Jewish International Film Festival - Melbourne opening night tonight
Unheard Stories FF - films about hearing loss - one night only - tomorrow!
This week a huge blockbuster, an uplifting surprising documentary, plus two new festivals, one running for a whole month and one for one night only! I'm a day early so you can organise yourselves for festivals.
Though I've never been a huge superhero fan, this latest take on Batman has a lot to recommend it. Batman (Robert Pattinson) has stalked the streets of Gotham so long he has been drawn deep into police work, and now finds himself co-opted into solving the case of a sadistic serial killer who seems out to murder high profile people as punishment for corruption and lies. So you probably want to know what could set this Batman apart from the others. Firstly Pattinson's is a darker, more angry and introspective Batman, and the scripting feels closer to real life than previous incarnations. Deep into the seedy side of Gotham, Batman takes on corrupt politicians and police along with groups of nutters organising themselves to wreak havoc on society. Ring a bell in today's world? Casting is strong: Jeffrey Wright as Batman's cop ally, Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman, the ever reliable John Turturro as mafia boss Falcone, Peter Saarsgaard as the DA, an unrecognisable Colin Farrell as The Penguin, Paul Dano as The Riddler and Andy Serkis as Batman's reliable valet Alfred. The action sequences are beautifully shot; high-octane and slick yet don't stretch credibility too far (hmm. . . ) It is a tad too long; I believe a half hour edit would have kept the pace more unrelenting. However big fans of the Bat will love it and as a more complex and thoughtful blockbuster it's a winner. (Note: not for little kids!)
Pardon, Joseph, Marlvin and Tinashe were all refugees from Zimbabwe to South Africa, where they became involved in the world of wine. Though never having previously imbibed alcohol, they became top sommeliers at top Cape Town restaurants, and then formed Team Zimbabwe, to train for the World wine-tasting Championships in France. This crowd-pleaser of a doco is brought to us by the Aussie filmmakers who gave us Red Obsession, about China's love of French red wine. There's a lot to enjoy about this gentle film, which reveals the level of skill and knowledge that goes into wine tasting. The men are guys one can enjoy spending time with, and the wine coach, loudmouthed Denis, is an entertainment in his own right. Beautiful landscapes of South Africa and France add to the film's appeal, and below it all is the undercurrent of the stark comparisons between opulent life in the wealthy French wine regions, compared with the challenges of life in South Africa, where violence and poverty is commonplace. Without being manipulative, the film champions the unexpected success of the underdog.
3.5 - well recommended
JIFF - Jewish International Film Festival
Melbourne from 3 March - 4 April
For other states, dates, venues and programming, check out the website: www.jiff.com.au
JIFF is always an exciting and thought-provoking festival. This year's JIFF features 25 documentaries and 31 feature films, along with special live events. Most of those I've reviewed here are really fantastic!
I Am Here: Ella Blumenthal is celebrating her 98th birthday, and finally opens up to her family about her horrific experiences during World War Two. Born in Warsaw in 1921, she experienced the horrors of the Warsaw Ghetto, Maijdanek, Auschwitz and Bergen Belsen. Out of a family of more than 20, only Ella and her niece survived. This beautiful documentary memoir employs today's celebration of Ella, her resilience, her compassion and her love for family. The actual retelling of her experiences is illustrated mostly through animation and a little archival footage. A terrifically affecting doco.
Neighbours: This award-winning film is set in northern Syria where the Kurdish area abuts Turkey. Young Kurdish boy Sero attends a school where his despotic teacher preaches love of Assad and hatred of Jews. Sero is torn as his beloved neighbors, for whom he lights the candles every Friday night, are Jewish. Overall, the people of the small village cohabit peacefully, but hostility is ever present around them. The film, based upon director Mano Khalil's experiences, walks a delicate line between humour, satire and drama. The tone is perfectly pitched, with a stunning performance from Serhed Khalil as Sero.
Tiger Within: Casey
can no longer stand living with her mother and drop-kick boyfriend in Ohio so
gets on a bus for California, ostensibly to live with her father and his new
family. But she can’t stand the thought of that either, so takes a job as a masseur. When that job falls over she takes to the streets where an old
Jewish Holocaust survivor Samuel (Ed Asner) finds her and takes her home with
the offer of a meal and a shower. The unlikely friendship that ensues is
rewarding for them both – she gives him companionship while he gives her the
confidence and courage to start a new life (harness the tiger within, he tells her). The film is amusing, poignant and touching with terrific perfs from veteran actor Asner and newcomer Margot Josefssohn as the punk teen Casey. As a lesson in being non-judgmental, forgiving and compassionate, Asner's Samuel is a memorable character.
