A suicide drama that's unafraid to look tragedy directly in the eye, this is an unrelenting yet startling experience — live from Locarno. [Read More...]
This enigmatic Moroccan documentary takes us on a quest through the desert to understand the origins of human life — live from Locarno Film Festival. [Read More...]
This sensitive Canadian non-binary coming-of-age story is pleasant enough, but it's unlikely to make any serious impact — live from Locarno. [Read More...]
Dictators collide in this legendary Russian director's late period animation, equal parts beguiling and compelling — live from Locarno Film Festival [Read More...]
A mixture of arthouse and Hollywood efforts characterise a diverse programme at the 75th Locarno Film Festival — we look at the films to put on your radar. [Read More...]
This Quebecois tale of toxic masculinity feels as unwanted as the acts it tries to make fun of — live from Transylvania International Film Festival. [Read More...]
More of a DVD supplement than a genuine film, horror and porn director Joe D'Amato is given a tribute that is only skin deep — live from Transylvania [Read More...]
A lightweight comedy tackling serious themes in Balkan history, this is a film perfect for introducing children to the 90s conflict - live from Transylvania [Read More...]
This powerful Palestinian family drama asks deep questions about the true meaning of home — live from Transilvania International Film Festival. [Read More...]
From the producers of The Worst Person in the World comes a superior Oslo-set tale, pushing narcissism to its limits - on BFI Player and also on Curzon Home Cinema on Monday, July 3rd [Read More...]
This typically Finnish tale ticks all the boxes of the national spirit, but failed to lift mine - from the 66th BFI London Film Festival [Read More...]
Inspired by producer Bayan Maxatkyzy's own brutal experience, Kazakh drama Happiness takes an unflinching look at life under shocking misogyny; Redmond Bacon analyses the film while also interviewing the woman behind it [Read More...]
The Korean master of self-exploration returns with almost exactly the same film you would expect him to - Silver Bear winner at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival [Read More...]
The latest from the prolific Quebec filmmaker, set in a retreat for sex addiction, is a rigorous step up from his last few films, but lacks true engagement - live from the Berlinale [Read More...]
A sweet portrait of a family during the Mitterand era, made with great affection and nostalgia, playing now in the BFI London Film Festival [Read More...]
This Spanish-French production looking at the Bataclan attacks is an important story, but it lacks conviction in its evocation of trauma. [Read More...]
A guide to romance, German-style, this is a pleasant enough take on spring-autumn romance with a few fun tricks up its sleeve — live from Berlin! [Read More...]
Expect this Turkish-German comedy to be a domestic hit, with potential international resonance - live from the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival! [Read More...]
The great Austrian director Ulrich Seidl returns with another masterpiece, a character portrait of a man simply too big for one film to contain - on VoD on Monday, September 4th [Read More...]
Noise meets food in this culinary British comedy, using a horror-aesthetic while hanging out in a strange fantasy world - now on all major VoD platforms [Read More...]
Francois Ozon's male version of The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant never justifies its own existence, either as a remake or as a portrait of Rainer Werner Fassbinder himself - on all major VoD platforms on Monday, February 6th [Read More...]
The Donbass war is seen from a women's point of view in this affecting documentary portrait of working in an endless war zone - watch it online for during the entire month of December only with ArteKino [Read More...]
Veteran theatre, TV and film actress Laure Calamy is finely directed in this powerful debut film exploring the cross-border German-French sex work industry - live from Tallinn! [Read More...]
A young woman is suddenly thrust into adulthood in this bittersweet reflection on life and death - expanding the auto-fiction form in novel ways. [Read More...]
The long-awaited first feature from a legend of Japanese animation, this trip through the darkest places on earth more than meets expectation. [Read More...]
One of the 21st century's greatest directors returns with, unsurprisingly, another masterful work of slow cinema - now on various VoD platforms [Read More...]
