Tag Archives: female directors

Sleeping with Other People (2015)

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Tonight’s film was a change of pace for me as it was a very mainstream US romantic comedy. The main actors were all a bit familiar, I think some were from Parks and Recreation, and it revolved around the tried and true When Harry Met Sally storyline about men and women not being able to be friends. Jake and Lainey meet and briefly hook up. Around 15 years later, as she tries to extricate herself from an affair and he refuses to commit to any women, they become friends. I won’t tell you how it ends but it is a mainstream American romcom so you’ve probably already worked it out. Continue reading →

Gayby Baby (2015)

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All the way home on the tram I thought about whether to give this outstanding Australian documentary about the children of same-sex parents 4.5 or 5 stars. For me, it was a perfectly crafted documentary, how docos should be made (and I’m talking to you George Gittoes). Engaging subjects who feel safe enough to be real on camera, a story and a message that slowly unfolds, that we observe  and understand without the need for exposition, and no sign of the film maker, we are totally absorbed into the world of the subjects. Continue reading →

Speed Sisters (2015)

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At last a good documentary. And about women. I really enjoyed this Palestinian film. It follows five young, Palestinian women who compete in the male-dominated car racing scene. We meet Marah, Betty, Marsoon, Noor and Mona as they compete in a series of races to be the fastest women champion and also the chance to compete in Jordan. Although all five are competitive, it is Marah and Betty who are the key protagonists. They are the fastest two and winning the championship, we can see, means more than being in a team together. Continue reading →

Tales (2014)

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The Iranian films were the first ones I booked for the festival. Well, three out of the four screening. I blame the handful of brilliant Iranian films I have seen in the past year – A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, A Separation, The Past, Crimson Gold, Rhino Season. Of course this means my hopes were high for Tales. It was a little episodic, consisting of loosely linked tales that followed ordinary people as they grapple with the inequities, frustrations and tragedies of life in a country that is faltering. I don’t know the director, Rakhshan Banietemad’s, work but it seems that many of these characters were drawn from previous films. Continue reading →

Prophet’s Prey (2015)

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Some stories deserve to be told because they are so outrageous you wouldn’t believe they could really happen. This is one of those. When Joseph Smith, the ‘prophet’ of the Latter-day Saints, retracted his revelation requiring polygamy, ostensibly because of a new revelation from God, but coincidentally after societal and governmental censure and prosecution, groups of fundamentalists broke with the church to set up their own polygamous colonies. One, at least, of those remains today, led by the Jeffs family. Continue reading →

My Skinny Sister (Min lilla syster) (2015)

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I wanted to really love this Swedish film. It had great bones, interesting characters, interesting topic, an unflinching gaze and a strong central performance from the 12-ish year old lead. It is the story of her character, Stella, as she watches her sister Katja, the skinny sister of the title, struggle with the rigours of competitive figure skating and, slowly we discover, an eating disorder. Continue reading →

Mustang (2015)

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The second film of the festival for me and it was a gem. This Turkish film began gently. Five sisters ranging in age perhaps from 11 to 16, play a game on the beach with friends, both girls and boys, on the way home from school. It is an image of exuberance and youth, so normal. But the word of a neighbour sets off a chain of events that swiftly and inexorably changes the world of the girls. Ostensibly because of convention, but really because of fear, their uncle and grandmother shut off the outside world and try to force them into the acceptable role of wife. Continue reading →