“Fake” is a Japanese documentary about a man called “Japan’s Beethoven”, a famous and reportedly deaf composer by the name of Mamoru Samuragochi. 18 months prior to the filming of this doc, a man by the name of Takashi Niigaki informed the Japanese press that he had been ghostwriting Samuragochi’s music and the composer wasn’t actually deaf. A media storm followed that and forced Samuragochi into seclusion and Takashi Niigaki became a minor celebrity appearing on Japanese variety shows. Filmmaker Tatsuya Mori meets with Samuragochi and his wife in their small apartment and explores Samuragochi’s sorrow, thoughts and desire to be redeemed in this intimate documentary.

“Fake” is screening at Aperture: Asia & Pacific Film Festival

When we first meet Samuragochi, director Tatsuay Mori tells him that he wants to focus on his sorrow. The disgraced man is clearly depressed and hardly leaves the small apartment that he shares with his wife and house cat. Mori starts his inquiries with a gentle touch since it is obvious that Samuragochi is a broken man. The elephant in the room that Mori subtly begins to approach is whether or not Samuragochi is in fact deaf. As a viewer who hadn’t heard of him before and not knowing any deaf person,s I would say it’s very easy to make a snap judgement that this man isn’t actually deaf. It is easy to dig up your own prejudice about disabled persons when watching this film.

Samuragochi doesn’t appear or sound handicapped in anyway. He speaks very clearly with no issues of any kind and it would be a surprise to anyone to learn he is deaf outside of the fact that his wife is interpreting for him as Mori speaks to him. The mannerisms and cues that you normally associate with deafness, which I admit is due to my own prejudice, are totally absent from Samuragochi. It’s further compounded when we meet an advocate for deaf persons in the doc who speaks with an inflection that signals to the viewer that he is probably deaf. All these issues as a viewer made me think about the prejudice that disabled person’s face on a daily basis and is a credit to Mori’s approach with this subject matter.

Director Tatsuya Mori does a very interesting job exploring the issues that surround the composer. He takes a very respectful approach with this story. The film is almost two hours long and there are a number of shots that linger on him as he thinks about his situation and reflects on the past disgrace he suffered. Mori does a wonderful job balancing the film’s three big questions: is Samuragochi really deaf, is he done as a composer and can he make a comeback? The way he intertwines these questions in the time we spend with him is expertly balanced. The film does get to the big question eventually but does so in a way I wasn’t expecting. So this surprise was very interesting even though the movie doesn’t manage to answer all the questions you may have, which I think serves to make the doc stronger instead of laying everything out in black and white.

Technically, the doc suffers quite a bit. It isn’t unusual for docs of this type to be shot on a shoe string budget but it bothered me that a lot of the footage with Samuragochi is badly lit. This film was likely shot on a DSLR and may have been a cheap one since the picture quality is often grainy and very muddy. The apartment where the most of the doc is shot is very dark and some natural window light would have helped a lot here. Samuragochi complains that bright light hurts his eyes and he is often wearing sunglasses inside the apartment so perhaps that is why the film is so badly lit.

This documentary isn’t as deep a look at the lives of two people as something like “Cutie and the Boxer”, nor are its subjects as compelling. It is the larger story of the scandal and how the film allows us to look from inside out to the world that Samuragochi has imprisoned himself in. Yes, the Japanese media appear cruel in this film and humiliating him seems to be one of their goals in order to increase the profile of the story and in turn their own viewership. Mori’s direction brings us in very close to Samuragochi and lets us decide for ourselves on whether or not he really is deaf. Can he continue his work as a music composer after being apart of this possibly unjustified smear campaign? Samuragochi does admit to working with Takashi Niigaki and that doesn’t help his case.

If you enjoy docs that focus closely on their subject, even though we are often left wondering what the main character is thinking, you will enjoy this one.

“Never forget me.”
“Of course not.”
“Make sure you don’t.”

Watch This Title

Unlike any other genre, horror offers perhaps one of the most unique keys to the human psyche, especially human fears. Leading back to Romanticist poets and authors, the disruption of the human sphere and the supernatural has always proven to be a link to social phobias and trauma. Logically, horror does not need to follow the rules based on reality, which is interestingly – and somewhat ironically – an aspect readers and audiences sometimes expect the genre to do. Living through  the notions of the narrative with the obligatory “I would never go there.” or “Don’t go into the basement.” is part of the excitement, but also the various criticisms of how a story could never happen like this.

However, this is not what horror is supposed to. According to Japanese screenwriter Konaka Chiaki, who wrote the script for Shinya Tsukamoto’s “Marebito” (2004), real-life terror does not follow any sensible rules, and neither should horror. “Terror is absurd” he states, and most horror narratives do not follow the principle of causality or over-explaining their characters or their plot. Perhaps this is the reason so many Japanese horror directors refer to the cinema of directors such as Mario Bava and others, since their work rarely offers explanations rooted in reality.

For reasons such as this, directors like Kiyoshi Kurosawa remain among the most interesting directors working in film, in particular the horror genre. With a major in sociology from Rikkyo University, Tokyo Kurosawa has put what he has learned into practice within the field of film ever since his first features from the 1970s. In the 1990s, Kurosawa was finally revealed to Western audiences as a director responsible for some of the most significant entries in the field of J-horror, namely “Cure” (1997) and “Pulse” (2001).

“The Guard from Underground” already shows significant steps in the direction Kurosawa would go with the aforementioned features. Albeit having studied sociology, he clarifies how his scripts and the visuals of his films derive from other films he has watched over the years. Nevertheless, they are far from being mere exercises in intertextuality, since narrative and characters will have to prove themselves against the backdrop of his own experience. As a conclusion, Kurosawa sums up how true horror has nothing to do with change or the supernatural, but in the modern world terror derives from not changing at all.

Akiko (Makiko Kuno) begins working in Department 12, an office responsible for acquiring and selling pieces of art internationally. At the same time a new security guard, Fujimaru (Yutaka Matsushige) also has his first day on the job, but quickly arouses suspicions with his superiors because of his strange behavior. When he sees a photo of Akiko, he becomes obsessed with her, starting to stalk her and even trap her temporarily within a storage room.

Even though Akiko and other colleagues are afraid of the tall, new guard, neither Kurume (Ren Ohsugi), head of Department 12, nor Hyodo (Hatsunori Hasegawa) see any reason to act. As Fujimura’s obsession increases, he finally decides to take more drastic and violent actions to reach his goal, but also against all those standing in his way.

In one of the first interviews the homepage of Midnight Eye conducted, Kurosawa offered further insight into his approach of making films. Apart from the aforementioned aspects, film has to be a medium recording the world around you as well as the kind of values an individual embraces. The way these values oppress and define a character has been one of the foundations of his approach to film from the start.

Considering “The Guard from Underground”, this approach already shows itself in the first minutes Akiko sets foot into the offices of Department 12. Although dealing with items of beauty highlighting individuality, these issues have become lost in the competition with others reducing the way art is seen to mere monetary value. The characters, however, have applied this formula to the individual as a whole with one of her colleagues, Yoshioka (Taro Suwa), comparing art’s change of worth to a woman’s changing beauty. Perhaps the best example is Hyodo, boss of Human Resources, who cynically evaluates employees as “trash” and without any lasting worth to the company.

