Tiou Dou Goun (Tomorrow's Village) film review by UK film critic James Learoyd. Starring Souleymane Gaye, Caroline Bassono, Adeline Dorothee Kando directed by Gail Malbete. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Tiou Dou Goun (Tomorrow's Village) Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: James Learoyd | Posted on: May 29, 2024 Directed by: Gail Malbete Written by: N/A Starring: Souleymane Gaye, Caroline Bassono, Adeline Dorothee Kando Tiou Dou Goun (Tomorrow’s Village) is a simple yet well-measured piece of documentary filmmaking. This informative film is about an ecological campaign taking place in Burkina Faso, Africa – a country which the filmmakers describe as having been “plagued by political instability and security threats”. The individuals featured in the picture are on a mission both social and environmental: to create a resurgence of grown commodities and the market, making the surrounding community financially reliable. The film, in great detail, documents the project’s evolution and this particular type of eco-political campaign is important to draw attention to. A mission such as this demonstrates the need for nature preservation; it also demonstrates how much an actively engaged, collaborative group can achieve – and how important that is, specifically in such a rural environment wherein families need more unique resources to thrive. Thus, to showcase such a venture in the form of a documentary feature is a greatly admirable, positive thing. A lot of the documentary looks quite beautiful. There’s a consistent aesthetic at play based around the consistent use of a medium-to-long range prime lens (probably 85mm), with a fully open aperture. What this produces is a soft, compressed, cinematic look; although it occasionally results in an over-abundance of intense closeups which, in terms of docu-informative content, makes for the occasional distraction. - But I don’t wish to complain as it has a lovely, vibrant look; one which an audience will enjoy looking at. The use of widescreen is also a pleasant thing to see – particularly if you’re watching this film as a critic on something other than a cinema screen; you still get to sense that scope and grandeur. The only explicit formal problem --not to sound like a broken record-- is the use of auto-focus... it is so so strange how many independent films are burdened with this problem. There’s a counterintuitive nature to it in that the cinematographer uses it because they do not have the crew or faculties to pay constant attention to manual focus apparatus, but in doing so accentuates this kind of studenty characteristic. As a documentarian, you should encourage oneself to learn focusing manually – to gain that invaluable muscle-memory. It differentiates a documentary that is great (which this one certainly is) to one that is masterful. It’s a supremely educational watch. Not so much emotional or poetic in its structure or form, but fully given to the subject-matter and its practical complexities. A reservation some may have is that we don’t fully get a sense of the subjects’ emotional state, and this may prevent the spectator from entering into the piece on a deeper, internal level. We witness the nuances of the campaign and its interesting ups and downs; however, the greater universal/experiential message must be extrapolated by the audience for the film itself doesn’t present a thematic thread as such. It can be slightly didactic, at times overwhelming in terms of the density of spoken information. But it is wonderfully rich with the culture of its focus and leaves you wanting to learn even more about the country’s hardships and solutions. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic James Learoyd Indie Feature Film, Documentary, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Watch A Moral Man at the 2022 UK Film Review Festival. See the UKFRF 2022 lineup and buy your festival pass. A Moral Man Listen to our review on the film podcast What our film review said: READ FULL REVIEW Another exemplary Toby Jones performance enhances this moving and controversial short film. A Moral Man is an accomplished feat from writer-directors Paul and Simon Wade as they attempt to sincerely raise a difficult ethical question. Proudly supporting MediCinema for our 2022 film festival.

