvainen 65/Can ****
Pristinely restored, this Canadian drama was made in 1965 by student filmmaker David Secter, starring his classmates. In the style of the French New Wave, the film features a subtly gay narrative at a time when homosexuality was criminalised. So it's understandable that the approach to the topic is discreet, but the plot is remarkably sophisticated, taking what today feels like a fresh run at this kind of narrative. This makes it both involving and surprising.

Full reviews will be linked on Shadows' BFI Flare page when published.

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C R I T I C A L  W E E K

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Time Travel Is Dangerous
Holy Cow • The Penguin Lessons
Misericordia • Viet and Nam
PERHAPS AVOID:
A Working Man
ALL REVIEWS >

Aside from films at BFI Flare, I also watched Jack Quaid in the guilty-pleasure action comedy Novocaine, Jason Statham in the derivative A Working Man, Jason Isaacs and Gillian Anderson in the engaging true story The Salt Path, Steve Coogan and Jonathan Pryce in the engaging true story The Penguin Lessons, plus two live stage performances at Sadler's Wells: Outsider and Crow/Pigeons.

This coming week I'll be watching A Minecraft Movie, whatever that is, Rami Malek in The Amateur, Miguel Gomes' Grand Tour and British drama Restless, plus more films at BFI Flare's closing weekend.

BFI Flare: Raise your hands

Of course, it's only the first weekend of BFI Flare, and I'm already feeling sleep-deprived. It doesn't help that the warm/cold weather has caused havoc with my sinuses, I'm still recovering from a missed night's sleep to watch the Oscars, and each day is starting early and ending late. But I'm still out and about, seeing films and catching up with festival friends at BFI Southbank, which is aways a buzzy venue throughout the run of this festival. I may not feel like the life of the party this year, but I'm out and about - so say hello if you see me. Here are some more highlights...

Swallowed
dir-scr Carter Smith; with Cooper Koch, Jose Colon  22/US ***
Unusually unsettling, this offbeat horror thriller features a line-up of visceral jolts that cleverly play on deeper internalised ideas. Writer-director Carter Smith takes a stripped-back approach to filmmaking, keeping things gritty and loose while honing in on quirky character details and playing provocatively with tropes from both horror and gay cinema. So even if the story and characters are somewhat lacking when it comes to internal logic, the film creates a superbly queasy sense of unease.

Kenyatta: Do Not Wait Your Turn
dir Timothy Harris; with Malcolm Kenyatta, Matt Miller 23/US ****
Covering a vitally important political campaign in perhaps too much detail, this documentary is essential viewing simply for what it says about American politics. Using a fly-on-the-wall style over the course of two years, filmmaker Timothy Harris zeroes in on a milestone candidate who simply rejects the idea that only straight white guys can run the country. As a gay Black man, Malcolm Zenyatta knows rather a lot more about the state of his community.

Horseplay [Los Agitadores]
dir-scr Marco Berger; with Bruno Giganti, Agustin Machta 22/Arg ***.
Argentine filmmaker Marco Berger continues to provocatively explore the nature of masculinity in this loosely unstructured comedy-drama about a group of friends who play very close to the boundaries. But the meandering pace conceals a startling swell of very dark emotions, from toxic machismo to self-loathing homosexuality. These things are depicted in ways that force the viewer to think, continually blurring the lines society says are neatly cut and dried.

Wolf and Dog [Lobo e Cão]
dir-scr Claudia Varejao; with Ana Cabral, Ruben Pimenta 22/Por ****
Set in the Azores archipelago, this strikingly visual slice of life is artfully shot by cinematographer Rui Xavier. Writer-director Claudia Varejao tells the story in a way that feels almost accidental, capturing tiny moments that accumulate along the way. The narrative feels meandering and elusive, with only a few sharply pointed events, but this provides the space for us to put ourselves into the situations and consider our reactions... FULL REVIEW >

Bread and Salt [Chleb i Sól]
dir-scr Damian Kocur; with Tymoteusz Bies, Jacek Bies 22/Pol ***
Bracingly shot in observational style, this Polish drama gets up close to its characters even as it neglects the narrative. It's an often harrowing depiction of a small town where young people think it's cool to deal in racism, bigotry and bullying. And the thoughtful central character draws us in, even if his journey remains stubbornly off-camera. Writer-director Damian Kocur has a terrific eye for real-life interaction, so the film has power as a document of a place and time. But stronger storytelling might have made it involving and moving.

