★★★★ Directed by: #EricaEng Written by: #EricaEng Starring: #TerryHu, #AmberGaston Short Film Review by: Emily Davison As her sophomore year of high school comes to an end, Eng (Hu) tries to find a sense of belonging within two worlds that do not accept her. Americanized (2021) is a short sport drama, written and directed by Los Angeles based filmmaker Erica Eng. The short, set in Oakland’s hip-hop culture in the early 2000s, is based on her own experience playing high school basketball and has received much critical acclaim from film festivals. The film took home a Special Jury Award at the Palm Springs International ShortFest and won Best Short Film at Bentonville Film Festival - much deserved recognition for a powerful character-driven short about cross-cultural relationships and self-discovery. Eng directs a beautiful looking film with energetic visuals, the colours of sunrise and sunset or the bright artificial glow of streetlights in a dark car park jumping off the screen and drawing the eye in. Although the film is covering some difficult subject matter, the cinematography maintains a high aesthetic appeal throughout and endears you to the story being told. We follow Chinese American student, Eng, played brilliantly by Terry Hu, as she struggles to integrate herself with her peers, especially with her beloved basketball team who she most often feels a sense of belonging and comradery with. She tries to make friends with her Chinese classmates too, but her altered appearance to fit in with the ‘black’ girls causes her to be excluded. A tense, uncomfortable scene shows Eng attempting to sit with some Chinese students, only for them to be offended by her and speak in their native language to each other, isolating Eng further who does not understand. It is bittersweet when Eng eventually wins the next basketball game for the team, as she is called in to replace Steph (Gaston), the only girl to show true support for her, only to turn on Eng which leads to a devastating fallout between them. Eng is able to find a glimmer of recognition and shared understanding when her grandmother comforts her, who we discover had a nasty bruise on her cheek, which Eng now shares after a violent confrontation with Steph. The film is both poignant and eye opening in how it addresses the kind of abuse endured by those with dual or hybrid identities; all Eng wants to do is fit in with the hip hop culture which surrounds her and she never feels like she can. Although the film is wonderfully captivating and full of thought provoking commentaries, I would have liked to see more with these interesting, dynamic characters – it is simply too short! Another scene perhaps showing how Eng dealt with the aftermath of what happened to her and what became of her relationship with the basketball team would have made a great epilogue to the narrative. On the other hand, it may have been director Eng’s intention to leave it up to her viewers and encourage them to reflect on the themes addressed. Overall, Americanized is an enthralling short with a relevant, emotionally engaging story; a superb performance from its lead and sporting vibrant visuals – I cannot wait to see more from this exceptional filmmaker. #EmilyDavison

After a year of “home invasions” in the form of virtual screenings and online events, this October sees Grimmfest returning to the cinema at last. From 7th to 10th October, the festival will be back at its regular venue, Odeon Great Northern, Manchester, with four whole days of movie premieres, Q&As and exclusive events. But that's not all. In response to the continued uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, and by popular demand, this year's festival will be a hybrid. The live event will be followed by an online version, running from 14th to 17th October. The line up of feature films has already been released, but until now the closing feature remained shrouded in mystery. Grimmfest is thrilled to be hosting the WORLD PREMIERE of BLAST [DÉFLAGRATIONS] and will be joined by members of the cast and crew for this premiere screening. The festival will reach a suitably explosive climax with Vanya Peirani-Vignes' heartstopping high-tension, high-concept thriller, which stars Nora Arnezeder (MANIAC, ARMY OF THE DEAD, MOZART IN THE JUNGLE, etc) as a bomb disposal expert who finds herself trapped in a car wired to an anti-tank mine, and must rely on her own skills and those of her colleagues to survive. Combining the escalating claustrophobia of its setting with a breakneck race-against-the-clock, an emotive human drama