Wednesday, 29 November 2023

 November 30th 2023

The Old Oak
The Eight Mountains
Christmess
Uproar

This week sees one of my rare "Unmisssable" recommendations. Films from Britain, Italy, Australia and New Zealand round out another week of fine movie offerings.  

The Old Oak
Dir: Ken Loach
Length: 113 mins
© The Reset Collective - film-making on another level:
gets to the heart of the mattter, and the people
in the community
TJ Ballantyne (Dave Turner) runs a pub in an impoverished mining town in the north-east of England. The pits have closed, people are leaving, and cheap housing makes it an ideal location for refugees to be housed. When a group of Syrian refugees arrives, TJ does a kindness for a young woman Yara (Ebla Mari). But the locals, who cling desperately to their old ways, harbor deep resentments of the newcomers. TJ initially wants to stay neutral and keep in good with his few remaining patrons, but gradually he sees a way to bring together two struggling communities, each grieving for different, but harrowing, losses in their lives. Ken Loach has had more than 60 years in film, many of them dealing with social issues and the trials and tribulations of the British working class. Now that he's 87 years old, this may be his final film. And what a film to go out on! There is so much depth of emotion, so much relevance, and ultimately plenty of hope in this powerful and moving story. Turner, who barely sees himself as a "real" actor, is simply sublime in this role, while Mari brings an openness, charm and grace to her Yara, a brave woman who knows how to bridge the cultural divide. All the characters, from the locals to the Syrian refugees feel totally real, and the tentative friendships that gradually form and deepen could serve as an inspiration to us all in this troubled world. The settings of the sad, beaten down town and the warm welcoming pub are just perfect. Nominee for the Palme D'or at Cannes and winner of many other awards, The Old Oak is one of those richly rewarding, deeply humane films, that stays with you long after it's over.
5 - unmissable

The Eight Mountains
Dir: Felix van Groeningen & Charlotte Vandermeersch
Length: 147 mins
© Palace - gentle and understated story
of a lifelong friendship
Winner of the Cannes Jury Prize (2022) and many more prestigious Italian and international awards, this beautiful film is a story of friendship over many years. Bruno (Cristiano Sassella) lives in the remote mountan village of Grana in northwest Italy, while Pietro (Lupo Barbiero) who hails from the city of Turin,  is visiting his parents' holiday home. The two boys connect instantly and spend a glorious summer together.  After some convoluted family conflicts, the boys' paths diverge but 15 years later, now men, they reconnect. Another intimate period of time is spent while renovating an old rundown mountain cabin that Pietro's father left to Bruno. But despite their deep bond, the men have different ideas of where they belong in life. This film is so simple on one level, yet so complex emotionally.  It has a long runtime and one needs to surrender oneself to it - the glorious sweeping mountain landscapes, the gentle enduring quality of the friendship, and the heartaches, happiness and loss that the vicissitudes of life deliver. There is an underlying deep philosophy about one's place in life, and what is most important to each individual. With glorious music and cinematography, it is a most worthy journey to share with the two friends.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended 

Christmess
Dir: Heath Davis
Length: 100 mins
© Bonsai - surprisingly fun - and tuching- 
Aussie story of struggle, friendship
and recovery
Chris Flint (Steve le Marquand) is an actor whose career has taken a downturn, thanks to his having been in rehab for alcohol and drug problems. But now he's out, and staying at a support house with his sponsor Nick (Darren Gilshenan), and another recovering addict Joy (Hannah Joy), who is an aspiring singer-songwriter. Chris takes a job at a shopping centre, playing Santa, where he runs into his long-estranged daughter, and finds he has a grandson, which really throws him, but also encourages him to remain sober so he can reconnect with his only family. La Marquand has the perfect hang-dog sad face for the character he plays. We cannot help but feel for him, as he tries so hard, yet not necessarily with the desired outcomes. Nick, Joy and Chris are like a small family, and although not a lot happens here, there is a gentle and touching domestic narrative, in which we learn  about Chris's housemates, and come to genuinely like them. The singer/actor who plays Joy is especially notable for a lovely and lively performance, while Gilshenan, who just appeared in Savage Christmas, gives a nuanced performance as a man with a deep sad secret. A small but charming Australian film.
3.5 - well recommended 