Konpa film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Edson Jean, Nagela Lukacs, Marie Lafalaise-Noel directed by A. Plancher. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Konpa Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: May 13, 2023 Directed by: A. Plancher Written by: A. Plancher Starring: Edson Jean, Nagela Lukacs, Marie Lafalaise-Noel A young man looking for a bite to eat ends up meeting a girl and dancing with her. Jean (Jean) is a young Haitian-American living in Miami. One night, he goes to a Haitian restaurant to get some takeaway food. After failing to communicate with a middle-aged Haitian woman (Noel) who works there and does not understand English, he finds himself being introduced to her daughter Minouche (Lukacs), who introduces him to Konpa, a modern merengue dance style. As the two of them spend time together on the dance floor of the restaurant, it becomes apparent that Jean has found new values in his life. This beautiful and emotional short drama has a plot that takes place over the course of one fateful evening, during which the protagonist discovers the joys of music and dancing and it is strongly hinted that he has also found romance. The majority of the narrative takes place inside the restaurant's crowded dance floor, where Minouche romantically teaches Jean how to dance Konpa, surrounded by dancers. The atmosphere is quite wonderful and romantic and the two of them end up getting along rather well and taking a liking in each other. The final scene is quite dramatic but also offers hope. The screenplay suggests that dancing and music are a form of communication as Jean and Minouche, two people from different cultures find blissfulness between them while dancing to music, even though they are not fluent in the same language. The last scene seems to point out that music can also offer joy and healing. Regarding the characters, Minouche is the most interesting one, a confident young woman who appreciates the beauty of Konpa and is more than willing to share it with others. Jean is a likeable protagonist, one who makes a life-changing discovery and goes through significant character development. Huge commendations go to director of photography Juan Camilo Barriga for the splendid cinematography and to composer Darnell Monestime for the wonderful score. The dancing is very well choreographed and the filmmakers make effective use of slow motion. This film uses a boy-meets-girl concept in order to tell a romantic and emotional story about the art of Konpa and about the joys of music and dancing in general, how they bring people together. There is romance and the tenderness of caring for others, however, more than anything, the centres of the film are the contributions that dancing and music make to the ones who experience them. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Most Beautiful Boy In The World film review by UK film critic John McKeown. Starring Björn Andrésen, directed by Kristina Lindström and Kristian Petri. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Most Beautiful Boy In The World Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: John McKeown | Posted on: Jul 19, 2022 Directed by: Kristina Lindström and Kristian Petri Written by: John McKeown Starring: Björn Andrésen, “To put the eyes on the beauty is to put the eyes on death” says director Luchino Visconti over shots from the screen test of 15-year old Björn Andrésen,who he was to cast in the role of Tadzio in his version of Thomas Mann’s novella Death in Venice. The year was 1971 and Visconti had scoured the world for Mann’s personification of male beauty. Andrésen struck Visconti like a lightning bolt, fittingly, as the epicene young Swede had the look of a god tumbled into the frenetic world of film from Mount Olympus; bemused, confused and, beneath the honeyed ringlets and flawlessly arranged features, terrified by the experience. “They were like a swarm of bats” Andrésen intones over footage of himself and Visconti’s team among the excited crowd at the 25th Cannes Film Festival. He felt trapped, isolated within a “surreal membrane” which twisted the world into a nightmarish maze, one which took him decades to struggle out of. Filmmakers-cum-journalists Kristina Lindström and Kristian Petri’s blend of home movies, footage from the filming of Death in Venice, Andrésen’s later achievements in Japan and his current life in Stockholm and Paris detail this struggle with great visual flair and quiet but compelling narrative force. The tall, thin but wiry, wildly hirsute 66 - now 67 - year old Andrésen retains much of the physical presence that won him the role and that dubious ‘Most Beautiful Boy’ plaudit from Visconti. He never breaks his own fourth wall - an understated but considered tone - which makes his account of his troubled life the more arresting, though I couldn’t feel the degree of empathy Lindström and Petri’s masterly command of their material seems to be asking for. I felt sorrier for a recent girlfriend of Andrésen’s, exasperated on the phone as she accuses him of being cold and unresponsive, of not giving her “the entry code” to his real self. Though there are moments when he does seem to be giving us, through the interviewer, at least one or two digits of that ‘entry code’, particularly in the account of his young son’s cot death. Of course, the man is under no obligation to bare his soul, but one does get the feeling of someone consciously maintaining, refining a cinematic image at all cost. And he can hardly be blamed, it may be the only substance he has. The most intriguing character in the film, discounting the inimitable Visconti, who only appears briefly in bits of footage, is Andrésen’s mother, who disappeared suddenly when the boy was 11 or 12 years old. She was a ‘seeker’, a Bohemian, a Dior model, a writer of poetry. She was later found dead in the woods, a traumatic event which was responsible for much of Andrésen’s confusion and estrangement. It’s this death which is the dark pivot around which the film revolves, and is used with such evocative effect by its makers. And though we see Andrésen, and his sister of the same age, finding some resolution to their shared, ongoing grief, his mother’s death remains the key to his life. Though, it’s suggested, as the former most Beautiful Boy in the World drifts along the beach at Venice, complete self-understanding and fulfillment is still teasingly out of reach. Poor Boy. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic John McKeown Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Duke film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Romi Jay, Kasio Collins, Kyle Acosta, J. Adam Young directed by Kyle Acosta. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Duke Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: May 2, 2023 Directed by: Kyle Acosta Written by: Kyle Acosta Starring: Romi Jay, Kasio Collins, Kyle Acosta, J. Adam Young Not to be confused with the charming 2020 British comedy drama starring Jim Broadbent and Helen Mirren about an elderly gentleman in the sixties who steals/borrows a painting by Goya from the National Gallery just to make some point about not paying his TV license, The Duke by writer/director/producer/star Kyle Acosta is a film about something else entirely. Supposedly. It's not easy to tell what Acosta's film is actually about though, as some of the basic markers, even for a low budget, amateur, indie film, just aren't there. A decent audio track, for example, you would think would be one of the basic things to get right, so that your dialogue can be heard, story can be exposed, characterisation can be expanded upon and the audience actually taken along for the ride whilst knowing just what the actual heck is going on. Not so in The Duke . Right from the off, in one of the most ridiculously constructed opening scenes in film history, the conversation between the characters can hardly be heard. Two bad boys enter a bar, saying something about who knows what, and they harass the bartender into giving them drinks even after last orders. Then a female bartender turns up and tries to get the bad boys out of the way, for which she ends up getting punched in the stomach and apparently raped out in the parking lot, all the while the male bartender does nothing about it, not even calling the cops. Suddenly an old man turns up, in a wide brim hat and trenchcoat, followed by an ugly little pug – The Duke (Acosta). We don't get to see his face but we know he must be important because he gets his own audio track which, as opposed to the others', we can hear because he has clearly recorded his lines in a recording booth, getting his mouth as close to the microphone as he can to breathe the words out in a low, raspy voice. Naturally, the old man saves the day and makes the bad boys pay but that's not all. He has other motivations for being there that night and he's not letting go of one bad boy in particular until he gets what he wants – which could be anything at this point as the audio stops us from understanding at least half of what is going on on screen. Things don't get any better as the film progresses, when after a scene involving the bad boy's father (Young) who apparently has history with The Duke (although God knows what), we switch to Eli (Jay) who looks like he's a security guard at a casino in Las Vegas. There then comes a scene involving a woman holding a knife to some guy's knackers in the ladies' restroom which is impossible to determine why it's there, as yet again the dialogue can't be heard, but also because it's a preposterously stupid scene with no lead in or follow up to give it context. We slowly get led in to Eli's life, again through an endless series of pointless scenes with conversation that can't be heard, and we watch him (we can at least do that) get embroiled in The Duke's affairs. I guess that The Duke is supposed to be a gritty crime drama with its hard men characters, over marginalised and hyper sexualised female characterisation, Las Vegas underworld and desert locations, and the odd chase/fight scene or gunplay. It's only a guess though as most of the story doesn't come across in the visuals, which to be honest seem random at best, and the rest of what might actually be there is lost in the dialogue that can't be heard. In the end The Duke is just unwatchable. The film-maker(s) haven't done enough to make sure that their feature is suitable for public consumption and therefore it can't hope to be watched or understood by any audience. The question is really, would the film have been any better or actually made any sense if the audio was of any use? And the answer is probably, No. The scenes we witness are poor and badly constructed and the camerawork is only serviceable in places while at other times being downright terrible with the camera being put into the wrong positions. There's not a lot to recommend The Duke , it's not a well made or well thought out film, so it's probably best to make it one to avoid. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Indie Feature Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Triple Cross film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Mohib Beg Mirza, Ansh Beg Mirza, Mirza Rakshanda Khan directed by Mirzamlk. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Triple Cross Film Review average rating is 1 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Jun 25, 2023 Directed by: Mirzamlk Written by: Mirzamlk Starring: Mohib Beg Mirza, Ansh Beg Mirza, Mirza Rakshanda Khan In the opening credits of writer/director Mirzamlk's film, Triple Cross we get to see some hyperstylised visuals which seem to promise a slick, modern thriller filled with guns, intrigue and smoke – lots of smoke. The credits roll as images of the three main characters are displayed and held, either staring intently into the camera or holding a pose that is presumably deemed to be cool, or mysterious, or exciting in whatever strange, bizarro world we seem to have stumbled into. For a film with only three real characters the credits take an incredibly long time to get through, but as we'll find out, this is only a gentle introduction into the vast emptiness and repetition of the rest of the film. Once we are into the movie proper, we find that the 'story' is split into chapters with each scene given a banal heading that supposedly helps us to understand what it's all about. Generally these chapter headings add nothing, but actually, when every scene takes place in the same empty, black space, with the same effusive smoke bubbling up from God knows where – constantly, and the same lighting options of full brightness straight on, or full brightness from behind are all we've got to choose from, the headings can sometimes be useful to differentiate one part of the film from the other. Despite the film being called Triple Cross , which you'd think would suggest lots of twists and turns and wiliness going on, there is literally no story to speak of in this lengthy two hour marathon. The characters never get properly introduced, with only one member – the henchwoman (Khan) – actually getting a name-check as far as I can remember, and the audience's guess as to what's actually going on is as good as anyone else's, especially the writer's. It seems that one guy (Ansh Beg Mirza) who I'll call Buzzcut on account of his hairstyle, has been hired to kill another guy (Mohib Beg Mirza), who I'll call Curtains due to the flowing locks which frame his face, and the whole film revolves around the stand-off which occurs when the two mercenaries meet. If you want any explanation or backstory as to why this is happening though – tough. This is literally the extent of what's going on in Triple Cross and even if you think you like the look of the slow-mo visual style and the over-dubbed hyper design of the sound effects, there is just no way that playing these things constantly on repeat can sustain a two hour film – and it doesn't. Very soon the constant crashing of thunder (in the foreground), the same single synth chord, the one and only drum beat and the replay of every single action shot from three or four different angles, will let the viewer know that what they are watching is an empty, vacuous, void and that the whole production is the epitome of style over substance. Add into all this the fact that everyone's talking in metaphor and that some scenes are literally up to fifteen minutes of the same shots and VFX on repeat, especially the matchstick and final shoot-out scenes, it's difficult to think of anyone who would be able to sit down and watch this for its entire runtime. Anything that actually happens could have been wrapped up in twenty minutes but Mirzamlk and their crew want you to spend two hours on this nonsense. Two Hours! Don't. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Indie Feature Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

The Silent Echo film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Kunsang, Tashi Wangdue, Pema Wangyal, Tsering Dhundup directed by Suman Sen. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS The Silent Echo Film Review average rating is 4 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Oct 11, 2022 Directed by: Suman Sen Written by: Suman Sen, Bijon Starring: Kunsang, Tashi Wangdue, Pema Wangyal, Tsering Dhundup A small group of Nepalese children head to the city in order to take part in a band contest. Four children spend their days in the mountains of Mustang, where there is an abandoned bus. They play inside the bus and sing. They appear to have quite a passion for singing and having found out that a band contest is taking place in a nearby city, they decide to participate. With limited dialogue and plenty of singing, this beautiful short drama tells an emotional story that is shown through the eyes of four children. The film could be categorised as a road movie and partly, maybe even as a musical. The narrative begins by showing how the children like to hang around the abandoned bus, then they travel by bus to the city and reach the place where the competition is taking place. The screenplay indicates that the four children are living lives without a great deal of money and yet, they appear happy, constantly laughing and singing. Their song's lyrics are about hardship, which could mean that they live challenging lives. Although their effort at the contest fails to impress the people present, that does not seem to break their spirit. Singing appears to be their strength, it appears to be the thing that keeps the four of them together. Sen's spectacular directing is one of the strongest aspects of the film. Filming took place in Mustang, Nepal and Sen perfectly captures the beauty of the surrounding landscapes, particularly the mountains. There is no non-diegetic music and the film's soundtrack consists mainly of the children's singing, who sing the same song three times throughout. The fact that their performance does not have an impact on the crowd might mean that their singing is something that should stay between the four of them, as it is only them that undestand what it means to them. The script appears to suggest that these children belong where they are, in the mountains. As they leave the peacefulness of the countryside for the noisy city, they seem like outsiders in a place where they are not welcomed. This is an impressive achievement that is very well made and explores themes that involve inner strength and how significant singing can be to a person. The story has its sad moments, ultimately though, it is a story that offers hope. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Breakdown film review by UK film critic William Hemingway. Starring Steve Lim, Angel Lin directed by Hon Hoang. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Breakdown Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: William Hemingway | Posted on: Nov 4, 2024 Directed by: Hon Hoang Written by: Hon Hoang Starring: Steve Lim, Angel Lin A conversation in the wilderness leads to a realisation about loss and the nature of love. In writer/director, Hon Hoang’s short film, Breakdown we meet a couple who have come to a standstill upon the path they have been travelling. Their car has given up the ghost as they traverse the desert landscape, and it is in doubt as to whether they will ever reach their destination together or not. Having been given no names throughout the dialogue and referred to only as Him (Lim) and Her (Lin) in the credits, the couple are the obvious archetype of two lovers on a journey, with their characters kept purposefully vague so that the universality of their words and their situation can be expressed. Breakdown begins with Him at the wheel, telling Her about his dreams. She responds and somehow manifests next to him in the passenger seat, taking control and guiding the conversation into ethereal realms. The haunting score from Dash Lunde keeps things dreamy and otherworldly as the couple continue their conversation, and we find out that all the wishes and hopes from Him relate to a Her who is already gone. The cinematography from Alexander Nikishin also plays a major part in keeping the film dream-like, with the background wilderness mostly kept out of focus while we close in on the faces and bodies of the two loves. Their movements are slow and flowing, and the camera lingers painfully on what seem to be memories, as the words are voiced over their images without the need for spoken dialogue. Hoang’s direction keeps everything tied to his vision for the film and we are left in no doubt that what we are witnessing is an arthouse performance. At only seven minutes, Breakdown plays like a ‘revelation’ scene from a bigger film, where the main character loses themselves in the wilderness for a while only to come to the realisation they need to push themselves forward towards the climax and denouement of their story. It is only by facing the ghosts of the past that they can be let go and the future allowed to come into existence. However, in the absence of a bigger narrative surrounding the scenario in Breakdown , what we get sometimes feels more like that of watching an extended perfume advert. There is such an emphasis in Breakdown on the otherworldly, that it can be difficult to connect with the message being shared. The dialogue is purposefully flowery and existentially distant, matching with the visuals and the score to ensure that a conventional narrative is never found. There is absolutely truth and beauty in what is being expressed between Him and Her, and the theme of loss will likely resonate with those who have endured similar situations, but without an explicit thread to attach oneself to the words can fall on deaf ears. Hon Hoang should be congratulated for his dedication to vision and for the visual result he has achieved. Taking a trip out into the wilderness to talk about love, even lost love, is a very soothing and mindful thing to do. There’s a lot to like in this short film, and the break you get while you’re there is well worth it, but the question is whether there’s enough to keep most viewers interested, and enough that’s not been dreamed up in another desert sometime before. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic William Hemingway Digital / DVD Release, Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Animale film review by UK film critic Hope Madden. Starring Oulaya Amamra, Vivien Rodriguez, Damien Rebattel directed by Emma Benestan. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Animale Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Hope Madden | Posted on: Aug 6, 2025 Directed by: Emma Benestan Written by: Emma Benestan, JulieDebiton Starring: Oulaya Amamra, Vivien Rodriguez, Damien Rebattel For most of cinematic history, the werewolf has been the territory of men. The Wolf Man and all that. Not always, though. Feminist classic Ginger Snaps was among the first films to see the metaphorical possibilities of a monthly curse, and plenty of films since have tossed aside the idea that the furry shapeshifter has to be a dude. With Animale , co-writer/director Emma Benestan throws out the idea that the shape for shifting has to be a wolf. Nejma (Oulaya Amamra) is the lone woman working a bull ranch in Camargue, France and training to bullfight. Her first fight doesn’t go as well as she’d hoped, but still she’s invited to tag along with the others for a post-fight party out in the pasture. Nothing is quite the same after. She wakes with