Aesthetically, “The Guard from Underground” already showcases some of the aspects which will define Kurosawa’s cinema, especially the entries within the field of horror. The action is limited to the office building with varying uses of lighting, from unnaturally bright areas like the offices of Department 12 to the murky rooms of the guards. With the absence or presence of light, the influence of the supernatural, the evil entity, in this case Fujimura is emphasized, a character whose actions slowly transform the surroundings into a hellish place.

Additionally, Kenichi Negishi’s supports the slow transformation of the artificial office environment into the killing ground of the guard. Sparse use of close-ups combined with medium shots, underlines the characters as products of this place, providing a feeling of growing terror and despair, of being trapped. Ironically, even before this transformation, Kurosawa’s film shows very little of the outside world, most of it observed through an office window or from an elevated view making people look like insects.

Lastly, the music composed by Yuichi Kishino and Midori Okamura provides a nice dreamlike canvas for the film. Especially within the in-medias-res opening, the use of music adds a surreal tone to the atmosphere of Kurosawa’s film.

“The Guard from Underground” is a film which shows many of the later trademarks of Kiyoshi Kurosawa’ brand of horror. Great cinematography, magnificent music and lighting will likely find admirers among those fond of J-horror and atmospheric films in general. Of course, in comparison to later works this film has many flaws, missed opportunities, especially since its last half is too much embedded within the conventions of slasher. However, the film holds more than just a promise, and within Kurosawa’s body of work it is a small, but significant piece of work.

Sources:
1) D., Spence (2011) Interview with Director Kiyoshi Kurosawa
http://www.ign.com/articles/2001/08/23/interview-with-director-kiyoshi-kurosawa, last accessed on: 06/16/2018

2) Choi, Jinhee; Wada-Marciano, Mitsuyo (2009) Horror to the Extreme. Changing Boundaries in Asian Cinema. Hong Kong University Press

3) Mes. Tom (2001) Interview with Kiyoshi Kurosawa
http://www.midnighteye.com/interviews/kiyoshi-kurosawa/, last accessed on: 06/16/2018

Presented as a children’s movie, while in reality a heart-breaking drama, “Bhasmasur”: is a very interesting film that highlights the hardships of contemporary life in India, as much as the rural beauties of Rajasthan.

“Bhasmasur” runs as part of the 9th edition of the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival, that runs at 15 cinemas, across London, Birmingham and Manchester, from 21st June to 1st July, with 27 films, including features and short films, in competition. It is the largest South Asian film festival in Europe. Buy your tickets via this website, at respective cinema box offices: http://londonindianfilmfestival.co.uk/

Bhasmasur is actually a donkey, whom 10-year-old Tipu treats like a member of his family and a friend. Tipu lives with his father Dhaanu, a man considered a thief by the locals, his little sister Gunni, and his widowed aunt, with the family surviving in the borders of impoverishment. One night, Dhaanu returns from the city during the night to avoid the local moneylender Boora. Unfortunately, he is soon discovered, with Booca’s men threatening to kill him unless he gives them the money he owes. Having no alternative, he decides to go to the city and sell Bhasmasur, taking Tipu with him, since the kid is the only one the donkey obeys. During the trip, Tipu tries to make his father change his mind, but eventually their time together turns their travels into an opportunity for bonding between father and son, as they experience a number of adventures. The end, however, takes a much more dramatic turn than anyone expected.

Nishil Seth directs a film that takes a very basic premise, in order to present a number of social messages, regarding the current situation in India, and particularly the circumstances in the remote areas of Rajasthan. The situation of the family is the basis of this concept, as Sheth highlights the fact that they are dirt poor, to the point that father and son rarely even speak, in the former’s futile effort to make some money. Their situation is presented in the cruelest fashion during a discussion between the father and his sister, where his raw but inevitable pragmatism comes to the fore, as much as during the finale.

On a secondary level, the film functions as a coming-of-age movie, again in the cruelest way, since the bonding of father and son, which includes the two of them getting to know each other, and a number of moments where Tipu is really happy, ends with a the harsh realization of how unfair life can be.

Lastly, and on a third level, the film works as a road movie, with this aspect highlighting Shrish Tomar’s exceptional cinematography, who presents a number of images of extreme beauty in the area, with the ones in the river, the sunset and the final one being the most memorable.

Mittal Chouhan as Tipu is quite convincing in portraying his character’s frustration, as much as his longing for love from his father and his hopeful nature. Imran Rashedd as Dhaanu is impressive as a man cornered by life to a place he cannot escape. Their chemistry is also great, while their performances reach their apogee in a number of intimate moments and during the finale.

“Bhasmasur” is a visually impressive film that manages to make a rather harsh but realistic comment through a combination of artfulness and pragmatism.

“…And the spirit of God acted upon the water.” (from the Book of Genesis)

Water is at the core of many belief systems, especially considering most of their rituals and traditions are based on the element. With springs and wells being the goal of many pilgrimages, water is strongly connected to faith, spirituality and a sense of originality. For author Anna Bond (as quoted by Phylameana Iila Desy) water is “the common denominator” uniting us all, even beyond the borders of belief and faith.

From the tradition of christening a child to a ritual ablution, water has always been linked with time and transition. Consequently, oceans and lakes, images of the sea imply a connection with the transcendent, the metaphysical. Naturally, water is believed to have a healing power, apart from the act of cleaning for which we use it for every day. Many cultures have a long traditions of water healers, a task which has been handed over from generation to generation, and one which has become essential for many communities.

However, the notion of the water healer feels outdated. With many people abandoning any thought of the metaphysical in their lives, water remains nothing but a resource to be used (or exploited) within their daily lives. For Georgian director Zaza Khalvashi the concept plays a central role in his film “Namme” as it constitutes a transition between tradition and modernity, he mentions in an interview during the Las Palmas Film Festival.

At the same time, Georgian cinema experiences a similar transition, it seems. Apart from the government funding the domestic film industry, so far the reception “Namme” has seen, proves audiences are eager to see a more “poetic cinema” from his country. According to Khalvaski Georgian cinema has always been “modern and progressive”, open-minded towards new ideas which highlighted the changing landscape of the world.

“Namme” is screening at Aperture: Asia & Pacific Film Festival

Namme (Mariska Diasamidze) lives with her father Ali (Aleko Abashidze) in a remote Georgian village in the midst of the countryside. Ali has been a water healer for many years, hoping his sons and his daughter will eventually take over this significant task within the village community.

However, his three sons have developed in different directions, seeking a certain distance from the beliefs of their father. While one has become a mullah (Roman Bolkvadze), the other became a priest (Ednar Bolkvadze) observing the building of a church in town. The final one (Roin Surmanidze) is the only teacher in town, dedicated to philosophy and his profession.

Since Namme is the only one willing to take over from her father and become a healer, Ali prepares her for this responsibility. But the experience of the outside world, her discovery of the kind of life she is about to commit herself to, leads her into a deep crisis.

