★★★ Directed by: #DannyLane Written by: #DannyLane Starring: #ClareGillies, #Parvati, #DavidDonahoe Film review by: Patrick Foley Given that human contact is really out of style at the moment, isolation and loneliness are struggles we are all facing. But it’s easy to forget that millions of people already faced these problems long before Corona took over the world. Peach, the eponymous lead of Crazy Cat Lady, is lonely in a lively world. And her journey to find her place is a gripping, if sometimes gloomy one. We are introduced to Peach (Clare Gillies) bailing out of a terrible date somewhere in New York City. Living alone, with only her cat Tiger for company, she fills her ethereal, solitary existence with a unique wish to be a cat. And seeing how actually being a cat isn’t an option, the dream of fame via her cat-themed one-woman show fills in nicely. She has few friends. She floats through the world at her own pace. And she avoids human interaction in favour of retreating to the safety of her apartment. But when her mother’s intervention threatens to open her secluded world, Peach must make a decision of whether to embrace outsiders or slink back into isolation. Many viewers will have their guard up against Crazy Cat Lady from the beginning. The classic indie tropes are all present. Filmed in black & white? Check. Sombre, depressing tone? Check. ‘Deep’ and ‘reflective’ voice overs? Check. A Random interview with a character spliced clumsily into a scene, despite no suggestion that we are watching a documentary? Check, check, check. It all feels very self-important and intentionally difficult to access in order to fabricate a sense of prestige. The director Danny Lane’s choices here are interesting – because the film is worth persevering with and all these techniques are presumably intentional to add layers of character to Peach – given that she herself is inaccessible. But sometimes the risk is not worth the payoff – and here the choices feel muddled and lesser compared to other films that embrace these methods more naturally. Thematically the film is strong. Peach’s journey out from her self-imposed bubble towards embracing those around her is paced brilliantly. Her self-acceptance feels natural and there is little question that she is the better for it – without giving up the quirks that make her who she is. The deconstruction of the ‘Crazy Cat Lady’ notion itself is also intriguing. Peach fills all the criteria for the classic sexist stereotype. She loves cats – that’s for sure. She lives alone and is eternally single. And she’s a little crazy at times. But through help from her therapy group led by Miriam (Parvati), she embraces her femininity and learns to accept herself. She is still a cat lady, but she claims her own identity - and the world which she has ignored for so long has to learn to accept her, rather than the other way around. Special mention should be given to Claire Gillies’ performance as Peach. She manages to come across as bizarre and aloof – even intimidating – when needed, whilst also allowing for a vulnerable and sympathetic side. Audiences never grow tired of spending time with Peach, which is essential in the early sections of the film which can be awkward for some viewers. An incredibly physical role – you can tell that she really embraced and embodied the character. Crazy Cat Lady is a slow-burner that leads to a satisfying and thoughtful payoff. The themes are strong, and viewers will be left pondering the message of the film for some time. However, some of the directorial choices are questionable, feeling out-of-place or inferior to similar films in the genre.

★★★★★ Directed by: #BrianLawes Written by: #BrianLawes Starring: #DashMelrose #JoAshleyMoore #CassieSelf Film Review by: Madison Ford Lost Kings is a visually captivating short film following a boy, desperate to get food for him and his brother, breaks into a house in his neighbourhood, only to be trapped hiding from the homeowners. Brian Lawes, writer, director, and editor for Lost Kings creates a nail-biting, tense yet captivating film and manages to explore emotions, raise questions, and highlight societal divide in just 15 short minutes. Lawes’ work isn’t extensive with only a few credits to his name, however, his work has received multiple awards and played across high-profile film festivals globally. We’re introduced to Zuri (Dash Melrose) a young boy who has to take charge of the household and look after his brother, who seems lost in gaming. Zuri’s presented as the father figure for his brother, we aren’t given the circumstances as to why the brothers are alone but it’s irrelevant, the performance from Melrose takes charge and the story focuses on his present actions. Melrose doesn’t overperform and with only making his debut a few years ago, his talent is undeniable. He’s able to convey emotion with a simple look and with the few lines it’s important that he can harness the emotion and present that to us. The set design is great, the visuals are wonderful and there’s a great comparison between the two houses, the basic, white house of Zuri and the lavish, wooden, well-designed house of the family. This creates a nice juxtaposition while creating an aesthetically pleasing film. Lost Kings while having a well-constructed narrative, is also visually pleasing, the muted tones in the colour palette gives a natural feel to the film, making it dissimilar to everyday life, which works perfectly to create realism. The camerawork is done well, it feels intimate and personal and helps align us with Zuri. We learn little about him as there’s a limited script, but his actions and the way Lawes cuts together the shots allow us to create our own backstory. The set-up is simple, Zuri’s poor and there’s no food so he makes an irrational decision to break into someone’s house and steal their food. This simplicity allows for the 15 minutes to really expand on the characters, pausing in the right places to allow them room to breathe and for the emotions of the scene to be relayed. Lawes benefits from the lack of dialogue and uses minimal ambient sound with silences to home in on the visuals and the narrative. This also heightens the tension in the latter half of the film when the stakes are raised for Zuri, the use of the floorboards creaking is pivotal in adding urgency and a will from us for him to escape. The sense of risk and danger is plausible and feels realistic, it doesn’t feel over the top or too dramatized. Lawes has created a wonderful narrative and packs a lot in without relying on dialogue and instead allowing the images to speak for themselves.