Uproar
Dir: Paul Middleditch & Hamish Bennett
Length: 110 mins
© Kismet - likeable story of a boy finding
his place in the world and in his culture
Dunedin, New Zealand, 1981 is in turmoil as the Sth African rugby team, the Springboks, is arriving, and crowds take to the streets to protest the apartheid-based nation visiting. Josh Waaka (Julian Dennison) is very much an outsider, the only Maori boy in a British style private school, and being no good at rugby makes him even more ostracised. When his teacher Madigan (Rhys Darby) discovers Josh has a talent for acting, he encourages the boy to apply for a place at NIDA acting school in Sydney. Meanwhile Josh's mum (Minnie Driver) pushes her reluctant son into the rugby team where his brother coaches, while Josh aligns himself with local Maori girl Samantha and the protests. Gradually events will conspire to lead Josh and his family to a place of acceptance and belonging. This is a sweet, low-key and likeable film, marked by a terrific performance from Dennison (remember him from Hunt for the Wilderpeople?)  Some strong scenes of the Haka and Maori solidarity keep the indigenous theme relevant and visible. 
3 - recommended 

 

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Wednesday, 22 November 2023

 November 23rd 2023

The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process
Docplay
The Other Film Festival
Brolllie - a new Aussie content FREE streaming site 

Although a couple of high profile films release this week, (Napoleon, and Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes) I haven't yet been able to catch them, so I've reviewed a wonderful new cinema-released doco about creative musicians, and bring your attention again to the excellent doco platform Docplay, plus two free-of-charge streaming opportunities. 

The Musical Mind: A Portrait in Process
Dir: Scott Hicks
Length: 94 mins
© Bonsai Films - David Helfgott and Daniel
Johns share a special bond
In 1997 a movie called Shine won a Best Actor Oscar for Geoffrey Rush. He played an Australian musician named David Helfgott, a neurodiverse man with an incredible talent for playing piano. Now, a quarter of a century later, Hicks returns to familiar territory, but this time in a fascinating doco exploring the minds of four musicians and what leads them to create and perform. Daniel Johns, singer and guitarist from the band Silverchair, classical pianist Simon Tedeschi, singer songwriter Ben Folds and Helfgott, (now 76 years old and much-adored since Shine) let the audience into their lives and their creative process. It's eye-opening to hear of Johns' desire for musical chaos, Folds' obsession with a song he wrote as a child, and how it has colored all his music, and Tedeschi's life-long drivenness. And of course Helfgott, a genius who is also so childlike and sweet-natured in his total way of being. All are men with brains possibly wired differently; all with the touch of the genius brush. An especially touching and beautiful part of this doco is the relationship Helfgott has with children in the Bellingen Youth Orchestra, as he inspires and encourages them. Two women also feature: Helfgott's totally supportive wife Gillian, and Tedeschi's artist partner Loribelle Spirovski, who paints endless portraits of her man. This is a doco all music lovers should see.
3.5 - well recommended 

DocPlay
And speaking of documentaries, for those who are new to my site, or have maybe forgotten about this excellent streaming platform, I want to again alert docophiles to the best site in town for just about any documentary you are after. For less than $8 per month you can access more than 1000 films. With inflation, that's not even two cups of coffee per month!
Several films you may have missed that I've reviewed in the last few months are now available - all came highly recommended from me:
The Giants: Brilliant doco on Bob Brown 
Navalny: Russian dissident extraordinaire
Merkel: get to know the German Chancellor
The Lost City of Melbourne
© DocPlay
Though never yet reviewed by me, I caught this film some months ago at the end of its theatrical run. This is a movie to bring you to tears. See how the architectural heritage of our city was trashed by Whelan the Wrecker back in the 60s, discover what glories existed, and what little is left of our magnificent buldings.  