In an interview about the film, Khalvashi expressed how “Namme” is a film not focused on characters too much, but rather showing them within the environment they live in. Shot in the highlands of Adjara, in Georgia’s south-west, the setting is quite beautiful. From the very first frame of “Namme” – a rock within a mountain river – the viewer can witness this unique landscape, as well as the core themes of change and time. However, as the water surrounding the stone slowly turns milky white, the foundation is soiled, transformed, but since the shot remains static for a few more moments, the image remains ambivalent. There is simply no way of knowing if this change is positive or not.

Interestingly, despite water being an agent of change, most of the characters seem to be immune to any kind of change. Highlighted by the long, static shots of Giorgi Shelidze’s camera, the environment seems at a standstill sometimes, as if the viewer is thrown back to an unknown, but long gone era. The omnipresent sound of water betrays the picture in a way suggesting the passing of time, while also an inevitable force of change.

Zaza Khalvashi’s film is a representative of “slow cinema”. Considering the director’s emphasis on cinema striving for poetry, not only does “Namme” manage to create astoundingly beautiful images, but also takes its time. The result is strongly reminiscent of the work of filmmakers ranging from Andrei Tarkovsky, Béla Tarr or Kim Ki-duk for its symbolic richness and patience. Besides stressing beauty and change, “Namme” achieves an almost meditative quality, fitting to its theme of spirituality.

From Ali or Namme to her three brothers, there is also a deep chasm between the world and the people. In this, case all three sons have created distance from the faith of their father, found substitutes in other beliefs or sought a permanent refuge from the restrictions of tradition and inheritance. Consequently, in a world in which passing down the task of one healer to the next in line comes as natural as the flow of water, denying this passing must have severe consequences. Hence, the discoloring of the water from the beginning.

With Namme being the only person left to take over the role as healer, to follow in her father’s footsteps and fit within the community, defines a more drastic change than she anticipated. Witnessing the change around her, for example the increasing influence of industry to the village, as well as within herself when she finds first love, following the same rituals obviously places her out of sync with herself. Mariska Diasamidze delivers a wonderful performance as a woman at odds with tradition and forced to regain some sense of balance.

“Namme” is a film of beauty, a meditation on time and change as natural forces within ourselves and our surroundings. With fantastic cinematography, this is surely a movie much in line with its director’s demand for a more “poetic cinema”. Whatever one’s stance might be on themes such as spirituality, for those still believing in the art of film, the beauty of the frame, there is simply no getting around this film.

Sources:

1) Zaza Khalvashi’s film (2017)
http://ajaratv.ge/news/en/20699/zaza-khalvashi%27s-film-.html, last accessed on: 06/21/2018

2) Zaza Khalvashi: “Namme is a film about silence” (2018)
http://www.lpafilmfestival.com/zaza-khalvashi-namme-es-una-pelicula-sobre-el-silencio/?lang=en, last accessed on: 06/21/2018

3) Sacred Healing Rituals Using Water
https://thespiritofwater.com/pages/sacred-healing-rituals-using-water, last accessed on: 06/21/2018

4) Desy, Phylameana Iila (2005) Water as a Spiritual Element
https://www.thoughtco.com/water-as-a-spiritual-element-1732492, last accessed on: 06/21/2018

From the director and scriptwriter of “100 Yen Love”, comes a rather enjoyable comedy about the world of antiques and the shenanigans of the people involved.
Norio Koike is an antique dealer and a scammer (as almost every protagonist and definitely anyone in the antique world in the film) who operates from his van along with his daughter, Imari and has a tendency to believe his horoscope. One day, upon his visit to the house of a seemingly indifferent owner of antiques, he stumbles upon a truly rare piece, and proceeds on swindling his way into owning it for a very small sum, thinking he finally has the big chance he has been waiting for years.

We Make Antiques is screening at the Toronto Japanese Film Festival

The acceptance of LGBT community is one of the most talked about issues in today’s world. And in a country like India where people are much more conservative of talking about sex and sexuality, the Tamil movie “My Son Is Gay” is a bold statement with some powerful messages. Though director Lokesh Kumar kept the debatable narrative inside the four walls of a house only,  the movie is unique with a thought provoking story line.

“My Son is Gay” runs as part of the 9th edition of the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival, that runs at 15 cinemas, across London, Birmingham and Manchester, from 21st June to 1st July, with 27 films, including features and short films, in competition. It is the largest South Asian film festival in Europe. Buy your tickets via this website, at respective cinema box offices: http://londonindianfilmfestival.co.uk/

Lakshmi is a school principal and Varun’s mother. The two are very close as Lakshmi brought up her son as a single mother after her husband’s early demise. But at the time of adolescence, Varun understands that he is attracted more to male masculinity than females. In quest of his sexuality, Varun meets Dr. Ram who introduces him to his son Karthik , who is gay. The bonding and the love story between Varun and Karthik grows with time and Lakshmi rejects the relationship after she comes to know that her son is a homosexual. The movie revolves around the relationship between mother and son and a proposes a debate between ignorance and acceptance.

Anupama Kumar as Lakshmi is brilliant in the movie. Her character goes through many shades in the narrative and she portrays those superlatively.  Ashwinjith as Varun is impressive and depicts his emotions convincingly. The film has been shot at Malabar Cove in Kannur, North Kerala and Rathina Kumar’s cinematography is aesthetically poised. The director has exploited the beauty of the sea and blue in many intense scenes and those are beautifully captured, blending with the pace of the movie. Dani Charles’s editing and Santhan Anebajagane’s music is timely and live up to the expectations.

“My Son Is Gay” is a movie that upholds many statements about the acceptance of LGBT community in our society, but also portrays society’s actual opinion on the subject. There are three conversations, one between Lakshmi and Varun, second between Lakshmi and Gopi and the third between Maya and Lakshmi that upholds the debates that the narrative throws towards the audience and the society.

“My Son Is Gay” has a difficult narrative to handle and director Lokesh Kumar does a brilliant job of portraying his thoughts aesthetically. The vastness of the sea has been shown as a metaphor for acceptance in many scenes, beautifully. Lokesh Kumar must have a target audience in mind and shot a movie that stimulates our thoughts, packed with many timely and strong statements.

The first film by a woman after the fall of the Taliban regime, and Afghanistan’s submission for the foreign-language Oscar, is an extremely pointy production that deals with the inconsistencies of the Afghan legal system, which lingers between Islamic, statutory and customary rules, as it presents the issues women face in the country, through a genuinely feminist view.

“A Letter to a President” is screening at Aperture: Asia & Pacific Film Festival

Now in its 12th year, JAPAN CUTS continues to grow as the largest festival of contemporary Japanese cinema in North America. Bringing a wide range of the best and hardest-to-see films made in and around Japan today — from blockbusters, independent productions and anime, to documentaries, avant-garde works, short films, and new restorations — JAPAN CUTS is the place to experience Japan’s dynamic film culture in New York City. Like every year, this thrilling 10-day festival offers exclusive premieres, special guest filmmakers and stars, fun-filled parties, live music and more! Tickets are on-sale now!