★★★★ Directed by #OrcunBehram Written by #OrcunBehram Starring #GulArici #ElifCakman Film Review by Rachel Willis The installation of a state-sponsored satellite dish on the roof of an apartment building is the inciting event for ominous, Orwellian horror in writer/director Orçun Behram’s first feature, The Antenna. A commentary on the political situation in modern day Turkey, Behram’s debut film is focused on oppression. Though oppression takes many forms (the oppression of youth, the patriarchy, the status quo), the movie is most interested in the state’s suppression of speech and expression. From the moment the satellite is fitted onto the roof of the building, sinister events occur. A black ooze, which emanates from the antenna, leaks through the walls, something Mehmet (Ihsan Önal), the building’s evening landlord, discovers when he’s called to a tenant’s bathroom to address the seeping goo. The ooze creeps through the building, infiltrating more and more apartments as the night progresses toward the launch of the new state-run programming. The kick-off event for the state’s broadcasting system is the “Midnight Broadcast.” Building superintendent, Mr. Cihan, has been advertising it to all the residents to ensure maximum audience participation. The Leader (who bears a certain resemblance to Recep Erdoğan) hosts the broadcast, and while the Leader’s delivery seems benevolent, the underlying message is a sinister reminder that dissent will not be tolerated. Helping to tie the film's many many pieces together is Mehmet. As odd and menacing events happen in the hours leading up to the Midnight Broadcast, he becomes increasingly invested in the fates of the residents in his building. Mehmet experiences a few disturbing visual and auditory assaults, all of which propel him to action. The black ooze is a not-so-subtle metaphor for the insidious nature of state propaganda. But when you want to deliver a warning to your audience, knocking them over the head with the message is sometimes worth doing. There is a lot working for Behram’s film. As we watch the events unfold, dialogue between characters is replaced by broadcasts from a threatening voice that emanates from every radio and TV. The tense score puts you on edge, and the climax is almost unbearably stressful as the auditory assaults reach their peak. This is a reminder of what’s at stake when you take your freedom for granted in a world that seeks to rob you of it at every turn. #RachelWillis

★★★★ Directed by #KimYongHoon Written by #KimYongHoon Starring #DoyeonJeon #WoosungJung #SungWooBae Who doesn’t enjoy a good bag o’cash flick? Whether it’s the darkly humorous Lucky Grandma or lyrically tragic A Simple Plan, the terrifying innocence of Millions, or the violent masterpiece that is No Country for Old Men modern cinema has proven that you can do a lot with the combination of thrill, hijinks and dread that come along with an unexpected satchel full of bills. Writer/director Kim Yong-Hoon pieces together just such emotions with his first feature. A nice guy, a missing person, that bag of cash, a mean tattoo, a lucky pack of cigarettes, a cool title—Beasts Clawing at Straws looks like it has it all. Telling his tale in chapters that disjoint the narrative into a series of six interconnected plotlines, the filmmaker borrows the cinematic language of Tarantino and the Coens. If you’re going to steal from somewhere, you could do worse. His pacing, framing, use of color and light all give the film its own swagger, though, and whether you guess where it’s all headed or you don’t, you’re bound to remain interested. Where the filmmaker really strikes it rich is with this cast. Every actor adds a little exaggerated pathos to the mix as we ascend the ranks of smalltime crooks, each looking to score off another, all of them somehow connected to this stuffed Luis Vuitton bag. Woebegone and hard working, Sung-Woo Bae offers the picture an emotional center. But the mid-film entrance of Do-yeon Jeon—glorious as ever—gives Beasts new life. She offers the chapters a sleek, devious tone the film had been missing. Beasts Clawing at Straws offers mainly visceral if superficial thrills, but periodically it does ask us why it is we find ourselves rooting for the baddie. In the world created in this film, good and bad are separated by shades of grey and blood stains and no matter how you define yourself, you’re only one big, fat bag of cash away from finding out the truth. #HopeMadden