And who doesn't love a freebie?
Two great new opportunities for catching some excellent movie action for free. 
The Other Film Festival
Streaming free from now until December 10th, The Other Film Festival presents Resistance - streaming Deaf and Disability-led international feature documentaries and Australian shorts. The festival, going since 2004, is a leader in the global disability screen advocacy movement and centres on authentic storytelling and representation. 

Brollie - new streaming platform featuring Aussie content
A new platform from Umbrella Entertainment, Brollie brings you more than 300 titles, including such gems from independent Aussie cinema as Babadook, Two Hands, The Last Wave, Erskineville Kings, Walkabout, Road Games, Razorback, Mad Dog Morgan, Aznavour, House of Cardin and heaps more. What's not to love here? 




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Wednesday, 15 November 2023

November 16th 2023

Saltburn
A Savage Christmas
Pain Hustlers (streaming on Netflix)
Vengeance: A Love Story (streaming on Netflix)

This week from me sees two strong mainstream releases, plus two not so strong Netflix streamers. 

Saltburn
Dir: Emerald Fennell
Length: 127 mins
© Universal - the upper class get worked over
by a fellow who is not what he seems

On a scholarship, and coming from a dubious background, Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) seems like an outsider at Oxford University. Overly eager to make friends and gain acceptance, he befriends handsome, popular, posh party boy Felix (Jacob Elordi), son of a wealthy family which owns a 12th century sprawling mansion called Saltburn. When Oliver does Felix a favour, the kind-hearted rich boy invites Oliver to spend the summer with him and his family at Saltburn. The family are a motley crew, ex-model mother, Elspeth, (Rosamund Pike), father and archetypical toff  Sir James (Richard E Grant) preside over the mansion, with their sexually loose daughter Venetia (Alison Oliver) and Cousin Farleigh (Archie Madekwe). What transpires over that summer is, to say the least, unexpected. Keoghan seems physically perfectly cast for the role. Having a slightly shifty look matches his character's personality, seemingly polite, almost self-effacing, but with quite a different persona lurking under the surface. The parents are so quintessentially upper crust Brits, they almost seem like caricatures and are, to me, not totally believable, but this is no doubt part of the intended sending up of a "certain class" of Pom: rich, entitled, overly extravagant, and definitely stiff upper lip. With overtones of The Incredible Mr Ripley, the film's narrative gets darker as it progresses. Each character seems to fit some psychoanalytical textbook "type", and the discernible sexual and homoerotic overtones are deliciously handled, with a near-final scene in which Oliver prances naked quite something to behold! With its sumptuous look, plot twists and intriguing characters, Saltburn is a fun and fascinating watch.
3.5 - well recommended

A Savage Christmas
Dir: Madeleine Dyer
Length: 90 mins
© Bonsai Films - family dysfunction loves to
rear its head at Christmas
The Savage family is meeting for its annual Christmas get-together at the family home in Queensland. The dysfunctional family consists of parents James Snr (David Roberts), an ex-footballer, and wife Brenda (Helen Thomson) along with their son Jimmy (Ryan Morgan), daughter Leia (Rekha Ryan) and adopted son David, who is now a trans woman, Davina (Thea Raveneau) and who hasn't seen the family for several years. Davina brings along her trans boyfriend Kane (Max Jahufer). There's also James' brother, loud and crass Uncle Dick (Gary Gilshenan). The Christmas get-together has always been a fraught affair, but this year some heavy-duty family secrets emerge, ratcheting up the tensions. Add into the mix the late arrival of unexpected guest Peter (Gary Sweet) and you have a recipe for an explosive celebration. I haven't laughed out loud so much in a long time as I did with this clever, at times silly, and totally fun film. There's a lot that rings true in the story - the awkwardness, forced bonhomie, back-stabbing and not-so-subtle sniping that pervades many family festive functions. Great to see that the trans couple are played by trans actors, and that theme is handled insightfully, and intelligently. Some of the humour borders on farcical, but for me (remembering humour is so subjective) it really works in a self-deprecating, typically Aussie way, that captures so much we love, hate, and cringe over in our national character and our family dynamics.
4 - highly recommended

