Narcissus’ Pink Mirror: On Fantasy and Queer Desire
“Fantasy exists to create a place of greater safety, a rejection of the real world in favour of one that allows for an open, unapologetic queerness.”
A Long Time Ago, in Northern California: When David Lynch Met George Lucas
“Both Lucas and Lynch’s world views allow for the possibility of personal atonement, and for external peace emerging from inner peace.”
Sergio Caballero’s ‘Je te tiens’: The Many Machinations of a Movie
“‘Je te tiens’ connotes a representation of the conversation that exists between the inner contextual world of a film and the overarching art of filmmaking itself.”
La Quinzaine des Réalisateurs Review: Ariane Labed’s ‘Olla’
“Through sharp sound design and awkward moments of situational comedy, ‘Olla’ highlights the inner fire of a young woman; a charismatic vagabond. Like her frequent collaborator Yorgos Lanthimos, Labed uses tonally offbeat situations to hilariously explore perceptions of logical and illogical behavior.”
La Semaine de la Critique Review: Valentina Maurel’s ‘Lucia en el limbo’
“Maurel allows Arenas’ body language to speak for her, rather than relying upon cliché teenage dialogue found in many Hollywood films.”
La Semaine de la Critique Review: Moin Hussain’s ‘Naptha’
“Moin Hussain’s ‘Naptha’ is a classic, compact portrait of a strained father-son relationship that addresses the angst of aging and the pain that familial relationships can bring.”
Some Kind of Connection: Loss and Technology in the Films of Sophy Romvari
Mike Thorn Interviews Filmmaker Sophy Romvari
Thessaloniki Documentary Festival 2019 Review: George Gounezos’ ‘Outer Space Kids’
“The film itself doesn’t have a clear narrative structure, but that’s not at all a detriment. ‘Outer Space Kids’ is more so an experience, a glimpse into a world of art that exists beyond socially constructed borders.”
Clermont-Ferrand 2019 Short Film Review: Chien-Yu Lin’s ‘The Sound of Falling’
“‘The Sound of Falling’ is beguiling and a handsome work by a promising filmmaker. Whether Chien-Yu Lin’s future work lands on either writing, directing or production design, she’s one to keep an eye on.”
Clermont-Ferrand 2019 Short Film Review: Carlos Abascal Peiro’s ‘Jupiter!’
“Oftentimes, shorts will hammer home their endings, but Peiro executes his conclusion quickly, and with full confidence.”
Clermont-Ferrand 2019 Short Film Review: Kitao Sakurai’s ‘The Passage’
“With a gorgeous vintage sheen across its 4:3 aspect ratio, Sakurai’s short establishes a magical realist land that magnifies the burgeoning diversity of America today – along with all the confusion, preposterousness and sudden violence that comes with it.”
The Boundary-Pushing Comedy in Frank Henenlotter’s Films
“Frank Henenlotter and his films have the demeanor of a naughty uncle making wild, dirty jokes while telling a campfire ghost story. He wants you to take the material seriously, but he’s mostly concerned with you having a great time.”
A Reluctant Hunter: Jean-Bernard Marlin’s ‘La fugue’
“Bencherif exudes that rare type of charisma one can’t teach.”
Review: Celia Rico Clavellino’s ‘Luisa Is Not Home’
“Asunción Balaguer carries ‘Luisa Is Not Home’ with her gentle performance…”
Review: Marina Shron’s ‘Sea Child’
“The crystal-clear visuals of ‘Sea Child’ transcend into a an aquatic journey of surrealism…”