★★★★★ Directed by: Ruth Beni, Daniel Greaves Written by: Ruth Beni Starring: Mubin Al-Khafaji, Jadesola Cole, Perez Thomas-Gaye, Zeina Ducasse Film Review by: Jason Knight Feeling stressed out and worried can cause a lot of problems. It can help if one talks to others about what is worrying them. This wonderful and beautiful animated short gets into the mind of a schoolboy, who is troubled by bad thoughts. The boy leaves his home to go to school. As he walks through town, he is being pursued by a sinister-looking black mist. At school, his fellow classmates realize that something is wrong and attempt to get him to talk about it. The narrative is rather simple. It is the way it is structured and the animation that make this film so unique. The black mist is not real and represents the negative feelings the boy is experiencing. And it chases him around, the same way a monster would. This interesting technique gives the impression that this is what negative feelings would look like, if they had a form: like a monster, like a menacing entity. From start to finish, this film is a pleasure to watch. The animation combines hand-drawn, stop motion and computer generated animation. The colors look terrific and very pleasing to the eye. Every single shot has had a great deal of work and creativity put into it and the creators make very effective use of shadows. Although the entire film is a highlight, there is a sequence that stands out. When the boy is in the classroom, another student throws a piece of paper at him. The paper apparently contains a written message, however when the boy attempts to read it, there are no letters, but sketches of the other pupils that come to life and talk to him, asking him about his problems. And in order to respond, the boy enters the paper, turning into a sketch himself and explains his issues to them. This clever scene is filled with imagination and innovation, delivering a very interesting way of storytelling. The sound effects are outstanding throughout. They sound realistic and provide a couple of jump scares! The voice actors do an outstanding job, delivering believable dialogue and adding great qualities. And the music is interesting and entertaining and successfully accompanies the images. All of Our Shadows is a beautifully told tale, with mesmerizing visuals and it carries an important message. That message is that if someone has problems, then they should talk to others about them. The film also explores themes of social isolation, self-confidence, friendship, knife crime and growing up. It also contains elements of horror, due to the menacing mist that follows the hero. It does end though with an uplifting note. #JasonKnight

Two nights of horror, all treats, no tricks, invading your home this Halloween. On the 30th and the 31st Oct, Grimmfest will host movie premieres galore with over four hours of content on each night. Ticket holders can tune in from 6 pm each evening and watch the programme at their leisure with the ability to pause, stop and restart the films across the evening. On the 30th October we have two feature film UK premieres: BEAST MODE is a bloody and black-hearted satire about the crassness of celebrity culture in Hollywood and boasts an all-cult-star-cast, headed by C. Thomas Howell, James Duval, Ray Wise, and Leslie Easterbrook. It’s also a monster movie! The uneasy relationship between yoga classmates Alex Essoe (STARRY EYES, DR SLEEP) and Precious Chong quickly turns toxic, in HOMEWRECKER, Zach Gayne's satiric and surprisingly savage study in social awkwardness, envy, and ultimately physical violence. Short films include; Heather Langenkamp (A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET) troubled by night terrors in COTTONMOUTH (UK Premiere). The perils of parenting explored in SHHHH (English Premiere). Claustrophobic AirB&B horror IN THE MIRRORS (International Premiere), supernatural thriller ABRACITOS, a cursed family in THE SHADE (International Premiere) and a waking nightmare, “HOME” (World Premiere). On the 31st October we have two more feature film premieres: Late night