film reviews, interviews, features | BRWC

Author: Rosalynn Try-Hane

  • Brave & Bold Programming: BBC Arabic Film Festival

    Brave & Bold Programming: BBC Arabic Film Festival

    The 4th FREE BBC Arabic Festival returns to London 20 – 26 April 2018 at the BBC Radio Theatre with feature films, short documentaries, fictions and reportage, screen talks and panel discussions about current filmmaking in the Arab world.  Yes, it is FREE!! There’s a new all day Digital journalism strand, a special look back at the history of BBC Arabic television celebrating its 10th anniversary (Monday 23 April 3pm), and ‘The Cultural Frontline’ looking at the current golden age for Arab Film (Wednesday 25 April 7pm). In total there are 20 films in competition 5 films not in competition, 15 events and 2 special opening and closing ceremonies.

    This year, the films focus on current political and social situations in the Arab world today and feature stories about occupation, child labour, the right to play music, religious extremism, immigration, and everyday life during war. Made by first time as well as established filmmakers from Syria, Egypt, Palestine, Algeria, Tunisia, Jordan, Iran, Mexico, USA and the UK, all the films are in contention for the 2018 awards, including the prestigious Young Journalist Award. The awards ceremony (Thursday 26 April 7.30pm) will be hosted by celebrated Korean/Vietnamese comedian Wonho Chung, who recently had his London debut, and musical guest Lekhfa will be performing live.

    The Opening night (Friday 20 April 7.30pm) will show shorts about the refugee experience: Mare Nostrum, about a father’s decision to put his daughter’s life at risk and Fate, Wherever it Takes Us, a self reflective, experimental film about a refugees journey from Syrian minefields to asylum in Jordan, plus clips from 2017 Young Journalist Award Winner Mohamed Jabaly (Dir. Ambulance)’s new film following six fellow asylum seekers living in Tromso, Norway.

    If you don’t feel like sitting through a feature film, then there are shorts. We particularly like this year’s focus on shorts about Syria. Really thought provoking, stimulating and sobering:

    Syrian Focus Shorts (Saturday 21 April 2pm)One Day in Aleppo – Aleppo, 2017: It’s a city with no food, fuel or water; no place to bury the dead and nowhere to treat the wounded. This observational film brings audiences closer to a quotidian of loss and destruction, exposing the daily life of people trying to live normally.

    To Climb the Tree – A short documentary about AbuSaleh and OmSaleh, a married couple in Damascus. They have lost much during the war in Syria but now a chance to recoup some of their losses shows how their priorities have changed. Among the things that have remained the same however, is undaunted optimism towards their future, their love for each other and the humour they carry with them along the way.

    The Day We Left Aleppo – Saleh and Marwa are a young couple who love Aleppo, but now, like thousands of others, they are forced to leave. Through this intimate short film, we feel the weight of being stuck on the exodus and waiting in the evacuation route, heart-broken over their homeland.

    Why? – Many boys in Jordan must work at an early age to help their families. Ayman, a young Syrian refugee is no exception; he works day in day out at the market as he dreams of going to school and making friends. His access to schooling has already been denied by the state, a situation made more difficult due to his parents’ lack of education, on top of this, the local children refuse to let him join in their football match, leaving us pondering the valid question…

    Fears – Sara is 6 years old, the same age as the war in Syria. She has spent her entire life in the Zaatari Refugee Camp in Jordan. Now, she is about to be a big sister. In this short documentary, Sara tells us of her life and dreams for her and her new sister, innocently optimistic even though the new arrival could risk her mother’s life.

    However, if you do fancy a feature then don’t miss the UK premiere of Those Who Remain (2016) directed by Eliane Raheb about a farmer based in Akkar, Northern Lebanon, who struggles to build his family home while grappling with not only the sectarian Lebanese tensions but also those arising from the nearby war in Syria (Monday 23 April, 7.30pm + Dir Q&A)

    I know we’re repeating ourselves, but tickets are FREE and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. You can apply for tickets to as many sessions as you like. Admission to these screenings and events is on a first-come, first-served basis.  So if you’ve never been to a film festival, then give this one a try you can watch and then engage with your fellow attendees! What are you waiting for?

    To find out more and apply for tickets: www.bbcarabic.com/festival

  • First Look TV Review: The Terror

    First Look TV Review: The Terror

    The Terror tells something so terrifying that no one outside of naval circles speaks of it. In 1845, two ships, HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, set sail under the command of Captain Sir John Franklin and his deputies Francis Crozier and James Fitzjames, to try and navigate the Northwest Passage. Except, disaster struck when the ships became stuck in the ice. It is the greatest naval disaster the United Kingdom had ever witnessed. The Terror confirms that the golden age of television is here to stay.

