Thursday, 5 November 2026

November 6th 2026

Wild Horse Nine
Sundays 
The Policewoman
Primetime
More from British Film Festival
Japanese Film Festival

It's a bumper week, as I catch up with a couple of earlier cinematic releases, plus two of the latest. Festivals abound with JIFF and the British FF ongoing, and the Japanese FF opening in Melbourne next week. 

Wild Horse Nine
Dir: Martin McDonagh
Length: 118 min

© Searchlight - bickering friends, one-time killers,
facing an existential crisis 
Easter Island (Rapa Nui) is an unlikely setting for a film about ageing CIA agents, but the very peculiarity (and spirituality) of it is a perfect complement to this brilliant plot, with its whip-sharp dialogue and tour-de-force performances from the two leads. Chris (John Malkovitch) and Lee (Sam Rockwell) are CIA agents (and good friends) in Chile, just before the overthrow of the democratically elected Marxist regime of Allende. Chris is dying of cancer, addicted to morphine, and threatening to write his tell-all memoirs which may expose closely guarded CIA secrets.  Under the guise of a last-wish holiday, the pair head off to Easter Island. However CIA chief MJ (Steve Buscemi) has instructed Lee to watch the very talkative Chris carefully, and be sure no state secrets are let loose. This film works on so many levels. It's a thriller, a buddy movie, and even more, a deeply philosophical look at how one comes to grips with one's past, especially when it has involved killings, duplicity, and conspiracy. Malkovitch, who won Best Actor at the Venice FF, is magnetically mesmerising in this role, especially his idiosynchratic speech style. His character evokes so many conflicting emotions as he grapples his mortality along with the moral ambiguity of his past misdeeds. His perfect foil is Rockwell's brash Lee, and, as long as you can hack plenty of profanity, you will find their conversations at once hilarious, poignant and profound.  Additional plot points, such as the guys meeting Monica and Alicia, two Chilean feminist activists, add a delightfully unexpected twist, while Buscemi's MJ is a splendidly warped character. Then we have the glorious cinematography of the magnificent location, featuring the giant mysterious Moai (the Easter Island statues), and the almost mystical wild horses who feature so strongly in influencing Chris's dying world view. The not-so-subtle allusions to the US's history of foreign interference, along with perennial speculation about President Kennedy's death add another layer. Individual viewers can choose to focus on whichever of the themes speak most loudly, or to simply enjoy the off beat humor. For me this wonderful film (also winner of the Audience Award at Venice) will be among my top 10 for the year and is . . .
5 - unmissable

Sundays
Dir: Alauda Ruiz de Azua
Length: 117 min 

© Palace - a young girl responds to 
the call of her faith
Ainara (Blance Soroa) is a 17-year-old student at a Bilbao Catholic boarding school. Her widowed father Inaki (Miguel Garces) runs a restaurant and is largely distracted by financial worries. On her visits home, Ainara's most loving relatives are her aunt Maite (Patricia Lopez Arnaiz) and her grandmother Lila (Mabel Rivera). Over Sunday lunch Ainara shocks the family, especially her atheist aunt, announcing she wants to abandon her plans to go to university and become a nun. Major family rifts ensue. Whether you are an atheist, a believer or somewhere in between, you cannot help but be moved by this sublime film, in which the concept of religious calling and true faith in a modern secular world is so respectfully handled. Additional plot threads such as Inaki's new relationship, family disputes over money and inheritance, Maite's rocky marriage and Ainara's typical teen friendships, including flirtation with a boy blend seamlessly into the main story. Soroa gives a restrained performance, full of beauty and grace, and even if we as an audience feel she is too young to cloister herself away for life, she manages to convince us of what her faith means to her. Everything about this film is intelligent, with no easy answers, and plenty of room for debate. The music is divine, with much lovely choir singing, and noteworthy is the use of Nick Cave's song Into My Arms. This is an unexpectedly moving and transcendent film.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended

The Policewoman
Dir: Claire Pasvolsky
Length: 75 min 

© Bonsai Films - in her own words - the
challenges of half a lifetime in the policeforce 
 
