film reviews, interviews, features | BRWC

Author: Rosalynn Try-Hane

  • The 10th Flatpack Film Festival 2016

    “Joyously inventive” The Guardian
    “An incredible mix of film and music for all ages.” The Times
    “With its punkish DIY sensibility, the festival is by any standard one of the UK’s most
    ambitious and creatively programmed” – Sight and Sound
    “Britain’s most exciting and innovative film festival” – Lonely Planet

    Born in a Digbeth pub as a short film night, Flatpack Film Festival has since grown in many interesting and wonderful directions. A one-of-a-kind film jamboree, Flatpack celebrates its tenth birthday this spring with a jam-packed week of screenings, performances, installations and happenings. Kicking off slightly later than usual (19-24 April), and keeping a tighter focus on central Birmingham this year, you can expect the usual boundary-defying cinematic fun and games. Venues will range from the UK’s oldest cinema to a large multi-coloured inflatable, with Birmingham Museum’s grandiose Gas Hall serving as the festival hub. The full programme will be announced in March, but in the meantime here’s a taster of what will be on offer:

    Optical Sound
    A weekend of live soundtracks and A-V performance, with new scores to classic films exploring the fantastic; Murnau’s Faust (1926) and Dreyer’s Vampyr (1932), and a live set by mechanical magician Pierre Bastien. Music documentaries include NG83, an elegy for Nottingham’s break-dancing scene.

    Action Space
    Exploring the legacy of the pioneering 1970s performance art group. Includes a recreation of one of their legendary inflatables, and the first chance to see a new film about the group by Huw Wahl.

    Blind Cinema
    Unique piece devised by Belgian artist Britt Hatzius. As you enter the cinema you are blindfolded by a group of schoolchildren, who then provide a whispered description of the action onscreen via ear-trumpets.

    Unpacked
    A series of events and workshops mining a rich seam of creativity which turns cinema on its head, Featuring Berlin AV collective Transforma, Italian experimentalists Flatform and an installation by Gebhard Sengmüller.

    Celluloid City
    We delve into Birmingham’s movie-going heritage, including a recently unearthed company scrapbook from the century-old Electric Cinema. Plus an exhibition of Richard Nicholson’s beautiful photographs, taken in projection boxes around the UK.

    Karel Zeman
    The UK premiere of Karel Zeman: Adventurer In Film, a new documentary about the visionary Czech director (The Outrageous Baron Munchausen, The Voyage of Sinbad), with Terry Gilliam and Tim Burton among those paying tribute, and a chance to see his newly-restored 1958 masterpiece, Invention for Destruction.

    Short Film Competition
    A brilliant place to take the temperature of international film, Flatpack are very pleased to announce the addition of a 6th award to this year’s festival. Flatpack are teaming up with Channel 4’s short form arts strand, Random Acts. Known for choosing bold, creative films, the good folk at Random Acts will choose their favourite short film under 5 minutes from this year’s short film competition programme to join their coveted catalogue. The winning director will receive £4000, as well as the chance of the film being aired on Channel 4.

    Other attractions include walking tours, parties, a typically eclectic screening programme of previews and rediscoveries, and popular family strand Colour Box.

    Eye-popping 3-D Design revamp
    You may have noticed the jazzy new colours adorning Flatpack’s logo. This dashing new look is part of the festival’s new and improved identity; a memorable makeover to commemorate the Flatpack’s grand entrance into double figures. A timelapse photoshoot for the three dimensional logo, made from pieces of coloured wood, can be viewed at http://flatpackfestival.org.uk/2016/01/design-revamp/

  • Interview With Dana Ivgy Talks About Next To Her

    I sat down to talk to Dana Ivgy about her incredible performance in Next To Her, vulnerability both on and off the screen and what she looks in the roles she chooses.

    This film works so well because of the sparse narrative and incredible cinematography. Given that the character Gabby is mentally challenged the majority of the communication between her and Chelli is down through gestures and noises. Also the film is based on the real life experience of Liron Ben-Shlush whose sister is mentally disabled and who was the inspiration of the Gabby character. Her husband Asaf Korman directed this film with a lightness of touch. The script is wonderful in so far as you are torn between understanding the strain Chelli must be going through and her need for release and love. This is coupled with her fierce, almost primal, protection of Gabby that inadvertently stops Gabby from growing. Even in the moments where Chelli is calling Gabby a moron and fatso you can almost feel the love radiating from the screen. There are so many themes running through this film: shame, vulnerability, love, intimacy, trust, respect and all are carefully explored and developed. This all leads to the final powerful scene that will play on your mind for days if not weeks after seeing the film.

    This is the best film I have seen in 2016 – well written, good direction that allowed the actresses to act and space for the audience to take it all in and draw their own conclusions. A must see!

    Next To Her was released on 11 March.

  • Review: Next To Her

    Next To Her is an absorbing, tour de force from director Asaf Korman with an incredible and unforgettable performance by Dana Ivgy as Gabby.

    Next To Her is about two sisters Chelli and Gabby and their special relationship due to the fact that Gabby is mentally disabled and Chelli cares for her. The two of them live together and Chelli is Gabby’s sole carer. Yet when Chelli falls in love with a man the special relationship between the sisters is tested that leads to unforeseen consequences.