Pain Hustlers
Dir: David Yates
Length: 123 mins
Streaming on Netflix
© Netflix - pharma companies behaving
badly - again! 
Liza (Emily Blunt) is a single mum working in a pole-dancing bar, when she gets a job offer from Pete (Chris Evans) to work for a start-up pharmaceutical company run by Dr Neel (Andy Garcia). The company pushes a cancer drug called Lonafen (fentanyl-based), claiming it to be non-addictive. Soon business starts to boom, encouraged by speaker programs, and the employment of very pushy, good looking female sales reps. But as things move into the gray world of illegal doings, success cannot last. The film has its basis in a real life pharma scandal and is certainly eye-opening as to the way the industry operates. At times the plot seems a bit too slick and unrealistic, with too much emphasis upon the greed and decadence of the pharma company, and too little on the serious topic of opiate addiction and patients who died. But Blunt is excellent in her role, and the appearance of Schitts Creek favorite Catherine O'Hara as her mother is a welcome cast addition. An OK, moderately pleasing entertainment. 
3 - recommended

Vengeance: A Love Story
Dir: Johnny Martin
Length: 99 mins
2017 - Streaming on Netflix
© Netflix - Cage in a relatively
muted role.  
Single mum Teena (Anna Hutchison) is gang raped as she walks home from  a party with her daughter Bethie (Talitha Batman). The four accused scumbags hire lawyer Jay Kirkpatrick (Don Johnson), renowned for getting people off. When justice is not served, local cop and Iraq veteran John Dromoor (Nic Cage) decides to take matters into his own hands. Well, that's 99 minutes of my life I won't get back, but . . . there's something magnetic about Cage regardless of the calibre of the film he's in. (Usually, not so magnetic or rampaging here!) 
The real reason I included this viewing mistake is to alert you to a fabulous site created by film critic Luke Buckmaster. It's called the the Cage Gauge and is an outline and rating system of every Cage movie ever released. Luke says: Celebrating one of cinema's most original and distinctive actors, the core philosophy underlying The Cage Gauge is that every Nicolas Cage movie is worth watching—because every Nicolas Cage movie has Nicolas Cage in it.
Visit the Gauge at: https://www.flicks.com.au/cagegauge/.    
1 - hmmm - unless you're a diehard Cage fan, don't bother! 
PS.  It ranks at no 89 (very low) in the Cage Gauge. 
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Wednesday, 8 November 2023

 November 9th 2023

Caravaggio's Shadow
Damage
Paris Memories
Melbourne Queer Film Festival 


This week sees strong feature films from Italy, France and Australia. Plus a Melbourne favorite, The Melbourne Queer Film Festival, hits cinemas for the next ten days. 