BEST OF YEAR
The Inspection
dir-scr Elegance Bratton; with Jeremy Pope, Gabrielle Union 22/US ****.
There's striking artistry in the way filmmaker Elegance Bratton recounts an autobiographical narrative about a Black gay man in US Marines boot camp during the "don't ask, don't tell" years. Never preachy, the film has an earthy, intensely internalised tone that puts its complex characters into a razor-sharp perspective. And its knowing authenticity adds both deep emotion and a textured, vital comment on the nature of bigotry... FULL REVIEW >

Flare: Men in love

The British Film Institute's 33rd Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival is just past its halfway point, and as always I'm enjoying the mix of provocative movies and great conversations with filmmakers, programmers and other journalists. This is a seriously social festival! And the quality of the films, many of which are difficult to find on a big screen, is very high. Meanwhile, I'm also watching the weekly theatrical releases as they are screened to the press - so the usual Critical Week section is below these Flare highlights...

The Blond One [Un Rubio]
dir-scr Marco Berger; with Gaston Re, Alfonso Baron 19/Arg ****.
As with Marco Berger's other films, this drama captures an easy masculinity that blurs lines of sexuality as a group of fit young men circle around each other. The film is quiet and observational, telling its story in offhanded moments rather than big plot points. It's a strikingly involving, moving exploration of the nature of relationships, transcending the gay genre to explore both deeper human emotions and larger societal issues.

Papi Chulo
dir-scr John Butler; with Matt Bomer, Alejandro Patino 18/US ***.
Irish filmmaker John Butler traces an offbeat friendship in this engaging comedy-drama, which takes a turn that adds a complex exploration of a deep theme. It's a charming story with intriguing characters who interact in honest, messy ways. So while the events in the movie sometimes tip over the top, the story and characters remain easy to identify with... FULL REVIEW >

Tucked
dir-scr Jamie Patterson; with Derren Nesbitt, Jordan Stephens 18/UK ****
Warm and moody, this British drama has an earthy honesty to it that's instantly engaging. It's the story of an offbeat, unlikely friendship, but filmmaker Jamie Patterson resists the usual cheap humour or sentimentality. Instead, each belly laugh is tinged with prickly emotion. And it's remarkable that the film maintains a sense of cheeky optimism even in the story's intensely moving darker moments. Packed with surprises, it's well worth seeking out... FULL REVIEW >

Nevrland
dir-scr Gregor Schmidinger; with Simon Fruhwirth, Paul Forman 19/Aut ****
First-time Austrian filmmaker Gregor Schmidinger demonstrates his love of film history with a psychological thriller that stylistically echoes masters from Cocteau to Kubrick to Noe. Digging deeply into the mental state of the protagonist, this bold and involving film can't help but unnerve the audience as it drags us down a psychedelic rabbit hole that involves suppressed sexuality, a nervous disposition and serious daddy issues.

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C R I T I C A L   W E E K 

There were a pair of big screenings of animated movies, starting with Disney's live-action revamp of the classic Dumbo, a lively, engaging film that maintains some of Tim Burton's quirky sensibilities. It was also my first visit to the newly revamped Odeon Leicester Square, London's largest cinema which is now full of comfy recliners. British voice cast members Joe Sugg and Caspar Lee introduced the screening of Wonder Park, a frantic adventure with a terrific premise but little in the way of story, pace or message. And Mel Gibson and Vince Vaughn star in Dragged Across Concrete, the latest genre-buster from S Craig Zahler, which is sharply well made, entertaining and jaw-droppingly nasty, but about twice as long as it needed to be.

