http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/ Cambridge Film Festival http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/edenreview/440/ Eden is a social realism film about a married Irish couple struggling to come to terms with their now sexless marriage. Our two protagonists, Billy and Breda, are in a long term marriage, with two kids, and because of their recent sexual issues they decide to make a big night of their anniversary, in an attempt to fix their ailing marriage and put some passion back into their relationship. Unknown to Breda is the fact that Billy has become enamoured with a young local girl, who is completely unobtainable, and finds it increasingly more difficult to decide whether or not to stay faithful. Eden highlights, with touching beauty, the struggles of staying faithful. Eugene O’Briens originally wrote the award-winning play ‘Eden’, and this is a screen adaptation by Director Declan Recks. It was filmed in Ireland and released in 2008 and aired at several film festivals, and actress Eileen Walsh won an award for her role. This film is absolutely haunting in how it mimics real life; the characters are believable and really bring the viewer into the story. It is a film that is easy to relate to; everyone experiences lust, for another woman, or man. This film is unsettling to watch, it made me feel uncomfortable in how easily I became involved with the characters, how much it made me wish for a happy ending, and how utterly emotionally devastating it is when it all seems to be going wrong. But that is what makes this film so wonderful, yet so excruciating, to watch. I have never been so moved by a film. It will stay with me for the rest of my life. David Dawkins (Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/edenreview/439/ It’s not often that I love a fictional drama, but Eden was one of those films that was perfect from start to finish. Every aspect was faultless and polished. The acting was especially outstanding, the two favourites for me were Aidan Kelly who played ‘Billy’, and Eileen Walsh, who was nominated and won Best Actress 2008 for her performance as ‘Breda’. Up-and-coming director Declan Recks made this film to exactly how it should be, and clearly gathered experience from his various TV work and short films such as Making Ends Meet, and Quando. The story follows two main characters and their struggle through a relationship as husband and wife, which has lost its spark after 10 years of marriage. With some sub characters to advance the plot, it keeps this film fresh throughout, and constantly gripping. A truly exceptional film, with some cinematography and a musical score to blow the mind, and fit the mood like a tailored glove. A total success that I would rate 9 out of 10. I would recommend it to anyone, as it is beyond doubt an emotionally moving piece which every audience can relate to or be affected by. Jane Smith (Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/edenreview/438/ ‘Eden,’ based on Eugene O’Brien’s play of the same name is a beautifully understated examination of a disintegrating relationship. After 10 years of marriage, Billy (Kelly) seems to avoid any contact with his wife Breda (Walsh), staying out after work, and shunning her timid attempts to initiate affection. Reck’s film is a slow-burner but it builds to a climax that more than justifies its subdued pacing. It is a technique that meticulously builds character. O’Brien’s strikingly spare script coupled with spot on performances from Kelly and Walsh builds characters that are at once both subtle archetypes and yet tragically human. It is here that Eden showcases its real strengths: it is an intimate film, exploring the inner conflicts of its characters; forcing the viewer to see the profundity through the seemingly mundane events that punctuate the narrative. However it is also unmistakeably a comment on the emotional incarceration that a marriage can become. Everything about Eden, from the setting to the gently understated score seems low-key; yet the conflict and poignancy of the film arises from the minutiae of the characters' lives without ever being defined by it. On one level it can be appreciated as a compelling drama, yet for me, Eden spoke about everything that a relationship can be, about how desire can cloud our understanding of love, our appreciation of those closest to us. Loz Phillips (Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/edenreview/437/ Eden takes a believable look at the slow disintegration of a marriage. Declan Recks adapts the story from Eugene O’Brien, who wrote the screenplay based on his award-winning play. Billy and Breda Farrell (Aidan Kelly and Eileen Walsh) approach their 10th anniversary. Billy, a telephone line repairman, eavesdrops on any conversation while waiting to go drinking with his friends and relive the moment he saved a child from drowning. He obsesses about a younger woman (Sarah Greene) who he wrongly thinks is attracted to him. Breda stays home with their two children, devastated by her dying marriage. She puts all her hopes on the dress she’s sewing for the anniversary that she prays will rejuvenate their relationship. Extended monologues brandish the film and it nicely translates the long silences, meaningful glances and occasional confrontation of characters from a play to the big screen. Visually, the film impresses the most and is shot very well. The cinematography contains wide landscapes and empowering locations yet the story is well held in place over these isolated people stuck within their own issues and problems. The acting by the two leads is equally good. Aidan Kelly balances Billy’s boyish charm with his immature denial while Eileen Walsh widely expresses her conscious vulnerability. A well-made and analytical social drama that would be most appropriately recommended towards a crowd of women aged between 25-40, but anyone looking for a quick slice of entertainment will be let down as the film ranges from being slow and downbeat to even slower and more downbeat. Ahmed Forhad (Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/edenreview/436/ Eden, a film directed by Declan Recks an adaptation to a screenplay, tells the tale of a married couple that are verging on their 10th year anniversary. Their marriage is rocky at best, while Billy spends his time down the pub with his mates Breda is left at home while the kids sleep. It's clear the two still love each other but temptation for both is rife. A certain young woman catches the eye of Billy and he finds himself fascinated and focused on her whenever he goes out for the night, Breda finds solace in a friend of Billy’s who cares for her when Billy neglects her for his young love. As the anniversary looms, the lust for the young girl takes over Billy and he agrees to see her on the night of his anniversary even though he is taking Breda out for the first time in years. The night doesn’t go as planned as Breda is left alone, as she walks back to their house she comes across Billy’s friend and the two share an intimate night on one of the boats by the path. Billy however isn’t successful with his attempt at charming the young woman and embarrasses himself in front of his friends, he leaves shaken and upset and returns home. Both actors give a believable and heart-warming performance, and this film is a great testament to Irish drama. I do feel however that the film was slightly dragged out in some scenes, which distracted me as the viewer from the relationship between the couple. Lavinia Anders (Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/edenreview/435/ Eden is an Irish drama based around the increasing relationship problems between Billy and Breda. Billy is neglecting their relationship as he spends more and more time out with his friends at the pub, ogling over a younger woman. Whereas Breda spends most nights indoors on her own with the pre-teen children. We see Breda struggling to put on a brave face and eventually breaks down to her friend, revealing her innermost feelings. Their relationship hits rock bottom on the night of their 10th wedding anniversary and they both make regretful decisions. Directed by Declan Recks, this film is very emotionally stimulating and allows us to sympathise with the characters. The acting from Eileen Walsh and Aidan Kelly is realistic and really draws the audience into the heartbreak they are feeling. Declan Recks paces the film well. However, I felt that there were some scenes that dragged on slightly and I found the film lost my attention a few times. I found Eden a very emotional film and would not usually be my choice in viewing. But the honest portrayal of the downfall of a marriage really captivated me. Even though the storyline is somewhat gloomy, it is refreshing to see a deep and honest film like this. I also found the Irish accents and culture endearing. I would certainly recommend this film. Colleen Thomas (Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/edenreview/434/ Eden, Based on the play by Eugene O’Brien is a beautifully portrayed story of problems within a marriage, Aimed at a large audience Eden relates to every one of us, and it’s told through the two entwining stories of Billy (Aidan Kelly) and Breda(Eileen Walsh) a married couple in Ireland and their two children during the week before their 10th wedding anniversary. The film incorporates two typically social issues, Billy, an alcoholic, playing scenes including realistic portrayals of drunken male behaviour and Breda has weight issues and constantly worries about her husband not wanting her anymore. The frightening part about this film is the large amount of social realism it includes, director Recks encourages a mixture of feelings in the audience as to who we will ultimately feel sorry for, Billy, an alcoholic with unfaithful desires towards a much younger woman or Breda a wife who struggles to make her husband want her and finally has an affair on the night of the anniversary, the audience is then pushed to levels of sympathy with a tearful resolution of declarations of love between the two characters. Eden incorporates imagery of the beautiful setting of Irish countryside and Recks creates a feeling of isolation with both characters by using images of the sky and vast open spaces. Striking yet subtle background music builds up the pace of this beautiful realistic drama. Walsh and Kelly fit the roles of their characters with Hard-hitting yet stunning performances. Altogether a beautiful and artistic piece. Claire Scott (Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/edenreview/433/ Eden, what a beautiful film that will stay in your mind like the memory of a lost one. Eden was directed by Declan Recks and stars Aidan Kelly and Eileen Walsh. The film is set in Ireland and follows a married couple, Breda and Billy, who are about to enter their 10th anniversary. However their relationship is stale and they both try to rekindle that love that was once lost but Billy finds himself attracted to another woman. The film captures, so perfectly, the idea of becoming distant with your partner and suffering from erectile dysfunction. The film is a masterpiece in its own right and really engages its audience with the characters. The performance from the cast is absolutely riveting, they really help to makes this film seem even more real. I think that with a film like Eden you will really relate to the situations and will find yourself so drawn into the film. You will laugh, cry and perhaps even take something away with you from this film. Which is a lot more than I can say for some films. Fraser Paterson (Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/edenreview/432/ Eden is the adaptation of the play Eden by Eugene O’Brien he also wrote the film script. It’s directed by Declan Recks. The film outlines an Irish couple's struggle as they approach their 10th wedding anniversary and through their lack of communication each one of the couple needs someone to talk to and express their feelings. But eventually these feelings are expressed a little too much and the film climaxes when Breda Farrell played by Eileen Walsh cheats on her husband, whilst he stood her up in search of the younger girl of his dreams. It’s a touching film and makes you feel as if you are looking in on a real Irish family. It is extremely well acted and produced. You really make an attachment to the characters as we feel sorry for them when we see what the other person is up to, even towards the end when Breda does cheat on Billy Farrell played by Aidan Kelly we nearly feel happy that she has got one back on him. In conclusion I feel it was a great Irish film even though I don’t feel it was targeted at people my age, I still feel people can relate to it as a lot of people have had bad relationships. Over all I’ll give it 7/10 this means I really enjoyed it and would recommend others to view it. Patrick Calvert (Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/edenreview/431/ Eden, directed by Declan Recks, follows a week in the lives of Billy and Breda, an Irish couple who have lost the spark in their relationship and Breda’s determination to get it back. The film feels as though it is following two different stories, Breda’s story and Billy’s story. We see Billy and his difficulty in getting intimate with his wife and how he starts to get feelings for another, younger woman. This leaves a sense of foreboding. We also see how Breda is left feeling alone and neglected by her husband and the misery this causes her. Towards the end of the film we see all the tension that is built up in the film explode into the climax as Billy ditches his wife at a club on their 10th anniversary to go to a party of the young girl that he has fallen for, and then forces himself upon her in a drunken state. Meanwhile, Breda leaves the club and ends up getting ‘intimate’ with another man in a boat on the river, which is referenced earlier in the film when Breda is telling her friend about a fantasy that she often has. The end of the film turns out the way you want it to when the couple decide to give the relationship another go. The film itself is a screen adaptation