Caravaggio's Shadow
Dir: Michele Placido
Length: 120 mins
© Palace - vibrantly told story of an
artist battling the church and himself
Michelangelo Merisi (Riccardo Scamarcio) better known as Caravaggio, is an artist in Italy in the early 17th century. He runs foul of the church as he uses commoners to pose for him: prostitutes painted as the Virgin Mary, thieves and beggars painted as saints. Caravaggio is desperately hoping for a Papal pardon for a murder he has committed, but Pope Paul V decides to investigate the painter, to see if he is worthy of pardoning. He send his inquisitor (Louis Garrel) known only as Ombra (the Shadow) to delve into the painter's life, interviewing those who knew him, especially the Marquesa Colonna (Isabelle Huppert). The film is structured in an intriguing way, toggling between the current investigation, and Caravaggio's past exploits, with the denouement culminating in . . . well, you'll have to see it to find out! This is an exquisitely executed film, in every detail. Its look is amazing, almost like one big Caravaggio painting, with its use of light and shade, and characters whose faces we have indeed seen if we are familiar with the artist's work. The depiction of life in those days is almost palpable - the grime, the smells, and the debauchery. Scamarcio captures the ambivalence of his character beautifully. Caravaggio seemed to have a deep sympatico for his subjects, along with religious faith that did not however adhere to church doctrine. The moral issue of whether one can admire the art but condemn the creator still remains in today's world. A truly wonderful film!
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended

Damage
Dir: Madeleine Blackwell
Length: 84 mins
© Delicate, low-key, with deeply humanistic
values at its heart 
Ali (Ali Al Jenabi) is an Iraqi man living in Adelaide and awaiting his visa. He drives a cab illegally for a friend and one night picks up Esther (Imelda Burke), an old lady with a fading memory, unsure even of where she is going. Together they head off into the night. She obviously harbours prejudices against immigrants, but as they search for her destination, and share stories of their damaged lives, gradually a connection and empathy develops between them. This is low key but sensitive film-making which puts two non-professional actors in the main roles. Ali feels so real a character, Esther a trifle more stilted. Regardless, they work well together, and we feel both their pain keenly. She is so troubled that she cannot even remember her daughter's address, he is haunted by many things he cannot forget. The prismatic lighting effects and evocative cinematography, capturing Adelaide streets by night, are very impressive, lending a moody contemplative atmosphere to the narrative, which ultimately captures something very important about human connection and loneliness.
3.5 - well recommended  
  
Paris Memories
Dir: Alice Winocour
Length: 105 mins
© Vendetta  - sensitively made examination
of trauma and recovery

In November 2015 a series of coordinated terrorist attacks took place in Paris. We heard a lot in Australia about the stand-off in the Bataclan Theatre, but several other attacks took place in restaurants and cafes. This film deals with two fictional victims, Mia (Virginie Efira) and Thomas (Benoit Magimel), who lock eyes across a crowded cafe just before a shooter comes in. Mia manages to hide in a closet with a cafe staff member, while Thomas is severely injured in his leg. The pair later meet and try to come to terms with what happened and the drastic ramifications for their lives. Efira's moving performance is the centrepiece of this exceptionally powerful story. (Efira won a Cesar for Best Actress.) The narrative moves between timelines; the actual events and Mia's subsequent struggles to even regain memory of what happened, and then to track down the man with whom she hid in the closet. The film moves in a beautiful arc from sadness and despair, to hope and renewal. This was my top pick of what I saw at this year's French Film Festival.
4 - highly recommended

Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF)

Melbourne November 10-21
Kino, Nova, Jam Factory, Capitol, Astor, Victoria Pride Centre
For a rundown on all the films, visit: https://tix.mqff.com.au/Films/
Once again, the best of queer film hits Melbourne screens. The main trouble is, there are so many excellent films, only showing for such a short time, often only once. Short film packages are also available to stream at home. So you need to be prepared, research what you want to see, and make yourself a schedule. And, as I always say, you don't have to be queer to enjoy these wonderful films, so many of which speak to us all. 
Commitment to Life: Hot on the heels of the recently reviewed Rock Hudson film, comes this excellent documentary tracing the history of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and how it was dealt with by negligent politicians in the USA. The spotlight is also on Hollywood activists who stepped up to speak out in support of the cause. The film features much moving and informative archival footage, along with interviews with sufferers, survivors, and activists.  

Shape: A truly insightful documentary about the ridiculously unrealistic standards gay men put upon themselves and others in terms of looks and body shape. The men who speak bravely about how this has affected their lives are inspiring. What really impresses me is how relevant this is to society as a whole, especially young girls and women who have also fallen victim to this pressure for years. 