radio DJs Zach Galligan (GREMLINS) and Corey Taylor (SLIPNOT) swap scary stories, explore unlikely urban myths while offering up a few harsh life lessons in the UK premiere of BAD CANDY, a spookily seasonal anthology movie. An all-girl punk band find themselves kidnapped and forced to fight to the death in a modern-day gladiatorial arena, in the Northern UK premiere of SPARE PARTS. Featuring cartoonishly gory violence and a kickass punk rock soundtrack, it's a whole barrel-load of gaudy, bawdy, bad taste fun. Alongside the main features, there's a second selection of startling shorts. Disposing of a body proves difficult in PELICAN MILKSHAKE. A Mexican woman finds that America is not the land she was promised, in RE-HOME. Alienation leads to unexpected liberation, in A WITCH IS BORN. A hitwoman demonstrates the difficulties of her job in grisly comedy GREEN COBRA. And a city woman comes a cropper in the countryside in macabre farce THE DOE. All films are UK Premieres. Two nights of terror. Cinematic treats galore. Bring your own pumpkin pie and toffee apples for a full Halloween experience. Find all the details here: https://halloweenhorrornights.eventive.org/welcome

This year, GRIMMFEST, Manchester's Festival of Horror, Cult and Fantastic Film, celebrated its twelfth anniversary in rather different circumstances. After the ongoing Pandemic situation necessitated a move online, the festival staged a successful five-day invasion of homes across the UK and Northern Ireland (7-11 Oct), reaching a wider audience than ever before, while offering a variety of the strongest, most challenging, thought-provoking and boundary-pushing genre films of 2020. The event presented over 23 feature film premieres, 28 short films premieres, Live Q&As for nearly every feature film and two special events; a Female Horror Icons panel which showcased a lively discussion between stars of the genre, Krista Allen, Caroline Williams, Tiffany Shepis, Pollyanna McIntosh, Kelli Maroney and Natasha Halevi, and an interactive question and answer session with this year’s recipient of the Grimmfest Lifetime Achievement Award, Mick Garris (Masters of Horror, The Stand). And now the festival has closed, Grimmfest announces the annual ‘Reaper’ award winners. Guest of Honour Mick Garris received a ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’, (presented in association with The Horror Channel) just before the festival. Mick also chaired this year's festival Jury and was joined by directors Chelsea Stardust (SATANIC PANIC) and Abigail Blackmore (TALES FROM THE LODGE), writer and critic Preston Fassel (FANGORIA, etc), and Dread Central chief editor Josh Millican, for some doubtlessly difficult deliberations. Now the Festival Jury's votes are all in, the Grimmfest team would like to thank the jury for their commitment, discernment and diplomacy. Grimmfest is delighted to announce the winners in each category: Best Feature: ROPES Best Director: JOHN HYAMS for ALONE Best Screenplay: JON STEVENSON for RENT-A-PAL With Special mention for BREA GRANT for 12 HOUR SHIFT. Best Score: ARTURO DIEZ BOSCOVICH for URUBU Best Actor: BRIAN LANDIS FOLKINS for RENT-A-PAL Best Actress: PAULA DEL RIO for ROPES With Special mention for MARTA KRÓL for I AM REN. There was much praise this year for ensemble players and films in which it was impossible to single out one performance, among a cast working so well together. Special mentions for THE OAK ROOM, 12 HOUR SHIFT, UNEARTHED, TRIGGERED, REVENGE RIDE, and THE DEEP ONES. Best Cinematography: FRIED BARRY Best SFX: THE SPECIAL Best Scare: URUBU Best Short film: PETER THE PENGUIN With special mention for BEAUTY JUICE and THE ALTURIST. Audience Award: THE OAK ROOM Festival director Simeon Halligan said: “It’s certainly been a challenging year for everyone. We didn’t take our decision to move Grimmfest 2020 online, lightly. But in light of the current situation in the UK and around the world we think we made the right choice. The Grimmfest team worked incredibly hard to make this online offering as engaging and interactive as possible, so as to create something akin to the live event. We are pleased that the horror film community and fans wholeheartedly embraced the event and we congratulate all the award-winning films and filmmakers.”