of Eugene O’Brien’s award winning play, which has the same name. This film is an excellent and touching film that is very realistic. The couple appear to be regular people with a normal, realistic problem, which seems to make the film that bit more hard-hitting and memorable. Rochelle Mallet (Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/edenreview/430/ Directed by Declan Recks and written by Eugene O’Brien, Eden is a drama based on a married couple living in Ireland. As their 10th anniversary approaches, their relationship starts to fall apart as Billy (Aidan Kelly) lusts over a much younger girl and Breda (Eileen Walsh) begins to feel neglected and hopes that the upcoming anniversary will rekindle the passion between them. Billy is a dedicated father to his two children Edel and James, although he spends most of his free time in the pub with his mates while Breda sits at home on her own. From the very start of the film we get the impression that Breda is very insecure, as she is attending a weight-loss club and stays in the house of an evening. As I watch the film I begin to feel sympathetic for Breda (but not towards Billy), but I feel that the script has no ‘bad’ or ‘good’ characters. I think that Billy is blissfully unaware of the problems in his relationship, and he seems to be going through a mid-life crisis. Of course we can’t lay all the blame at Billy's door, as he seems to be very unhappy with the marriage and it’s almost like he is hiding from his wife in the pub every night. The director plays on your expectations near the end of the film, as the outcome is not what you would expect. By the end both Breda and Billy feel guilty about what they have done, but neither speak of it. Overall, I thought this film was average. The cinematography is very good, but I feel that some scenes seem to drag on a bit longer than I would have liked, and the montage sequences feel a bit weak. The story aside, I think that this film is well shot with some beautiful imagery. Ash Robinson (Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/edenreview/429/ Eden, a gritty social realism set in Ireland. The story follows Breda and Billy, a married couple seemingly having problems. Billy spends most of his time at the pub and keeps looking at younger women. Breda has low self esteem leading to confidence and weight issues. As this film is told, our characters try in vane to smooth-over problems by making plans for their forthcoming ten year anniversary. Billy becomes more and more tempted by a particular young woman. Eventually, he sneaks out of a club on his anniversary to go to a house party knowing this young woman will be there. He tries to seduce this woman but she pushes him off and he hits his head. People are disgusted with his behaviour. Meanwhile, his wife is upset that her husband left the club and walks home, she bumps into an old friend and seeks comfort. She ends up sleeping with him on a boat and then returns home. After a realisation on both parts, they talk over their problems and return to each other. This film was directed by Declan Recks and is a play adaptation. This film was given a 15 certificate. This film touches upon household and marital situations and shows that temptation is always out there. This film raises some important issues but in my opinion, this film is dragged out for a little too long and this disguises the fantastic screenplay and the set design. Declan Recks obviously had a vision when making this film and this comes across with some of the emotionally devastating scenes within the film. This film would be suitable for an audience of around 18-30 with a mature understanding of real life. A fantastic, touching film. A job well done. Not for the faint hearted but nevertheless a must see. Paul Wick (Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/edenreview/428/ The film is made up of scenarios of Billy and Breda’s relationship problems. The film is set mainly in their home with their family, the pub where Billy likes to go so often and hang out with his boys and at home where Breda fights her loneliness with food and her close friend. The film goes very slowly, but Billy’s scenes are played out interestingly to make the pace of the film go on. As the film touches on very commonly used subjects in UK films, no new ground is covered but the film being directed by Declan Recks has been done very well, the acting of the characters make it work, but the film goes on too long in certain areas that are not particularly useful for it. Saying that, the story flows well and the scenarios flow together. As both sides of the story (Billy and Breda’s) go on, we see how they both have distractions from their relationship, but the way they portray them, is highly different. Billy, being a man, will go to other lengths due to drinking and female distractions. As the two storylines continue, you try to guess that at some point the two paths will cross, but they never do when you expect them to, this makes it more interesting and unpredictable. So overall, the film is not necessarily a film about the evils of alcohol as portrayed in a lot of US films, but it’s about the relationship errors many people get through all kinds of distractions. As for the film being on a very common subject, nothing new is shown, but the acting and directing makes up for it. Timour Baibekov(Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/edenreview/427/ Within the opening few minutes of the film it is screamingly obvious there are vast differences between the two main characters Billy and Breda. Billy prefers the company of his male friends in the pub, envying them as they boast of sexual exploits, and lusting after a younger woman whereas Breda has a sexual fantasy of her own, and fuelled by wine, tells it to her best friend. The personal tension between the unhappy couple mounts to the point where it becomes unbearable and in desperate need of release. Directed by Declan Recks, EDEN is rooted in raw honesty and realism, and the cast responds admirably. Actor Aiden Kelly captures Billy in all his restlessness and smouldering intensity, and Eileen Walsh is wonderfully expressive in silently conveying Breda's frustrations and desires. The obvious flaw in this film is the thick Irish accent which the majority of the cast carry, unfortunately meaning some of the dialogue is lost in translation and creating a downside to the script adapted from the original stage show by Eugene O'Brien. All in all it’s a well adapted screen version of the original stage show. It’s well acted and well directed. In my honest opinion the ending falls short of what it could or should have been but for the right audience it will be a well received film. Rachel Thornton (Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/edenreview/426/ EDEN is a social realism film about a couple Billy and Breda who are coming up to their 10th wedding anniversary. Although they still love each other their marriage is falling apart in front of their eyes - because Billy spends the majority of his time at the pub with his friends while Breda stays at home with the kids. This results in them never talking about the problems that they are going though so they can never get past them. It gets to the point where although Billy loves Breda he is looking for more in the way of a younger girl. Although deep down he knows that nothing could happen with her he keeps fantasising about it until it gets to the point where he needs to try it. EDEN is the screen adaptation of Eugene O'Brien's critically acclaimed, award-winning play of the same name. In my opinion it is one of the best films I have seen this year. It’s so real you could imagine it happening to anyone from the couple next door to your self. In my eyes this film deserver to be on the big screen showing to the masses. I think it could become a massive hit because it is so easy to relate to. It’s all about everyday life and how not everything in life happens as you planned it to. Alec Houghton (Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/life-for-sale-luftbusinessreview/425/ The story of LIFE FOR SALE happens at the present day in Germany. It is a drama film and the characters live in modern society. Filou is a young, bald boy who is homeless. Very tall with characteristic cheek bones he is also a quiet impressionable person, who loves music. He plays on ‘air guitar’. He has got two friends: Liocha (Russian boy) and Mortiz. They survive, just, thanks to donating blood (every week) or walking dogs. Finally they have another idea for money. Together they sell themselves on an online auction. One of them sells his childhood, the second his future and the main character – his soul. After this their whole life changes incredibly. They are not the same people anymore. With money comes problems and away go friendships. The music in the film perfectly fills the background and gives it an unforgettable atmosphere. The end of the film is really surprising and a little bit horrifying. The message is deep-meaning. The director tries to say that nowadays, in the 21st century, we can sell everything, even humans. The other information, which he wants to tell, could be the fact that money always divides people. It is a really sad conclusion, but unfortunately true. For me the film was an extraordinary experience and a few hours after this performance I could not stop thinking about it. I would recommend LIFE FOR SALE to everybody who even once was wondering how money can change being human. Anna Pilkowska (Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/bafta-big-pitch-microbudgetreview/424/ For this Film Festival event, six filmmakers were given the chance to pitch their microbudget film ideas to a panel comprised of people who work in the industry. We heard ideas ranging from an apocalyptic sci-fi comedy to a very disturbing psychological horror based on a novel about one man's demise into madness and killing... Listening to the writers' ideas was really fascinating and some of the people were clearly used to pitching to producers, while others seemed to be absolute beginners. But what was most interesting was seeing how similar the pitching process actually is to the way it's portrayed in films, for example in Robert Altman's THE PLAYER. The writers weren't so obviously desperate for cash and the panel weren't as cold-hearted as Tim Robbins' character can be, but essentially the writers are just telling their story – nothing more than that. Oddly enough, the winning film idea, entitled BLACK ICE, was the pitch where we found out the least about the film's resolution and twists. Set in the harsh conditions of the Alaskan mountains, Dan Hartly's film is a psychological thriller/political drama about a journalist who gets entangled in dodgy oil pipe-line plans. Despite not knowing conclusively what the ending was and the story, in many ways, was far from being fully developed, there was something about this idea that made it stand out from the rest. You could really visualise it in cinematic form as Dan explained the plot, where as in some of the others the imagination had to be stretched perhaps a little too far. The panel of experts were also excellent in offering advice and criticisms to the six writers making the whole event a very interesting insight into the first stages of a film's production. Becky Hawketts, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/1000-journalsreview/423/ Filmmaker Andrea Kreuzhage took on something much larger than she anticipated when she decided to document the journeys of 1000 blank books sent out into the world as part of the ‘1000 Journals project’ in 2000. Designed to unite strangers and embrace collaborative art globally through the (at times) anonymous journal entries from contributors around the world, the film gives great insight into the journal entries themselves. 1000 JOURNALS undertakes the task of attempting to track down the missing 999 journals that have yet to be completed and returned to their creator, San Francisco-based graphic artist Someguy. Kreuzhage’s reason for tracking down the journals is far from selfish; rather she wishes this film to be her own contribution to the project. The film stresses a genuine desperation in its search for the missing journals, urging any viewers who may still be in contact with one of the books to let them know. But what is most prevalent about 1000 JOURNALS is the way in which people react to the journals entering their lives. Almost always keenly embracing the books, the true light of humanity is not just shown in the joy of being a part of something: the jealousy, possessiveness and destructive nature of some of the project’s participants display the darker side of humanity, which arguably hinders the project itself. More than just a road movie tracking the progress of someone else’s project, 1000 JOURNALS is a unique investigation into both the positive and negative measures of human nature. Laura J Smith, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/the-larkreview/422/ Genially introduced by one of its co-directors as being a defiantly ‘other’ kind of Cornish film, THE LARK takes place totally indoors. When Cornish filmmaking can be summarised by the opening sequence of 1990s ITV detective drama Wycliffe (i.e. sweeping coastlines and moorland) it’s a pretty bold statement. But does a film such as THE LARK have a West Country sensibility when there are no surfers in sight? The jury’s out but perhaps in response to a domineering landscape THE LARK is a horrifically claustrophobic hike through a troubled mind. We have Mary Woodvine’s Nimeh (also seen in CFF2008’s DRESSING GRANITE) wandering around a derelict factory without even a tor in sight. All the windows are boarded up, the entrances are booby-trapped and Nimeh spends ages searching for gas masks. Some unseen disaster has forced her character to hole up inside whilst keeping her two children occupied in an endless game to disguise the truth from them. But the outside can’t be kept at bay forever and when two interlopers break in Nimeh is forced to confront them. Filmed in an abandoned factory the location is superb and the production squeezes a feature film from it without it looking too samey. But the feeling of straight-to-DVD horror being given the keys to an abandoned building for the weekend overshadows proceedings. Thankfully then that Mary Woodvine’s central performance manages to hold it all together, as the plot plays games with the audience. Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/the-man-from-londonreview/421/ Seemingly a crime thriller THE MAN FROM LONDON opens with a setup reminiscent of the start of THE USUAL SUSPECTS. We have a set piece featuring a ship in harbour. Instant excitement! The protagonist, a harbour signalman, witnesses a crime all played out at a glacial pace. Yet things obtrude between the audience and the action. Gradually revealing a ship at night-time, the camera arcs back and forth across the many window slats of a signal control box. Taking its good time to relinquish even the simplest detail half the battle here is working out what exactly one is observing followed by what might be occurring. Although they can perceive a bigger picture (which leads to the film’s plot) these gaps in our sight and knowledge are implicit. The crime when it occurs leaves behind a legacy in the form of a suitcase full of money which has been noticed by our signalman. From here all the now usual Bela Tarr tics are rustled out of the Wendy box, refinements of what has come before – long wordless scenes of characters walking that last an age, close-ups of innocuous household objects and magnificent use of depth of field to make each long take unforgettable. It may seem slow and not much may seem to happen yet these endless meanders are amongst the most exciting moments of modern cinema. Against all indications to the contrary these meticulously constructed vignettes are captivating, mesmerising almost. Catch them in the right state of mind and you are hooked. David Perilli, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/las-meninasreview/420/ Taking its name and inspiration from the painting of the same name by Diego Velázquez, LAS MENINAS is a fabulously visual debut. Pushing the boundary of what an art movie can be, the film leaves behind narrative in favour of sequences of meticulously assembled dioramas and images which can be gradually sorted in the mind afterwards for coherence. Or not. Based around a family in a country house, all is not well as is gradually revealed. The highs in LAS MENINAS are suitably impressive but so too are the lows. Ukrainian director Igor Podolchak absolutely captures a vignette style of painting in the camerawork. Notably a bowl of fruit is presented like an oil painting. A visual artist, Podolchak infuses his film with his background to the extent that LAS MENINAS can feel like an installation. The film’s climax (to this reviewer) is a standout scene where characters move around a bedroom. The shot is fixed but it has a mirror in it where most of the action can be spied. This activity then spills off the mirror in the rest of the shot giving the impression of people walking in and out of shot with a dreamlike logic. It’s an unforgettable sequence. Unfortunately much of the film makes no conventional sense whatsoever, making the experience a taxing one for an audience unwilling or unprepared to go the distance. Long scenes of characters discussing inscrutable matters ensue. It’s all bound up with a compelling sense of familial confinement and social dread but it never seems to end. Give LAS MENINAS some time and space and be prepared to be rewarded. David Perilli, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/unrelatedreview/419/ Anna arrives at night at an old friend’s holiday villa in the Italian countryside. Tiring of her friend’s company, she strikes up a friendship with Oakley (who’s staying at the villa too) which teeters on the edge of becoming something more. So far, so romantic! Except that Anna is a middle edged woman on the run from emotional turmoil back home and Oakley is the older (grown up) son of one of the families. In her directorial debut Joanna Hogg dents the usual British cinema portrayal of the middle classes with a painful picture of fractured relationships and discontent. Absolutely nailing the feel of a summer romance, events soon turn sour positioning Anna firmly in the epicentre of the fracas between the generations. Brooking no compromises both sides have faults: the younger ones are soundly irresponsible; the adults pompous. A prosperous pair of families on holiday should be grating but the drama carries it through. Freed from the usual London landmarks (the Gherkin, the Tate Modern etc) there are no familiar places to distract an audience from the characters’ relationships. Crucially too, attempts to play up the Italian scenery are used sparingly. Thankfully there are no sweeping shots of Lake Garda for example! UNRELATED has the space to concentrate on the characters with no diversions and the impression given is unforgiving but not unfair. In a domestic cinema where all too often the only acceptable ‘real’ characters are the working classes as in the films of Mike Leigh or Ken Loach, here potentially is a bold new voice. David Perilli, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/fermats-room-la-habitacion-de-fermatreview/418/ What do you get if you lock five mathematical geniuses in a room together? Not the latest ill-advised incarnation of Big Brother but, as it turns out, a taut, supremely tense psychological thriller with an impressive faculty of character and a well-judged comic touch that grounds its dark, theatrical premise in reality. Our geniuses are contacted separately by the mysterious Fermat, who claims to be in possession of the “greatest enigma” which is theirs for the solving – if they’re prepared to make the journey out to his creepy lakeside haunt in the middle of nowhere. Naturally they oblige and gather, only to discover that the room is a trap designed to gradually crush them. With the walls literally closing in, the fiercely competitive masterminds must work together to solve a series of mathematical puzzles, and attempt to uncover Fermat’s identity and motivations. Clocking in at a modest 88-minutes there’s little time spared here for exposition, but characters are nonetheless well drawn and memorable. It’s also beautifully shot, camera angles becoming progressively tighter and the lighting more overexposed as the characters’ predicament worsens. There isn’t so much a twist ending as a third act comprised entirely of twists; deceptions are exposed, connections revealed, and as the plot begins to unravel the deadly room becomes a metaphor for the claustrophobic psychological spaces inhabited by these highly gifted characters. Everybody has a secret, and while some revelations ring truer than others, there’s a layered intricacy to the plotting that demands a second viewing. Emma Dibdin, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/surprise-movie-cff-2008review/417/ An excellent choice this year, Coen brothers back on top form. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/surprise-movie-cff-2008review/415/ Destined to delight and disappoint in equal measure upon its release, the surprise film is magnificent and deserves to be appreciated as a masterpiece of off-beat comedy. Large sections of the audience didn't appear to understand this film however and laughed at inappropriate moments, in a forced manner and much too loudly to be genuinely tickled by the on-screen events. This is to be expected as some of the most vocal fans of The Big Lebowski don't understand that film's many subtleties either. The important thing is that every single one of them does recognise that they're watching a quality piece of work. Highly recommended. Tom Hadfield http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/brideshead-revisitedreview/414/ If the title of 'best British film in years' seems like damning Jarrold's picture with faint praise then rest assured, this one is a minor masterpiece. With outstanding performances by its young cast (especially Ben Wishaw) and beautiful cinematography, BRIDESHEAD REVISITED will make you laugh, make you cry and make you angry...in that order. I have never seen the television adaptation nor read Waugh's novel, however, so I am basing this review solely on the film's own merits. As a film in its own right it is both emotionally and intellectually engaging and is perfectly self-contained. The direction is superb and Joe Wright's ATONEMENT (which covered some similar ground) pales in comparison. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/you-must-remember-this-the-warner-bros-storyreview/413/ A captivating documentary that stylisly and methodically chronicles the Hollywood studio and the films that it created, many of which are regarded as some of the greatest films of all time. Interviewees are interesting and informative without ever becoming dull, archive footage and soundtrack music is well used and the whole enterprise feels expertly constructed. I'm looking forward to viewing the whole 5 hour film. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/encounters-at-the-end-of-the-worldreview/412/ Like all of Herzog's films, ENCOUNTERS AT THE END OF THE WORD feels heartfelt, honest and driven by the desire to create art rather than to make money. Breathtaking cinematography, an emotive soundtrack (with witty voice-over by Herzog himself) and a fascinating subject combine to create a phillisophical masterpiece about man's place in the universe and the future of the human race. See it as soon as you can. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/ive-loved-you-so-longreview/411/ This engrossing character study contains the single best performance of Kristen Scott Thomas' career and fine turns from a talented French supporting cast. It maintains a subtley comic tone despite the heavy subject matter and is entertaining rather than draining. I did think that the narrative lost its way in the final scene and that the final revelation was a)predictable and b)disappointing. However, the journey up until that point had been utterly compelling and overall its a fine piece of work. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/trip-to-asia-die-suche-nach-dem-einklangreview/410/ Interesting in many ways! http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/strength-and-honourreview/409/ I have seen this movie, and I found it to be very engrossing!!!! The characters were very engaging and I was surprised by some of the acting, it really was very nicely done. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/summer-2008review/408/ Summer – Kenny Glenaan contrasted the care-free lives of two teenage boys in the 1970s with their bleak present day lives. Shaun, Daz and their girlfriends discovered sex, love and friendship playing out their long summer days in a wood, and swimming in a lake. This, in sharp contrast to Shaun and Daz’s present day existence of carer and disabled alcoholic. I liked the way Kenny Glenaan used Shaun’s reminiscences to piece together the tragedy, but also the strong bond of friendship, in their two lives. The atmosphere in the cinema was tense as the camera left nothing to the imagination in showing the indignities of late stage chirrosis. This bleak film truly highlights the dangers of alcohol. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/strength-and-honourreview/407/ This is a beautiful and touching film which is superbly acted and directed and gorgeously shot. I highly recommend this movie. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/late-night-shorts-programme-1review/406/ HUSH Director: Fernando Cordero. USA. 18 mins. A psychological thriller about Alice, a young woman dealing with the loss of her child and the growing apathy of her husband. Well done, dramatic portrayal of a woman gone bonkers! http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/the-jarman-awardreview/405/ The Festival screened work from four shortlisted artists for the newly created Jarman Award, which itself was inspired by the controversial artist/filmmaker Derek Jarman. As might be expected with a Jarman connection the four short films shown were not straightforward pieces or without their challenges. At least one has also been part of a video art installation and none of them would have been out of place in a ‘modern art’ gallery. The opening piece by Andrew Kötting was ODE TO A DEAD DAD opening with the deceased lying in his coffin. The 18-minute film then followed a huge balloon effigy as it was taken to places that had held significance for the family during his lifetime and explored the legacy left behind. The Luke Fowler short was a sad tale of a man whose childhood abuse and mother confined to a mental institute subsequently led to his withdrawal into the world of flora and fauna. Hiding his face he talked about his own anger at attempts to section him whilst images of nature were interposed onscreen. The third film was by Emily Wardill and was to my mind a mixture of performance art and video installation with a medieval costume setting. Everything seemed highly symbolic if not overly accessible to the casual eye. The last piece, by Duncan Campbell, opened as a monologue supported by stark images and seemed to be as much about words as visuals. Not the most accessible films but should appeal to audiences who enjoy Jarman. Rickie Harper, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/surprise-movie-cff-2008review/404/ Excellent choice for the Suprise Movie and judging by the reactions from the rest of the audience I'm not the only one who thought this. well, maybe except for that ONE couple who left near the beginning... http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/the-ravenreview/403/ As might be expected, a film which casts Boris Karloff, Vincent Price, Peter Lorre and a young Jack Nicholson is going to be deliciously camp and witty and more than a little delightfully spooky. Although this film version of THE RAVEN doesn’t draw all that much on the original Edgar Allan Poe poem it still offers up all the right ingredients for a sixties horror movie, and from a director well known for the equally enjoyable THE PIT AND THE PENDULAM (1961). With suitably atmospheric lighting and wonderful gothic scenery you’ll find yourself in the perfect mood for the snappy dialogue, trickery and power struggles that will ensue. In many mythologies the raven is a bird of protection with the ability to see into both the past and the future, as well as beyond the veil of death. After losing his wife Lenore (Hazel Court) mournful sorcerer Dr Craven (Price - a slightly witty play on ‘see raven’) crosses the path of a raven – actually another sorcerer Dr Bedloe who has involuntarily taken the form. An intrigue of wifely betrayal involving a faked death and adultery is revealed, and a common enemy in the form of Dr Scarabus (Karloff). So ensues a trip to the castle of the super evil Dr Scarabus. Climaxing with a duel of magical powers between Karloff and Price, THE RAVEN is a thoroughly enjoyable horror that deserves a viewing. It would be fantastic to see it reprogrammed as part of a classic horror strand in the future. Rickie Harper, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/we-dreamed-americareview/402/ can't believe I didn't review this. - what a fun evening! Learned a lot and discovered a great band. 5 for the band and 4 for the film. PLEASE promote live music better!! http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/in-the-city-of-sylvia-en-la-ciudadreview/401/ SO disappointed by the film. It WAS beautiful to look at - the women and the setting - but really, that was all it was. WHY? My down point of what for me was a great festival. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/double-bill-she-should-havefacelessreview/400/ Faceless was slightly long-winded for me but it is also innovative and unusal. Was worth seeing, just maybe a little shorter. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/the-ravenreview/399/ Impossible not to love this, old time horror and loads of fun! http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/new-romanian-shortsreview/398/ I know this was a free screening but it would be great to be able to watch these again. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/nightwatchingreview/397/ Strange to end the festival with Greenaway launching into his 'moribund cinema' routine. The festival proves that this viewpoint is at best a flawed one! Nightwatching is beautiful to look at, but is perhaps too dialogue heavy (and Greenaway accuses cinema of being too literate!). Interesting piece though. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/surprise-movie-cff-2008review/396/ What a great surprise movie! The Coens on top form - very funny - very movie literate. Some classic lines. 'Report back to me when it ... makes sense.' A must see. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/fermats-room-la-habitacion-de-fermatreview/395/ Good puzzle solving moving that builds up tension well without the usual spaltter-fest. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/cycles-les-murs-porteursreview/394/ It's hard to believe that this is a debut feature - it is so assued. Beautifully understated and insightful piece, that resonantes long after the film has finished. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/where-the-water-meets-the-skyreview/393/ WHERE THE WATER MEETS THE SKY is another wonderful documentary to be found at the Cambridge Film Festival. And much like THE DANCING FOREST at the beginning of the Festival, this film presents some really positive advances in international development and improvement of life for some of the poorest people in Africa. The documentary follows a Camfed – the Campaign for Female Education – project in northern Zambia. Women of all ages and social backgrounds are brought together by Camfed to learn how to operate camera and sound recording equipment and to discover how to make a short film. They then had to choose a story based upon the experiences of someone in the group to create a film to show in the local area. The story they chose to tell was of a girl who became an orphan at a young age after both her parents died from AIDS. Her father's family stole their possessions, and in the end, the girl became a prostitute at the age of fourteen in exchange for food. She was rescued by the local headteacher who offered her a place at his school. The story was even more heartbreaking because a startling number of the other women had experienced it too. The proportion of children who lose both their parents to HIV/AIDS is massive. And when many orphaned girls are forced into very early marriage or prostitution in order to survive, the devastating cycle continues. WHERE THE WATER MEETS THE SKY offers a lot of hope, however. The effect the film had on the thousands of women and men who came to the outdoor screenings in their villages was extremely moving. So many people had a similar story to tell and by opening these important issues up to public discussion, progress can be made. Men and women were debating the topics surrounding HIV and AIDS in public arenas, something never done before. The dramatic social change the Camfed project was helping to foster was hard to believe. The women in the group gained confidence to speak up about these desperate problems and to take action to change the present condition. This documentary was not only visually stunning and full of respect for these women, but it also served to send an important message about film as a communicative medium for social change. Becky Hawketts, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/burma-all-inclusivereview/392/ Burma. All Inclusive. And I mean all inclusive. After being isolated from the rest of the world for decades by the junta, Austrian director Roland Wehap seeks to discover the hidden truth behind the appealing guise upheld for tourists. Five-star hotels, an appreciable cultural inheritance, astonishing nature, friendly people - a 16-day bargain holiday! This semi documentary succeeds in ironically illustrating both the charm and devastation of Myanmar. With no freedom to film the Burmese’ interviews, Wehap is forced to use personified voice-overs which injure its otherwise factual style. He exhibits the lives of novice monks learning to read, shoemakers moulding old car tyres into shoes, young girls rolling one thousand cigarettes a day for half-a-dollar and smiths crafting recycled metal into the most inventive items. Even though he does this in a sarcastically humorous manner, contrasting the so-called Western World to the dilapidated Myanmar, partially distorts the ideal balanced account. By switching from the pretty picture, a TV holiday advert narrated by an American woman with mercantile propositions, to the grass-root level of fear and poverty, Wehap plays with the feelings and conscience of the audience. Our materialistic, technology-oriented lives are juxtaposed with the simple, unknown and fragile existence of the Burmese. Even though the negative film frames, raw movements of the camera and dramatised interviews shown as sound waves blend like oil and water, they do dig deep into the confused mindset of the Burmese and anonymous reality hidden by the golden pagodas. Alisha Hasan (Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/king-of-the-hill-rey-de-la-montanareview/391/ What would you do if a gorgeous girl (or boy) you didn’t know offered herself (himself) to you with absolutely no strings? What would you do if, while driving, a guy appeared on the road pointing a shotgun straight at you? If you ran into him, would you stop the car afterwards to check he’s OK? These are the sort of moral questions posed by this resolutely spirit-crushing film set in unknown mountains in rural Spain. Quim, our hero, is diverted from his plan to make peace with his ex-girlfriend. He ends up lost in the woods with Bea – a girl he doesn’t know and who will say nothing of her past – getting shot at repeatedly by foes he cannot see. Look elsewhere for a Hollywood lift: the scenery is beautiful but the characters are as cheerful as a 4 x 4 salesman the day petrol prices double, and pushed up to and past their psychological limits. Reminiscent of the BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, only better shot and lit, it held the Festival’s last-night audience on the edge of its seat for nearly 90-minutes. The tension comes at you in waves that break only for the characters to feel more pain. There are some novel sequences, deftly cut together, like the film inside the engine of a car pierced by a bullet; and even devices you’ve seen a hundred times (like knowing an assassin only through his cross-hair) manage to avoid looking stale. A well-made film, but you’ll need two hours of yoga afterwards to restore your inner peace. Jason Palmer, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/the-man-from-londonreview/390/ Although very light on plot, this could still have been a great noir film had it been well-shot and atmospheric. As it is, this is one of the worst films I have had the misfortune to sit through. Perhaps it is my own fault - I should have picked up on the 'strenuous' and 'glacial' hints in the festival program - but I posit that no-one could have genuinely enjoyed these desperately over-long scenes, which often begin and end minutes either side of anything interesting on screen. Once it became clear that every single shot would last ten times longer than necessary, a number of the audience left, and I would have been a part of that happy brethren had I not been so far from the aisle. Painfully ponderous as it was, there would still have been a chance for redemption had Tarr's characters been worth the time investment, but sadly they are without exception utterly impenetrable. In my opinion the blame for this lies squarely on the director and editor rather than the actors, who do a good job in impossible conditions; sadly it seems the audience are expected to do the same. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/strength-and-honourreview/389/ Great movie, really enjoyed it. I loved the way that it got going from the start and there was a great build up to the climax. Michael Madsen played a great part as the prizefighter and suprisingly humble charachter Sean Kelleher. Vinnie Jones's charachter Smasher was very entertaing and powerful and added an element of comedy to a very moving, heart warming story. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/nightwatchingreview/388/ A late addition to the program, and unsurprisingly a sell-out. It's a Peter Greenaway film, earthy, dreamlike, more theatrical tableaux than realist narrative, never afraid to ignore the 4th wall, and, if there is to be sex on screen, never coy about it. The secret history of the famous painting usually known as The Night Watch, adding conspiracy theory overtones to the commonly held view that this -- rather than the overall shift in fashions -- was the painting that broke his reputation. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/las-meninasreview/387/ It helps to be familiar with the painting! Definitely a film for those who like to puzzle their way through - and not for those who want narrative and seqential dialogue. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/fermats-room-la-habitacion-de-fermatreview/386/ This would have been a 5, if only the supposedly smart people in the room had tried to escape vertically (and if the final mechanism hadn't required an excessive amount of engineering. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/encounters-at-the-end-of-the-worldreview/385/ A visually stunning film of quite extraordinary and breathtaking film making! Herzog's witty commentary makes the viewer question the motives of the scientists in their quest, and one wonders if the creatures of the Antarctic are in fact the ones examining us human beings! http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/cafe-de-los-maestrosreview/384/ A truly beautiful film of charismatic musicians and singers, with tango dancers elegantly moving to the rhythm of the music. It captures the heart and soul! http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/the-grocers-son-le-fils-de-lepicierreview/383/ The Grocer's Son is a gental affair. Lots of rural France on view, which is no bad thing. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/fermats-room-la-habitacion-de-fermatreview/382/ Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! Of the 5 or 6 films I've seen at this year's festival, this is the winner. You need to see it, then see it again to try to fully work out the twists and turns of the plot. Then you'll be pondering the solutions to the mathematical (maybe more accurately, logical)"enigmas" for days to come. A real gem. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/fermats-room-la-habitacion-de-fermatreview/381/ Why is it that Spanish cinema has produced all the meagre amount of win in this festival, by letting slip a couple of films (this and Time Crimes) of new productions that aren't social(ist) realist? That's a trickier question than most of the ones posed in this film to the four mathematicians trapped in a shrinking room -- those are on the level of the standard Microsoft interview puzzle of yore (including the old chestnut about the box with the three switches and a lightbulb) -- another Diamond Dogs, this is not. Another tricky question is "why did it start to get dark so early in late July?" -- sunset on the 25th of July in Gibraltar would by 21:32 local time, with half an hour of twilight, or 15 minutes earlier for Barcelona. And why were they so overdressed for summer weather? A limited cast, a sealed room, an implausible level of skeletons emerging from closets later, we are served a somewhat anti-climactic conclusion after the initial build up. Personally, I was disappointed in all the puzzle-solving that the four key members of the cast were distressingly two-dimensional in their thinking. Still, it was interesting to see Goldbach's Conjecture used as a motive for murder, presumably because it is a puzzle that can be explained, unlike the more useful, but equally unsolved, Riemann Hypothesis about the zeroes of the ζ-function (that's zeta if this site is still unable to handle characters outside the ISO-Latin-1 range). http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/conversations-with-my-gardener-dialogue-avec-mon-jardinierreview/380/ Really good film, see it if you can. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/conversations-with-my-gardener-dialogue-avec-mon-jardinierreview/379/ CONVERSATIONS WITH MY GARDENER is an intimate portrait of two men in late middle age coming to terms with the highs and lows of ordinary lives lived. A sweet and funny film, the minimal plot revolves around a famous middle-class artist and his working-class gardener rekindling their friendship after many years spent apart. However, underneath its light surface, the film is an exploration of the fragile and transitory nature of all human relationships and our need of such relationships for emotional and spiritual nourishment. Acting giants Daniel Auteuil and Jean-Pierre Darroussin are perfectly cast as this unlikely couple. Their effortless charisma commands the viewer’s full attention from the opening shot until the final fade and it’s these incredible performances that transform a simplistic and, fairly derivative, story into an engrossing watch. Despite the enormous potential for the film to lapse into boring cliché, director Jean Becker manages to wring new life out of old archetypes with a confidently basic approach. His fingerprints are virtually undetectable for the majority of CWMG’s duration and the on-screen drama, such as it is, becomes the sole focus of the audiences’ attention. This ‘content over style’ approach suggests Becker’s absolute faith in the material and his modest camera-work comes across as unpretentious, self-assured and utterly resfreshing to a contemporary audience weary of ‘arty’ filmmakers. This straightforward presentation permeates the soundtrack, set design and supporting performances so thoroughly that it leaves them unworthy of mention here, they simply exist as part of the characters’ fictional world. Tom Hadfield, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/cafe-de-los-maestrosreview/378/ CAFÉ DE LOS MAESTROS is not simply a live performance given by the veteran tango masters at the sumptuous Teatro Colón. It is an introduction to the once globally-popular form of music and dance, and an account of its impacts on the emotions of the remaining Argentinean tango stars of the golden age (the 1940s and 1950s). Contrasting Buenos Aires’ past (through archive footage) and present (young couple kissing and tourists on the crowded streets), this film yields a sense of nostalgia. The ending in which a musician plays alone amid the vastness of the Teatro Colón, in stark contrast to the earlier festive boisterousness, makes the film a poignant one with similarities to Wenders’ Buena Vista Social Club. The music gives us access to solitary artists’ thoughts. The frequent jump-cuts between the musicians’ on-stage performance and off-stage studio scenes, linked by the tango melody, paint a humorous and amiable picture of these extraordinary artists. But more context (the Montevideo part, and the dance element, is neglected) would help connect the fragmentary narrative of this music-driven documentary. This film, however, is entertaining and is for everyone, as those uninterested in the musicians will quickly be captivated by their legendary performance at the Teatro Colón. The transcending power of the concert itself makes this documentary a must-see. It is also a valuable cultural project initiated by the Argentinean-American Gustavo Santaolalla and touching testament to the resilience of the human spirit of which tango is an indispensible constituent. Vive la música! Pei-Yin Lin http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/brideshead-revisitedreview/377/ An excellent book, a much-loved TV adaptation, why did they bother with this woeful film version? http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/the-grocers-son-le-fils-de-lepicierreview/376/ The Sforza grocery van does the same round every week, selling a miscellaneous range of items (often on credit). Barter is accepted, and lifts to other places on the route are available for regular customers. When Sforza senior is hospitalised and his son, Antoine, steps into the breach, returning from Paris, things seem set to change, or at least shift. Antoine (played by the Brandoesque Nicolas Cazalé) brings Claire, a free-spirited friend along, hoping that their relationship may be taken to a new level. Claire enjoys the break from the pressures of city life, but does not appreciate the family tensions into which she is plunged, and her presence changes the dynamic in interesting ways. Her idea of giving the grocery van a face-lift certainly does not go unnoticed! This is very much a story about growing up and ‘growing into’ your inheritance, a bit like another film that Cazalé has starred in, LE GRAND VOYAGE (2004), although at first Antoine is not happy with his father’s way of doing things, gradually (particularly as he gets to know the customers) he comes round to a more laissez-faire approach. His initial impatience mellows. Antoine’s quip to Claire when he says that ‘cottage cheese will be a footnote in the history of cheese’ could sum up the conservative philosophy of this delightful film: stick to what you know. The peregrinations of the grocery van over the beautiful landscape show that it is possible to have a journey without going anywhere. Lucy Lewis, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/in-the-city-of-sylvia-en-la-ciudadreview/375/ Self indulgent production which might have made an interesting short but which becomes hard to take after the first twenty minutes. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/the-black-balloonreview/374/ A beautiful coming of age story set in Australia, THE BLACK BALLOON follows Thomas (Rhys Wakefield), the new kid in town, who is constantly contending with his frustrations concerning his autistic older brother Charlie. Although he has always viewed Charlie as the outcast, he is soon to realise that in fact he is the one segregating himself from his family. Thomas is helped by Jackie (Gemma Ward), a high school beauty and his only friend, to overcome his insecurities in order to reach an acceptance of his situation. The issues that arise from raising a severely autistic child are portrayed sensitively, and are smattered with humour throughout. The character of Charlie is brilliantly played by Luke Ford, and always with the deftest of emotions. Simply outstanding. The misconceptions that can arise out of people’s ignorance towards people with any kind of learning disability makes for uncomfortable viewing at times, yet one thing that this film never does is recoil from showing us the cruellest sides of this world. This honest, fearless projection adds to the realism of the piece. A more realistic portrait of the family is also captured by the film’s minimal use of its soundtrack. This facilitates the drama’s effectiveness – we recoil when there is violence, laugh loudly when it is funny. A thought-provoking, absorbing account of one family’s struggle to create their own version of normality, this film will stay with you days after leaving the cinema. If you fail to be moved by this then your heart is pure granite. Lucy Adams, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/time-to-die-pora-umieracreview/373/ Very poignant. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/one-man-in-the-bandreview/372/ this film was funny, weird, sweet and melancholy all at the same time... i loved it http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/in-the-city-of-sylvia-en-la-ciudadreview/371/ Wonderfully voyeuristic, this is a bold and adventurous film with great imagery. I only hope the person typing the sub-titles wasn't paid by the word. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/strength-and-honourreview/370/ This is a beautifully written story of people down on their luck and less fortunate than many of us, who through their trials, come through for each other and preserve dignity. The story was brought to life and made personal though a very heartwarming, talented cast and brilliant directing. This movie is highly recommended. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/running-the-saharareview/369/ Amazing Documentary. I cannot believe what these men accomplished on this quest. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/strength-and-honourreview/367/ A simple but great story with super acting. Make sure you catch it. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/strength-and-honourreview/366/ Vinnie is brilliant and the realism gets to you. You can feel every punch and every sodden mudpuddled footstep. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/import-exportreview/365/ Disturbing depiction of exploitation, humiliation and degradation in modern day Europe, either side of the border between East and West. Poverty of opportunity defines the lives of both Olga in the Ukraine and Pauli in Austria. The lure of a better life draws each into the other's homeland, but life remains harsh for both individuals as they scrape a living towards the end of the food chain. The film makes plain the squalid consequences of Western wealth and the disastrous economic `reforms` in Eastern Europe. Essential viewing. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/strength-and-honourreview/364/ A MUST SEE! http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/conversations-with-my-gardener-dialogue-avec-mon-jardinierreview/363/ A lovely film about male friendship with Daniel Auteuil and Jean-Pierre Darroussin on top form. It may be dialogue heavy, but what great dialogue. Nicley paced and understated. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/strength-and-honourreview/362/ This story was great and a real inside into another world. I was not sure going into it because I thought that it was a fight film, but it really isn't. The acting was amazing conbined with a great score. On more than a few occasions, I could hear people snffling around me, and has to confess, I did too! A great job by all involved. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/black-legionreview/361/ In many ways a rather poor quality film; but then there is a young Bogart who already dominates the screen, and a powerful subject matter that is still chillingly relevant. Worth seeing. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/a-streetcar-named-desirereview/360/ Another classic that I haven't seen before. An amazing clash of styles, with the melodramatic Vivien Leigh up against the naturalistic, gritty, explosive Brando. Wonderful. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/strength-and-honourreview/359/ We have seen many boxing movies before, but this is very original in so many ways. The fights scenes especially the opening of the Puc is exciting to say the least. Between the travellers and the depth of the story, it is very fresh and well worth checking out! http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/captain-bloodreview/358/ Amongst a bunch of terribly worthy titles for the Warner Bros. retrospective, this by-the-numbers Errol Flynn swashbuckler, meant, I fear, for a less cynical age than this (or perhaps not for the 10:00 showing after Time Crimes finishing at 01:00). For a tale of high adventure on the seven seas, it was remarkably low on moments of tension while Flynn as the roguish Irish physician sold into indentured labour in the Indies schmoozes his way into the affections of key people, before taking over an attacking Spanish ship while the crew are ashore looting. Even then it lumbers along, with the obligatory rapier duel with Basil Rathbone coming pretty much out of nowhere, and then quickly returning there. And, given the dates, the resolution was obvious a mile off. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/time-crimes-los-cronocrmenesreview/357/ Though the Festival notes compare this low budget Spanish timetravel movie with 2005's Primer, the two take very different views on time travel. Whereas Primer's take dissolved into ambiguity and unresolved destinies, Time Crimes takes the pre-established harmony route, and, once sucked into his closed causal looping, the unwitting Hector is sucked along by the script that he has unwittingly written for himself -- and when he tries to go off-message, well, that's when things get ever more tangled. Tightly written and executed as mundane life just steps a little sideways into the strange. Probably the best film of the festival. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/strength-and-honourreview/356/ Set in Ireland (predominantly in a 'Travellers' caravan park) Mark Mahon's directorial debut is concerned with underground bare knuckle boxing starring Michael Madsen as a father forced to fight in a tournament in order to save his dying son. Yes this film has been made countless times before, with the film's protagonist struggling to commit an ethically grey act in order to save or protect a loved one or family member. However unlike others, Mark deals less with the characters enduring emotional conflicts and focuses more on the violence depicted throughout. The violence like the emotional aspects of the narrative remain largely undeveloped; being neither overstated, glamorising or patronising in their connotations and consequences. While this does add a much needed sense of realism, it will inevitably create confusion for some audiences as the tone of the film is utterly inconsistent. Moving with all the elegance of a car crash between scenes concerning themes of typical Hollywood tear jerker to images of violence reminiscent of the work of filmmakers like Guy Richie. The film's only stand out performance is that given by Vinnie Jones playing the sadistic Puck, fitting perfectly into the role of the violent King of the Travellers and the bare knuckle boxing champion. Madsen on the other hand is terribly cast into the role of the suffering father. Portraying no genuine heartfelt emotion at any time during the film's 90-minutes. He does a passable job as the former talented boxer returning to the sport however it is never apparent in any facial expression that he's fighting for the life of his son. Matt Migliorini (Young Critics) http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/surprise-movie-cff-2008review/355/ The subject matter of this year's SURPRISE MOVIE will come as a revelation to its audience, and will not disappoint those who have seen and enjoyed it before. A natural successor to Louis le Prince's ROUNDAY GARDEN SCENE establishes a semiotic visual dialogue, which owes much to THE ANNULUS OF ZINN, and the consistent depth of field makes this relationship possible. The stark opulence of the opening scene is contextually isagogic, and before you can say TAKE IT AWAY, SAM! the wheels are set in motion. The director trepans for gold and mines multifarious emotion from the performers, each one subject to Newtonian physics and reacting to them in his own way - the paralinguistic gamut might find a character in a state of amusement, dismay, or merely pursing his lips in an impotent moue, recalling Bacall in Godard's A BOUT DE SIFFLE. Only 34-minutes into the film, the viewer is lulled into a false sense of insecurity as Status Quo gives way to Aristotelian peripeteia and SURPRISE MOVIE’s message becomes clear: be careful what you wish for. The crucial ‘blink and you'll miss it’ section of the final scene caused controversy when its inclusion was misinterpreted, leading to claims that the entire film was riddled with subliminal messages promoting a variety of tenets ranging from communism to coprophagia. However, one should engage with SURPRISE MOVIE on a universally personal level and enjoy it for what it is – a thorough exploration of mise-en-scene and eventuality. Rosy Hunt, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/in-the-city-of-sylvia-en-la-ciudadreview/354/ After arriving at a city, an artist waits at an outdoor café and anticipates Sylvia’s appearance. He then proceeds to follow a girl, but it turns out to be a mistake. Without much dialogue or dramatic genuflections, viewers may find that José Luis Guerin’s latest film takes some time to absorb. Pushing the clichéd man searching for woman narrative aside it is possible to interpret the film from several view points. It is an abstract film about Strasbourg (almost unidentifiable as several languages are heard), it is about observing women (mediated through the male gaze), and may also be seen as simply tracing an obsession. The title is somewhat misleading as Sylvia remains absent and emerges only as an image (a combination of all the women “elles” the man has sketched) throughout the film. Even the subheadings (the first, second, and third night) are ambiguous as most scenes happen during the daytime. Yet the three parts are ingeniously linked by the café waitress with slightly different but highly related scenes. The ending in which the man follows the waitress suggests a continuation of his romantic search. The narrative ambiguities are successfully compensated by Guerin’s reinvention of cinema as a tool to record and provide a vision beyond one’s naked eye. Other details, such as the repetitions (the same graffiti and wallet peddler, even the girl’s gesture resembles the advertisement model’s), sound effects (the woman’s footsteps), and use of off-screen space further generate pleasure for perceptive viewers of this light piece. Pei-Yin Lin, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/brideshead-revisitedreview/353/ The task of adapting a beloved novel is never an easy one. It becomes all the more unenviable when there exists already an equally beloved BBC adaptation, and with it hoards of fans thirsty for the blood of anyone threatening to set foot on hallowed ground. Such die-hards can rest assured; there’s nothing in Brideshead Revisited to justify such hysteria and although it feels, at best, loosely inspired by its source material, it emerges nonetheless as an enjoyable and occasionally inspired period drama. The main problem here is a tendency to oversimplify, the filmmakers’ approach leaving disappointingly little to the imagination. What is delicately hinted at in the text plays out explicitly – the homoerotic undertone to Charles and Sebastian’s relationship, and more problematically an overt early attraction between Charles and Julia. While such scenes alter the character dynamics in drastic and not necessarily positive ways, they are both written well and filmed so beautifully that they can and deserve to be enjoyed on their own terms. Fortunately the performances are also accomplished; Goode, channelling Jeremy Irons for all he’s worth, is affable and appropriately urbane. The reliably excellent Whishaw brings delicate charisma to Sebastian, although to an extent he represents the film as a whole – beautiful to look at, frequently diverting but strangely unappealing, lacking the charm and allure one feels he ought to possess. Waugh devotees expecting a faithful adaptation are likely to be disappointed, as is anybody hoping for new insight into the material. But for those willing to sit back and accept this as the shallow, visually lush pleasure it ultimately is, there is still plenty to enjoy here. Emma Dibdin, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/vanajareview/352/ VANAJA is set in Rural South India and is an exploration of the demeaning and arbitrary consequences of the caste system. The story focuses on the 14-year old Vanaja who is the daughter of a low-caste fisherman who is debt-ridden, lamenting his destiny in a drunken haze. A sooth-sayer predicts that one day Vanaja will be a great dancer and she goes to work in the house of the local landlady Rama Devi, hoping to learn the art of Kuchipudi dance from her. The landlady takes a shine to Vanaja’s forthright, but charming manner and bestows her mentorship in music and dance on her; then Rama Devi’s 23-year old son returns from the States in order to throw his name in the ring at a local election, and the story takes a much darker turn. Domalpalli attempts to convince us that there is a mutual sexual attraction brewing between Vanaja and the much older but in many ways inferior Shekhar which is not terribly convincing. While Vanaja is certainly starting to be aware of her sexuality her whole demeanour is that of a little girl which makes for deeply uncomfortable viewing. But, this storyline also contributes to highlight the power structure imbedded in the caste system which has grave ramifications especially for women from the lower caste. Although there are dialogues going nowhere and scenes that simply do not make sense in the overall narrative, the cinematography is stunning and the film is worthwhile watching. Charlotte Hansen, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/black-legionreview/351/ One of the more bewildering turns in Richard Schickel's Warner Bros. documentary YOU MUST REMEMBER THIS comes when Jack Warner is told that he can't produce a film about Hitler, given the pre-WW2 political environment. The result: a slew of films about domestic fascism and racial hatred, the pinnacle of which is BLACK LEGION. Frank Taylor (Humphrey Bogart before CASABLANCA immortalised his name) is a dedicated family man and skilled machinist. When passed over for a promotion, losing out to a Polish immigrant, he joins the secret hate group the Black Legion (modelled on the Ku Klux Klan). As a member of the clan, he commits numerous atrocities which cause him to lose his family and the respect of his friends. When he realizes the error of his ways, it appears that it might be too late. Watching this film, one is taken aback by how relevant the themes are today. The moment Frank turns the radio onto right-wing political commentary, there is a flash of recognition as the voice echoes American commentator Rush Limbaugh. When the Leader of the Legion declares, "Those who are not with us are against us", audience members may be justly surprised at the parallels with the Bush administration and the current republican party in America. To call the plot a morality tale would be too simplistic, because our protagonist crosses seemingly too many lines by the time he relents. Director Mayo paints a dark picture of racial hatred in America. Jules Garnett, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/one-man-in-the-bandreview/350/ Think one man bands, think cockney geezer carrying a back-strapped bass drum and hitched up with cymbals that sound whenever he takes a step. As this insightful documentary proves, nothing could be further from the truth in twenty-first century Britain; these vagrants of the music industry prove to be eclectic and eccentric, humorous with always a sting of melancholy. At one end of the spectrum we meet Honkeyfinger roaring a stinging blues vocal whilst thrashing his guitar and drums. Then Thomas Truax, a rather sad figure, who creates his own mechanical instruments. One of the most striking questions to present itself is whether or not the bands are truly happy. The talent in some cases literally drips from the musicians, suggesting the possibility that their egos may not be able to endure band mates. Others are clearly quite lonely, yet relish their independence. Director Clitheroe is a one man band himself, having done absolutely everything on this film. Perhaps it is this common ground that allows him to gain the bands’ trust, resulting in an honest portrayal of life away from the stereotype. His own solitude cannot help but be reflected: the simplistic camera shots and intimacy of interviewer and interviewee creates a sense of a private conversation that you are intruding on. We are taken on a journey to a world quite unknown. What becomes clear is that one in a band is just as good as more. Perhaps this film will go some way into ditching the dated stereotype and give them the recognition they deserve. Lucy Adams, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/alone-in-four-walls-allein-in-vier-wandenreview/349/ It’s films like Alexandra Westmeier’s ALONE IN FOUR WALLS that remind me why festivals are so wonderful. This documentary provides a disturbing and heart-breaking insight into a Russian youth prison as we hear from the children themselves. Thieves are mixed with murderers and more shockingly, share similar sentences in an environment more suited to the training of soldiers than the reforming of the nation’s future generation - a real political message is constantly present. The film’s start is identical to the opening of Kubrick’s FULL METAL JACKET, but with children it’s even more chilling. As we meet the inmates, hear their stories and witness their heartache we are forced to sympathise with them no matter what crimes they’ve committed, after all they are so young human instinct makes it difficult to hate or even dislike them after just a glance in their soulless eyes. However the director then cleverly but painstakingly introduces us to parents, neighbours and agonisingly, one of the murdered children’s mothers, adding a whole new level to the emotional struggle between the children and the audience. The film features stunning sequences of the children completing chores but whether intentional or not a level of awkward voyeurism is present in witnessing the young children spend so much time in just their underwear. An emotional rollercoaster that will leave you desperate to tear yourself in half just to be on either side of the fence, ALONE IN FOUR WALLS is a visually beautiful and utterly compelling tale of far too many lost childhoods in a nation not built or designed for children. Scott Homer, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/ao-ua-the-year-of-the-nailreview/348/ Who said that one must have a screenplay first and then add the images to make a film? How about having visual images first and then thinking about what narrative can build out of the images? Well, the Mexican director Jonás Cuarón’s first feature AÑO UÑA is exactly such an experiment. This, however, is not the only refreshing aspect of this film. Unlike other experimental films which can be disturbing, AÑO UÑA demonstrates that an experimental film can simultaneously be light (a love story between a horny teenage Mexican boy Diego and a twenty-something American girl Molly) and personal (Diego is Cuarón’s younger half-brother and Molly, Cuarón’s girlfriend). With thousands of pictures he took during a year of his life but no prewritten script, Cuarón was totally free to compose the narrative. Viewers have to remain patient for the first few minutes (as the film begins slowly with a sequence of his beautifully shot photos) before the story gradually unfolds. By literally imposing a fictional narrative onto reality (spontaneous slices of daily lives), Cuarón’s AÑO UÑA makes us rethink the relationship between fabrication and reality. Composed of only photographs and dialogues, AÑO UÑA is probably not considered a film. Strictly it is not a film. It is more than a film, as it offers us an experience of time in a highly intimate and original style. The delightfully funny comments about the cultural differences between America and Mexico as well as about growing up are assets of the film. Pei-Yin Lin, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/clermont-ferrand-shorts-2008review/347/ This collection of six short films from the prestigious Clermont Ferrand Short Film Festival was presented in collaboration with Alliance Francaise and introduced by one of the festival filmmakers (though not, sadly, showing any of his own work). The audience was small, which was a pity, and hopefully more will come for the second showing. The joy of a collection of shorts is the opportunity it gives for a satisfying journey through individual directors’ styles and passions. You never quite know what is coming next: the beautifully imagined but slightly bizarre CAMERA OBSCURA, which took us into the visualized imagination of a blind man, followed on from the more solidly familiar linear narrative of Rolf, a slightly creepy store security guard who fails to help a man being attacked by youths. He is then left to feel