Wednesday, 10 September 2025

 September 11th  2025

Downton Abbey
Italian FF (Opening Friday 19th October - Melbourne)
Highest 2 Lowest (streaming)

Fans of Downton Abbey get out your hankies - this is the end! Italia-philes rejoice and start planning, a week in advance, for the Italian Film Festival. And for sofa-sitting streamers we have a new film by Spike Lee, starring the ever-watchable and wonderful Denzel Washington. 

Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale
Dir: Simon Curtis
© Universal - glamour, scandal, family -
and how to relinquish the reins. An era ends!
Get ready to wallow in sumptuousness, family connections, upper-class manners, snobbery, deception, more characters than you can shake a stick at, but most of all a warm and uplifting story of how to relinquish your accustomed role in life, move on, and start a new chapter. Although this film stands quite well on its own, here's some background you may find useful. Written by Julian Fellowes, Downton Abbey was a very successful British series running for six seasons from 2010 until 2015. Then came the movies, thrusting the life of an aristocratic British family onto the big screen and giving Dame Maggie Smith yet another iconic role, as the family's matriarch, Violet Crawley. Now, in the third and final film, Violet has died and her son Robert (Hugh Bonneville) is deciding when and how to hand the running of the family and the ancestral home to his daughter Lady Mary Talbot (Michelle Dockery). Trouble is, Mary has recently divorced and in 1930 that's a major scandal. Mary's mother Lady Grantham (Elizabeth McGovern) staunchly supports Mary, in the face of constant snubs from the local hoi-poloi. While the wealthy folk upstairs are working out their succession plans, below stairs the staff are also going through some big changes. Loyal respected head butler Mr Carson (Jim Carter) is retiring and training up his successor while chief cook Mrs Patmore (Lesley Nicol) is handing her role over to Daisy (Sophie McShera). Faithful lady's maid Anna (Joanne Froggatt) attends to Mary, who makes matters worse by succumbing to the charms of a visiting American, Gus Sambrook (Alessandro Nivola), a financial advisor to Uncle Harry (Paul Giamatti), Lady Grantham's brother. If you're overwhelmed already, add in Edith (Laura Carmichael) Mary's sister and Lady Merton (a wonderful Penelope Wilton), who takes over running the local county fair and standing up to her stuff-shirted old predecessor.  The piece de resistance is the arrival of man of the moment, playwright, composer and singer Noel Coward (Arty Froushan), accompanied by actor Guy Dexter (Dominic West), whose previous film was made at Downton. So . . . the story is warm, at times funny and a little sad, most of the characters easy to like, the sense of time and place so perfectly recreated, and the many details (marvellous sets and costumes) very engaging. Spending time at Downton makes for an uplifting and comforting experience, depicting a seemingly simpler time (probably not!) and feeling like a welcome relief from all the drama of today's world. With its glorious ensemble cast and old fashioned story-telling, it allows you to melt into and embrace the fading values of loyalty, trust and family, while aware that their world is on a trajectory to major change.
4 - highly recommended 

St Ali Italian Film Festival 2025
Melbourne 19 Sept - 16 Oct
Palace Cinemas
For other states, all times, synopses, venues visit: https://italianfilmfestival.com.au/

Always a winner with Aussie audiences, this festival again brings the latest and best of Italian cinema to our shores. And as usual, there's a retrospective, this year featuring what's known as "giallo cinema", blending mystery, style and shock. Five unsettling films from such legendary directors as Dario Argento challenge you to be disturbed. Another notable feature, a nominee for Golden Lion 2024, is Sicilian Letters, a Mafia tale starring Tony Servillo, winner of countless awards. With other high profile, award-winning films such as La Grazia, The Mountain Bride and Napoli-New York, a feast awaits you. Including the visually impressive winner of Film of the Year from the Italian Syndicate of Film Journalists -  Diamanti. 