At age 27 Narelle Fraser joined Victoria Police, motivated by noble intentions - to help people. But after 27 years of battling a male dominated workplace, and ultimately rising through the ranks to Detective, she finally left the force with PTSD. In her own words, and with the help of dioramas to recreate personal and criminal scenarios, she shows us the toll taken upon her mental health from working on rape, homicide and missing persons cases. Because she approached her work with empathy, getting close to both victims and those she was investigating, eventually the stress became too much for her. Hearing the story told so openly and honestly really gives a deep insight into the profession, and helps viewers take a more compassionate role to policing, seeing the very human side of being a law enforcer. Narelle is a likeable character, entertaining, if at times her stories are very disturbing. Her podcasts, along with lectures she now gives to police, help remove the stigma from mental trauma. An insightful documentary.
3.5 - well recommended

Primetime
Dir: Lance Oppenheim
Length: 109 min 

© A24 - a Pattinson performance is the
major drawcard of this film
In the USA, a popular TV reality show To Catch a Predator was hosted by Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson) from 2004-2007. In conjunction with a vigilante group called Perverted Justice, child predators were set up to connect with seeming minors over the internet. When the aspiring paedophile turned up for a meet, he would soon be confronted by Hansen, an NBC TV crew would emerge, and the predator would be arrested for the viewing delight of television audiences. This film has me conflicted. There's no denying it's a terrific performance from Pattinson, who just gets better with each role. The film showcases the moral bankruptcy of the TV industry which puts ratings above anything else, and revels in trauma as entertainment. Ambition looms large, with Hansen, and his producer Andie (an excellent Merrit Wever) more concerned with personal success than with purported "good deeds" in catching perverts.  And no one seems to care about the possible psychological damage incurred by the over-18 actors Danny (Skyler Gisondo) and Del (Phoebe Bridgers) who are hired to be 13-year-olds to lure the degenerates in. Furthermore the film's self-conscious stylisation had me constantly feeling it tries too hard to be artistic, a distraction from the actual subject matter and an impediment to engaging with the characters. As a window into Hansen himself the film could go deeper, and if it wants to condemn the dark side of its subject matter, it becomes itself voyeuristic and exploitative in its style. So, weigh up excellent performances and a nomination for a Golden Lion at Venice, with aggravating style, and I end up wanting to recommend it but for me it's . . .
2.5 - maybe

More from Russell Hobbs British Film Festival
Melbourne: 28 Oct - 6 December - check website for all other states
Palace Cinemas
Find all you need to know at:  britishfilmfestival.com.au

Bad Apples
Saiorse Ronan plays rookie teacher Maria. Keeping discipline is a struggle for her, made all the worse by the presence of Danny (Eddie Waller), an aggressive and disruptive hooligan of a kid. When Maria has a confrontation with Danny she makes some questionable choices, which end up being bad for Danny, but fantastic for the welfare and progress of the rest of the class. This low-key satire is a lot of wicked fun, with Ronan delivering, as always, a sterling performance. 

The Uprising
Director Paul Greengrass has made some thrilling films (United 93, The Lost Bus, Captain Phillips), and here he brings his sense of drama to the story of the Peasant's Revolt which took place in Britain in 1381. It's the story of the oppressed small people going up against the power, wealth and might of royalty, corrupt counsellors and the aristocracy. There's much tragedy and courage in this sweeping and bloody tale of resistance, with Andrew Garfield in the lead as Ploughman, a brave farmer who has lost everything and has nothing more to lose. 

Hill
This excellent doco on Formula 1 driver Damon Hill goes well beyond his stunning races, crashes and victories on the circuit. It is also a story of childhood trauma, as Hill's beloved father, himself a top racing driver, was killed in  a plane crash when Damon was only 15. There's much old super-8 footage from Damon's happy childhood, intertwined with the examination of the grown man's self-doubts, his determination to make his father proud, and the mental trauma that happens when teammates around you die. There's a raw honesty to this film, with Damon's psychological turmoil offset by his devoted and pragmatic wife Georgie.
PS: True F1 junkies may like to also watch the doco Schumacher (2021) on Netflix. The rivalry between him and Hill is dealt with, from quite a different persepctive, in both docos.  

Japanese Film Festival
Melbourne: November 9 - November 17 in Melbourne - check website for all other states
Venues: Palace Kino and ACMI
Find all you need to know at:  https://jffau.jpf.go.jp/

Celebrating 30 years of Japanese films in Australia, this is a great opportunity to immerse in movies from one of the world's most fascinating cultures. From the latest box-office hits, to Samurai epics, to comedies and dramas, along with terrific animated features, there's something for everyone. There is also a special restrospective featuring films whose soundtrack is from leading composer Toru Takemitsu. The opening night film on November 9 is Look Back from multi-award winning director Hirokazu Koreeda. I've previewed a couple in advance.  