The festival programmers Aiko Masubuchi, Kazu Watanabe and Joel Neville Andersonhave highlighted in a note that “perhaps most strikingly, the struggle for dignity and individual rights reverberates throughout the lineup—including LGBTQ advocacy (“Of Love & Law”), reparations for government abuse (“Sennan Asbestos Disaster”) or the plight of refugees (“Passage of Life”). Additionally, multiple films deal with the complexities of travel and cultural exchange (“Ramen Shop”, “TOURISM”, “Toward a Common Tenderness”), the disconnect between generations (“blank 13”, “Dream of Illumination”, “Side Job”) and the desire to imagine a different world (“Amiko”, “KUSHINA, what will you be”, “Night is Short”, “Walk On Girl|)”.

While the varying topics in these films hold regional and cultural specificity to Japan, it’s impossible not to connect them to what is going on in New York and beyond. Cinema allows for the visceral exchange of ideas, and a film festival like JAPAN CUTS provides unique opportunities for cross-cultural dialog and mutual understanding by linking filmmakers with audiences through screenings, Q&As and parties that celebrate artistic expression.

The Year’s Special Guests

• Kirin Kiki (“Mori”, “The Artist’s Habitat”, “Still Walking”) who will receive the CUT ABOVE Award for Outstanding Performance in Film
• Akio Fujimoto (“Passage of Life”)
• Kazuo Hara (”Sennan Asbestos Disaster”)
• Moët Hayami (“KUSHINA, what will you be”)
• Tomona Hirota (“KUSHINA, what will you be”, “YEAH”)
• Eric Khoo (“Ramen Shop”)
• Kazuyuki Kitaki (“Dream of Illumination”)
• Sachiko Kobayashi (”Sennan Asbestos Disaster”)
• Shunsuke Kubozuka (“Hanagatami”)
• Kaori Oda (“Toward a Common Tenderness”)
• Takumi Saitoh (“blank 1”, “Ramen Shop”)
• Shinsuke Sato (“BLEACH”)
• Thunder Sawada (“Dream of Illumination”)
• Yohei Suzuki (“YEAH”)
• Yuya Takagawa (“Dream of Illumination”)
• Hikaru Toda (“Of Love & Law”)
• Yoko Yamanaka (“Amiko”)
• Elisa Yanagi (“YEAH”)
• Keisuke Yoshida (“Thicker Than Water”)
• Nao Yoshigai (“Across the Water”, “Breathing House”, “Stories floating on the wind”)

Full Schedule

THURSDAY, JULY 19

Ramen Shop

FRIDAY, JULY 20

Of Love & Law

blank 13

Violence Voyager

SATURDAY, JULY 21

Born Bone Born

Dream of Illumination

Last Winter, We Parted

Passage of Life

Night is Short, Walk On Girl

SUNDAY, JULY 22

We Make Antiques!

Toward a Common Tenderness

Side Job

Sennan Asbestos Disaster

TUESDAY, JULY 24

Yocho (Foreboding)

Call Boy

WEDNESDAY, JULY 25

KUSHINA, what will you be

Radiance

THURSDAY, JULY 26

Mori, The Artist’s Habitat

FRIDAY, JULY 27

Still Walking

Empty Orchestras and the Speed of Your Voice

Abnormal Family

SATURDAY, JULY 28

Tremble All You Want

Thicker than Water

Outrage Coda

BLEACH

SUNDAY, JULY 29

Dear Etranger

Amiko

TOURISM

Hanagatami

The family drama has always been one of the flagships of Japanese cinema, with local filmmakers having perfected a style that was initiated in the 50’s and was established in its current form through the films of Hirokazu Koreeda. “Goodbye, Grandpa” follows these lines, closely.

Goodbye Grandpa is screening at the Toronto Japanese Film Festival

Unmissable and compelling this brave Maori sisterhood movie is a precious occasion to feel the force coming from a community that is often neglected, and not just in terms of cinematic visibility.

The film was released last summer in New Zealand with the aid of the New Zealand Film Commission and was picked up straight away by the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival. It has consequently generated a buzz and is making its way within the festival circuit.

“Waru” is screening at Aperture: Asia & Pacific Film Festival

Some explanations are needed. “Waru” is the collective effort of 8 (actually 9 as one is a joined work) woman Maori filmmakers who were asked by producers Kerry Warkia and Kiel McNaughton to follow a set of strict rules; their 8 short films had to be shot in one single take of exactly 10 minutes, in real time, all set at 10am of the day of a specific event and had to have a female Maori lead. Far from gimmicky, the result is a powerful and necessary battle cry.

Waru is also the Maori word for Eight and here it’s the name of a child, dead in the hand of his abusive caregiver, and whose tangi (funeral) is the event at the centre of the movie. The eight episodes revolve around the tragic event, some more peripherally than others, and they narrate the people, the communities, the layered environment and the social circumstances that have impacted and marginalised the boy and his family; as Waru’s soul whispers: “When I died I saw the whole world”. In other words, it is a vibrant representation of an intersectional framework.

Each movie is named after its lead character.

Charm (Tanea Heke) – by Briar Grace-Smith – is a strong community woman, an Auntie, whose past re-emerges in the unsettling circumstances of Waru’s funeral.

Anahera (Roimata Fox) by Casey Kaa – is one of the teachers of Waru’s primary school, struggling with guilt. She feels on her shoulders the sin of non-interference that the whole community has committed.

Mihi (Ngapaki Moetara) – by Ainsley Gardiner – is an isolated single mum on the DPB  (social welfare payment in New Zealand) whose worries and poverty risk to turn her into an abuser herself but is rescued by a simple display of empathy.

Em (Awahina Rose Ashby) – by Katie Wolfe – is a young woman who realises substance abuse mixed with motherhood is a recipe for disaster.

Ranui (Kararaina Rangihau) – by Chelsea Cohen – is Waru’s kuia (grandmother) and is determined to ease Waru’s wairua (soul) in his transition into the afterlife but she will have to confront the other kuia in this compelling ancestral ritual “a bone for a bone”.

Kiritapu (Maria Walker) – by Renae Maihi – is labelled a “good” Maori in the TV station where she works as a reporter but she feels it’s time to speak her mind.

Mere (Acacia Hapi) – by Paula Jones – is a survivor, a minute teenage girl who finds in her Grandmother’s tokotoko stick, the power of the ancestors and the courage to confront her giant enemy.

Titty & Bash (Amber Cureen & Miriama McDowell) – by Awanui Simich-Pene – are two sisters on a mission and a metaphore of the two sides in all of us, instinct and fear, constantly fighting each other but also facilitating each other. Together they will get what they want.

Despite the shared guidelines, each film has a distinctive personality and yet at the same time the result is an organic narrative that starts with sorrow and finishes with action, going through guilt, acceptance, struggle and rebellion. All the protagonists women are completely exposed by the intense and unforgiving camera work and give some incredibly skilled and passionate performances.

