DVD & Digital · GFF22

DVD review: Happening (L’Evenement)

 Taking us back to 1960s Paris, the latest drama from writer and director Audrey Diwan is based upon Annie Ernaux’s autobiographical novel of the same name. Happening, or L’événement in its native tongue, follows young literature student Anne (Anamaria Vartolomei) as she attempts to bring an abrupt end to her unwanted pregnancy. During this time, abortions were illegal in France so as the weeks go by, she becomes increasingly desperate, willing to risk a prison sentence to give herself the opportunity to live the life that she wants.

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DVD & Digital · GFF22

DVD review: The Worst Person in the World

This is the third film in what’s being referred to as Joachim Trier’s ‘Oslo Trilogy’, where the acclaimed writer and director shifts his focus to tell a tale from the female perspective. Co-penned with regular screenwriting partner Eskil Vogt, romantic drama The Worst Person in the World spends four years with Julie (Renate Reinsve), a thirtysomething student who finds herself at a crossroads in life. Deciding to embark on a career in photography and a relationship with older man Aksel (Anders Danielsen Lie), the film tracks her path to self-discovery in a millennial coming-of-age story.

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DVD & Digital · GFF22

DVD review: The Ledge

Suspense is built upon an absurd premise in survival thriller The Ledge, the latest feature from director Howard J. Ford. The plot sees friends Kelly (Brittany Ashworth) and Sophie (Anaïs Parello) embark on a mountainous adventure, endeavouring to scale a notoriously difficult cliff face. On their arrival at the base, they meet a group of four ‘bros’ on their own trip, fronted by Joshua (Ben Lamb), their arrogant ringleader. Before long, the two parties congregate for drinks and debauchery over a bonfire but when events take a very dark turn, Kelly finds herself free climbing the deadly façade to outrun the boys as they desperately try to cover their tracks after an earlier attack.

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DVD & Digital · GFF22

Film review: Three Floors (Tre Piani)

Nanni Moretti is a prolific actor, writer, director, and producer who has been putting out regular work for the best part of his fifty years in the business. For the first time in his illustrious career, he is adapting someone else’s story for the big screen. His latest piece Three Floors is based upon the best-selling novel Three Stories by Eshkol Nevo, relocated from its Tel Aviv base in the original material to Rome for its cinema adaptation.

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DVD & Digital · GFF22

DVD review: Nitram

After bringing the true story of his nation’s most notorious outlaw to the big screen a couple of years ago, Aussie auteur Justin Kurzel sheds cinematic light on another deeply dark tale from down under in his latest feature. Nitram is a psychological character drama that centres around the 1996 Port Arthur massacre, a horrific mass shooting in Tasmania during which 35 people were murdered.

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DVD & Digital · GFF22

DVD review: Anaïs in Love

 Whether getting away from their problems or sprinting towards the one they love, we regularly see young women running in indie romcoms. Following in the footsteps of Greta Gerwig in Frances Ha, Alana Haim in Licorice Pizza, and Renate Reinsve in The Worst Person in the World, Anaïs Demoustier chases her tail in this charming French twist on the genre.

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DVD & Digital · GFF22

DVD review: True Things

Television writer turned feature filmmaker Harry Wootliff announced herself onto the scene with acclaimed directorial debut Only You in 2018. Returning to similar subject matter with follow-up piece True Things, she picks apart another lustful, complicated fling. Based upon the novel by poet Deborah Kay Davies, the psychological thriller plot follows reckless lost soul Kate (Ruth Wilson) as she struggles to cope with the daily grind of life.

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DVD & Digital · GFF22

Film review: Bird Atlas (Atlas Ptáku)

Writer and director Olmo Omerzu pokes fun at a crumbling family empire in his latest feature Bird Atlas, co-written with his regular collaborator Petr Pýcha. The sharp black comedy plot centres around patriarchal figure Ivo (Miroslav Donutil) who has long been at the helm of a large electronics firm. A shocking discovery within his company’s finances leads to a heart attack, so his family soon rally to show their support, including his son Martin (Martin Pechlát), first in line to inherit the business. After some investigation, all suspicions lead to Ivo’s accountant Marie (Alena Mihulová) who’s been enjoying a blossoming romance with a mysterious American soldier.

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Features · GFF22

Top 5 Must-See Movies of Glasgow Film Festival 2022

As restrictions are easing once again, Glasgow Film Festival is back, this year with a hybrid model which of course includes its online portal as well as physical screenings across the UK! Opening with Graham Moore’s tailor-made thriller The Outfit and closing with Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic’s tense family drama Murina, the festival boasts an eclectic mix of premieres and retrospectives. I’ve perused the programme to pick out five that I’ve got my eye on…

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