Healed: This is a very well-made, creepy thriller about a pop star and her pregnant wife who head off to an isolated  wellness retreat for a week. It soon becomes apparent the place and the woman running it are not what they seem. The couple's relationship will be put to the test. A virtual three-hander, the film features fine performances and a tense script. 
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Wednesday, 1 November 2023

November 2nd 2023

The Dive
Vishniac (JIFF)
Bollywood Film Festival 
British Film Festival 

Aside from one mainstream release, this week for me is mostly about festivals. (There's even a 3-day Irish Film Festival that I didn't get around to reviewing.) Indiaphiles should get in quick for the inaugural Bollywood Film Festival, JIFF continues apace, and the British Film Festival gets underway for the next few weeks. 
The Dive
Dir: Maximilian Erlenweil
Length: 91 mins
© The Reset Collective - panic levels rise
in a a taut underwater thriller 
Drew (Sophie Lowe) and May (Louisa Krause) are two sisters with a complex past, which includes learning to scuba dive with their father. They meet up after some time apart and head off on a dive in a very remote area. All goes well until a cliff collapse on shore sends huge boulders plummeting into the water, trapping May's leg. Will her oxygen run out before her sister can get help?  There's nothing new about this sort of scenario. The race against the clock, the glimmers of hope that are repeatedly shattered, the obstacles fate thows in the way of the rescue attempt - although we know this type of plot quite well, it is executed with enough impressive underwater photography  and tension to hold you in suspense for most of the time. The two sisters are good foils for each other - one serious and broody, the other somewhat scatterbrained, and they come across as authentic characters, although the so-called backstory of their estrangement is never really expanded. Nevertheless, for those (like me) who got their thrills from old TV shows like Sea Hunt, this one should fill the bill well as a diverting and (mostly) exciting watery tale. (And the coastline and underwater scenery off Malta is fabulous.)  
3 - recommended 

Vishniac
Another wonderful film from JIFF (Jewish International Film Festival)
Melbourne: Until November 29th
Cinemas: Classic, Lido, Cameo 
For other states, other dates visit www.jiff.com.au for all the details. 
©JIFF - a vanished way of life;
photographs to haunt you forever
Half a lifetime ago I discovered a book called A Vanished World. I was stunned by the poignancy of the photos, which showed the life lived by poor Eastern European Jews just before the Holocaust wiped that life out forever. And now here is a magnificent documentary that examines the life of Roman Vishniac, the photographer and scientist who took not only these iconic photos, but also groundbreaking nature and scientific photos that were used in Life magazine. The doco works on so many levels: as a tribute to a way of life, as a biopic of a most dedicated and unusual man (given to lies, womanising and self-aggrandisement), and as an insight into the art of photography and new methods Vishniac pioneered, such as coloring photos taken through microscopes. Vishniac's daughter features large in interviews, filling out details of her family's life. along with revelatory archival footage and chilling stills of faces, places, and lives long gone. A must for historians and lovers of photography.
4.5 - wholeheartedly recommended 


Cunard British Film Festival
Melbourne: Now until November 29th
Palace Cinemas
For other states, other dates visit www.britishfilmfestival.com.au for all the details. 
Always a showcase for top British films, and many of Britain's most acclaimed actors, this year's festival is no exception. Anthony Hopkins stars in One Life, Ian McLellan in The Critic, and Helen Mirren in Golda. These are merely three of the amazing line-up of contemporary feature films and documentaries, along with a retrospective of six films featuring Britain's finest leading ladies and a centrepiece screening of a 4K restoration of the film Tommy. I'm eagerly awaiting the chance to catch more, and have so far seen this documentary that music and art fans will not want to miss:
Two talented guys who changed the face
of record album covers

Squaring the Circle - The Story of Hipgnosis: Are you one of those people who, in the days of vinyl records, bought your latest album and pored over the cover artwork, and every word on the sleeve? If so, you're going to love this documentary. In the late 1960s Storm Thorgerson and Po Powell formed a design company which produced artwork for some of rock's most iconic ever record covers. Think Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, Wings Band on the Run, 10cc's Look Hear?  - just a fraction of the magic created back in the day. This absolutely entertaining doco looks at the evolution of the company, and features countless insightful interviews with legendary rockers now grown old: Paul McCartney, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant to name a few. This is a film music lovers will relish.    

