September 1st
Both Sides of the Blade
Three Thousand Years of Longing
True Things
Franklin
Korean Film Festival
Irish Film Festival
It's another humungous week for fine films and festivals. The diversity and range of themes and topics in all these films means you should be able to find something to put on your must-see list.
Both Sides of the Blade
Dir: Claire Denis
Length: 116 mins
 |
© Palace - love and double-dealings in
a taut psychological drama |
Sara (Juliette Binoche) is an outspoken and highly competent radio talk show host. She lives blissfully happily with ex-rugby player and recruiter Jean (Vincent Lindon), and has done so since she broke up with Francois (Gregoire Colin) nine years prior. Francois and Jean used to be best friends and business partners, and Jean has done jail time (implied due to dealings with Francois, who escaped scot-free). Trouble looms when Francois re-emerges in their lives, approaching Jean for renewed business involvement, and reigniting in Sara feelings from the past. Winner of the Silver Bear and nominated for the Golden Bear at Berlin this year, here is an incredibly stirring film about the complexity of emotions in a love triangle. The pain and anguish of Jean, the manipulativeness and selfishness of Francois, and the two-faced lying behaviour of Sara, who doesn't seem to know what she wants, are all rawly depicted in a trio of stunning performances. The use of settings that are relatively confined, makes the pressure cooker situation all the more tense. And of course it's a showcase for the seemingly endless talent of Binoche. This is first-class film making highlighting a personal drama that never gets melodramatic and always feels compellingly real. 4 - highly recommended
Three Thousand Years of Longing
Dir: George Miller
Length: 116 mins
 |
© Roadshow - do you believe in genies,
three wishes, and love? |
Dr Alithea Binnie (Tilda Swinton) is a solitary character, immersed in her field of "narratology" - the study of stories and how they fit into our lives. On a trip to give a lecture in Instanbul she starts to see mysterious beings, and when she buys an old bottle from the famous Istanbul bazaar, as she scrubs it clean, a djinn, or genie, (Idris Elba) is released. So begins the negotiation between them: he tells her he has been imprisoned all up for 3000 years, emerging only a couple of times to have intense love affairs with women who have treated him badly. He narrates stories of times past - the era of the Queen of Sheba; the Turkish empire centuries before. Alithea is fascinated, but unemotional, sceptical, and doesn't want to make any wishes, but it is only by her doing so, that he can attain his freedom. Who'd have thought the director of Mad Max: Fury Road could come up with such an intensely philosophical film? The film moves between fabulously exotic stories from the past and deep discussions that reflect upon the nature of love, loss and life itself. From a hotel room setting with a theatrical feel, to a big screen epic - it's all there, and the interaction between Swinton and Elba is brilliant. Special effects, as expected, are superb, costumes vibrant, and the musical score beautiful, but it is the deeper meaning that ultimately becomes profoundly moving.4 - highly recommended
True Things
Dir: Harry Wootliff
Length: 102 mins
 |
© Kismet - the sort of bastard every woman
hopes (not?) to meet |
Kate (Ruth Wilson) is a late-thirties office worker, desperate for a bit of excitement in her life. When she interviews ex-con Blond (Tom Burke), who is applying for government benefits, she falls for his overtures, and ends up in an instant, erotically charged sexual encounter with him in the carpark. And so it begins . . . he wanders in and out of her life at random, seeming keen, then pulling away emotionally as soon as she gets close. Women who have been obsessed with men of this nature (often good lovers but emotionally stunted) will instantly relate to what Kate is going through. This is an odd, deeply troubling but compelling movie about the male/female dynamic, sexual balance of power, and the self-destructive force of neediness and obsessive love (or is it lust?)3.5 - well recommended
Franklin
Dir: Kasimir Burgess
Length: 90 mins
Special screenings on Sunday 4th September at various cinemas around the country, then heading for broader cinematic release. Sunday 4th screening features Q&A with Oliver Cassidy and Bob Brown
 |
© - inspiring beauty, inspiring strength of
conviction from those who want to preserve it |
Remember the protests over the damming of the Franklin River 40 years ago? After a seven-year campaign, ultimately one of the world's most beautiful wilderness sites was saved and the campaign proved that peaceful protest could effect change. With recent laws criminalising some protests in Australia, this film is all the more relevant. It is also a very personal film about the journey of Oliver Cassidy, who retraces his father's journey, rafting down the Franklin to join the blockade 40 years prior. To add to the complexity, Oliver is also coming to terms with his gender reassignment, and the death of his father. The cinematography showcases the rugged magnificence of the area and the soundtrack is hauntingly beautiful. The film moves constantly between Oliver's journey, and the history of what was the biggest protest ever in Australia. With excellent archival footage, some never before seen, and interviews with Aboriginal elders and such iconic activists as Bob Brown, there is much to get passionate about here. This beautiful film reminds us of the ever-present need for vigilance to ensure the beauty of our planet is preserved.4 - highly recommended
Korean Film Festival
Melbourne 1-5 September
As we know, Korea has come up with some excellent award-wining films in recent years. (Think Burning, Parasite). Their film industry has taken a hit with covid, so it's great to see the festival back this year. Thirteen new films are showcased and I have been lucky to preview a couple.
Escape from Mogadishu: Based upon real events, the film is set in 1991, when both Nth Korea and Sth Korea were attempting to gain entry to the UN. Diplomats from both countries are in the Somalian capital, courting favour from the African nation to get its vote. But all hell breaks loose as civil war erupts, and the officials and their families find themselves desperately trying to escape the chaos. This is really exciting and worthwhile film-making, with a third act that is as tense and nail-biting as any blockbuster. Beneath all the action, however, is an important plot thread of what it means to come from a position of being supposed enemies, but both now in desperate need of co-operation and basic human understanding to save themselves. Special Delivery: Eun-ha (Park So-dam from Parasite) works as a driver for a company that does deliveries - usually involving ferrying people or things from the criminal underworld. When she is tasked with taking a crooked gambler to the docks to escape abroad, she finds that the crim has been killed and now she has charge of his little son, Seo-Won. Eun-ha is such a cool, kick-arse character, and the driving scenes are as good as any I've seen. But it's the mega-cute little kid who steals the show, as the (vaguely predictable) warming relationship between Eun-ha and her little charge becomes quite touching. There are plenty of crooked cops, and a lot of violence, but fans of high adrenalin driving and wham, bam, pow style films should love it.
Irish Film Festival
Melbourne 1-4 September
Kino Cinema
Online 30th Sept - 15th October (more in that later)
If you want to see it on the big screen, Melburnians, this weekend is your chance to jump in and catch the best in cinema that Ireland has to offer. The national season will see ten films screened in each of Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Canberra. Then when the festival goes online, six more films will be added, so there's much to look forward to.
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