Diamonds (Diamanti)
Dir: Ferzan Ozpetek
© Palace - ordinary women's lives and 
not-so-ordinary costumes
The stunning gown on the cover of the festival program indicates the level of glamour and luxury evident in this film, but it's about much more than that, and much is in fact not glamorous. The real director Ozpetek, meets with his favourite present-day actresses at the film's opening and together they devise a narrative set in 1970s Rome in a seamstress studio - one that produces gorgeous garments and costumes for the film industry. Two sisters, Alberta (Luisa Ranieri) and Gabriella (Jasmine Trinca), run the atelier, which is called upon to fulfil a prestigious order from Oscar-winning director Lorenzo (Stefano Accorsi). He clashes with the head seamstress Bianca, and a woman's attempt to be heard and respected forms much of the subtext of this film, starring almost 20 actresses. While Alberta rules with an almost condescending manner, this masks hidden conflicts. So it is with all the women - one an abused wife, one a struggling mother - all with their own small backstories. The camaraderie of the women underpins it all, as does the sheer magic of creating something so beautiful through passion, imagination and commitment. Ozpetek draws this parallel with creating film, which he talks to camera about, breaking the fourth wall (which doesn't totally work for me). All in all, a lovely tribute to women, film and the costume industry.
The Italian FF is, as always, highly recommended.   

Highest 2 Lowest
Dir: Spike Lee
Length: 123 mins
Streaming on Apple TV+
© A24 - 
Any film with Denzel Washington is bound to lure me in. And when he's collaborating with director Spike Lee even better! This script is loosely inspired by High and Low (an Akira Kurosawa film), and focuses upon music mogul David King (Denzel). He's the head of successful record company Stackin' Hits, and has just received $17.5 million in investors' money to do a deal to buy back his share of company.  On that very day he receives a ransom demand from a kidnapper: his son Trey (Aubrey Joseph) has been taken. King prepares to turn over the money from the deal for his son's return. But when Trey is found safe, it turns out the kidnapper has accidentally abducted his best pal Kyle (Elijah Wright), son of King's buddy and chauffeur Paul (Jeffrey Wright). So ensues a moral dilemma of the highest order. Will King and wife Pam (Ilfenesh Hadera) risk all to buy back another man's son? Things start off dramatically un-Spike Lee-ish (with views from a lavish penthouse over New York to the tune of Oh What a Beautiful Morning from Oklahoma). This deliberate choice underscores the fact that King's fortunes have been tanking; he's too attached to the past, and has lost a lot of his enthusiasm for the music - it's now just a business (and includes a lot of gripes about AI!) But after he makes a brave decision re the kidnapping, he achieves viral hero status. The film takes a dramatic turn of style, moving away from King's extravagant life, to him reconnecting with his seedier side as he teams up first with the police, then with Paul to do what has to be done. The setting moves into gritty Brooklyn, a Spike Lee favorite. Some stunningly vibrant and tense scenes ensue: a train interior pursuit that is nailbiting, a motorcycle backpack swap and police chase through a street full of Puerto Rican festa celebrations, (fabulous, tense music!), and a head-to-head rap battle between King and Rapper Yung Felon (A$ap Rocky). Like many American films, the ending is a bit too neat, but all in all, this makes for exciting viewing, and of course to see Denzel in full flight, ably suppported by Wright, is something to revel in. 
4 - highly recommended


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Saturday, 6 September 2025

September 6th  2025

But Also John Clarke
Billy Joel: And So It Goes (streaming)


Only two this week; both docos and both beauties! A wonderful doco on much-loved comedian, John Clarke, and a long but brilliant streaming doco, in two parts, on Billy Joel. 


But Also John Clarke
Dir: Lorin Clarke
© Rialto - wonderful homage to a clever
and much-loved man
Comedy lost a brilliant man with the death of comedian and satirist John Clarke in 2017. Now his daughter Lorin has crafted a glorious tribute to her dad, the man New Zealanders came to know and love as Fred Dagg. The outrageous man in gumboots broke through NZ's staid exterior to herald a new era of comedy. In the 1970s Clarke headed for Oz, where he became one of the best known satirists of the era. For a man whose private life was always subordinate to his personae, he is lovingly revealed in a mixture of archival footage, and interviews, both with Clarke himself, but also with more than 40 friends and colleagues. Actors, journalists, comedians and old friends from around the world talk of Clarke in a way that lets us see how well-loved and respected he was, while Lorin introduces us to "my Dad" in a very warm and naturalistic style. Many hilarious clips had me laughing out loud, while the insights into Clarke's troubled family background, his intellect, as well as his kind nature, round out a picture of an unforgettable cultural icon. 
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended

Billy Joel - And So It Goes
Dir: Susan Lacey and Jessica Levin
Length: 2 hrs 26 (part 1) 2 hrs 34 (part 2)
Streaming on HBO Max 
© HBO Max - you can't get a more in-depth
look at the singer/songwriter than this!
Ok, so I know it's not a cinema film - but a mesmerising five-hour biopic of a genius songwriter deserves to feature here. Painstakingly constructed, the doco features many aspects of Joel's life, from his childhood background, through his career, his relationships and his philosophy on the world and songwriting. The directors don't go for a chronological timeline, and this works really well, adding constant interest. Present-day interviews with Joel are interspersed throughout the rest, which examines his life and works, as he talks honestly and openly about the highs and lows of his life. His many marriages (including to celebrity model Christie Brinkley) feature, as do clips from recording sessions and fabulous concerts. We learn that fans adored him yet the music critics never gave him the credit he deserved until later in his career. Front and centre are his wonderful creations with segments from more than 100 songs featured. His chameleon-like ability to change genre throughout his life cannot help but impress, especially as he returns in later life to his classical roots.  This doco should thrill music fans everywhere.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended


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Thursday, 28 August 2025

August 28th  2025

The Ballad of Wallis Island
Eddington
The Lost Caravaggio (one night only)
The Thread

Each of this week's films will no doubt have quite a different audience. Old fans of the folk era will love the first film I review, as did I. Then we have Covid era satire, the rarefied air of the art world, and a French courtroom drama. 

The Ballad of Wallis Island
Dir: James Griffiths
© Park Circus / Universal - tender and
funny - can we ever recapture the past?
Charles Heath (Tim Key) has, amazingly, won the British lottery twice. But he lives a lonely life on a remote island, grieving his dead wife, who had been a huge fan of a folk duo comprised of Nell Mortimer (Carey Mulligan) and Herb McGwyer (Tom Basden). Although the duo have long disbanded, Charles gets the inspiration to stage a reunion concert on the island, and is prepared to pay big money. The film may sound slight, but make no mistake - it packs an emotional wallop, seamlessly blending poignancy and humor and with a trio of actors who work really well together. Herb's initially world-weary dour personality is a terrific foil to the cheerfully ebullient and joke-cracking Charles, but underneath both men carry a deep sense of loss, for different reasons. The screenplay is written by Basden and Key, with Basden also being the songwriter. He has composed a delicate lovely collection of folk songs that he movingly performs with Mulligan. Their chemistry and the nostalgia they conjure is a reminder of the long-gone folk era. All up a sweet, funny and deeply reflective film, that reminds us while some things are gone for ever, they can be replaced by something new.
4 - highly recommended

Eddington
Dir: Ari Aster
© Universal / A24  - dark comic satire
on the state of America during Covid
It is May 2020, Covid is raging, and in the small New Mexico town of Eddington, a face off between local Sheriff Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) is brewing. Meantime the local youth are protesting, seething with resentments on issues from mask-wearing, to Black Lives Matter, to the proposal to build a giant data centre in their town. Conspiracy theories abound, with the Sheriff even asserting that there is no Covid in Eddington. If you want a genre mash-up extraordinaire, this is for you. It's a Western, a black comedy, a biting satire and, by the end, a violent psychological thriller. Throw into the mix a homeless man, Ted's gay son, Joe's unstable wife (Emma Stone), her overbearing mother, and a charismatic visiting cult leader (Austin Butler), and you have a recipe for all manner of mayhem. As a reflection on the state of the American psyche, Eddington hits hard, with its unforgiving satire being sometimes a little heavy-handed. The lurching around from genre to genre may be disturbing to some viewers, but no-one can say it doesn't take a good hard look at pandemic era craziness. Phoenix's performance as the progressively unhinged Sheriff is notable, and there is a lot of fun to be had, even if the runtime is a bit long.
3.5 - well  recommended

Espresso Cinema - final film
In a collaboration between Cinema Nova Melbourne and Luna Palace Perth, along with ABCG Films, Espresso Cinema screens top-notch Italian movies viewers would otherwise not get an opportunity to see. The trick is, each screening is a one-night opportunity.