Sham
Dir: Takashi Miike
Length: 129 min
Inspired by an actual court case in 2003, Sham tells of a teacher who is accused of brutally harassing one of his young students. The story is told from two differing perspectives; in the first section we see the viewpoint and assertions of the distraught and vengeful mother; in the second we get the teacher's side. Where the truth lies is not categorically revealed, but what is on show is the terrifying fact that, once the media gets its hands on a story, people can easily be condemned simply through public opinion.  With a couple of awards under its belt, Sham leaves one wondering and pondering the moral ambiguities of the case. 

AnyMart
Dir: Yusuke Iwasaki
Length: 88 min
A cross between horror and satire, this film is set in a convenience store or konbini, which is a ubiquitous part of Japanese society. What starts off as a seemingly mundane tale of the tedium of working in such a place, gradually builds up pace to a devastating (if unrealistic!) finale. In many ways the film is a commentary upon conformity, and the rigidity of corporate rules in the Japanese service culture. The characters are mostly bleak, and the film's style reflects the dreariness of the employees' lives, up until the sudden dramatic, unsettling shift in tone at the end. AnyMart is the winner of a jury prize at the Berlin FF. 

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Wednesday, 28 October 2026

 October 29th 2026

Pressure
Tenzing
Russell Hobbs British Film Festival
My Dearest Senorita (streaming on Netflix)

Wonderful films yet again this week! Not to mention the ever-popular British Film Festival, with its plethora of top-notch latest release movies. 

Pressure
Dir: Anthony Maras
Length: 100 min

© StudioCanal - I never imagined weather forecasting
could be so thrilling! 
So many films have been made about D-Day, but here's one with a very different slant. It's 72 hours before the Allies' planned invasion of the beaches of northern France. It's do-or-die; this military operation will probably decide the fate of the free world and be a turning point in the Second World War. After careful planning and a proposed date, the operation is threatened by deteriorating weather. General Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) calls upon two meteorologists to advise him on when the invasion is good to go, but they cannot agree. Irving Krick (Chris Messina) bases his forecasts solely upon historical data, but newly-appointed James Stagg (Andrew Scott) takes a completely different approach, saying one must use modern methods to read the pressure systems. Never has weather forecasting been made so exciting!! The director (previously of the gripping Hotel Mumbai) knows how to inject great tension into a story that could have been dull. Scott is so impressive in his portrayal of Stagg's steely determination, and Fraser gives another great performance as Eisenhower. With actual meteorologists overseeing the scientific details of the film, everything feels authentic, and the details of weather systems become surprisingly engaging. Strong support from Kerry Condon and Damien Lewis in smaller roles fill out a rivetting story that will surprise and captivate.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended

Tenzing
Dir: Jennifer Peedom
Length: 125 min

© Apple TV - two of climbing history's
greats - with the emphasis on the local!
Acclaimed Aussie filmmaker Peedom has garnered plenty of awards for her excellent documentaries, Sherpa, Mountain and River. Now she directs a narrative feature about a seminal event, when Edmund Hillary (Tom Hiddleston) and Tenzing Norgay first set foot on the summit of Mt Everest. Although New Zealand-born Hillary got the main credit, this lovely film focuses on the Tibetan man's story. We learn about Tenzing at three stages in his life: the nine-year old boy (Samdrup Dorje Lama), who dreams of one day being in a team that climbs "his" mountain; the 20-year old (Tenzin Dalha), who joins an expedition as a porter, and finally the adult (Genden Phuntsok) who becomes head of the Sherpa team for the British expedition headed up by John Hunt (Willem Dafoe). The film jumps back and forth through the different periods of Tenzing's life; including meeting his beloved first wife Dawa (Thinley Lhamo), and his later determination to stand up for the rights of the Sherpas and his own recognition as an official climbing team member.  Although told in a fairly conventional narrative style, the film is full of glorious scenery, with New Zealand's southern alps a stand-in for Everest;  further footage was shot in Nepal. There are many heart-stopping moments, and despite having seen many Everest films, this one is a terrific homage to a man who has never quite received the credit he deserves, and who fulfilled his childhood dream.
3.5 - well recommended