This coming week's non-festival screenings include the superhero romp Shazam, the Stephen King remake Pet Sematary and the Aretha Franklin doc Amazing Grace.

LFF 6: Preach it, brother

Tonight's red carpet at the 60th London Film Festival was for The Birth of a Nation, a biopic about Nat Turner, who led a slave revolt in the early 19th century. Armie Hammer and Nat Turner (above) were on the red carpet, along with several other costars. Today was my busiest day of the festival so far, with five films. That's too much even for me! I'll try to take it a bit easier tomorrow. Highlights from Tuesday...

The Birth of a Nation
dir-scr Nate Parker; with Nate Parker, Armie Hammer 16/US ***.
Actor-filmmaker Nate Parker pours his soul into this engaging true story about a slave uprising in early 19th century Virginia. It's a slickly produced and only slightly over-egged period drama packed with present-day resonance as a young preacher finally realises he can't ignore the injustice any longer. Yes, aside from being a powerfully involving film, it has a lot to say to us today.

Porto
dir Gabe Klinger; with Anton Yelchin, Lucie Lucas 16/Por ***
Offbeat and so wispy thin that it barely seems to exist at all, this gentle drama traces circles around a romance that flares briefly. It takes its name from the northern Portuguese city where it's set, and where two young foreigners connect in an offhanded way. And while the film is beautifully shot and acted with a warm introspection, it's also somewhat indulgent in its insistence that this kind of romance has sent ripples through past and future.

I Am Not a Serial Killer
dir Billy O'Brien; with Max Records, Laura Fraser 16/Ire ***.
Irish filmmaker Billy O'Brien brings a snappy sensibility to this drama set in Middle America, never allowing the story's larger issues to become bigger than they need to be. It centres on a sociopathic teen trying to live a "normal" life, but there's also a subtle supernatural plot element that adds a whiff of horror. And while the pacing is too artful for the mainstream, the film feels fresh and original enough to hold the interest.

Taekwondo
dir-scr Marco Berger; with Gabriel Epstein, Lucas Papa 16/Arg ***.
Essentially a mash-up of writer-director Marco Berger's Hawaii and producer-codirector Martin Farina's Fulboy, this film places nine athletic young men in an isolated resort-style house for a sweltering summer holiday and observes the physicality between them. There's a hint of a plot between two of the guys, and a few traits emerge here and there, but the movie is basically a tactile, tantalising tease that pays off only in the final moments.

FLARE 5: Family ties

The 28th BFI Flare: London LGBT Film Festival came to a close last night with the Sundance and Berlin winner 52 Tuesdays, presented at the screening by director Sophie Hyde before we all wandered down the road for another raucous festival party. The films this year have been remarkably strong, with several films being picked up for mainstream distribution over the coming months. And as always, the best thing about this festival is the chance to hang out at BFI Southbank meeting filmmakers, actors and other industry friends to chat about the movies and life in general. If only life was like this all the time! Although at my age the nightly parties take their toll! Here are some final programme highlights...

52 Tuesdays
dir Sophie Hyde; with Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Del Herbert-Jane 14/Aus ****
Del Herbert-Jane Shot over a year exactly as depicted in the narrative, this film has a strikingly realistic approach to its story, letting events and personalities blossom in unexpected directions. And even though it's set out as an exploration of gender identity and family connections, the film actually turns out to be a remarkable exploration of adolescence. Set in Adelaide, the film centres on teen Billie (Cobham-Hervey) who goes to live with her dad (Beau Travis Williams) for a year while her mum Jane (Herbert-Jane - above with Cobham Hervey) transitions into James. But they meet each Thursday to stay in each others' lives. Along with their changing relationship, Billie makes two new friends (Imogen Archer and Sam Althuizen) who challenge her to push her own limits. And this is where filmmaker Hyde (right with BFI Flare programmers) cleverly throws us off balance, as we realise that Billie is going through exactly the same issues every teen must deal with, and her mother's sexuality and gender has little to do with any of that. All of this is shot with an earthy, natural approach that really gets under our skin.