The Afro-German experience is captured with great sensitivity in this must-watch drama debut — live from Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. [Read More...]
We have handpicked 10 dirty movies from the upcoming Raindance Film Festival and reviewed each one individually for you; the action takes place between October 27th and November 6th [Read More...]
The banality and beauty of office work expertly intertwines in this absurdist filing competition comedy - from the Raindance Film Festival [Read More...]
Dirty doc interrogates the inhumane immigration policies by successive British governments, providing a scathing look at British racism - on BFI Player on Thursday, July 14th [Read More...]
Find out what's playing in the 29th edition of the UK's favourite film festival entirely devoted to independent cinema, and book your tickets now! [Read More...]
We bring you one of the first-look reports from Peter Greenaway's latest film WALKING TO PARIS, screened secretly at Locarno, with the official premiere still to be confirmed [Read More...]
This year's incarnation of the Ticinese festival served up a fascinating selection of both auteur and genre works. This critic had a great time. [Read More...]
This queer Georgian drama takes an iceberg approach to narrative, resulting in an affecting portrait of living under repression - live from Locarno [Read More...]
Starting off slowly before growing into a masterful work, this Tunisian movie is one of the standout films from the Locarno Film Festival. [Read More...]
The latest from the legendary New York auteur is a very moody spy thriller that barely ever seems to come out from the cold - on all major VoD platforms on Monday, March 21st [Read More...]
Just as he launches his pandemic thriller ZEROS AND ONES, the king of New York brings down the eternal city - read our exclusive interview conducted at the Locarno Film Festival [Read More...]
This cautionary tale of believing in conspiracy theories is greatly abetted by a strong aesthetic and some eye-catching imagery - live from Locarno [Read More...]
This unevenly plotted Icelandic cop action-comedy has laughs galore, a great villain and an affirming message at its heart - from the BFI London Film Festival [Read More...]
A modern myth for the Russian expat generation, this film excels due to the great command of tone by actress Tinatin Dalakishvili - live from Locarno [Read More...]
Evoking Beckett and Pirandello, this Italian chamber piece depicting an endless binge fails to mark its mark as a compelling piece of existential fiction - live from Locarno [Read More...]
After a year break, the return of an in-person Locarno has this critic feeling both excited and a tad trepidatious. Read our preview now! [Read More...]
British horror expertly recreates the video nasties of the '80s, as well as the moral prudity of the time, weaving them into an effective gore-fest - on VoD on Sunday, October 31st [Read More...]
A fascinating portrait of Israeli youth, the film splits into three distinct parts to cleverly bring into question the power of sexual liberation - from the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival [Read More...]
This shallow American horror film delving into the world of conspiracy theories is deeply hampered by student-level acting - from the Berlinale [Read More...]
The story of a writer as a young man is excellently compressed into a sleek 84 minutes in this affecting French film - from the Berlinale [Read More...]
A boarding school turns into a type of colonial prison in this tastefully told East Turkey-set moral fable - from the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival [Read More...]
This delightful two-hander written by Mark Duplass is proof that just because your film is told remotely, you don't have to skimp on quality - from the Berlinale [Read More...]
A gorgeous portrait of life on the margins, this observational doc strikes us with both its directness and poetry — live from Berlin Film Festival [Read More...]
A Russian boy is forced to adapt to a new Greek reality in this surreal and haunting fairy tale set during the 2004 Olympics - watch it in December for free with ArteKino [Read More...]
After providing the landscape for the blockbuster of the year, the Estonian capital sees an impressive selection of 21 debut feature films vie for three major prizes - Redmond Bacon reports live from the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival [Read More...]
The longest film in the First Feature Competition is also the best film. This epic of the human heart is filled with bittersweet wisdom — live from Tallinn [Read More...]
This devilishly entertaining horror-thriller boasts three great central performances from Tamara Lawrence, Jack Lowdon and Fiona Shaw — live from Tallinn [Read More...]