Bollywood Film Festival
Melbourne: November 2-5
Cinema Nova
For venues in other states, and information on all the films, visit www.bollywoodfilmfestival.com.au 

The inaugural Bollywood Film Festival launches nationally this weekend to align with Diwali, India's beloved Festival of Lights. Don't be fooled into thinking it's all colorful saris, lovelorn lovers, and song and dance - these films illustrate the diversity of Indian cinema, much of it very serious. Several of the films feature a rare insight into Indian village life, while the documentary Brand Bollywood Downunder has enough color and movement to satisfy any Bollywood aficianados. A couple of the films also highlight the struggles that continue for women in a patriarchal society, and the ignorance and superstition that dominates much of village life even today. I've previewed several, all of  which come highly recommended:
 
Brand Bollywood Downunder: Seen through an Australian lens, this is the story of not only Australia's love affair with Bollywood, but a short history of the juggernaut that is the Indian film industry itself. With so much Indian immigration to Australia, it is natural for there to be a merging of Aussie culture with Indian culture, especially via film, and this excellent doco looks at the ups and downs, the politics, and the mutual love between the Indian film industry and Australia. The movie is colorful, joyous and informative - a true homage to an art form that celebrates the exuberance of Indians throughout the world, in fact celebrates life itself. 

To Kill a Tiger: This much-awarded documentary deals with disturbing subject matter - that of the rape of females in India, a crime that happens once every 20 minutes. Several years ago 13-year-old Kiran went to a village wedding where she was later raped by three local boys, (including her cousin.) The village elders claimed she should be married off to one of her attackers, to assuage the shame, and espoused the horrific theory that the girl always carries some blame in these cases. Her father Ranjit was determined to prosecute the boys and see justice done for his daughter. The film-makers follow the painfully slow and  incompetent process of the trial, and expose the shameful ignorance and patriarchal attitudes of the villagers, both men and women. To watch the innocent child braiding her hair, as she tells what befell her, is so painful, and yet only with films of this nature can men be educated to change their entrenched ways of thinking. A confronting but vitally important and brave film.  

Joram:  Basru, a tribal migrant worker, works on a construction site in Mumbai. When violence comes to his doorstep, he flees with his 3-month old daughter in his arms. A policeman from Mumbai is hot on his trail. He heads back to his homeland, the region of Jharkhand, where his past connections have been the cause of his current woes. The film's taut direction ensures the tension is constant, the emotion and fear for Basru and his tiny daughter ever present, but it is also a very interesting insight into the persecution that tribal people in India still face. They are low in society's pecking order and government and industry try to take their lands without paying. It all resonates with what is a similar problem for indigenous groups worldwide. With many nominations and awards worldwide at festivals, this is well worth seeing. 

Fire in the Mountains:  Chandra lives in a mountain village high up near the Tibetan border. She juggles relentlessly hard work, caring for a son who refuses to walk, keeping an eye on her developing teen daughter, and managing a hard-drinking, brutal husband who wants to spend money on superstitious religious rituals instead of proper medical advice. The magnificent landscapes in which this is shot, form a stark contrast to the oppressivenesss of village life, while radio reports of India being such a progressive country are ironic in a village that has no decent road access. This is another beautifully-drawn picture of village life, family dysfunction, women suffering from traditional patriarchal views, and an India caught between the past and the future. 
  
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