little memory of the night, but a bad gash from a bull attack. As she feels herself undergo changes—nightmares, acute senses, physical changes—a rogue bull seems to be targeting the ranch workers, killing them night after night. Benestan’s talented cast favors understated realism, which sometimes feels slightly out of step with the supernatural tale being spun. But each carves out an authentic individual. Vivien Rodriguez is especially impressive, finding layers where others may not have. Amamra mines her character for vulnerability and confidence in ways that not only feel authentic but make the transformation more believable. When another bull is targeted as the killer, the performance takes on a passion that’s charged, disturbing, and right for the film. The scene that kicks off Act 3 is as potent and disturbing as anything in recent horror cinema memory. It cements the film’s underlying metaphor with heartbreaking relevance. This is a film about acceptable cruelty, which makes it a difficult watch, although Benestan does what she can to transport you someplace quite amazing. Investment in metaphor over monster mythology robs the final scene of some of its potential, but not a lot. Animale sees parallels you may not want to see, but once you’ve watched it, it can’t be unseen. There’s no question that’s a good thing. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Hope Madden Theatrical Release, World Cinema < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Tech to the Future film review by UK film critic Jason Knight. Starring Francis Hellyer, Patrick Hessel, Michael Atar, Donelle Dadigan directed by Sandro Monetti. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Tech to the Future Film Review average rating is 5 out of 5 Critic: Jason Knight | Posted on: Oct 20, 2022 Directed by: Sandro Monetti Written by: Sandro Monetti Starring: Francis Hellyer, Patrick Hessel, Michael Atar, Donelle Dadigan A fascinating short documentary about remarkable ways in which technology is utilised in order to shape the future. Within fifteen minutes, the audience is introduced to five technological breakthroughs in travelling, medicine and entertainment and some of the amazing individuals that have contributed to making them a reality. The presenter is Francis Hellyer, a business leader and investor, who enthusiastically introduces the viewer to these magnificent accomplishments one at a time. So what are these achievements then? The documentary is separated into chapters, each of which focuses on a specific product or service. First, there is Aeromobil, a company that manufactures cars that are designed to convert into aircrafts withing three minutes and can fly. Then, there is Deepcake, a talent agency that creates digital copies of celebrities and through terrific creativity, makes it look like it is actually them who are acting in a scene and not a replica. Trioscope is a company that creates a multiverse platform for storytelling that allows users to develop a cinematic and spectacular content through the use of 3D CGI painted environments, 2D animation and live-action footage. Cytovale is an organisation that utilises cell mechanics and machinery in order to discover rapid ways to diagnose diseases that develop quickly and finally there is the Hollywood Museum, which (as the name suggests) has a massive collection of movie props and film sets and the staff are hoping that in the near future, they will also have holograms of movie characters. The innovations mentioned above are shown in action, yet it could be hard to believe that they actually exist, as they are so fascinating. Some of the individuals who are part of them include Patrick Hessel, the CEO and chairman of Aeromobil, Professor Michael Atar who works with Cytovale and Donelle Dadigan, the founder and president of Hollywood Museum. As they are interviewed, they proudly talk about their accomplishments. Oz Koca and Skye Wallin do a great job with the editing and Elizabeth Rossi makes a significant contribution with the music. This exciting documentary introduces and promotes products and services that will most likely change lives for the better and by doing so it also shows the fantastic things that people are capable of. Viewers will almost centaily be fascinated by what they will learn and will probably want to find out more about these outstanding innovations. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Jason Knight Short Film, Documentary < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Wheels film review by UK film critic Swati Verma . Starring Aritraa Sengupta directed by Samman Roy. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Wheels Film Review average rating is 3 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Jun 8, 2023 Directed by: Samman Roy Written by: Samman Roy Starring: Aritraa Sengupta The title of the short film-Wheels symbolises the day-to-day routine of people and the struggles they go through to give themselves reasons to live despite all the issues a similar situation the female protagonist Dia (Aritraa Sengupta) is handling and she manages to build an emotional connection of the audience with the content instantly. The plot of the movie revolves around Dia an Indian classical dancer who has met with an accident that has confined her to a wheelchair. She returns home from the hospital hoping to find some traces of her foregone life. However, fate has something else in store. The film opens with a long shot of silent streets with just a few cars moving by. The makers have brilliantly incorporated this scene into the screenplay to depict the changed scenario in