Timely Armenian drama set in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh uses a prospective airport as a metaphor for freedom — live from Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival [Read More...]
Our paradoxical relationship with food is deftly explored in this British-Estonian documentary - live from the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. [Read More...]
Refreshing, intersectional queer coming-of-age tale investigates Germany's failure to integrate second- and third-generation "foreigners" - on Digital on Monday, December 7th [Read More...]
Luxor-iate in the gorgeous settings of this travelogue film, boasting a fine performance from British actress Andrea Riseborough - on Sky Cinema and NOW on Wednesday, June 23rd [Read More...]
Psycho-sexual thriller drapes British national trauma within a neo-noir setting, offering a grim and foreboding vision of London - also available on Sky Cinema and NOW [Read More...]
Urgent and brilliant Czech movie charts the history of village on Austrian border ravaged by the tyranny of mid-20th century Europe - live from the BFI London Film Festival [Read More...]
A self-contained nunnery finds itself intersecting with the forces of history in this mostly academic movie - running as part of Locarno Film Festival [Read More...]
Sadistic elites gather at a remote location in order to hunt down hapless plebs for fun, in this twisted satire of modern-day US - in cinemas Wednesday, March 11th. [Read More...]
David France discusses his incredible work of investigative journalism, Welcome To Chechnya, focusing on real-life heroes saving LGBT people in the region. [Read More...]
Witness two different versions of Romania: the alienating secret state and the dynamic communist ideal - watch it online for free in December only with ArteKino [Read More...]
Who is the lion and who is the lamb in Jon Kasbe's fearless When Lambs Become Lions? The answer may surprise you in these even-handed elephant poaching doc, in cinemas Friday February 14th [Read More...]
Ghost, which turns 30 years old, isn't really about grief and transcendent love at all; I'm not impressed by the classic film - back in cinemas on Friday, February 14th [Read More...]
Steve Naish analyses the latest instalment of the Star Wars franchise, drawing parallels to our very real world; sadly the message isn't one of hope [Read More...]
In this biopic of the titular president of The Philippines, Filipino actor Raymond Bagatsing remembers the leader as an often forgotten WW2 hero - in cinemas Friday, January 31st [Read More...]
Indomitable Welsh journalist Gareth Jones revealed the atrocities of the Soviet Union in the 1930s to the world, in this drama starring James Norton - now also available on VoD [Read More...]
As the UK leaves the European Union, we look at 10 recent movies that investigate the phenomena that triggered Brexit, and reflect upon the future of our nation [Read More...]
Construction worker separated from his family in Romania has to grapple with financial hardship and bigotry in Brexit Britain, in a psychological drama prescient of a bleak future to come [Read More...]
Photographer Jim Marshall snapped some of the most indelible portraits of the 1960, in documentary capturing both the young artist and the old veteran - in cinemas Friday, January 31st [Read More...]
Elia Kazan's adaptation of Tennessee Williams illustrates the brutality with which society marginalises and isolates people - back in cinemas on Friday, February 7th [Read More...]
The American director of The Eyes of my Mother and Piercing delivers a personal and inventive take on the highly conventionalised Japanese franchise - in cinemas Friday, January 24th [Read More...]
Cinema verité doc immerses us into the heartbreak of the refugee experience and the immense resolve of those seeking a better life - in cinemas Friday, January 17th [Read More...]
British-born and raised teen develops a tender affection for Kashmir boy as they both seek their fathers who disappeared years earlier in the politically volatile region of India - in cinemas Friday, January 24th [Read More...]
After a decade directing more family-friendly fodder, Guy Ritchie is back with a more traditional crime caper. He probably shouldn´t have bothered - in cinemas on Wednesday, January 1st [Read More...]
Mikhaël Hers's meditation on loss and estrangement has an effortless naturalism, but lacks a visceral edge - in cinemas Friday, January 3rd [Read More...]