★ Directed by: #SushrutBhowmik Written by: #SushrutBhowmik Starring: #BidishaBhowmik, #TiaraMoitra, #HritamBhowmik Film Review by Lucy Clarke In very much the same vein as 1995’s Jumanji, a mysterious game shows up at the Chatterjees’ door. Rather than a casual way to spend a Saturday afternoon, this game presents more problems than the two children, (Hritam and Dikshita Bhowmik), bargained for. The game in The Temple of Iku has only two rules. You can’t quit the game, and when you’re done, you have to pass the game on. The game is controlled by the mysterious group who pledge their loyalty to Iku – or the God of death. This group are even more sinister than they initially appear. They don’t just pledge allegiance to Iku; they have the power to switch souls. Soon a very ordinary family is caught up in a game where one move could mean death, or worse – life with half a soul. This film is simmering with imagination and passion, but it fails to bring any of that to the boil. The Temple of Iku starts with an introductory sequence, like in Lord of the Rings. Instead of Cate Blanchett’s soothing voice murmuring the films’ lore, The Temple of Iku uses a riot of images of skeletons and myths alongside text explaining its myth. While this sequence is imaginative and compelling, there’s too much information to keep on top of. What’s worse, the established mythos is barely referenced after the title sequence ends. The world-building is excessively explained and winds up feeling redundant, and this problem bleeds into the plot as well. Many plot points are mentioned rather than seen, and the cast’s various conundrums are often solved via a handy phone call. To its detriment, this is a film that champions exposition and neglects plot and character development. The camera work ruins any kernel of imagination or storytelling. Through unnecessary fuzziness and flat imagery, the film fails to look cinematic, and the visuals do little to inform the audience about what is actually going on. This is down to, in part, the special effects and choppy editing. The most polished fantasy films spend years building sets, making costumes and spending millions of dollars in post-production, and that kind of Hollywood quality isn’t something you can expect in an indie film. But one can expect clear images and consistency. The real sequences and the magical sequences are so disconnected that the audience is unpleasantly jerked from every scene. This is a problem that the editing shares too – we are constantly plunged into black screens and silence. It’s like waiting for a set change at the theatre. This disruption shatters the potential this film had. Sushrut Bhowmik uses a layering technique in the game scenes to create a sense of wonder and fear, but the audience can’t even lose themselves in the sequence and let the film wash over them. While full of promise, The Temple of Iku fails to live up to what it promised in the title sequence. No idea can translate well with a weak script, and the audience isn’t even given a chance to relax and enjoy what is in front of them. You don’t need to pass GO for this one.

★★★ Directed by #JustinBenson #AaronMoorhead Written by #JustinBenson Starring #AnthonyMackie#JamieDornan Film Review by Hope Madden Has it really been three years since filmmakers Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead took us on the UFO death cult head trip that was The Endless? It’s hard to tell with these guys. They really like to play with time. Another riff on the same theme, Synchronic is a sci-fi fantasy about parallel dimensions and time travel—plus bath salts. Steve (Anthony Mackie) and Dennis (Jamie Dornan) are best friends and NOLA paramedics, each facing his own existential crisis. Dennis can’t seem to move past the fear that he’s settled: for his wife, his job, his life. Meanwhile, Steve—whose existence of work, drink and women long ago ceased to have meaning—gets a medical diagnosis that has him rethinking everything. So far so ordinary, but if you’ve seen anything these filmmakers have done (and you should see everything), you know something seriously weird is coming. The film’s conceit is a fascinating one, and every grisly crime scene offers a curious clue that may eventually help Steve solve a mystery that gives him purpose and redirects his bestie. Benson, who writes and co-directs, offers plenty of opportunity for mind-bending action and wild set pieces. He and co-director/cinematographer Moorhead cut back and forth through time to keep you guessing as to the mystery developing, but what’s left underdeveloped are the characters. Two of the filmmakers’ previous three efforts focused on a pair of men linked through time and experience to the other—best friends in Resolution, brothers in The Endless. This kind of relationship has proven a beautiful anchor for their trippy plots, but Synchronic doesn’t invest enough time or attention to Steve and Dennis’s characters. Both Mackie and Dornan are solid enough, but their chemistry is weak. The time-worn friendship is more discussed than exposed. Worse, Synchronic is the first of the filmmakers’ movies to lack a robust sense of humor. And it is missed. The result is a sometimes dour though mainly melancholy effort that feels far less original than it really is. Synchronic is clever, to be sure, and at times quite touching. But for filmmakers who’ve until now positively dripped with inspiration, it feels like a step backward. #HopeMadden