    At the premiere last Thursday, we were treated to the first two episodes and, what a treat it was. The Terror is not like anything else currently on television, it feels fresh and intelligent. This is a show that you will need to watch, not flirt with, but actually, engage so that you don’t miss the details or wonderfully nuanced dialogue that betrays the motives of the different characters above and below deck.

    At the premiere Jared Harris explained what drew him to the script:

    “[I was] sent the first episode and immediately recognised a master storyteller and not familiar [with the story]. It isn’t a reboot, remake or a prequel”.

    The Terror
    The Terror

    Ridley ScottThis is what makes this show refreshing but how does it make it engaging? One word, or possibly two, the writing. A great show is based on good writing, whatever show you are currently watching and enjoying its success is down to the writing. The Terror is and will be no different, the writing and character development is incredible. David Kajganich, creator of the show along with co-showrunner, Soo Hugh have managed to take a story where we know the ending and make it feel fresh and unknown. Also, they have added some mystical elements to give it the dramatic arc and this works wonderfully.

    The Terror’s executive producer is Ridley Scott and of course, the production values are incredibly high. At the premiere, we were treated to two episodes and each of them could have been considered mini films in their own right. The cinematography and photography would not be out of place in a big budget film. The ships and attention to detail of how There is an actual terror – a monster but this is not done in that ridiculous way – oh my goodness quick hide there’s a monster – more a subtle, unnerving sensation that the monster and terror isn’t just in the form of a physical manifestation but also something far far worse, in everyone’s minds.

    The Terror premieres 24th April at 9 pm on AMC on BT TV.

     

  • Get Ready: East End Film Festival 2018

    Get Ready: East End Film Festival 2018

    The East End Film Festival is now in its 17th Year – yes 17th and hasn’t it come a long way.  The festival director is once again Alison Poltock and she is now joined by a new programming team that includes writer and film producer Kaleem Aftab, broadcast journalist Jonathan Ali and BBC Films development exec Rowan Woods. It’s also got a new home, a 365 day home set within the Knowledge Dock of UEL’s Dockland’s Campus.

    The East End Film Festival is as innovative and inclusive as ever, the Gala Opening Film is right on point: BOOM FOR REAL The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquait. It is directed by a woman, Sara Driver and if you are lucky enough to attend the opening gala you can hear from the woman herself in a special Q&A.

    The closing events are really special this year, including a screening of the Oscar nominated film Call Me By Your Name plus a FREE programme of NEW QUEER VISIONS SHORTS. Exercising its social responsibility underpins all that EEFF does. This year, donations of non-perishable food for Films For Food can be made throughout the festival  – because EEFF intends to smash last year’s record.

    As ever there are lots of interesting, diverse narrative driven films in competition including; TIMESHARE (dir: Sebastian Hofmann about two men attempting to rescue their families from a sinister American timeshare. Also, the London Premiere of DAHA (dir: Onur Saylak, Turkey) is the story of a boy who works with his domineering father to smuggle refugees to Europe.

    There are a number of premieres of new independent films with a strong emphasis on female directors and featuring strong female performances: IN THE FADE directed by Faith Akin, NEVER STEAD, NEVER STILL (dir: Kathleen Hepburn), REVENGE (dir Coralie Fargeat).

    The East End Film Festival also has a strong history of picking great documentary films. Out of the selection, my current favourites are Another News Story and Brasilia:

    • Another News Story has its London Premiere at the East end film festival and special previews at Bertha Dochouse and the Frontline club, see www.anothernewsstory.com
    • Brasilia: Life After Design has its London premiere at the East end film festival 26 April and is in select cinemas and on VOD end May: www.brasilialifeafterdesign.com. We’ll be posting reviews shortly and you should definitely try and get tickets to see these.

    The 17th East End Film Festival runs 11- 29 April 2018 at venues across London’s East End including Castle Cinema, Curzon Aldgate, Genesis Cinema, Rich Mix, Rio Cinema, Stratford East Picturehouse, Andaz Liverpool Street, Old Spitalfields Market, The Old Church Stoke Newington.

    To buy tickets and find out more about The East End Film Festival, click here.

  • Are You Ready For Quidditch Through The Ages?

    Are You Ready For Quidditch Through The Ages?

    Do you miss Harry Potter as much as we do here at BRWC? Well, never fear, Audible have your back. On Thursday 15 March, two hundred mesmerised guests were treated to a ground-breaking audio experience to mark the launch of Quidditch Through the Ages, a new digital audiobook by J.K. Rowling, narrated by Andrew Lincoln, which is available in audio for the first time.