The Sleeper: The Lost Caravaggio
Only this Sunday, 31 August, Cinema Nova
Dir: Alvaro Longoria
© Fandango / ABCG - Ecce Homo (Behold 
the Man) - priceless painting rediscovered
When the Perez de Castro family of Madrid decided to downsize in 2021, they sent one of their paintings to an auction house, where it was listed for 1500 euros. Experts who saw it sounded the alarm: wait a minute! could this actually be by the renowned 16th century artist Caravaggio, not the lesser painter to whom it had been attributed? And so begins a real-life thriller, set in the rarefied world of art dealers, galleries and high-stakes investors. Time is of the essence for an accurate indentification, lest the painting be horrifyingly undersold. Art dealers and Caravaggio have been getting a run of late on the big screen. Following on from the French film The Stolen Painting, and 2023's excellent Caravaggio's Shadow, this is another look at an intriguing world we seldom get to see. This short and sweet doco also looks in detail at the painting technique of the great master Caravaggio, and teaches us much about restoration, along with the high-powered negotiations and rivalry among delaers. Locations are glorious, in the most elegant cities and galleries of Europe, and the impressive soundtrack adds to what is a film art lovers won't want to miss. 
4 - highly recommended

The Thread
Dir: Daniel Auteuil
© Palace - Auteuil goes in to bat for an
accused murderer, convinced he's innocent
Jean Monier (Daniel Auteuil) is a lawyer who has not run a single defence case for fifteen years, when he was responsible for helping to exonerate a guilty man who went on to kill again. His fellow lawyer and wife Annie (Sidse Babett Knudsen) talks him into going to a case of a man arrested for murder of his alcoholic wife. As the accused Nicolas Milik (Gregory Gadebois) protests his innocence, Jean decides to defend him, convinced to the core that Nicolas, a seemingly loving father of five, is innocent. I really wanted to love this film, as I've always been a big Auteuil fan. But perhaps he's taken on too much this time. Writing the screenplay (based on a true memoir), directing the film and starring in it hasn't allowed him the space to give the story some much-needed oomph. The courtroom proceedings (so mystifying in France!) seem rather pedestrian, played by the numbers, while Jean's relationship with Annie is not developed as it could have been. The flashbacks to what might have happened serve to relieve the one-room court setting, but never take on enough urgency. The shock ending provides an unexpected jolt, but a little too late to really elevate the film, and its, at times, wooden script and seeming ignorance of the existence of forensic evidence! That said, Gadebois and Auteuil give top-shelf engrossing performances; Gadebois brings a cunning ambivalence to his teddy-bear like character, while Auteuil lets Jeans' emotional convictions overwhelm his rationality. The audience meantime is invited to speculate on the nature of truth and evidence.
3 - recommended


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Thursday, 21 August 2025

August 22nd  2025

Kangaroo Island
Irena's Vow
The Last Showgirl (streaming on Stan)
More from Indian Film Festival Melbourne

The new Aussie film Kangaroo Island is a standout this week. But, as always, there are several other worthy offerings! 

Kangaroo Island
Dir: Marc Evans
© Maslow Entertainment - delicate, beautifully
acted, witn an excellent narrative
Already garnering praise at festivals, this latest Aussie offering from a first-time director is a tender, sad and at times funny look at ambition, regret, and ultimately the family ties that bind. Lou Wells (Rebecca Breeds) is pursuing a largely unsuccessful career in Hollywood, when she gets a letter from her father Rory (Erik Thomson) asking her to return home. An amusing series of events sees her on the plane with only the clothes she wears. She arrives back at her island childhood home with sister Freya (Adelaide Clemens), husband Ben (Joel Jackson), their kids, and a simmering pot of  family secrets and recriminations. A film of this nature could run the risk of becoming a soapie, but thanks to excellent dialogue and scripting, absolutely believable characters and some of the most stunning cinematography, it soars above the mundane. The cause of the family friction is gradually revealed in flashbacks, while the reasons for being called home only gradually emerge, and will be something many can relate to. Just seeing the island and its iconic wildlife should get tourists flocking, but it is the authenticity of the characters and their story, so beautifully acted by all, that is a major drawcard.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended

Irena's Vow
Dir: Louise Archambault
Length: 121 mins
© - a Holocaust story of courage
Holocaust stories are often a case of truth being stranger than fiction. Here's yet another astonishing true story of how a 19-year-old Polish nurse, Irena Gut (Sophie Nelisse), managed to save Jewish lives through her acts of courage. Studying to be a nurse, when war breaks out, Irena is sent to work first in a factory where several Jews are also forced to work. She is then sent as a housekeeper to a manor commandeered by Nazi officer Rugemer (Dougray Scott). When she hears the Jews are to be rounded up she decides to hide them all in plain sight in the basement of her Nazi employer's villa. Unbelievable! Featuring a memorable performance from Nelisse, the film is testament to a gentile woman's compassion and bravery, as she witnesses horrendous brutality to those who protected Jews, yet retains the stength to do what she believes is right. Although the film doesn't break new ground in its style, and is in English (perhaps not the best choice), it is indeed an inspiring story.
3.5 - well recommended 

The Last Showgirl
Dir: Gia Coppola
Length: 88 mins
Streaming on Stan
© Madman  - homage to a dying lifestyle
on the Vegas strip. 
For those who only think of Pamela Anderson as bum, boobs and Baywatch, think again. She shows her acting chops in this film, such that she was nominated for a Golden Globe! This poignant story focuses upon a long-running show in the Las Vegas strip, and its now 50-something year old stalwart Shelly (Pamela Anderson). The show, run by Eddie (a surprisingly tender Dave Bautista) is closing down, and the dancers are faced with what to do with the rest of their lives.  Anderson definitely surprises with the interesting character she portrays - not always likeable, often (impressively) without makeup, but suffused with a poignancy, as her whole identity has been tied up with this show, and many of the younger girls have seen her as a mother figure. Add to this her own daughter Hannah (Billie Lourd) being resentful of her mother's neglect and ashamed of her job, and you have a recipe for all-round sadness. Jamie-lee Curtis gives a star turn as aging alcoholic Annette who now does a sad dance routine in the foyer of a Vegas joint. The costumes are of course dazzling and the film captures the freneticness of getting a show together, although much is about the more mundane side of a supposedly glittering life.
3.5 - well recommended

More from Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM)
On until August 24
Various Cinemas - Hoyts Docklands, Hoyts Chadstone, Village Crown, Geelong, Bendigo, Shepparton and more
To explore the festival, discovering films by language and theme, visit: https://www.iffm.com.au

The festival winds up this weekend, so there's still a chance to catch some excellent films in Melbourne. And if you're in Bendigo, you may like to check out this one:
Shook: This is a gentle story of Ashish, (Sameer Usmani) an aspiring writer living with his mother out in the 'burbs of Ontario Canada. He meets Claire (Amy Forsyth) who is about to relocate to the big smoke of Toronto and they fall into a relationship. Meantime Ash learns that his estranged father Vijay (Bernard White) has Parkinsons, so on every level life is turned upside down. Director Amar Wala strikes a lovely balance between humor, rom-com and personal family drama, delicately intertwined with the issue of how a very Anglo girl and a boy from Indian culture manage their time together. Ash's friends, all from non-Anglo backgrounds, all add a warmth and humor to the story, while Ash's relationship with his mother and father adds yet another very relatable dimension. Commendably, nothing is tied up in a neat bow at the end. It would be nice to see this lovely film get a mainstream release.
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Wednesday, 13 August 2025

August 14th  2025

Life of Chuck
Mr Burton
40 Acres
Indian Film Festival

From the sublime, to the theatrical to the apocalyptic - it's all here this week, plus the packed program of the Indian Film Festival. I'm wondering whether the upsurge in horror and apolcalyptic films of late is a sign of our troubled times. 