Violence towards women and children, abuse and neglect – often resulting in death – are a significant problem in New Zealand. Here and there in the movie there are mentions of the old common place that all this violence stems from the Maori “we were warriors” attitude; it is playing on the stereotype and on an ingrained habit of diverting the blame but these titular women are indeed warriors. The film ends with Bash breaking the so-called «fourth wall» and looking straight into your soul; what looks like a call for war is actually a resonant invite to expose and discuss an urgent and complex subject matter and to pinpoint collective liability.

It is powerful, thought provoking and necessary film-making.

An ethnic group located in Myanmar, the Rohingya have been migrating across the region in significant numbers since the 1970s .They were forced to flee from their land under heavy pressure by the government. Most of the Rohingya took shelter in neighbour country Bangladesh while some of them took riskier routes to save their lives; using fishing boats they crossed seas with hardly any water or food to reach Australia.

In the last few years, before the latest crisis, thousands of Rohingya made the perilous journeys out of Myanmar to escape violence and abuses by the security forces. The community – often referred to as “Boat People” – has been described by the United Nations and others as one of the most persecuted people in the world.

Filmmaker Imran Firdaus explores the traumatic journey, the brutality suffered to stay alive and the survivor’s memories of a lost land in this observational and poetic short documentary.

One of the finest genre directors in the Philippines, Rico Maria Ilarde started producing horror fare from an early age with his earliest efforts appearing in the 1980s. By the time he started in on his third directorial performance, he had started to find his style which includes mixing elements of horror, action, romance and fantasy elements which are quite profound in ‘Ang Babaeng putik,’ or what was released internationally as ‘Woman of Mud.’

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With hidden ambitions of being a horror novelist, Mark (Carlos Morales) sets out to find an abandoned shack in the countryside in order to finally start in on the career. In his quest to write a story that will showcase his talents, a true horror invades his private life in the form of a beautiful, goddess-like woman named Sally (Klaudia Koronel) who mysteriously emerges from inside a giant fruit. Little does he know that what appears to be a fantasy come true is actually a nightmare that becomes frighteningly real as the mysterious figure begins killing off his friends and others around him.

For the most part, this one wasn’t too bad. What really works for the film is the intriguing and enjoyable storyline, involving the appearance of the fictional creature. This is a common enough storyline that has appeared numerous other times involving a figure unwittingly summoning something malicious to destroy him through a ceremonial setup. While utilizing that storyline, the film generates the kind of old-school morality scares that’s usually associated with someone slowly being overwhelmed by the oncoming horror of the newcomer in his life. As he slowly comes around to the idea of who he’s really hanging out with, that drives the film’s strong horror scenes of the creature taking out his friends and others around him. From the seductions of the different friends, to the transformation sequence in the woods, to showing it killing the curious local by the waterfall, this has some incredibly strong sequences. Included is the fantastic finale which includes the battle in the house with the demonic creature and a final battle in the woods which has some great action that picks this up nicely.

The cast is also a rather impressive feature. Carlos Morales as our lead Mark comes off really well as our troubled hero. Understandably whipped by the gorgeous beauty in front of him, his descent from an honest, upstanding student with a strong moral code into a devious, sex-craved recluse is a fine turn and sells this nicely. Klaudia Koronel as the human form of the creature, nicknamed Sally, gives a decidedly one-note role as the mute figure, whose nude ninety-percent of her screen time. She’s asked to be seductive or secretive which is fine for this type of role without much to do or clothes on for her role. The other big role here is Joanne Miller as Maite, the sweet neighbor who gets caught in the central romance. She’s a genuinely sweet presence that’s seemingly a perfect match, yet gets thrown to the side due to the creature and the resentful nature she has in the middle is a fun counterbalance to her earlier self. Combined with the demonic creatures’ makeup and a nice amount of gore, these hold it up over the few minor flaws.

Among the film’s biggest flaws is a wholly disjointed and chaotic storyline that has way too many ideas in place. The opening here goes on way too long with just getting him to the central shack which could’ve been handled more economically. Afterward, his writers’ block consists of him laying around the cabin fixing up broken parts or sitting around staring at nothing. Coupled with a romance of the neighbors’ daughter and the utterly unneeded storyline about the rebel soldiers hanging around, these issues simply cause the film to run on far longer than necessary and hold it back from what it could’ve been. There’s no reason for this one to even introduce the fictional woman until the forty-five minute mark, and to then go until nearly the hour point for her to even get birthed as the plot brings these features out far later in the running time.

Aside from the pacing, the other really troubling issue is the low-budget look of the movie. While this maintains a naturalistic look with its remote woodland village where it’s set, the fact remains that it is still not blessed with all that much of a budget. Many of the in-camera tricks, from the mirror gags and the different hunting scenes where they’re out in the forest looking on over the shack, are all rather obviously done on the cheap in a real location. The small cast also doesn’t help much since we don’t get all that many people involved which furthers the whole low-budget feel. However, it’s all setup by the actual monster costume which looks really weak and distracting the more it’s on-screen which is thankfully kept to a few brief snippets yet doesn’t diminish the fact that it looks quite hokey. These issues here keep the movie down.

As the production comes off with a sense of fun and not too many flaws overall, this is certainly a decent enough Philippino horror effort. Give ‘Woman of Mud’ a chance if it sounds like it might appeal to you or are curious about exploring the country’s genre fare, while those who are somewhat put off by the flaws should heed caution.

Directors: Art Camacho, Robert Samuels (co-director)
Produced By:
Robert Jefferson – Associate Producer
Shing Ka – Producer
Gine Lui – Producer
Robert Samuels – Producer
Mark V Wiley – Executive Producer
Writer: Mark V. Wiley
Cast: Tony Sirico, Jay Kwon, Tony Darrow, William DeMeo, Raymond J. Barry, Lo Meng, Vincent Pastore, James Lew, Joseph D’Onofrio, Hwang Jang Lee, Robert Samuels, Chuck Zito

https://madeinchinatownmovie.com/

Made In Chinatown has all the ingredients to make a huge impact when released this November with Directors Art Camacho and Robert Samuels bringing us a film which faces the Chinese gangs against the Italians. The movie is set around the divide between Little Italy and Chinatown, Canal street. Illegal smuggling of herbs and oils make tensions run high between the Chinese and Italians and the end result is a bloody one.

Tony Sirico plays the Don of Dons, Vincenzo Cento from Sicili. A fued between Mob bosses Al Capella (New York) and Amadore Condimento (Brooklyn) means he has to return to sort things out. The cast and crew for the movie is a dream one, Tony Sirico (Sopranos) playing The Don, Vincent Pastore (Sopranos, Tony Darrow (Goodfellas), Raymond J. Barry (Dead Man Walking), William DeMeo (Gotti), to Martial Art Cinema legends such as Hwang Jang Lee, Lo Meng and Robert Sameuls.

Made In ChinaTown also has Emmy Winning Action Coordinator James Lew on board, who has worked on movies such as Big Trouble In Little China, Get Smart, Rush Hour 3 to TV series like Luke Cage and Conan.