The Last Match 
dir Antonio Hens; with Milton Garcia, Reinier Diaz 13/Cub **** 
This Cuban drama tackles some big issues with honesty and sensitivity, even if the clanking gears of the plot begin to feel like a distraction in the final act. But the film has a sunny, gritty tone that gives us a remarkable glimpse at life in Havana, including a culture that makes it tricky to be yourself. It centres on Yosvani and Reinier (Garcia and Diaz) who play together on a local football team. Yosva is engaged to his girlfriend (Beatriz Mendez) and lives with her black market trader dad (Luis Alberto Garcia); while Rei has a wife (Jenifer Rodriguez) and baby and lives with his feisty mother-in-law (Mirtha Ibarra). So when there's a spark of attraction between the boys, they immediately reject it. Although Yosva finds it difficult when he realises that Rei sleeps with male tourists for cash ("I'm not gay," he insists, and indeed his mother-in-law encourages him). The relationship between these two guys is subtle and realistic, then a distracting loan-shark plot-thread takes over the final act. It's not remotely necessary, pushing the narrative in moralising directions that tell us more about Cuba's movie industry (and its society) than the filmmaker probably realises.

Tattoo
dir-scr Hilton Lacerda; with Irandhir Santos, Jesuita Barbosa 13/Br ****. 
Bursting with energy and passion, this lively Brazilian period drama expands to cover a variety of characters and storylines as well as both artistic and political themes. And it comes together like a visceral symphony in which flawed people find their voices in ways we don't always expect. Set in 1978 Recife, it centres on a lively theatre troupe that's always in trouble with the dictatorship government for its radical programming. And things get a bit personal when the show's host (Santos) falls for a young soldier (Barbosa). The main idea of the film is that sexuality isn't nearly as cut and dried as we would like it to be. Putting people into boxes never works, and it's even more dangerous when we try to force ourselves into one. These ideas play out in a plot that's messy and boisterous, allowing the characters to really grapple with their own journeys, which stubbornly refuse to travel in predictable directions. The film is packed with hugely entertaining musical numbers and the kind of crowded, unpredictable plot that holds our attention. And these are such complex characters that it's impossible not to see ourselves in here.

Hawaii
dir-scr Marco Berger; with Manuel Vignau, Mateo Chiarino 13/Arg ****
Like Berger's previous films Plan B and Absent, this gentle drama takes an askance look at attraction between men who perhaps aren't quite ready to take the plunge, as it were. Beautifully shot and edited with a patiently escalating pace, the film pulls us in to a story we can easily identify with. It's set over a summer as two young men (Vignau and Chiarino) who knew each other as young boys reacquaint themselves with each other and try to ignore the creeping attraction they now feel for each other. Berger has a special skill for capturing the physicality between men who are struggling to fit into the macho side of Argentine society. Furtive glances, awkward touches, hesitant conversations all add up to a powerful mix of unacknowledged attraction, both lust and something potentially deeper. And the cast is terrific at capturing this subtlety, as well as the insecurities these men feel about themselves.

The Out List
dir Timothy Greenfield-Sanders; with Dustin Lance Black, Ellen DeGeneres 13/US **** 
A series of 16 openly gay men and women chat to the camera about the issues they feel strongly about. Most resonant is Black, whose military/Mormon/Texan background gives him an unusual perspective to go with his emotional passion about the issues. And his comments are echoed in striking ways by familiar faces like Degeneres, Neil Patrick Harris, Wanda Sykes, Wade Davis, Cynthia Nixon and Jake Shears. Each has a very personal story that holds our attention and puts the focus on equality in society. Even so, the film as a whole feels a bit simplistic and over-thought - why not let these people express themselves by where they are speaking rather tin front of an this anonymous grey wall? Still, it has real power in what these people have to say, which makes it essential viewing. And it would make a great ongoing YouTube series.