The Life of Chuck
Dir: Mike Flanagan
© Studio Canal - you won't see a film as
original as this one. So much to unpack! 
Charles "Chuck" Krantz (Tom Hiddleston), an accountant, is your average guy. This is his story, but the film is anything but average. In fact it's quite extraordinary, and is ultimately everyone's story. Told backwards in three chapters, the first opens with what is basically the end of the world. America is physically falling apart and the universe is imploding, yet people try to keep up a sembance of normality despite their fear. Then the reverse narrative (based surprisingly on a Stephen King novella) explores some of the most profound questions we'll ever ask in life. What makes our lives meaningful from the largest things to the tiniest moments? What does it all mean? If we knew it was the end, who would we want to be with? For teacher Marty (Chiwetel Ejiofor) it's his ex-wife, nurse Felicia (Karen Gillan.) As Hiddleston says in his interview (referenced below), "moments of spontaneity, joy and connection" are what we remember and what must be constantly sought out.  Marty, in the opening sequence discusses with his students a Walt Whitman poem Song of Myself, in which the poet speaks of us all containing multitudes - we are the sum of all we see and experience, and we must wonder what happens to all that when an individual life ends or the world ends. Chuck is the sum of his life, and moving to the middle chapter (based around a drumming busker) we see him going for broke in a moment of unbridled spontaneity, as reflected in an unforgettable dance sequence that had me rejoicing and crying at the same time. Then we experience Chuck's youth, with three brilliant young actors embodying the character at different points in his early life: Cody Flanagan, Jacob Tremblay and Benjamin Pajak. (Thankfully each young man looks as if he could grow up to look like Hiddleston!) We see how Chuck's grandma (Mia Sara) taught him to dance, with other mesmerising sequences featuring Chuck and his schoolfriend Iris (Violet McGraw) immersing in the joy of dance. But Chuck's grandpa (Mark Hamill) wants him to pursue a practical career. Being Stephen King, it's no surprise there are a couple of near supernatural moments, involving seeing into the future, but the true focus of the film is something both mysterious and pragmatic, profound and basic - life and how we can all celebrate ourselves, our internal universe and the wonders of the cosmos around us.
5 - unmissable 
For an inspiring interview with the director and three of the lead actors, go to:


Mr Burton
Dir: Marc Evans
© Kismet - the teacher who inspired
iconic actor Richard Burton
Richard Jenkins (Harry Lawtey) is the son of a drunken Welsh coalminer. Since his mother's death when he was two, Rich has lived with his sister Cis and her husband Elfred. His cheeky but gifted nature draws attention from his schoolteacher Phillip Burton (Toby Jones), who sees something promising in the lad. When Rich declares he'd like to become an actor, Mr Burton takes the boy under his wing, bringing his passion and dedication for theatre to the  relationship. The young Richard Jenkins is destined to become one of the greatest actors of the 20th century, Richard Burton. The depiction of life in Wales in the wartime 1940s is excellent, except where certain smoke-filled mining backgrounds appear digitally inserted. Also at times the musical score becomes overwhelmingly histrionic and the time leap from Richard's first successful performance through to eight years later feels too abrupt. However, despite these criticisms, I find much to love about this film. This is probably one of the best, most moving performances I've seen from Toby Jones, who embodies a complex character whose motivations we can never be 100% sure of. Lawtey inhabits the young Burton, and he so gets the voice, the sneer, and his eyes could almost be those of the great thespian.  Lesley Manville is a winner as Ma, the very proper landlady with whom Mr Burton and, for a time, Richard live. The film gives an insight into a very talented man destined to self-destructive behaviour and excess, while celebrating the inspiring role a single teacher can play in determining a life's journey.
4 - highly recommended