Filmmaker Interview by Chris Olson We reviewed (and loved) your short film Jack and Anna. What has the journey been like for that film? It was a one-of-a-kind journey. “Jack and Anna” will always take a special place in my heart. I have been working in the industry for several years. I started my career back in Russia, where I have finished a famous film school – VGIK, and I worked on different TV shows in Moscow for several years. I have been on so many sets, I worked with so many people. I cannot think of a more positive experience I had as a filmmaker than “Jack and Anna”. It does not mean that everything went smoothly, and it was easy to make. Each production faces challenging situations, so “Jack and Anna” faced its challenges. From the development of the screenplay to finding the finances, locations, costumes – it came a long way. Most importantly, finding the crew and cast, and I can say that this film was made possible because of the level of professionalism and talent of people involved in the project. I feel very lucky to have such amazing artists on board who helped me to bring my vision to screen that it’s no wonder we keep succeeding in our festival journey. I was upset and scared when the pandemic situation happened because we were in the middle of our festival circuit, and I thought that it would be over for us. Now I am so grateful to the festival organizers for being flexible and being supportive. We have been screening at the drive-in events and virtually. Deadline Hollywood has recently announced our selection at the American Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival. It’s a big honour to make it to such a prestigious competition. Additionally, we received positive critic reviews and coverage in magazines. To me, it’s amazing to see how this project has started and where it is now. It’s pretty incredible. What made you want to make Jack and Anna? There was a strong emotional connection to the story immediately. Although, I do not have the exact same experience – I do know how it feels when you are judged for who you are, and you become an outsider of society. Having this experience of oppression in my life allowed me to speak up about my pain through my characters. Moreover, I am a strong believer that cinema is a powerful tool that can change people’s minds. We still see that this world has serious issues with LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, and race issues. Our world is still full of intolerance and judgment. Through the “Jack and Anna” story, I hope to speak about this problem and make a positive change. What have you been up to since? Besides my current work in Chicago, I have been actively participating in professional panels and Q&A since “Jack and Anna” is still in the festival circuit. Moreover, I have finally started working on a feature screenplay. It is always a process, so I am taking my time to develop a strong one. I would say that I have been busy all this time, and I am happy about it. Who are your filmmaking heroes and why? My heroes are people who face a serious life circumstance. They are trapped, and they need to fight for their freedom. They are strong, and they never give up. At least, they don’t betray themselves. Certainly, my personal experience is the biggest influencer of who my characters are, but also the movies that I loved from my childhood reflected on my heroes such as “The Shawshank Redemption” and “The Piano”. There is always hope in my stories and a moment of social justice. What advice would you give to new filmmakers? Be patient and be a fighter! If you want to work in this industry, be prepared to know that it will not be easy. I think that this industry is one of the hardest ones. It’s very competitive, it’s really hard to break into, especially if you don’t have connections and the money. Additionally, the filmmaking process is exhausting: Working on a set long hours, day, and night, in cold and warm. This industry isn’t for everyone, but if you feel that that’s what you want, just follow your dreams. Don’t be discouraged and don’t give up! What's next for you? As I mentioned before, I have started developing a feature screenplay. It’s not my first feature screenplay. The story is based on my personal experience, and I want to spend some time with it. I am happy that Savannah, who was my co-writer on “Jack and Anna” is on board. She’s a very talented and passionate person. I am excited to see how it will turn out. Where can people see Jack and Anna? Several festivals are screening “Jack and Anna” right now – BendFilm, SOHO, and Fayetteville. I hope that there will be more. We always share the information about our festival selections, screenings, and awards on our social media. People can follow us and stay tuned. What would you say if you were a dolphin? I would probably scream. I would scream “Hey, people, this is our planet too! We have feelings, we speak, and we have families. We live in harmony with other creatures in the ocean. Could you finally do the same?” #ChrisOlson