    Immersed in a first-of-its-kind 360-degree sound experience soundscape, listeners made history as part of the largest audience for a spatial sound experience at the breathtaking London Symphony Orchestra venue, St Luke’s.

    A groundbreaking audio experience at LSO St Luke’s in London marked the launch of the new digital audiobook Quidditch Through the Ages, written by J.K. Rowling as Kennilworthy Whisp and narrated by BAFTA nominee Andrew Lincoln.

    Seated in the St Luke’s atrium, the public were transported to the frenetic heart of the 2014 Quidditch World Cup Final through a one-off audio spectacular. Match commentary from the Daily Prophet’s Quidditch correspondent, Ginny Potter (narrated by Imogen Church), and Rita Skeeter (narrated by Annette Badland), echoed around the venue as the sounds of whizzing Snitches, whooshing Quaffles and the buzz of racing brooms darted from all four corners of the room.

    Everyone in attendance received a bespoke listening experience, with no two parts of the venue sounding the same thanks to the specially created rig of thirty-eight speakers. Adapting bonus content from the Quidditch Through the Ages audiobook – first written by J.K. Rowling for pottermore.com – Pinewood Studios’ award-winning team worked with sonic reality innovators Kinicho using real objects, spatialized sound and Kinicho’s patented Sympan Scene-Scale™ technology to create a vivid Wizarding World through sound. These sounds were then meticulously matched with a web of bespoke lights and LED bulbs to create striking visual effects that mirrored the sounds of the match.

    Garry Haywood, Co-Founder at Kinicho, said: ‘Working with this exceptional audio gave us a fantastic palette to enter the magical sonic reality of the Wizarding World. Being able to build the biggest system of its kind ever used in UK, using the latest, bespoke 360-degree sound experience aural technology that we’ve created, resulted in this once in a lifetime audio experience that we’re delighted the public got to enjoy.’

    Laurence Howell, Director of Content at Audible UK, said: ‘We’ve always known that audio has the ability to let listeners completely lose themselves in a story.  The room was buzzing with energy and excitement – you really felt transported to the sidelines of the 2014 Quidditch World Cup. Both Andrew’s narration and the highly detailed sound design really let you immerse yourself in this richly imagined universe.’

    A perennial bestseller in the wizarding world and one of the most popular books in the Hogwarts school library, Quidditch Through the Ages contains all a listener will ever need to know about the history, the rules – and the breaking of the rules – of the noble sport of Quidditch. Packed with fascinating facts, this is a must-have sporting bible for all Harry Potter fans and Quidditch lovers, whether the weekend amateur or the seasoned Chudley Cannons season-ticket holder.

    Pottermore will make a proportion of the proceeds from this audiobook available to Comic Relief, and J.K. Rowling’s own international charity Lumos – organisations both of which help some of the world’s most vulnerable children and young people to have a better life.

    Quidditch Through the Ages is available to download now at audible.co.uk/quidditch and pottermore.com/shop.

    Quidditch
    Quidditch
  • The BRWC Review: You Were Never Really Here

    The BRWC Review: You Were Never Really Here

    The best things come to those who wait and, well it was worth it. You Were Never Here is a tour de force both in front and behind of the camera. In her trademark style of character examination, Lynne Ramsay gives us a short and shocking stylised film that invades all the senses.  It’s been 9 years since We Need To Talk About Kevin and she’s back with You Were Never Really Here. This should have been nominated for a number of Oscars but, oh well ok. It is an incredible and relentless story and under two hours long – hurrah.

    You Were Never Really Here tells the story of an army veteran, Joe (Joaquin Phoenix) who specialises in finding lost people and tying up loose ends. From the start you’re thrown right into the action, no explanation you’re just trying to figure out is why the protagonist going to kill himself, will he ever overcome his demons.

    The cinematography by Thomas Townsend is luminous. It truly captures something – whilst brutal and relentless – it is beautiful to watch. The violence that is shown never feels gratuitous and that is possibly down to it being shown through a female gaze. When Joe goes on the rampage in a building used by paedophiles – the actual violence is shown through security cameras so we are watching the camera footage rather than being right directly in the rampage. This does not in any way diminish the power of the scene, strangely it enhances it. Yet there are so many tender moments as well especially between Joe and his mother when they are watching the television and then later in the film when he discovers an unspeakable horror.

    Joaquin Phoenix gives one of his career best performances in this film. The script is sparse and has very little dialogue, yet the audience intuitively understands what is being shown on screen and this down to Joaquin’s performance. 

    The subject matter and the fragmented way in which the film is presented will stay with you long after you leave the cinema. You will question how much of it was real and what was in the mind of Joe and that is the mark of great art – it generates discussion.

    You Were Never Really Here opens in cinemas across the UK on Friday 9 March.