40 Acres
Dir: R.T. Thorne
Length: 113 mins
Exclusive to Cinema Nova
© Rialto - a fierce mother will do anything to
protect her family
In a post-apocalyptic world, a fungal plague has wiped out animal life and most crops. Famine reigns. Small groups of isolated farmers defend their properties against roving bands of survivors who see other humans as a food source. Hayley Freeman (Danielle Deadwyler) lives on a property with her partner Galen (Michael Greyeyes), their three daughters and her teenage son Manny (Kataem O'Connor). Being ex-army, Hayley runs their lives like a general. Everyone must learn to defend the perimeter and to kill when necessary. Strangers are inherently mistrusted. When beautiful young woman Dawn (Milcania Diaz Rojas) turns up injured, Manny decides to help her, imperilling all their lives. This film is an interesting mix of somewhat predictable plotlines and none-too-credible outcomes, but it also has some excellent and unexpected ideas for a narrative grounded in this gory genre. Hayley's former slave ancestors and Galen's indigenous Cree ancestry make for an interesting take on their fierce defence of their land. The action and tension are constant, and though the gore quotient gets pretty bloody, the story had me constantly engaged and invested in the little family's survival. Deadwyler is a standout as the tough matriarch; she is the film's driving heart, though all the cast are an excellent support. Unfortunately at times I found the dialogue a little muffled and hard to follow, but the content of the film is so viscerally frightening, it really works as both a vision of a potentially horrific future, and a celebration of family bonds, family both of blood and of choice.
4 - highly recommended

Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM)
August 14-24
Various Cinemas - Hoyts Docklands, Hoyts Chadstone, Village Crown, Geelong, Bendigo, Shepparton and more
To explore the festival, discovering films by language and theme, visit: https://www.iffm.com.au

The best of Indian cinema hits Melbourne and regional cities, with 75 films screening. I remind you each year, Indian films are much more than Bollywood. Here are movies reflecting the diversity of cultures and languages throughout the vast country, even heading overseas to reflect stories of the Indian diaspora. Many of the films in the festival are only on for one or two sessions. Of course there are many special events - dance competitions, retrospectives, and special guests. With so many excellent films, it's hard to choose, but a couple I've been lucky to preview come highly recommended.
 
Letters from Wolf Street
Aug 16th only 

This excellent documentary already has plenty of awards to its name, including Best Documentary, Best Cinematography and Audience Award at various festivals. Director Arjun Talway has left Delhi and been living in Warsaw for about 10 years. He documents life on the street where he lives, recording the rounds of postman Piotr, and interviewing locals as to how they see their country and how they feel about immigrants. Arjun speaks excellent Polish, but still feels like an outsider searching for a sense of belonging. The nearest he gets to feeling connected is meeting a Polish gypsy family, as they talk of a common heritage. In trying to capture the migrant experience, he also interviews Feras, a Syrian refugee who has married a Polish woman, and Chinese immigrant Mo who helps him with the sound recording. His disarming way of questioning folks on the street gets them to open up, and old prejudices emerge. All is underscored by a cheeky soundtrack of jaunty music that belies the seriousness of  change in modern Europe, especally with the rise of right-wing groups. A terrifically insightful, film which is also funny, poignant and entertaining. 

We are Faheem & Karun
Aug 15th and 22nd

It's not often I've seen Indian films exploring gay sexuality, but this, set on the Kashmiri border between India and Pakistan, does so delicately and movingly. Karun (Akash Menon) is an Indian border security guard and a Hindu. Faheem (Mir Tawseef) rides through the border checkpoint on his motorcycle heading home to his Muslim family. The two men's eyes meet and a spark is ignited. But this is conservative Kashmir where mothers are trying to arrange marriages for their sons, and border conflict is ever-present. It's a bit of a Romeo and Juliet story, but with a serious message about prejudice - both towards gay people and those of other faiths and nationalities. Set in the stunning Gurez valley, the film features awesomely beautiful cinematography, and the opening scene, with its haunting music, is memorable. The two lead performances exude a lovely chemistry, making this a very watchable and moving story which is also politically resonant.

I the Song
Aug 15th only

From the tiny country of Bhutan comes their top film, which has also won directorial awards in Europe. It's the story of  young teacher Nima who is assumed to be the star of an explicit sex video. Deeply upset, she goes in search of her lookalike or doppelganger, Meto. What she encounters highlights the clashes between traditional Bhutan and the influence of the modern world, also epitomised by the theft of a sacred song which has been commercially exploited. Tandin Bhida plays both woman, effectively differentiating their opposing personalities, but somehow the use of flashback renders the plot at times confusing. Regardless, the depiction of this traditional world is fascinating, but it is also a world falling into conflict with modernity and digital exploitation. 
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