Wet Dog: Soheil comes from an Iranian Jewish family. When they move from a smaller German town to a predominantly Muslim neighborhood of Berlin, Soheil is eager to fit in. He hides his Jewishness and joins a local gang who spent their time fighting another gang, all Muslims. He starts dating a Turkish girl, Selma. But can he keep up the pretence for ever? This is a powerful film, which drives its message home hard. Performances from all the young people are wonderful, and the tension along with the excellent portrayals of allegiances, friendships, irrational prejudices and ultimately coming to terms with one's identity make for a gripping and moving film.
Tahara: Hannah, white and straight, and Carrie, black and queer, are best friends. Their Hebrew school classmate Samantha has suddenly suicided and the class is having a day of grief management. This stylish film is so very teen-oriented, with Hannah (played by Rachel Sennot of Shiva Baby) being beyond infuriating, as she postures and primps in a desperate attempt to appear cool, all the time experiencing the same insecurities as those around her. The film is stylishly shot, and an interesting addition to the teen genre, evoking a time many of us remember with major cringes.
Helmut Newton: The Bad and the Beautiful: Anyone with knowledge of the world of photography knows the
name Helmut Newton, photographer extraordinaire, renowned for his erotic,
off-beat and sometimes confronting photos. In this wonderfully engaging doco we
meet the man, look at his work, and hear from many of his subjects, while we try
to decide if he really was a misogynist, or a champion of women. The film is
chock-full of intriguing reminiscences with the likes of model/singer Grace
Jones, actors Charlotte Rampling and Isabella Rossellini, vogue editor Anna
Wintour, and many more who have been the subject of Newton's iconoclastic way
of recording the world, with particular focus on the female body. Newton comes
across as such an entertaining and self-confident man, and his ground-breaking
photography has influenced the art-form forever.
Sublet: Michael,
a conservative fifty-something journalist, is writing an article on Tel Aviv
and decides to sublet an apartment which belongs to young film student Tomer.
Over the five days, the two men, almost polar opposites, learn much about
themselves. Winning the audience award at the Philadelphia Jewish Film
Festival, this delicate, sweet film is a sure crowd pleaser, appealing to
diverse age groups. The dialogue is beautifully written, and the various
scenarios and emotions feel authentic. The two leads, who pretty much anchor
most of the film, create two characters we can really relate to.
Unheard Stories
Thursday, 3rd March: One night only film festival for World Hearing Day
With two short documentaries and a
one-hour feature, this festival should be of great interest to those
experiencing hearing loss. Hear Me Out (run time 9
minutes): This documentary features two people who have had cochlear implants. Amplify This! (working title,
run time approx 15 minutes): This short documentary explores the issues of
identity, access and belonging for people who are deaf and people who have
hearing loss.
We Hear You (run time 1 hour) depicts
the stigmas and challenges of living with hearing loss. The documentary was
conceived, filmed and directed across two continents, all during the COVID-19
pandemic. The film was a winner at the Cannes World Film Festival 2021.
Helmut Newton: The Bad and the Beautiful: Anyone with knowledge of the world of photography knows the
name Helmut Newton, photographer extraordinaire, renowned for his erotic,
off-beat and sometimes confronting photos. In this wonderfully engaging doco we
meet the man, look at his work, and hear from many of his subjects, while we try
to decide if he really was a misogynist, or a champion of women. The film is
chock-full of intriguing reminiscences with the likes of model/singer Grace
Jones, actors Charlotte Rampling and Isabella Rossellini, vogue editor Anna
Wintour, and many more who have been the subject of Newton's iconoclastic way
of recording the world, with particular focus on the female body. Newton comes
across as such an entertaining and self-confident man, and his ground-breaking
photography has influenced the art-form forever. 
Sublet: Michael,
a conservative fifty-something journalist, is writing an article on Tel Aviv
and decides to sublet an apartment which belongs to young film student Tomer.
Over the five days, the two men, almost polar opposites, learn much about
themselves. Winning the audience award at the Philadelphia Jewish Film
Festival, this delicate, sweet film is a sure crowd pleaser, appealing to
diverse age groups. The dialogue is beautifully written, and the various
scenarios and emotions feel authentic. The two leads, who pretty much anchor
most of the film, create two characters we can really relate to.
With two short documentaries and a
one-hour feature, this festival should be of great interest to those
experiencing hearing loss.
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