overpowering guilt when the man dies from his injuries. This intelligent and entertaining selection takes its audience on a journey to the heart of the filmmaker’s art; the cinematic equivalent of the poem, where every word, or every image, has to pull its weight. Historically, short films and ‘b’ films accompanied the main event in the cinema, the feature film, on the silver screen. The advent of ‘big’ movies, with their stunning special effects and increasingly hysterical hype, has squeezed out the genre, so it is great to see the Cambridge Film Festival giving a sizeable chunk of screen time to good quality shorts such as these. Yvonne Coppard, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/good-dickreview/346/ Playing like a LOST IN TRANSLATION for damaged and dysfunctional twenty-somethings, GOOD DICK is deeply sarcastic, obscenely foul-mouthed and has a heart of pure gold. The threadbare, but engrossing, plot centres around a homeless video-store clerk and his increasingly desperate attempts to seduce one of his customers. Despite being vastly different people, she a loner and possible victim of childhood sexual abuse, and he a reformed drug user, they eventually bond over their mutual addiction to soft-core pornography. This premise may not sound particularly promising; however, GOOD DICK’s subtle, quirky charm gradually emerges over its brief eighty-six minute duration as the performances of the lead actors and razor-sharp dialogue win out over a badly-misjudged soundtrack and underwritten supporting characters. First time director Palka handles proceedings with a lightness of touch that is atypical of standard American independent fare, imbuing the film with moments of pathos and genuine warmth without ever becoming mawkishly sentimental or undoing the good work of the acerbic dialogue. Despite the small budget, GOOD DICK never feels ‘cheap’ and its cinematography, sound design and set design are comparable in quality to many mid-range studio pictures. Similar in many ways to Terry Zwigoff’s darkly comic GHOST WORLD, the film combines the bad language and vulgarity of CLERKS with the unconventional romance of ONCE. Despite these similarities, the resulting film is refreshing, new and in its frank peculiarity is wholly original within the genre. GOOD DICK is a fragile gem, a modern romance for a jaded 21st Century audience. Tom Hadfield, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/trip-to-asia-die-suche-nach-dem-einklangreview/345/ ‘I need music for my soul...because it brings me love’: TRIP TO ASIA is an amazingly fascinating documentary where Thomas Grube’s camera powerfully captures the Berlin Philharmonic orchestra’s most unexpected glimpses of fragility and self-doubt. Led by Sir Simon Rattle, the orchestra is documented performing either in rehearsals and concerts at the major musical venues in Beijing, Seoul, Shanghai, Taipei and Tokyo: close-ups of the musicians at work alternate with off-stage considerations about themselves as individuals caught in the experience of being on a mission ‘to be one with the cosmos’. From the oldest to the youngest of the orchestra components there emerge disparate visions of art and life where talent, self-determination and sacrifice as well as the recurring fear of ‘not fitting’ are the core constituents of this worldwide uniquely outstanding musical establishment. With distinctive delicacy, Rattle literally and metaphorically leads the orchestra’s 100 different personalities – into the unifying search for what constitutes the ‘vital part of tradition to then bring it into the new world’. Comparing this search to the Olympic flame which has to keep burning, Rattle eventually suggests a resolution to the group’s unending work-in progress temperament: the magic taking place of a metamorphosis in which all the doubts dissolve at the moment of the actual performance – and that is the mystery that keeps the flame on. In the balancing of personal recognition and the subsuming of the greater picture, the performing of Mendelssohn’s A HERO’S LIFE understandably acquires particular significance in this touching journey into the artists’ ‘yearning for communication and closeness’. Loreta Gandolfi, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/baby-facereview/344/ The formidable Barbara Stanwyck plays the beautiful and tough Lily Powers aka Baby Face in this Warner production from 1933. Upon the death of her abusive father she finally takes the advice of a local cobbler (who reads Nietzsche) and escapes the bleak steel town in which she grew up. Penniless, but determined she goes to New York together with her maid. Having arrived in the city, she uses her considerable charm in more ways than one and soon finds a job in a bank. And then she proceeds to seduce her way to, if not the heart, then the wallet of one of the bank’s top executives. Great drama follows and she has to pack her bags and up sticks to Paris. While there she re-encounters Courtland Trenholm (George Brent) who becomes both her downfall and her salvation. Although the film does not shy away from gritty realism nor risqué innuendoes, it does not hold up well when scrutinised. Most of the male characters are reduced to mere clichés who on one hand are simply too weak to resist Lily’s persuasive powers (hence the pun on the name) and on the other take advantage of her. The psychological portrait of Lily herself is unconvincing and underdeveloped, but thanks to Barbara Stanwyck’s intelligent performance and screen presence, one surrenders. It is hard to imagine anybody watching who does not get sucked in and hopes for the happy ending that thankfully ensues. Charlotte Hansen, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/riverside-screening-dream-screenreview/343/ The weather gods were smiling on us as we punted off from Granchester for the final Riverside Screening of the Festival, and what a dream evening it was. As we floated along the tranquil meadows of the fens under a star speckled sky, snug in our blankets and well liquored with Scudamore’s finest bubbly, we were transported into a land of the absurd and incomprehensible, the magical and the strange. With films spanning a range of eras and nationalities, Dream Screen was united by a desire to inject a twist of peculiarity into the normal, like how Surrealism encourages us to reassess what we regard as ‘normal’ by introducing the abnormal. And in a way this reflects the notion of being outdoors on the Cam and at the same time being in a darkened space absorbed by a film, an experience so associated with the indoor. The first movie, MESHES OF THE AFTERNOON, ingeniously captured the complexities of dreaming, with characters continually morphing from the familiar into the unfamiliar in a mesh of confused identity and purpose. For the most part the films only provided a series of thought provoking images engineered to stimulate a creative response from the viewers. This was particularly true for Lewis Kahler’s mutation of 50s Americana imagery into a humorous collage, suggesting the absurdity behind the American Dream, and Jean Virgo’s SWIMMING, which transformed some dull narration on the watersport into an enthralling film by the use of playful editing and striking camera angels. Gerard Corvin, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/time-crimes-los-cronocrmenesreview/342/ Time travel is a well-trodden and frequently treacherous cinematic path. Faced with such mind-bending concepts as paradoxes and time loops, filmmakers (without naming any names) more often than not resort either to comedy or lazy, one-dimensional scripting to tell their story, with as much CGI as they can afford to distract from the yawning plot holes. It’s all the more impressive then that for his feature debut, writer-director Vigalondo has not only tackled the genre, but has done so with rare intelligence and attention to detail. Our time-bending hero is Hector, a hapless everyman who’s just moved house with his wife in hopes of a fresh start. What he gets instead is a series of peculiar events, beginning with an odd phone call – almost always a bad sign – continuing with a topless woman whom he follows into the woods, and climaxing with an attack from a mysterious man swathed in bandages. Escaping to a scientific facility, Hector inadvertently travels back in time and finds himself caught up in a strange and increasingly disturbing journey of (literal) self-discovery. The script is the film’s greatest asset; sharp, economical, constructed with a razor’s-edge precision that allows for admirable clarity throughout, in spite of the potentially convoluted plot. The small cast is used effectively and Elejalde is superb in his lead role, developing from a largely comedic simpleton into a much darker presence as Hector grows increasingly desperate. Shrewd, well-constructed cinema, a reminder that more often than not science fiction films are all the better for a small budget. Emma Dibdin http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/a-streetcar-named-desirereview/341/ More than fifty years after its release, this beloved adaptation of Tennessee Williams’ A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE has lost none of its visceral impact. The conflict between the visiting Blanche DuBois and Marlon Brando’s iconic Stanley Kowalski is as compelling as ever, a symbolic clash of ideals intensified by oppressive camerawork and a set that offers curtains in place of walls, allowing for nothing but the illusion of privacy. The setting of New Orleans is lent a new poignancy from a contemporary perspective, given the thematic focus on the breakdown of refinement and old values (Blanche) in the face of a brutal and chaotic force (Stanley). While Blanche’s sister Stella has adapted to the new order and even finds herself thrilled by it, Blanche clings to pretences of virtue and superiority in a desperate bid to deny her own tainted past. It seems impossible to discuss STREETCAR without mentioning Brando’s career-making performance in the same breath, and for good reason. He is a magnetic, mercurial force of nature, a continual reminder that Blanche is far from the only character walking a psychological fine line. But there is an unfortunate tendency to focus exclusively on Brando at the expense of Vivien Leigh’s brittle, brilliantly nuanced turn. She is at once fragile and cutting, abstracted and acutely self-aware, naive and depraved, unravelling hypnotically before our eyes as the schism between her imagined and actual realities widens beyond the point of return. A timeless, mesmerising study of loss, disillusion and psychological warfare. Emma Dibdin http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/bi-the-wayreview/340/ Directors Brittany Blocker and Josephine Decker attempt to uncover the truth behind the growing trend of bisexuality in their enlightening documentary; their own take on the well-worn paths of road-movie territory. Sexuality has never been black and white, and for many it is an area of great controversy. As BI THE WAY demonstrates, the recent ‘bisexual trend’ has sparked great debate across generations, young and old alike. Exploring the ideology behind bisexuality, whilst attempting to understand the reasons for the recent boom in ‘alternative sexual behaviour’, the filmmakers present a collection of interviews from across several generations and numerous US States. Religion, as always, has a dominant impact on its debate and discussion, with one interviewee stating, “If God had wanted us to be bisexuals, we’d all be one colour, we’d all be one sex.” The film itself sits on the fence. It is not biased by the views of the filmmakers, something refreshing within the often heavily opinionated world of documentary filmmaking. Labelled the ‘Whatever Generation’ for their arguably giddy approach to sexuality, the younger generation come to blows with their parents over the matter. The film also highlights issues within ‘Black America’ and the denial of bisexuality and homosexuality amongst black American culture. What this film speaks about most strongly is liberation – of freed thoughts and actions. Perhaps it is the closing song playing as the credits roll that best explains the ‘Whatever Generation’: “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow you may be dead.” Laura J Smith, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/captain-bloodreview/339/ Errol Flynn leads a wild adventure on the high seas in the role that turned him into a movie star. Directed by Michael “Casablanca” Curtiz, this is just one of a number of films from Hollywood’s golden age, showing as CFF’s celebration of the 85th Anniversary of Warner Bros. Studios. Good Dr, Peter Blood is wrongly sentenced to slavery for aiding a supposed rebel against the evil King James. Sent to an island in the Caribbean, he uses the chance to escape when a band of pirates attack, leading a crew of men to overtake the ship and do some plundering of their own… For a film of this period the scale is enormous, and considering that today the action sequences would be created using CGI rather than trick photography and actual props and locations, it is truly a feat. It also manages to catch that child-like exoticism that these films are all about: essentially, Saturday morning matinees for the kids. Unfortunately Flynn is hard to take seriously, as the dramatic moments have been parodied to death by this point in cinema history, and wouldn’t look out of place in a film like NAKED GUN. However he remains charismatic and highly watchable; perfect for this type of character, which he would continue to do in later films. An old-fashioned swashbuckling escapade and certainly a precursor both for B-film adventure films like INDIANA JONES and epics like GLADIATOR; it is certainly a testament to the quality output of Warner Bros. at the time. Mike Boyd, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/how-to-lose-friends-and-alienate-peoplereview/338/ One of the most anticipated films of the Cambridge Film Festival this year was undoubtedly the UK premiere of the big-screen adaptation of Toby Young’s memoirs documenting his time working for Vanity