★★★★★ Directed by: #SueCarpenter #BelmayaNepali Written by: #SueCarpenter #KatReynolds Starring: #BelmayaNepali Film review by: William Hemingway In recent years we have been treated to a feast of films focusing on strong, young women who are bucking the trend and breaking the mould of societal and cultural norms; young women who refuse to be reined in by their sex and shackled by the view that the male dominated world which surrounds them has placed on them. From He Named Me Malala (2015) to The Eagle Huntress (2016) and the newly released I Am Greta (2020) we see that young women are taking charge of their own destinies and educating the old world order on what can be achieved if we allow every human being their own opportunity of becoming. Now we can add to this list the superb portrait of a young Nepali woman lifting herself out of subjugation through the means of photography and film-making, I Am Belmaya. Belmaya comes from a low caste in a small Nepalese village and after the tragic death of her parents she is largely ignored by her brothers and left to do the ‘female duties’ which she will be tied to for the rest of her life. Denied an education by her family she runs away to a bigger town and ends up in a girls’ home in Pokhara, where she is the eldest child in her class and gets picked on and called ‘elephant’ by the others. In 2006 her life changes when Sue Carpenter visits Nepal and offers the girls an opportunity to participate in the My World, My View project, where Belmaya gets to pick up a camera for the first time. Sadly, the limitations and prejudices of society rushed back in once the project was over and Belmaya’s camera was taken away from her by those who were supposed to be offering support. Sue Carpenter, however, was not finished with Belmaya’s story and after becoming so enamoured by the young teenager’s spirit, tenacity, outspokenness and ability with the camera, she returned to Nepal in 2014 to see how her protege was faring. This is where we pick up the story, with Belmaya now twenty-one, married and mother to a young daughter. She has fallen into the structural trap of her supposed place in the world; marrying young, having a child and losing all of her opportunities for a life of her own choosing; that is until she enrolls in a film-making class and once again finds herself behind the lens. Belmaya’s story is one of hardship and oppression, which we get to witness first-hand in a very intimate portrayal. We are right alongside her as she struggles to overcome the prejudice of the caste system, the limits of her education and the violent misogyny of her husband. We encounter the harsh reality of life for many Nepalese women and are party to the everyday inequalities that are endured as ‘the way of things’. Belmaya shares her frustrations and her family life with the camera and invites us to see into her world with a breathtaking vision of honesty and truth. We watch as this leads her to find her own path and informs the kind of film-maker she will eventually grow to become. This also makes Belmaya’s story one of hope and redemption as she lifts herself time and again from where she has been placed by society and etches out images of triumph and beauty through her life and her camera lens. Watching her journey allows us to share in life-affirming actions and to believe that anything is possible through hard work and determination. There is a raw genuineness underlined by Belmaya’s story that transcends culture and geography and offers a universal feeling of authenticity which lifts all who witness it. Spending time with Belmaya is a unique experience, one which shifts this documentary into new ground, where it grows along with her into something more akin to a biopic or a character study. We feel the highs and lows, travel into the unknown, and take leaps of faith across societal boundaries and through glass ceilings every step of the way with her. As one audience member at a film festival screening observes, ‘It is rare to see a film-maker whose life experience so closely mirrors the subject they are filming,’ and it is that honest, true-to-life portrayal that Belmaya shares with us throughout the film; something we should all be glad to experience with her.

★★★ Directed by #AlbertPinto Written by #RamonCampos #GemaRNeira #DavidOrea #SalvadorSMolina Starring #BegonaVargas #IvanRenedo Film Review by Hope Madden What is it about haunted houses that always sucker in big families? We saw it in The Conjuring and The Amityville Horror before it. And now another big old clan is about to regret that bargain dream house over at 32 Malasaña Street. Albert Pintó’s nightmare follows the Olmedos, who take their two teenagers, their 5-year-old, an aging grandfather, and their shame to Madrid, leaving the country and their old lives behind. But haunted houses smell shame and secrets, don’t the Olmedos know that? Pintó creates a dreadful, dreamy quality to the haunting, every shot’s framing and color, light and shadow taking on a painterly quality. He conjures a mood, a vintage era where hope and freedom bumped up against tradition and oppression. The film is set in 1976, and like those other films of dream homes gone wrong, Malasaña creates concrete tension. The first response to any haunting is to just get the F out, but where are you supposed to take three kids and an elderly father? Where’s abuela supposed to plug in his C-Pap? The “down to our last penny and nowhere to go” vibe feels authentic under these circumstances. But Pintó seems out to do more with the size of the family than simply convince you that thre’s nowhere to go. 17-year-old Amparo (Begoña Vargas) dreams of becoming a flight attendant, of flying up and away from this life, but the house itself is the metaphor for the family as a trap. Faith and culture beget big families and poverty, and old-fashioned thinking creates monsters. Where Pintó takes the metaphor is less inspired than it might be. Troublingly, the filmmaker’s throwback vibe retains that old horror trope of the physically disabled character as conduit to the supernatural, and enlightened lip service can’t excuse the way the film falls back on cliches of the monstrous “other.” 32 Malasaña Street sets complicated characters in motion within a familiar world. It just doesn’t use them to tell us anything new. #HopeMadden