Plot:
In New York City, Canal Street divides Little Italy and Chinatown, and a bridge separates Manhattan from Brooklyn. But this doesn’t stop a turf war from erupting among Italian and Chinese organized crime syndicates. There’s Al Capella, Manhattan mob boss, Amador Condimento, Brooklyn mob boss, and Hung Phat, Chinatown Triad boss. They’re all involved in the illegal trafficking of oils, spices, and herbs has been around for centuries, begun by the great Italian explorer Marco Polo-and its very serious business for these crime families. Recently, they’ve been trying to move on each other’s turf and tensions are high. And when a Chinese guy named “Vinny” Chow starts poking around and tries to join the MOB (to get an Italian girl), the double-crossing begins. The title “Made in Chinatown” is a play on the phrase “Made in China” and the Italian Mafia’s notion of being “Made”) – And so, Vinny Chow literally is “Made” in Chinatown.

Made In ChinaTown is sure to be on everyone’s lips, with such an amazing cast and crew, Tambull Media and R4 Films really have made everyone stand up and pay attention. R4 films over the past few years have been getting stronger and stronger, Robert Samuels and Robert Jefferson delivering great projects such as Beast, Final Contact, Jun to the amazing interview with Shaw Brothers legend Lu Feng.

If you love Action, If you love Gangster Movies, If you love Martial Art Movies, then this is the movie for you. If you feel excited by Made In ChinaTown then make sure you spread the word and let people know about it, this is going to be a big hit.

When we have more information about Made In ChinaTown, we will be the first to let you know. For now, enjoy some posters and behind the scenes pictures from Made In ChinaTown.

Source: IMDB

The London Korean Film Festival 2018 Teaser Screenings presents Isabelle Huppert and Kim Min-hee in Hong Sang-soo’s “Claire’s Camera” at Regent Street Cinema, Monday 23rd July. Tickets here.

Synopsis:

Acclaimed director Hong Sang-soo returns with another humour-inflected, conversation-led drama, this time moving from the bars of Seoul to the backstreets and beaches of Cannes Film Festival.

“Claire’s Camera” sees The Handmaiden star Kim Min-hee take the role of a film-sales assistant abruptly dismissed from her job, right in the middle of the festival. Having been given only the vaguest reason for dismissal by her boss – a supposed lack of ‘honesty’ – the young woman is left to ruminate on her situation within the film-focused atmosphere of the French town. Enter noted actress Isabelle Huppert (Elle), a holidaying music teacher with a wandering eye and an instant camera that will come to connect the dots between the wronged assistant, her former boss, and the film director at the heart of the friction.

The unique production of Claire’s Camera had shooting take place on location in Cannes just as the festival’s 2016 edition was beginning. Filmed around the hectic schedules of lead actresses Kim Min-hee and Isabelle Huppert, the actual marketing booth for Hong’s work was used for the set, lending a meta quality to this filmic project.

Hong, is a firm favourite of Cannes and has been a regular attendee since 1998, having had multiple films in Competition and picking up the prestigious Un Certain Regard Prize for his 2010 entry Hahaha. He’s no stranger to the London Korean Film Festival either, with his last two films The Day After and Yourself and Yours playing as the Opening and Closing films in 2017 and 2016 respectively. There’s good reason why Hong is championed by festivals and critics and whether familiar with his work or not, the languid pacing and breezy atmosphere of “Claire’s Camera” will prove as welcome relief to the bluster of the summer blockbuster season.

By Shikhar Verma

Niwatsukino Norihiro’s ‘Suffering Of Ninko’ is about sexual awakenings. A surreal, ghostly folklore and an absolutely batshit crazy mix of live action set course with exquisite animation that represents various styles of Japanese Art in the most perverse ways.

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Enmeiji temple is a shrine for Buddhist monks. The supreme master has been training all the young monks to gain ultimate virtue towards the world. Ninko (Masato Tsujioka), on the other hand, is unable to attain this ultimate nirvana when he is a constant centre of attraction for all the women (and even a few homosexual men) who are attracted to him like flies. Ninko tries his best to meditate and complete his training to be a monk, but he is being constantly allured by the thought of naked breasts and beautiful women all craving for his bodily pleasures. An encounter with a strange faceless woman in the woods only enhances his thoughts, as he starts having a secluded vision of him eluding away from women, trying very hard to resist his sexual urges.

Norihiro’s film is narrated by Qyoko Kudo, who makes the film sound like one of those Buddhist stories that explores the meaning of life and onself. Strangely so, Ninko’s life is nothing more than a bewildering array of things he doesn’t understand. He wishes to complete his training of being a monk and yet he doesn’t understand himself. As Ninko’s suffering enhances, he decides to take a journey to the mountains, where he stumbles onto a samurai and also a seductress straight out of Japenese ghost-tales. There’s a clever use of 70s sexplotation troops, which is quite evident from the occasional over-the-top background score. Soon enough, the film merges into surreal oddities and trippy visuals that, at times, are really hard to get behind.

While this partly crowd-founded debut feature boasts an impressive blend of storytelling, where Norihiro doesn’t stick to one specific genre and builds it up in a way that leaves you astonished, it doesn’t always make sense. For instance, the third act is filled with a dark tone that hints towards a man falling to the dark side while the whole journey previously initiated seemed to be about a man running away from his desires and fears. This element made me wonder what were Norihiro’s intentions towards Ninko. An experimental film like this one doesn’t really have to explain it to the viewers, but something definitely felt off there.

Having said that, the film needs to be applauded for its sheer audacity. For a film-maker who didn’t just write and directed the film, but also animated, edited and partially produced it too, “Suffering Of Ninko” is a home run. It’s one of those films that cater to a specific niche of audiences who will definitely hail it as a cult in the making. On the other hand, Niwatsukino Norihiro gets an instant approval for his vision and creativity which hints that bigger things are in store for him.

Another tribute to the Hong Kong vampire movies of the 80s, this version is more like ‘Ghostbusters’ in which a team of street cleaners goes against not only a young female vampire, but also a very powerful elderly one.

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A young orphan student Tim Cheung gets recruited into Hong Kong’s special brunch of the cleaning department in which the cleaners don’t clean the streets but go after vampires instead. As it turns out, Tim’s parents used to work in the same department as vampire hunters. Tim’s mother was bitten by a vampire and consequently resulted in Tim being immune to vampire infection.

One night, under a new blood moon, two vampires were resurrected, one in the form of a young female and the other, her more powerful landlord. Tim is supposed to kill her, but falls in love with her instead, names her Summer, keeps her in his tiny apartment and a relationship begins to develop. Summer was buried as a funerary object with her landlord when he died. In fact, the Chinese title of this movie translates as ‘street cleaner saves a vampire’, actually deals with the romance between Tim and his vampire lover. Because of Tim’s mistake, this unusual team of street cleaners now has to face the most fearsome creature they’ve ever encountered.

What makes VCD so watchable and fun is the clever inclusion of a few Hong Kong cinema veterans. For a start, we have Lo Mang, who plays Tai Gau-keoi, VCD’s weapon specialist. Anyone who watches Shaw Brothers movies will recognize Lo Mang for his role in “The Five Deadly Venoms”, and “Kid with the Golden Arm”. While it’s a pleasure to see him on the big screen again, it’s a pity that he is not given a chance to show his kung fu skill here.