    Dana Ivgy gives a spellbinding and arresting performance as the mentally disabled sister of Chelli (Liron Ben-Shlush) in this Israeli film that gives a convincing portrayal of what life is like with a mentally disabled family member. Her performance is so realistic that I thought she actually was an actress with special needs. She is not. Her performance will astound and hopefully provoke a reaction to make you think about the ways we consider the needs of those with mental disabilities.

    This film works so well because of the sparse narrative and incredible cinematography. Given that the character Gabby is mentally challenged the majority of the communication between her and Chelli is down through gestures and noises. Also the film is based on the real life experience of Liron Ben-Shlush whose sister is mentally disabled and who was the inspiration of the Gabby character. Her husband Asaf Korman directed this film with a lightness of touch. The script is wonderful in so far as you are torn between understanding the strain Chelli must be going through and her need for release and love. This is coupled with her fierce, almost primal, protection of Gabby that inadvertently stops Gabby from growing. Even in the moments where Chelli is calling Gabby a moron and fatso you can almost feel the love radiating from the screen. There are so many themes running through this film: shame, vulnerability, love, intimacy, trust, respect and all are carefully explored and developed. This all leads to the final powerful scene that will play on your mind for days if not weeks after seeing the film.

    This is the best film I have seen in 2016 – well written, good direction that allowed the actresses to act and space for the audience to take it all in and draw their own conclusions. A must see!

    Next To Her was released on 11 March.

  • Polish Up On Polish Greats At KINOTEKA 2016

    Wednesday 2 March marked the launch of KINOTEKA 2016 now in its 14th year showcasing the best of Polish cinema and BRWC was invited along.

    KINOTEKA Polish film festival 2016 will run from 7 to 28 April. In all great film traditions it will show new releases interspersed with screenings of great masters of Polish cinema – Possession by Andrez Zulawski – a must see, talks and workshops. What’s wonderful about KINOTEKA is that it showcases Polish creativity on the small screen as well as the big screen. There will be a screening of an episode of Treme currently available on HBO. It is written by another Polish creative titan: Agnieszka Holland who will be at the festival to take part in a Q+A led by The Guardian’s Mark Lawson! If that wasn’t exciting enough the festival will close with a screening of Goodbye See You Tomorrow followed by a swing dance party with live music from the Mazolewski Quintet!

    The festival will be opened with a screening of the latest film by one of the titan’s of Polish cinema Jerzy Skolimowski. His latest film is 11 Minutes and after the screening he will be there in person to take part in the Q+A.

    What’s the film about? Watch the trailer to discover more:

    Looking through the programme, I am certainly excited to see 11 Minutes as well as Strange Heaven a very relevant and timely piece about a Polish family that emigrates to Sweden. There are also some very interesting documentaries being screened but will I be able to cram everything in that I want to see!

    The screenings and workshops will take place in venues across London and with such an expansive and eclectic mixture of screenings and events there will be something to suit everyone’s taste.

    Here’s the programme.

    KINOTEKA runs from 7 to 28 April 2016.

  • The BRWC Review: Truth

    Can you ever truly tell the real story, the truth, in a totally unbiased way? That is the basis of the new film aptly called Truth which attempts to tell the backstory of the 2004 CBS 60 minutes episode examining the truth of the then incumbent President George W Bush’s military service and the storm and repercussions of a less than thorough research by the production team led by Mary Mapes. At the end of this 2 hours 5 mins film the only thing you realise is the truth is which ever line of the divide you stand on.

    Truth is written and directed by James Vanderbilt based on the book by Mary Mapes. She is played in this film by Cate Blanchett and veteran CBS newscaster Dan Rather by Robert Redford. In her investigation of then President George Bush’s military record as he sought re-election she’s supported by her a motley production crew of Mike Smith (Topher Grace), Lt Colonel Roger Charles (Dennis Quaid) and Lucy Scott (Elisabeth Moss).

    Here’s the truth this is a biopic focusing on Mary Mapes’s treatment by CBS with a screenplay based on a book she wrote about the whole incident. This is her truth and so in watching it you are watching her interpretation of the whole situation. Setting aside the rife sexism that was awash in news reporting at the time and her stellar work in highlighting the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners in Abu Ghraib prison. What is evident from the start was she wanted to get to the truth of George Bush’s military career as a pilot and it was somewhat of a crusade, unfinished business, if you will. In the film, Lt Col Roger Charles says to Lucy Scott that Mary had intended to produce this very story when George Bush first sought election to President of U.S.A but her mother died and so abandoned everything. Was the investigation rushed? Is the truth that Mary rushed into getting the story out without ensuring everything had been investigated: possibly. Was she scapegoated by CBS after questions started to be asked- definitely. Is the truth that news outlets focus has shifted from news and investigative journalism to ensuring they are a profitable business model and will pander to whoever is paying them the most – definitely. What is sure in calling this film Truth is setting it up for a fall that no stellar cast can save it from. Cate Blanchett comes at it with a fiery passion but in truth unless you know the whole story it is just someone’s version of events. I was left feeling that the truth will never come out and news outlets care less about telling even one jot of truth if it means it affects their bottom-line and that is a very depressing idea.

    Truth was released in cinemas on 4 March.