Russell Hobbs British Film Festival
Melbourne: 28 Oct - 6 December - check website for all other states
Palace Cinemas
Find all you need to know at:  britishfilmfestival.com.au

The festival this year has 36 new films featuring the cream of British acting and directing talent. No point my itemising them here - you can check it all out on the website. But I will draw your attention to a retrospective of five incredible films, celebrating their various anniversaries: Hamlet, Last Orders, The French Lieutenant's Woman, The Man who Fell to Earth and Shirley Valentine. My initial reviews:

Extra Geography
Dir: Molly Manners
Length: 93 min
Flic (Marnie Duggan) and Minna (Galaxie Clear) atttend an English girls' boarding school. They are best of friends, doing everything in tandem. Deciding they must become more "worldly", they make a pact to fall in love with the next person they see. This happens to be their geography teacher, a New Zealander, the naive Miss Delavigne (Alice Englert). At the same time the school is putting on a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream in conjunction with a boy's school. As the two projects proceed, the girls' friendship starts to fray at the edges. Coming of age films risk being twee, sentimental or predictable, but this one is a winner, combining droll humour with a story that is poignant and totally engaging. The two leads are stunning in their debut performances - although the girls can be exasperating, they are also charming, and a vibrant reminder of the challenges faced in growing up. The story gives insight into teen female friendships, with their intense bonds as well as the anguish of discovering you are not in fact twins, but quite different individuals. The director chooses to leave aspects of the girls' emerging sexuality subtle and somewhat ambiguous, making for speculation and lively post-movie discussion!  A thoroughly endearing and stimulating watch.   


My Duchess
Dir: Mike Newell
Length: 95 mins
The term "elder abuse" is much bandied around these days but there could be no worse case of this than what happened to Wallis Simpson, the wife of Edward, Duke of Windsor, who abdicated the British throne to marry the woman he loved, and to live in France. After Edward's death in 1972, Wallis (Joan Collins) takes on formidable French lawyer Susanne Blum (Isabella Rossellini) to manage her affairs. Blum gradually takes over the Duchess's life, isolating her from friends,  taking power of attorney over Wallis's  finances, and eventually selling off many of the royal possessions. Collins, now 93 years old, shows she's still got what it takes in the acting department, and is not afraid to be seen at her physical worst as the Duchess gradually sinks into a sad and sorry old age. Rossellini is chilling as the conniving lawyer, who gives an excellent lesson in coercive control. The film is a very handsome production, with the lavish royal life on full display: jewels, gowns, furnishings, and artworks.  The supporting cast are impressive, notably Charles Dance as Lord Mountbatten, Miranda Richardson as Lady Mosley, and Laurent Lafitte as Montalban, a loyal (but fictional) friend of Wallis. Not strictly true to historical fact, this is nevertheless a disturbing portrayal of what can happen if you give over control to the wrong person! 

My Dearest Senorita
Dir: Fernando Gonzalez Molina
Length: 113 min
Streaming on Netflix  - 2026
© Netflix - compassionate film about finding one's
true identity
Adela (Elisabeth Martinez) is a conservative 25-year-old, living with her parents and teaching catechism in Pamplona, Spain. She is tall and ill at ease in her body, perplexed as to why she must take oestrogen and is told she can never have children. Finally a visit to a gynaecologist reveals to her the truth that she was born intersex, and her parents had made the decision to operate on the baby, such that her designated sex would be female.  After the shock news, Adela moves to Madrid, sheds her female identity and takes on a masculine identity and name, A.D. Sharing Adela/AD's gender identity journey are queer physiotherapist Isabel (Anna Castillo) and gay priest Father Jose (Paco Leon), along with a colorful and sympathetic collection of Madrid misfits. This is a remake of a 1972 film, which was the first queer film in a post-Franco Spain. The modern version is a compassionate and often heartbreaking journey with our main character; an exploration of the torment of fitting into and coming to terms with a new and confronting sexual identity. Martinez, themselves an intersex actor, brings a complete truthfulness and credibility to their character. This moving and enlightening film is almost a lovesong to those who don't fit the stereotype, and is a testament to the power of self-acceptance. 
4 - highly recommended
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Wednesday, 21 October 2026

October 22nd 2026

Holy Cannoli
NAZA
More from JIFF - Jewish International Film Festival 
Sinatra: All or Nothing at All (Streaming)