Next up, we have Chin Siu-ho, from the original 80s vampire movies series and he shines as VCD’s main fighter Chau, who teaches Tim the ways to fight vampires. Chung, the director of VCD is played by Richard Ng, another veteran of the “Lucky Stars” comedy series. Yuen Cheung-yan, Yuen Woo-ping’s brother, plays a Taoist priest, Master Old Ginger. For Hong Honk cinema fans, this opportunity of seeing all these actors sharing the screen together is sure to put a smile on their faces.

The VCD intern, Tim Cheung is played by Baby John Choi, a name I still have to get used to. The young female vampire Summer, is played by Malaysian singer, Lin Min-chen. These two young actors are adequate as human and vampire lovers and they provide most of the movie’s funny moments. Interestingly, Lin has no spoken lines as the female hopping vampire so she just expresses herself through gestures and body language. However, the romance bits do go on a bit too long; luckily both these young actors are quite charismatic to watch.

VCD retains most of the trademark of the old vampire movies, the hopping vampire, or ‘gong si’ in his traditional outfit, Taoist priest, mythology, supernatural elements and a young hero who saves the day. The main difference is in the much improved CGI, animation and makeup effects which actually help to make the movie more dynamic and exciting. There is even a training sequence where Chau teaches Tim using the sweeping floor technique present in many martial arts movies. After all VCD is a homage to the 80s Hong Kong cinema.

To sum up, VCD is a good combination of old and contemporary Hong Kong horror comedy with better special effects and lovable characters. It doesn’t hit the right notes all the time, especially in the romance between Tim and Summer and some of the jokes do fall flat. However, despite its shortcomings, it’s entertaining and a fun little ride.

Louie Psihoyos’s “The Cove” was a shuttering documentary, which painted the whaling practices of the Taiji village in the bleakest of colors, particularly through one of the scenes close to the ending, that showed the fishermen butchering tens of dolphins after having trapped them in a small cove. Its impact was so enormous, that the documentary received an Oscar and turned world interest towards the fishing village and its inhabitants. However, it was also a source of great controversy, particularly regarding the portrayal of the Japanese people. Megumi Sasaki’s purpose was to mend this “injustice” by portraying the historic and material conditions that contributed to local whaling practice and in general, to present the other side in this matter.

“A Whale of A Tale” will open theatrically in New York on Friday, August 17 (The Quad) and Los Angeles on Friday, August 24 (Laemmle Music Hall) with a nationwide release to follow.

In that fashion, the documentary explains the contemporary history of whaling in the country after the Second World War, which was actually encouraged by the US, and was even advertised as the solution of the then food shortage issues Japan faced. Furthermore, it shows the personal lives of the whalers, most of which had this occupation forever and do not know anything else to do, as it also gets into their homes and in the museum and school of the area, where some children of Taiji talk about how they perceive the practice.

The activists and their fight against whaling is also shown, but this time is on the background, while a new side is presented, the one of the people standing in the middle of the dispute, trying to mediate between the two opposing sides. Jay Alabaster, an American journalist that has been living in Taiji since 2010, is the key figure in this category, as the documentary shows his research on the matter that even has him interviewing an elderly Japanese activist, and his relationship with the locals, who consider him one of their own. Through these images, Sasaki takes a completely different approach towards the inhabitants of the area, who are presented as victims of a dispute they do not understand, as she also exemplifies the fact that the activists have the social media on their side in order to form public opinion, of which the fishermen are almost completely ignorant.

Sasaki also makes two very important points. The first one is the main reason for the impasse between the two sides, which is a very basic one, since the activists consider the whales and the dolphins as organisms that can think and feel, while the whalers simply as fish. This impasse is presented quite eloquently in a joint press conference of the two sides, including the Mayor of the area. The second point is the main reason (apart from the traditions that is) behind the continuing fishing of the whales, despite the failing market and the few benefits of the profession: sheer reaction to the outside pressure, particularly from the Americans, to quit. Jay Alabaster presents this through the aforementioned interview, where a Japanese journalist states that despite 70% of Japanese being pro-hunting, a very small percentage of them actually eat whale meat. Furthermore, her opinion is that if outside pressure would cease, Japan would probably stop the practice.

Add to these very well presented comments the great camera work, that highlights all of the aspects of the whaling and the beauties of area, and the smooth editing that connects the different kind of footage in a way that lets the film flow harmonically, and you have the backbone of a great documentary.

“A Whale of a Tale” is a great spectacle that presents the other side of a matter that was too one-sided until now, and that is where its biggest value lies.

Life is a collection of moments coming out of the aura of relationships. The relationship could be between a mother and child, father and daughter or son, husband and wife and so on. But somehow, like life, every relationship expires with time. And the thread of relationship moves on with time in a quest to fulfill its wish. Director Mostofa Sarwar Farooki portrays few of these relationship moments like an untold poetry in his classic “Doob: No Bed of Roses”.

“Doob (No Bed of Roses” runs as part of the 9th edition of the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival, that runs at 15 cinemas, across London, Birmingham and Manchester, from 21st June to 1st July, with 27 films, including features and short films, in competition. It is the largest South Asian film festival in Europe. Buy your tickets via this website, at respective cinema box offices: http://londonindianfilmfestival.co.uk/

Prominent film director from Bangladesh Javed Hasan (Irrfan Khan) falls in a new relationship with her daughter’s friend Nitu (Parno Mittra). With time, Javed marries Nitu and divorces his present wife Maya (Rokeya Prachy). Javed’s daughter Saberi (Tisha) fails to accept her father’s infidelity and decides not to keep any relation with him. The narrative moves through the subtle path of emotions to bring in the threads of relationships till life touches the final thread- death.

Irrfan Khan is a cerebral actor and produces one of his best performances in this movie. Every expression of his is perfect and blends like a stroke of brush on a canvas of thoughts. Tisha as Saberi is outstanding and her character goes through many shades of emotions in the movie. She performs brilliantly and in spite of the strong presence of Irfaan, she comes out with flying colours, scene after scene. Parno Mittra  is excellent as Nitu but  she has a much easier role to portray in this deep emotionally conflicting drama. Rokeya Prachy is quite convincing as Maya and depicts her emotional gaps with Javed flawlessly in the narrative.

There is not much of uniqueness in the storyline of the movie and so the brilliance of the director is reflected in the storytelling approach. The pace of the movie, the movement of camera with dialogues in every scene, the blending of music with the flow of the narrative has been brilliant and done with highest level of aesthetic thoughts. The movie has numerous shots with accurate detailing and it shows the brilliance of the director.  Cinematography of Sheikh Rajibul Islam is poetic and harmonizes perfectly with the script. Editing of Momin Biswas is precise and allows to keep the flow of the movie aesthetically.

“Doob: No Bed of Roses” throws many points of thought for its audience about life and relationship. The movie creates a broad spectrum for us to think and come up with own ideas rather than forcing any direct statements. It’s a different story telling approach that wins and kudos to the entire team of “Doob: No Bed of Roses” for giving us such a classical poetry on silver screen.

