Cannes

Paul Verhoeven’s Benedetta has had a tumultuous release schedule, his latest since 2016’s thrilling Elle (starring Isabelle Huppert). Due to have premiered at Cannes 2019, it was postponed by a year to account for its director’s illness…

When Titane won the Palme D’Or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, there were murmurs in some circles that the result was akin to Crash’s controversial victory at the 2005 Oscars. This is to say that, as there were so many worthy…

Rungano Nyoni's I Am Not a Witch is a cautionary fairytale that warns of the dangers of mob mentality and how that can adversely affect individual freedom. A surreal dark comedy that deftly weaves absurdity with tragedy in a deadpan…

Whether being praised or hated, Canadian filmmaker Xavier Dolan has shined internationally through his films. Critics often highlight his youth (at 29 he has already made seven films), separating him from more accomplished directors. Some…

Louisa Fielden has built an impressive resume working behind-the-scenes in television and directing music videos and shorts in the past few years. Her latest work, the 17-minute People You May Know, has been selected to screen at this…

Pretentious debates regarding the future of cinema, reports of boos and snide critics’ comments, weird photos of Nicole Kidman kissing the top of her young co-star Elle Fanning’s head – yes, it’s that time of year. Cannes 2017! To have a…

It’s a coincidence that following Ken Loach’s Palme D’Or win at Cannes for I, Daniel Blake, a film The Guardian describes as “a man strangled by the red-tape of the benefits system”, another Cannes winner dealing with similar issues from…

Mon Roi (My King in English), the new romantic drama from French director Maiwenn, highlights key differences between foreign films of the genre, particularly French ones, and their American counterparts. While many U.S movies of this…

Winner of the best screenplay award at Cannes, Chronic is a neat, tidy and patient character study, following David, a carer for chronic patients. Through him, we meet 4 different patients facing the stark reality of their condition -…

We watch from across the street as a young man asks a middle aged woman for directions. He gestures to his ears, indicating that he is deaf. She points him towards his destination and he moves along. Throughout the scene the camera remains…