Luxembourg, Luxembourg – Film Review | La Biennale di Venezia 2022

Based on an important event in director Antonio Lukich’s life, Luxembourg, Luxembourg tells the story of twin brothers Kolya & Vasya setting out on a journey to see their long-absent father, who’s found sick in Luxembourg, one last time. Everyone has a different bond with their parents, but when a parent leaves early on in …

Spre Nord (To The North) – Film Review | La Biennale di Venezia 2022

Romanian director Mihai Mincan debuts his first feature fiction film at Venice Film Festival this year. An ambitious story based on true events that happened almost twenty years ago, but still feel just as relevant today. The film opens with two men in wild waters, grasping onto floating barrels. They look petrified, and most likely …

Ti mangio il cuore (Burning Hearts) – Film Review | La Biennale di Venezia 2022

An old feud between two rival families is rekindled by a forbidden love: the one between Andrea (Francesco Patanè), reluctant heir of the Malatesta, and Marilena (Elodie), beautiful wife of the boss of the Camporeale clan. A fatal passion that sets the two clans at war again. But Marilena, banished by the Camporeale and prisoner …

Blanquita – Film Review | La Biennale di Venezia 2022

Blanca, an 18-year-old foster home resident, is the key witness in a scandal involving kids, politicians and rich men taking part in sex parties. Yet, the more questions are asked, the less clear it becomes what Blanca’s role in the scandal exactly is. Blanquita is based on a year- long investigation of the ‘Spiniak Case’, …

Here Be Dragons – Film Review

Bosnia, 1993. Englishman David Locke (Nathan Sapsford) is stationed in Bosnia. Two months after his arrival, he meets a charming young woman he thinks he could have a future with. That is until his run in with Ivan Novak (Vladimir Gvojic), a sadist who loves his country and wants the English out. He offers David …

Squeal – Film Review

Lost in an undisclosed remote part of Eastern Europe, Samuel is a foreigner in search of his biological father. When he hits a pig with his car, the local pig-farmer’s daughter invites him over to her home, where she captures Samuel and makes him her slave. Aik Karapetian’s dark fairy tale ‘Squeal’ is unlike anything …

Millie Lies Low – Film Review

“I just got dumped by my future” Before she can start her new life in New York City as an intern at an architecture firm, Millie (Ana Scotney) has a panic attack (even though she doesn’t have those) and has to leave the plane. Back in Wellington without a car, no job, no money, nowhere …

Rogue Agent – Film Review

ROGUE AGENT – Still 8 When successful litigation lawyer Alice Archer (Gemma Arterton – The King’s Man) catches car dealer Robert Freegard’s eye one evening, her entire life gets turned upside down. From the beginning of their fast paced relationship, Alice senses something’s off, as if Robert’s hiding things. When she hires a private investigator …

Press Play – Film Review

When the artistic Laura (Clara Rugaard – I Am Mother) meets the love of her life, it seems she’s living the dream, but it all comes crashing down when her vinyl-loving boyfriend suddenly dies. Devastated by her loss, she discovers that the mix-tape they made together can transport her back in time, giving her a …

Eternal Spring – Film Review | Melbourne Documentary Film Festival 2022

In March 2002, a state TV station in China was hijacked by members of the outlawed spiritual group Falun Gong. Their goal was to counter the government narrative about their practice. In the aftermath, police raids sweep Changchun City, and comic book illustrator Daxiong, a Falun Gong practitioner, is forced to flee. He arrives in …