The first edition of Aperture: Asia & Pacific Film Festival also features a number of very interesting shorts. Here are three great samples.

Lo Sum Choe Sum (3 Year 3 Month Retreat, 2017) by Dechen Roder (20.51 minutes Bhutan)

Before “Honeygiver Among The Dogs”, Bhutanese Dechen Roder directed this short, which deals with the traditional “3 Year 3 Month Retreat” or “Lo-Sum-Choe-Sum” which is practiced by Buddhist monks, nuns and other devout practitioners. 3 years, 3 months, and 3 days is calculated as the time needed to achieve a higher state of clarity and motivation. By cutting oneself off from the world, and delving into the inner mind, the retreat is supposed to transform the practitioner.

In this case, the ritual takes a metaphoric form as Lhamo, a young woman abandons the place she used to live for three years, experiences a number of events, and then returns back to face her past.

As we watch her spending time in prison, working in a night club and returning to her hometown, Roder makes a harsh remark about the place women hold in Bhutanese society, which seems to be filled with hypocrisy and prejudice towards them, dictated by custom and ideas not belonging to the present time, at least not in non-fundamentalist societies. This trip, however, actually allows her to find the courage to face her awful past, while Roder makes another comment, this time regarding violence.

The cinematography by Jigme T Tenzing is impressive, with a number of images of extreme beauty, that also carry additional meaning, both regarding the main concepts and Lhamo’s psychological situation. The fact that Roder had her protagonist, Dechen Zangmo, silent for the most part, allow the viewer to focus on the image on the one hand, and makes her few words much more impactful on the other

“Lo Sum Choe Sum” is a very interesting short, that  highlights a number of aesthetic choices and a general style that was to be fulfilled on “Honeygiver Among The Dogs”

Adults Don’t Say Sorry (2016) by Duong Dieu Linh (13.20, Vietnam)

This short revolves around Mdm Tam, a woman who seems to complain constantly about her husband to her two daughters, and in this case, regarding the fact that the two of them have not spoken for a whole month. When she finds out he is to return home though, quickly she adopts the role of the “wife” again.

Duong Dieu Linh presents a look at a relationship that is actually over, and is only sustained by custom and law, without any feeling existing between the two spouses anymore, as it is eloquently depicted by both Mdm Tam’s words and the finale of the film. The point he makes though, is about the difficulty of abandoning a marriage (or any relationship if you prefer) even in cases like this, where it is actually long since dead. At the same time, Linh makes a point of showing of how a woman wants to feel desired.

Duong Dieu Linh presents his comments with simplicity and minimalism, which allows for it to be quite well depicted, in a short, which, according to her words, “can find its way into the hearts of those who have a mother, those who are becoming a mother, and the mothers themselves”.

Vu Thi Chung portrays the Mdm Tam quite nicely.

The Other (2017) by Will Sankhla (10.49, India)

Every year in India half a million girls are never born. Every hour in India a woman is murdered by a member of her won family. India is one of the five most dangerous countries to be a woman. A voice from the grave.

Will Sankhla makes his point through the aforementioned fact from the beginning, only to present it through a minimalist, almost surreal and dreamy short, that follows the journey of a man through the Ganges and into a city, in search of a woman who no longer seems to exist. The short is split in two parts, with the first one featuring narrative by the aforementioned woman (?) and the second from the man, in an identical parallel that presents the aforementioned statements.

Arnab Gayan’s impressive cinematography, and particularly the way he uses doors to presents his frames, sets the minimalist, eerie tone of the film with the help of Nikhil Mulay’s music. The narrative is a bit vague, but this issue is addressed through the intro and the finale, with the phrase “I Lost you” and the last sequence making the point quite clear.

Rural China is often object of bleak documentaries picturing the harsh realm of post-socialist China, but “Absurd Accident”, the debut feature of young film-maker Li Yuhe, produced by Hong Kong veteran Derek Yee, is showing a different and unconventional picture of provincial life. His refreshing indie noir has gained few nominations in important Film Festivals (Best Screenplay, Shanghai International Film Festival New Asian Talent – Main Competition, Macau International Movie Festival – Best Picture, Best Screenplay, Chinese Young Generation Film Forum) and has placed its young director in the spotlight.

Absurd Accident is released from Cheng Cheng Films

Yang Baiwan (Xixu Chen) and Ma Lilian (Ye Gao) are the young married couple that runs the Gods Are Coming Inn, a place renowned in the whole sparsely populated region for delicious handmade noodles. But Baiwan is a repressed man; not only he is sexually impotent, he also lives in fear that his wife is having affairs with any walking male in the village. His anger is boiling under surface and the pressure is getting very high because Baiwan, as repeatedly remarked by his tigress wife, is not a man of violent action, he actually wouldn’t hurt a fly and he has no way to let out steam.

Frustrated and perpetually suspicious, he is a loose cannon and he seems to trust a shady Doctor Bi (Cao Rui) more than he trusts his wife. The practitioner who is specialised in a ridiculous “slapping and stretching” healing technique, has a special product for his gullible patient’s problem: an aphrodisiac (and very expensive) wine called “Spring Has Come Again”. But when Baiwan thinks he’s finally got the proof of his wife’s infidelity, there is no wine that can solve the situation and the silly man decides to hire a killer (as he wouldn’t hurt a fly) to murder his wife. Coincidentally, Doctor Bi knows a ruthless, chopstick-armed assassin called Mr Marco who can do the job in exchange for a small fortune. Needless to say something is bound to go very wrong and when also the old policeman on his last duty before retirement announces he wants to have a quite last day of work, well, you know you must brace yourself for a disaster.

This first part of the movie is slower than the rest and follows a conventional, linear narrative. It basically sets the mood and serves as a prequel for the mayhem that will follow. In the second part, the events take few unexpected turns, and effects start to look inexplicable to the single characters, unaware of the causes. It is the classic comedy of errors, fast, funny, absurd and the well-conceived plot is presented in a Rashomon-esque way, through the eyes of the different characters, going back and forward in time. The intricate story line, apparently based on the numerous little frauds you read everyday on the papers, is populated by an array of goofy characters and props; an odd couple of robbers, a precious ring, two blind daters, a mute, a rolling pin, car boots with a life on their own and the ubiquitous smartphones, here in an unseen-before ingenious use!

However, all these seemingly diverse characters have in common a penchant for all kind of deceptions. They try to cheat and steal to each other, they wear prosthetic bits, they fake professions and status and sadly the motivation is always greed. Not surprisingly, the consequences of all this dishonesty and lack of trust are messy at the least.

Director Li has put together a classic comedy with flare, shot in 24 days with a tiny budget and a bunch of little-known yet excellent theatre actors, in a mood that recalls the quirky frontier stories of some Coen brothers’ films (it also reminded me of Ning Hao’s “No Man’s Land”). His work is a modern moral tale of the consequences of greed, wealth and a distorted masculine ideal on an unprepared rural community and is delivered with a light touch, a fast pace and a touch of naivety. It makes it an exciting wait for his next work.