Dia’s life and also the creative wants the audience to be involved with the movie from the very beginning. The location chosen is Kolkata to bring out the slightly raw nature of the script allowing the local audience to feel the elements of realism and relatability with the treatment of Wheels. The set design, black white colour palette with a hint of colour during the song, a combination of dim lighting and natural lighting, dialogues, costume, hair, makeup, and props assist in establishing as well as uplifting the subject matter and communicating the key messages to the audience effectively. In terms of performance, Aritraa Sengupta plays Dia a classical dancer who is trying to revive herself from a major accident. Sengupta with her acting skills portrays the range of emotions the young woman experiences when she is wheelchair - bound and stuck in her own body super dependent on her loved ones. The Bengali actress understands the nuances of the character managing to inspire the audience to learn from her at every juncture in the script. Wheels talks about the importance of one’s identity in life and losing the same can be detrimental to the physical as well as mental health of any person and also their loved ones. The short film reiterates that everyone is differently capable to deal with any kind of loss in life and so they should be respected and given the desired privacy to deal with the same and not judged for it. The dramatic film restates that there can be a small circle of people around someone who cares about them so it is best to be self-reliant when it comes to providing positivity and motivation in life. The cinematic piece also tells its audience about how children, games, and pets can help heal the internal as well as the external wounds a particular accident can leave behind. The creative piece also highlights the need of accepting reality and dealing with the present scenario as there is no point in living in the past and also pushing those away who are trying to help one survive through the hardships. To conclude, I will like to say that the length should have been shorter so that the female protagonist could have managed to bind us emotionally up until the end. I also felt that absence of subtitles can also affect the popularity of Wheels among a wider set of audience. The editing skills can also be improved for a better quality of the end product. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Swati Verma Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >

Router film review by UK film critic Swati Verma . Starring Britt Vicars directed by Ryan Spahn. HOME | FILMS | REVIEWS Router Film Review average rating is 2 out of 5 Critic: Swati Verma | Posted on: Apr 10, 2023 Directed by: Ryan Spahn Written by: Ryan Spahn Starring: Britt Vicars The writer-director Ryan Spahn attempts to combine modern-day technology with the thriller as well as horror genres to build an intriguing script and a well-written character arc for the female protagonist Jeanine (Britt Vicars) to increase the degree of audience engagement with the content even when Router has a short running time. The plot of the short film revolves around Jeanine who discovers a disturbing hidden signal listed on her neighbour’s router when the internet goes down, she notices a message that would get everyone in trouble. The film opens with a series of long shots and mid shots to track the daily routine of the young woman to get the viewers involved with the movie from the very beginning. The white, black, and brown colours, set design, dim lighting, camera angles, background music, eerie sound effects along with loud thuds of the door, dialogues, costume, hair, makeup, and props are utilised to establish the gloomy perspective to evoke tension, creepiness, anxiety, stress, mystery, thrill, and suspense in the minds of the viewers. Router gets to the business of storytelling and adds the element of realism and the audience can see it as a slice of life when it comes to day-to-day experiences. In terms of performance, Britt Vicars plays Jeanine who is a tech-savvy girl and is usually busy with her usual work routine but finds something fishy and acts accordingly. Vicars portrays a casual body language initially then quickly switches to a more alert version with the help of phone conversations as per the demand of the screenplay. The actress efficiently maintains the mood of the movie through her facial expressions, eyes, voice modulations, and occasional gasps. Router talks about being aware of one’s surroundings and becoming a responsible citizen and reporting something suspicious helping the police even if it is at a very small level. The short film reiterates the need of creating a comfort zone but at the same time, one has to be brave enough to deal with any emergencies while taking care of their safety. The cinematic piece spreads awareness about the pros and cons of using technology and what can the outcome be if one does not use it carefully. I want to appreciate the open-ended closure given to the film by Spahn and his team allowing the audience to understand and interpret it as they want to. I also like that an abrupt ending provides an opportunity to the audience to keep thinking about the short film even after finishing the same. In my opinion, the length of the movie should have been a little longer for the viewers to develop an emotional connection with the female protagonist as well as explore the integration of thrill and horror elements in the subject matter the film deals with. Buy UKFR Banner Space About the Film Critic Swati Verma Short Film < All Reviews Next Film Review >