Emperor Palpatine has returned with the nefarious Kylo Ren by his side, and they are looking to control the distant galaxy - now available on VOD [Read More...]
Based on the memoirs of a war-veteran-turned-spy, Russian film paints a graphic, vivid and harrowing portrait of the War in Afghanistan - from the Russian Film Festival [Read More...]
Documentary about anti-Putin Russian millionaire exposes the contradictions of a country that's neither democratic nor entirely "evil" (as Westerners like to paint it) - in cinemas Friday, December 13th [Read More...]
Extraordinary profile of Imelda Marcos, dubbed the "Marie Antoinette" of the Philippines due to her extravagant plundered wealth, is now available on VoD [Read More...]
Fellini's portrayal of the ennui of the 1960s remains as current as ever, as our society becomes intoxicated with trivia, diversion and pointless celebrities - now available on Mubi [Read More...]
ArteKino is back for the fourth consecutive year with a selection of 10 dirty gems from every corner of Europe available until December 31st, and it's entirely free to watch! [Read More...]
In this auspicious German drama, there are hardly any reasons to celebrate as Övünç enters the fourth decade of his life - watch it for free with ArteKino during the month of December only [Read More...]
A Dutch woman in her 40s, childless and sorrowful, finds unexpected solace on a trip to Chile - watch it for free during the month of December only with ArteKino [Read More...]
The struggle between Sporting Lisbon and Benfica to sign classic footballer Eusèbio becomes a metaphor for a changing Mozambique - watch it for free with ArteKino during the month of December [Read More...]
Pink Wall is an ambitious non-linear romance entertaining enough on its own merits, but cannot seem to coelesce into a satisfying whole - now on VoD [Read More...]
Parisian Baroque singer Elodie Fonnard and Afghan refugee Ahmad exchange songs, poetry and hope, in this exquisite mixture of documentary and fiction - watch it for free with ArteKino in the month of December only! [Read More...]
Jacques Demy's magnificent and extremely original musical returns to cinemas nearly six decades after its original release; our writer Patricia Cook compares her viewing experience in the 1960s with the present - out on Friday, December 6th [Read More...]
The Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival has opened a side festival for its Russian community in the Eastern Estonian towns of Narva and Kohtla-Järve, in a country where integration is still an elusive concept [Read More...]
Deliciously bonkers Irish film tells the story a musician and puppeteer called Finky, and it's a bewildering visual spectacle - from the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival [Read More...]
HIV-positive teen grapples with a dysfunctional family and society, in this extremely bleak yet sobering drama from the Phillipines - live from the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival [Read More...]
Man and young girl have to fend for themselves in 19th century Ireland, as the Great Famine pits hapless peasants against each other - in cinemas on Friday, October 15th [Read More...]
Blind Russian teen marries a Russian oligarch whom she never met, in this sombre tale of patriarchy - from the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival [Read More...]
Russians and Americans battle on the chessboard at the height of the Cold War, in this extremely formulaic political thriller from Poland - now available on Netflix [Read More...]
After her mother is killed in a hit-and-run accident, woman seeks justice with her own hands but has to grapple with the teachings of Buddhism along the way - from the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival [Read More...]
Four Kosovan actors cross the border illegally in order to perform at a theatre festival in neighbouring Albania, in this simple and captivating comedy about artistic resilience and foolishness - live from the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival [Read More...]
Iranian woman marries charming stranger only to find out he's a religious fundamentalist, and that her entire family could be in danger - live from the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival [Read More...]
Entirely set in a primary school room, this Brazilian drama pits a young teacher against two angry parents - live from the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival [Read More...]
Blind hitman bonds with a young girl he was hired to kill, in this conventional neo-noir set in Berlin - live from the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival [Read More...]
Two Greek friends in search of an elusive porn star from the 1990s embark on a dazzling journey peppered with imagination, allegory and copious filmic ruses - from the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival [Read More...]