Two new feature films grace our screens, plus more excellent viewing from JIFF, and a surprising streamer which I highly recommend. 
Holy Cannoli
Dir: Pif
Length: 113 min

© Palace - pastry, the Pope and love
in an amusing Italian comedy
Successful Palermo real estate agent Arturo (played by director Pif) has such an intense craving for sweet pastries it is almost a religion for him. He actually has no religous beliefs, that is until he meets gorgeous Flora (Giusi Buscemi), daughter of a famed Sicilian pastry chef. She is a devout Catholic and Arturo thinks, to win her heart, he will pretend to also be religious. But he goes overboard, and starts taking Christian practice to extremes, causing havoc to his new love affair, his work, and alienating himself from those around him. To add to it all, his sugar spikes from over-indulgence in pastries cause him to hallucinate encounters with the Pope himself (Carlos Hipolito), a wise and worldly man with plenty of advice to dish out. There's a lot to enjoy about this over-the-top approach to religion, love and cannoli. Pif manages to criticise those who espouse their faith while hypocritically doing things counter to its tenets. He also shows that anything taken to extremes will not work. The delightful character of the Pope presents a forgiving and moderate version of God and the Church. I've never been a big fan Italian comedies, so I bring my prejudices to the film, which I find too silly in parts, and definitely somewhat repetitive: a good 20-minute edit would have helped. The basic premise of the film is fun, as is the not so subtle marriage of erotica and creamy pastry. The characters are appealing, which makes for amiable watching.
3 - recommended

NAZA
Dir: Yuval Abraham & Rachel Szor
Length: 80 min

© Madman - this film is stirring up
huge divisiveness
Short and not-so-sweet, this hard-hitting doco from the filmmakers who helmed No Man's Land, will cause plenty of outrage in the camps of those who unconditionally support Israel's actions in Gaza. Whatever your political stance, there is no denying this is an impressive work of investigative journalism. 24 military insiders from the IDF go on the record (anonymously), detailing how the army uses AI programs to pinpoint Hamas operatives they wish to kill, and how an algorithm is used to calculate the "acceptable" ratio of civilian deaths (termed NAZA, and often exorbitantly high). The film's style is deceptively simple, as the director interviews his subjects on a balcony overlooking the glitter of Tel Aviv by night. Views through windows show ordinary Israelis going about their daily business. In contrast, ordinary Palestinians doing the same may instantly be obliterated.  To see such calculated destruction makes for disturbing viewing. There is no sensationalism; just a calm and deliberate approach to the questions, the replies to which speak for themselves. The Israeli government is outraged by the film and claims it distorts the facts. Who can ever know the real truth? I guess you have to see it for yourself and make up your own mind. 
4 - highly recommended

More from JIFF - Jewish International Film Festival
Melbourne: Until 25 November - check website for other cities
Classic and Lido Cinemas
To scour the program visit https://www.jiff.com.au/films

JIFF is off and running, after a fabulous opening night last Sunday. I loved the choice of opening night film (reviewed first here), and the watching continues apace! 


Just an Illusion: With so many heavy themes (albeit it excellent ones!) it was nice to have a light-hearted engaging French comedy as the festival's opening night film, with many more opportunities to view it. Yve Dayan and his wife Sandrine live in 1985 Paris. They bicker endlessly: he's lost his job, she's going for a promotion, and their 12-year-old son Vincent (Simon Boublil) is brawling with his older brother, preparing for his upcoming barmitzvah, and falling in love for the first time. While the film avoids delving ultra-deeply into any of its issues (marital discord, anti-Semitism, joblessness), it is an excellent entertainment, with a collection of characters one can really enjoy spending time with. Young Boublil is a physically beautiful boy, and he brings such warmth and delight to the young lad on the cusp of manhood. Definitely a crowd-pleaser!

The Soundman: I haven't seen many WWII films from Belgium. This one, set on the cusp of the Nazi invasion in 1940, centres around Berre, a young creative sound engineer who gets an internship  with Belgium's national broadcaster. He's a master at hearing sounds and creating foley effects for the radio plays that are broadcast. Young Elza has fled Germany with her Jewish family, is living illegally in Belgium, but gets a job with the cast of the radio plays. This is a bitter-sweet film about anti-Semitism, impending tragedy, young love, and the magic of sound engineering. With gorgeous period detail and an absorbing storyline, this is fine viewing. 