Fair, selling out weeks in advance. It wasn’t hard to see why and based on this screening it would appear every one of the patrons went home more than happy after a real treat of a movie, as well as an informal question and answer session with Young himself, and producer Stephen Woolley, both of whom proved to be as amusing as the film they inspired and produced respectively. Fans of the book of the same name may find the narrative in the film version strays from the account in the original, but this is to be expected of such adaptations, and these changes make for a far more entertaining hundred or so minutes and are more than welcome. Simon Pegg continues his bid to solidify himself as one of the finest British comic actors in recent years and is on top form in this outing as the bumbling British fish out of water attempting to make it big with a New York magazine. The supporting cast, which includes Kirsten Dunst, Jeff Bridges and Megan Fox, is fantastic and only accentuate Pegg’s performance. Whilst unlikely to be as successful as Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz, this Brit-comedy should rank among the best of the year and only boost Simon Pegg’s career as a global star. Matt Waters, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/the-understudyreview/337/ Whilst not a totally unimpressive low-budget film THE UNDERSTUDY falls short in a few key areas, most prominently the thorough un-likeability of its characters, something it can be commended for in the case of the antagonists, namely the pair of diva actresses playing the lead in the theatre production. However even the heroine and her love interest at times come across in a negative light, with the lead’s promiscuity and her paramour’s irrational temper. This may very well have been the writer’s aim due to the end-results of this tragic tale but it is very difficult to invest emotionally in characters you simply do not like. The strength of the film is the second act, which thankfully rescues the viewer from the tedious opening sections as the protagonist drudges through her dreary life in dull fashion, being bullied by her less than charming family and finding herself in bleak circumstances when it comes to the play she has won a part in. The mild momentum the film gathers from this point onwards slips off kilter at an alarming rate however, closing with an ending as perplexing as it is painful to watch, and for that matter hear, with the climactic argument ending up inaudible due to the characters shouting over one another. Ultimately this is a case of a good script poorly executed, with some actors looking lost and others with an erroneous overconfidence in their own abilities. In more capable hands this may have been a compelling piece of independent film. Matt Waters, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/good-dickreview/336/ Good Dick is a strange film. Ostensibly about a down-on-his luck video store assistant trying to woo one of his customers, the film slowly, darkly peels away layers of human emotion revealing a completely different story by the time the film ends. Marianna Palka brilliantly plays the unnamed customer with an apparent porn addiction. She’s a shy introverted recluse and does not want the attention of the smitten clerk at the video store. Nevertheless, his persistence pays off and she eventually concedes to his wish that she watches his personal film recommendations and he slowly (almost forcibly) invites himself into her life. Unfortunately, the way in which the guy ingratiates himself into her life clouds the admiration the audience would otherwise feel for his endeavours to lift her from her dark hole. In the beginning it’s too creepy, like he’s doing his stalker-school coursework and you just want to join with her in telling him to go away. Yet strangely, it is her discovery of one of his early lies that becomes a turning point for the relationship and indeed the film. For a lot of the film I didn’t feel any empathy for the girl – I didn’t get why the clerk persisted but by the end I just wanted to hold her hand. This is a lovely story and both the characterisation and acting of the leading lady is a triumph of independent cinema. Ms Palka, I salute you! http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/good-dickreview/335/ By chance, an optimistic youngster meets a cynical recluse with a dark secret, and the two begin a process of renewal which eventually redeems them both: at first glance, the plot of Good Dick seems like a homage to Kieslowski's masterpiece "Three Colours Red". The success of this film, however, lies in combining such a serious emotional core with an offbeat and hilarious comedy. Making the two leads interact over a shared love of porn was a surefire opportunity to get lots of laughs while avoiding cliche; what is more impressive is Marianna Palka's character's gradual but extremely satisfying internal journey, revealed to the audience in cinematic, unspoken style. Besides, Good Dick provides additional joy for film buffs, with a plethora of diverse references to Truffaut, Kieslowski and Lost in Translation. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/time-crimes-los-cronocrmenesreview/334/ Time Crimes is a fabulously quirky film where time travel is not only a narrative tool it is its raison d’être, yet to describe it as science fiction film would seem to be amiss. The film centres around bumbling Hector who has recently moved into his new home. We first meet him as he returns from a shopping trip without having secured the tailgate on his car properly: his shopping spilling over his driveway. This summarises Hector’s character superbly yet as the film progresses the rigours of his obscure predicament bring out a more desperate, darker side to his character. Left to his own devices while his wife Clara goes out for the day, Hector through his binoculars glimpses a woman undressing in the woods behind his house. Intrigued, he sets out to investigate further. In the woods he is attacked by a sinister man with his head completely covered in bloodstained bandages. Hector is then chased through the woods and manages to break into an isolated building, which turns out to be a science laboratory. A technician tells Hector that he saw him being chased by the bandaged man and says that they can hide in a machine that can be securely sealed. However, the technician does not climb in before the seal closes and Hector is trapped alone. When Hector emerges from the machine he discovers that he has travelled back in time to his own recent past. This sets up the rest of the film to challenge your mind while several iterations of Hector run around trying to put events back on course. This Spanish film is shot simply and with only four characters the story will engage you from the start. The script is a very special blend of drama, suspense, comedy; all spiced up with 1.21 gigawatts of energy. A “chicken or egg” conundrum will have you pondering the paradoxes of time travel long after you leave the cinema. Enjoy! http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/how-to-lose-friends-and-alienate-peoplereview/332/ Very dissappointing! http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/strength-and-honourreview/330/ excellent filmography. great acting. real grit and yet tender film. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/strength-and-honourreview/329/ Michael Madsen is great!!! A very touching story. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/strength-and-honourreview/328/ Kick Ass performances and a script that is not only exciting but truly heart-felt make this a must see movie...Gotta love Madsen for choosing this unconventional role!!! Kudos to Mahon and all involved!!! http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/strength-and-honourreview/327/ the story was deep and a real emotional rollercoaster. The Irish Gypsie Lifestyle and Ireland's location was a different experience than the norm. All the acting was really good, the pace of the story was perfect. This was more than just a Boxing movie! I had the privilege of going to a Festival screening with QA with Michael Madson and Mark Mahon. They were both super friendly and down-to-earth. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/strength-and-honourreview/326/ I think that this is a compelling story of Irish Americans- worth seeing. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/clermont-ferrand-shorts-2008review/320/ Very good selection of shorts, which includes one of my favourite films of the Festival - 'Missing' by Matthieu Donck, a wonderfully absurd comedy. 'Auf Der Strecke' was a very thoughtful piece, and 'Camera Obscura' was deliciously surreal. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/trip-to-asia-die-suche-nach-dem-einklangreview/319/ Fascinating exploration of how the disparate members of one of the world's greatest orchestras work together to produce such sublime music. It's the great enigma of music - how, when it works, the whole is much greater than the sum of its parts. The director assembles some interesting individual stories, and shows the orchestra at work as it receives a rapturous reception on its Asian tour. http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/algeria-unspoken-storiesreview/316/ ALGERIA, UNSPOKEN STORIES offers an uncompromising study of Algeria’s troubled past. Told through the eyes of four Algerians of Muslim origin, the film invites us to consider the country’s 1962 independence and the bloody events that followed. The film’s director, Jean-Pierre Lledo, came to present the screening on Thursday night. Born in Algeria in 1947, he is Jewish-Berber by his mother and Spanish by his father. He was forced to leave Algeria in 1993 due to the threat posed to him by Islamic fundamentalists. This forced ‘exile’ provoked him to readdress unresolved issues concerning Algeria’s colonial past and struggle for independence, through the medium of film. ALGERIA, UNSPOKEN STORIES took one year to make and is forbidden in his native country for the unwelcome stories it uncovers. As LLedo explains, “It’s not officially prohibited, but it’s not authorised.” The 160-minute running time didn’t once feel too long. Guided entirely by each of its four narrators, we gain the feeling that we are re-discovering a hidden, ‘unspoken’ past, along with them. Lledo’s camera tracks them as they return to the places of their childhood or talk to people involved in the 1962 liberation movement. Katiba Hocine, for example, was born in Alger in 1949 and grew up first in the Kasbah and then the Bab El Oued, the Pied-noir area. Her father had been white, her mother ‘brown’, and the young Katiba fitted in to both worlds. However, returning to these areas today, she is unwelcome, a foreigner. It’s particularly moving to see her standing on the street she grew up in, whilst youngsters taunt her with racist remarks, telling her to go back to France. She faces the experience with a sense of humour, yet Lledo’s intimate portrayal reveals the deep-rooted pain she carries with her. The film’s final segment is led by 30-year old Kheïreddine Lardjam, currently working on a play by Algerian-born writer, Albert Camus, entitled LES JUSTES. He explores the multicultural past of the city of Oran, where Camus set his famous novel LA PESTE (The Plague). Pre-independence, Spanish, Arabs and Jews lived together in the city, spoke each others’ languages, and forged unforgettable friendships. Kheïreddine’s encounter with men and women who lived through that time, and who remained there post 1962, reveals some uncomfortable truths. Ultimately, the film’s message is that the 1962 independence was not wrong in itself, but the ethnic hatred it engendered caused many divisions within a community that was at one time harmoniously diverse. Allowing the people to speak for themselves, and share their own, personal memories, ALGERIA, UNSPOKEN STORIES doesn’t dictate, but rather encourages each one of us to think about what really happened, and why. It’s a moving and thought-provoking exploration of a country’s complex, troubled past. Marina Bradbury, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/strength-and-honourreview/313/ Although filmed in Ireland, STRENGTH AND HONOUR is distinctly Hollywood in both script and look, as it presents a somewhat romantic portrayal of the Irish traveller community and the world of bare-knuckle fighting. However the setting itself is really just a backdrop to the father/son story encapsulated by Michael Madsen’s struggle with his conscience and circumstances to save the life of his dying child. It’s an uncomplicated film, in which most of the supporting characters are not deeply developed but are still invaluable to the plot. There is a lot of ground covered quickly and neatly to propel Madsen into the main action where he faces off against Vinnie Jones in the battle for the title ‘King of the Pucs’. For Jones, it is about keeping his place as the alpha male, for Madsen, the prize money is the key to a life-saving operation for his son. Jones’ villain is suitably callous and deeply unsympathetic. Madsen’s hero is a “good man”, and the audience is never led to doubt his credentials as a loving father, as a man (he knows that “a man sometimes has to do what a man has to do”) or as a husband (he’s true to the memory of his dead, angelic wife). The outdoor locations are gorgeous and fans of Madsen, Jones and co won’t be disappointed. This film will appeal to those who like their heroes good-heartedly macho and single-minded enough to struggle on courageously until the final bell. Rickie Harper, Festival Daily http://www.cambridgefilmfestival.org.uk/films/2008/la-rabbiareview/312/ LA RABBIA (THE ANGER) is split into two parts, the first part by Pasolini and the second by Guareschi. Both filmmakers use documentary footage (although not identical images) to show central political events, social conflicts and cultural phenomena from mainly the 1950s and 1960s. And in addition, they provide the text accompanying the footage. It spans from images of the Cold War, the Hungary Revolution in 1956 over upheavals in Congo, Alg