March 19th 2026
Iron Winter
Proclivitas
Mr Nobody Against Putin (streaming on DocPlay)
The Secret Garden (1993- streaming on Netflix)
Four worthy recommendations this week. But if icy Mongolian winters, guilt-driven horrors, and Russian propaganda in schools are too much for you, check out a gorgeous old film to cheer yourself up.
Iron Winter
Dir: Kasimir Burgess
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© Bonsai Films - a lifestyle and ancient
tradition which we know little of |
The director of the fabulous doco about cartoonist Michael Leunig, The Leunig Fragments, takes on a completely different subject matter, in this unusual doco about Mongolian horse herders. In a bittterly cold winter, and following a centuries old tradition, two young horse herders, Batbold and Tsagana, are tasked with gathering up a herd of 2000 horses, and protecting them from the deadly Arctic blasts. The young men ust forge bonds of friendship, and summon all their resilience to go on the journey and keep this tradition alive. Visually this film is a stunner, and one can almost feel the bleak icy conditions, so powerful is the cinematography. It's all very slow-moving and not a great deal happens, but for those willing to be patient, you'll get a deep insight into a totally different culture, and see how modern life and climate change is affecting even the far-flung icy reaches of this fascinating land.3.5 - well recommended
Proclivitas
Dir: Miley Tunnecliffe
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© Icon - ex-sweethearts battle shared guilt
and demons that may be internal (or not?) |
Aussie film-makers are churning out the horror films at a rate of knots of late. This latest offering deals more with psychological dramas, with external horror elements acting as a metaphor for internal trauma. Clare (Rose Riley), a recovering substance abuse addict and flunked-out medical student, returns to her home town to sort out and sell the family house after her mother's death. She reconnects with her teenage sweetheart Jerry (George Mason), who shares with her the history of a tragic accident which caused them to part. But ghosts of the past resurface, threatening Clare's sanity and sobriety. The line starts to blur between what is in her head and what is real. This is a very impressive debut feature, with a couple of reservations. The slow-burn atmosphere of menace, with shadowy figures appearing, strange noises, and Clare's increasing agitation works really well. When the threat emerges as an "actual" monster, things feel a bit clunky and overblown (as is so often the case in this type of film). Guilt and the ongoing ruination of lives is a central theme, which is handled really well, with the gradual reveal of what happened in the past building both suspense and clarity. Riley and Mason work really well together as a pair wanting a chance at redemption and happiness, but brought undone by overwhelming internal demonic forces (or are they all internal?) While not being totally satisfactory as either a straight horror, or a psychological drama, this should please fans of both genres, and it sure knows how to bring the scariness with evocative cinematography, music and strong performances.3.5 - well recommended
Mr Nobody Against Putin
Dir: David Borenstein & Pavel Talankin
Length: 90 mins
Streaming on DocPlay
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© Madman/DocPlay - a teacher with the guts
to stand up for what he believes |
And the Oscar goes to . . . this film, for Best Documentary Feature! A teacher in the poor mining town of Karabash, high up in the Ural mountains of Russia, coordinates school events and videos them, as instructed by "the regime". When Putin invaded Ukraine in 2022, schools were used to progressively indoctrinate kids about the merits of the war, and patriotic displays were compulsory. Under the cover of officially filming all this, Talankin managed to get a more authentic picture of the effects on the lives of those caught up in this war, with many of his former students now being conscripted to fight. It's a really smart doco which doesn't proselytise, simply speaks for itself, with student opinions, familial grief, and regime-loyal teachers all reflecting differing perspectives. Talankin's situation becomes progressively more precarious, with his obvious anti-regime stance, but he still manages to inject his film with the odd moment of wry humor. A film of this nature is obviously so critically incisive in this war-torn world, showing us that what we see in the media is not always how it really is. (PS This brave director has, fortunately, escaped Russia and been granted asylum in the Czech Republic.) 4 - highly recommended
The Secret Garden - 1993
Dir: Agnieszka Holland
Length: 101 mins
Streaming on Netflix
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© let youself chill out and indulge in
a beautiful, uplifting, timeless story |
Here is a gorgeous film from the vault, based upon a much-loved children's book. With awards for the score, nominations for the young lead actors, as well as for the legendary Maggie Smith, this is a total delight. Orphaned Mary (Kate Maberly) is sent to live with her Uncle (John Lynch) in the English countryside. He's mainly absent, mourning the death of his wife, and Mary is left to the mercy of ill-tempered, strict housekeeper Mrs Medlock (Maggie Smith). Then she meets Dickon (Andrew Knott), brother to Mary's maid - a boy with a near-magical connection to nature and animals. Mary makes two major discoveries - a hidden neglected garden that has been locked up for years, and the existence of cousin Colin (Heydon Prowse), hidden away, bed-ridden and predicted to die soon - and life transforms for the three kids. Holland's direction is superb; she extracts stunning performances from her young actors, and creates a world which, although semi-fantastical, also contains the real-world reality of grief, loss, friendship, and learning the lessons of growing up. It's a visual treat, a story for all age-groups, at times a tear-jerker, and a true heart-warming antidote to the woes of the world. 4 - highly recommended
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