The Sea: Khaled is a 12-year-old Arab boy from Ramallah. When his class is taken on an excursion to the seaside in Tel Aviv, he is refused entry at the checkpoint due to a permit mix-up. Desperate to see the sea, but without speaking a word of Hebrew, Khaled heads off alone, landing up in the streets of Tel Aviv and trying to fulfill his dream. Meantime his increasingly desperate father sets out to try to find his son. The Sea has won Best Film at the Ophir awards, with Mohammad Ghazawi who plays Khaled the youngest ever winner of a Best Actor award. A crew of Jews and Arabs worked together on this film and it reflects in the humanity displayed in the film's approach to its subject matter. Again, the contrasts between life in the big smoke and Khaled's less salubrious life is wrought large, and the treatment of the Arab family by the Israeli authorities is further cause for reflection on better ways of handling the never-ending problems in this region. This is a truly beautiful, but deeply saddening film. 

Sinatra: All or Nothing at All
Dir: Alex Gibney
Length: 2 x 2 hour episodes
Streaming on Netflix - 2015
© Netflix/MUBI/HBO - a definitive look
at the live and times of Ol' Blue Eyes
Though not strictly a feature film, this two-part doco from famed documentarian Alex Gibney, will give you a deep insight into the life of America's favorite crooner. In 1971 Frank Sinatra performed a farewell concert of 11 songs which are used by Gibney to frame the narrative of the singer's life. We see the ageing Sinatra on stage, revel in his seamlessly relaxed performance, then are taken back into each stage of his extraordinary life, from the rough New Jersey suburb of Hoboken, through his early musical forays, his rise to fame, his fall from grace then resurrection, his endless affairs and marriages, and the controversy that surrounded his links to the Mob, along with his legendary bad boy stunts. The doco is comprised of that concert, along with countless archival clips spanning 60 years. Any voice-overs are in the background; the only talking head is Sinatra himself reflecting openly on his life! I had never realised what a consummate performer the man was until I watched this doco. It won me over, and made for four hours of mesmerising viewing. Give it a go and see what all the fuss has been about!
4 - highly recommended

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Thursday, 15 October 2026

 October 15th 2026

Sense and Sensibility
La Bola Negra
JIFF - Jewish International Film Festival - begins 18th October

More excellent films: a new Jane Austen remake, an award-winning Spanish epic, and the Jewish Film Festival with copious marvellous movies. What's not to love!?

Sense and Sensibility
Dir: Georgie Oakley
Length: 131 min

© Universal - loving sisters, navigating
the world of men and emotion
Unfortunately some people will be unable to resist comparing this film to Ang Lee's 1995 version of the Jane Austen classic. That film won the Golden Bear at Berlin and garnered numerous awards and nominations (including an Oscar for Best Screenplay). But you know me - I like to judge a film on a stand-alone basis, and using those criteria this one scrubs up very nicely. Granted it doesn't have the trademark Austen irony and incisive social commentary, but it is a gorgeous period romance, with a visual richness and terrific performances from all concerned. Daisy Edgar Jones is Elinor Dashwood, Esme Creed Miles her sister Marianne. The sisters, together with mother Mrs Dashwood (Catriona Balfe, of Outlander fame) are outsted from their family home when Mrs D's stepson John is left the inheritance from her deceased husband. Relocating to a small cottage, the Dashwood girls attract the attention (of course) of various men. Edward Ferrars (George McKay) is smitten with Elinor, while the serious Colonel Brandon (Herbert Nordrum) has his eye on Marianne but she is besotted with cad and bounder Willoughby (Frank Dillane). The two sisters are chalk and cheese, Elinor serious and sensible while outspoken Marianne gives over to her emotions. They are not the prim, proper young women we expect of the era, but wild and at times almost scruffy, which adds a very relateable feel to their characters. A lovely light touch comes from stalwart actor Fiona Shaw as Mrs Jennings, a widow and gossip, who enlivens the proceedings at every appearance. With its romantic longings, social snobbery, stunning visuals and a lovely score, along with colorful characters to love and hate, this is most enjoyable viewing.  
3.5 - well recommended

La Bola Negra
Dir: Javier Ambrossi and Javier Calvo
Length: 160 min

© Rialto / Moving Story - Pen Cruz is almost
unrecognisable in her small but startling role
It's worth it to learn a little about Federico Garcia Lorca, and Spain in the 1930s to fully follow the plot of this complex and excellent film. Lorca was a famed playwright and poet, who was executed by the fascists in 1936, because of his left-wing leanings and his homosexuality. The film has three major strands which interweave and time-jump. In 1932 Carlos (Milos Quifes), young son of a wealthy family, is rejected for membershp into a casino, due to rumors of his homosexuality. (The decision is made via colored balls, hence the film's title). In 1937 the Spanish civil war has broken out. Trumpeter Sebastian (Guitarricadelafuente) is forced into the fascist army, and charged with guarding a young prisoner, Rafael (Miguel Bernardeau) from the Rebel army. Love blossoms between the two. In the modern era, gay historian Alberto (Carlos Gonzales) receives a package from a grandfather he never knew. The strands and connections gradually fall into place. Meantime Penelope Cruz dazzles in a small cameo as Nene Romero, a cabaret-style singer, entertaining soldiers. Glenn Close also makes an impressive appearance as a scholar of Lorca's work. As a study of queer repression, longing, desire, and war, as well as a homage to Lorca, whose unfinished script La Bola Negra inspires the movie, this is a sweeping and moving film, totally worth immersing in. It won Best Director at Cannes FF 2026.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended

JIFF - Jewish International Film Festival
Melbourne: 18 Oct - 25 November - check website for Sydney and Perth
Classic and Lido Cinemas
To scour the program visit https://www.jiff.com.au/films

With 52 new features and documentaries from around the world, as well as a seven-film Mel Brooks retrospective, there's much to choose from in this year's JIFF. There's also a special screening of the 1979 film The Tin Drum, which won a Palme D'or at Cannes, and a Best Foreign Film at the Oscars. I've started my previewing, and bring you four reviews this week, with more to come over the course of the festival. 

Where To?: A worthy winner of this year's Best Film at the Jerusalem FF, this gentle, introspective and deeply thought-provoking film is a panacea to the many ills and misunderstandings in today's world. Uber driver Hassan (Hassan Kiwan) is working in Berlin and sending money back to his family stuck in Palestine. He picks up Amir (Ido Tako) , a young Jewish man from Tel Aviv who has followed a boyfriend to Berlin. As Amir repeatedly turns up in Hassan's car, the two form a tentative friendship, gradually learning about each other's pasts, and hopes for the future. There seems more to bind them than divide them. Kiwan would be the ultimate "face actor" - the minutiae of his every facial movement conveys so much more than any words could. The delicate original soundtrack also encompasses both cultures, adding to the deeply moving and quiet story that must surely cast a ray of hope in this divided world. My favorite of those films I've previewed so far! 

The Choice: Psychiatrist Edith Eger is a Holocaust survivor and author of the book The Choice. Iris Haim is a bereaved mother whose son Yotam was taken hostage on October 7th, and subsequently killed mistakenly by the IDF. This deeply moving documentary traces the journey of both women, who ultimately meet up, so that Edith can help Iris through her grief, and explain to her how choosing forgiveness can help one to move forward in life. This is powerful stuff, with a message that everyone can take into thir own lives.  

Find Me Okay: Another doco centred around the October 7th catastrophe, this one has been filmed over two years, and features the Yerushalmi family. Two of the three sisters were at the Nova music festival when the Hamas terrorists attacked. One managed to escape to safety, but the other, Eden, was kidnapped. We follow the family's journey which goes from hope, perseverance, and ultimately grief, followed by the attempts to rebuild their lives. Warning: there is some very disturbing footage that was taken on iphones at the very moment of the attacks. 

Block 10: Just when you think you've seen it all, along comes another lesser known aspect of the horrors of the Nazi concentration camps. This feature film, based upon survivor testimonies and court records, tells of the brutal treatment of women in Auschwitz, as Nazi doctors experimented on them, trying to find efficient sterilisation methods. This is an incredibly well-made film . . . but it is so harrowing to watch, it will not be for some viewers. Jewish gynacologist Dr Samuel goes along with the program, hoping to buy his daughter's life, while other woman are forced into complicity in the procedures, upon threat of death. The sheer brutality and disregard for human life by the Nazis is horrific, yet the tiny moments of compassion between the women, and even from misguided Dr Samuel, give small moments of humanity amid the nightmare.  





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