about family, friendship, commitment and compromise, and even finding time for some sharp socio-political jabs along the way, it's a fast-paced and ferocious feature film debut for writer-director Peirani-Vignes, and shot by the great Thierry Arboghast (Luc Besson’s regular cinematographer), which hits the ground running and never lets up for a moment. We can also announce our three key sponsors for Grimmfest 2021. UK genre and cult film distributor ARROW VIDEO is supporting our live festival, HORROR CHANNEL is supporting our virtual online event and our Lifetime achievement award (This year awarded to actress Dee Wallace), while UK based movie memorabilia company RENDEZVOUS CINEMA are sponsoring our annual ‘Reaper’ awards, of which a carefully selected jury will deliberate and vote on ten awards that range from BEST FEATURE to BEST SCARE. The Grimmfest Team are also delighted to announce the short film lineup for 2021. This year we will be screening more short films than ever before, with a total of four Short Film Programmes at the live festival. In total we will present two world premieres, four international premieres, five euro premieres and twelve UK premieres, and many more that are new to the north of the UK: PROGRAMME ONE, entitled WEIRD... Toxic male entitlement comes a cropper in Ryan Kruger's provocatively on-point #MEOWTOO. Love in a time of pandemic holds more than one risk in Gil Vesely's cheekily topical WHILE WE STAYED HOME. A postmortem photographer gets a lesson in life in Paul O'Flanagan's Dickensian morality tale MEMENTO MORI. There's paranoia and puppetry amid the porcelain in Josh Funk's sublimely surreal THE FUZZIES, and an unsettling discovery for a happy young housewife in Craig Low's darkly comic and disturbing MOVIN DAY. A rescue dog is haunted by spectres of guilt in Joe Cappa's hallucinogenic GHOST DOGS. A young girl suspects that her grandmother's stroke has extraterrestrial origins in Sid Zanforlin's blackly comic and unexpectedly life-affirming THEY'RE HERE. Chris McInroy takes a stomach-churning swipe at the absurdities of office politics in the outrageous GUTS. A has been horror star hatches a plan for his revival in Max Ward's tense and mischievously meta cinematic RETURN OF THE BEAST FROM OUTER SPACE. And meeting the girlfriend's parents proves no laughing matter, in Javier Chavanel's nightmarish SMILES. PROGRAMME TWO entitled UNCOMFORTABLE... Every parent's worst nightmare comes true in Damien Fannon's horrifying CRY BABY. An E.C. Comics-style morality tale gets a sharp social media spin in Nathan Crooker's gleefully grotesque #NOFILTER. Honeymoon happiness gets shockingly derailed in Craig Ouellette's tense and emotionally brutal ANNIVERSARY. A young model gets out of her depth in Enrico Po's tense and troubling OUT OF BODY. A self-harmer is haunted by a past betrayal and her own compulsions in Dan Repp and Lindsay Young's chilling CUTTER. A young man's increasing sense of uncertainty in his new relationship fuses with his arachnophobia, in Brodi-jo Scalise's creepy and Kafkaesque ITSY BITSY SPIDER. And an estranged son's resentment over his father takes on physical form in Dane Hallett's visceral and emotive fusion of family drama and body horror, RANCOUR. PROGRAMME THREE, entitled DEADLIER... Alienation and amnesia in the desert in Natasha Halevi's solo Super-8 shocker DON'T GO OUTSIDE. A trail cam captures something unexpected in Alisa Stern's mischievous take on found footage filmmaking, POSTED NO HUNTING. Romance proves risky in Chloe Wicks' deadly droll AFTERTASTE. Commitment-phobia confronts a cornucopia of toxic masculinity in Shahrzad Davani's disturbing and disorientating ALL OF YOU. Peer pressure power games prove murderous in Jamy Steele's unsettling and slippery SALMON PINK. A social media influencer discovers the risks of over-sharing in I-Hui Lee's chilling HONEYMOON. And an emotionally fragile young woman gets increasingly out of her depth at a drunken party, in Ana Muñoz's harrowing and horrific HANNYA. PROGRAMME FOUR, entitled DYSTOPIA... The view from a window reveals a shocking crime in Carlo Ballauri's dystopian nightmare, THE RECYCLING MAN. Appearances prove deceiving in Iván Sáinz-Pardo's wistful and haunting FACES. Traumatic memories assume physical form in Katherine Chediak Putnam's eerie and enigmatic INFERNO. Love conquers all – with the aid of technology – in Lovina Yavari and Lance Fernandes' unexpectedly heartwarming RED STRING OF FATE. A mother and daughter break free from male oppression in Jessica Grace Smith's post-apocalyptic parable, FLIP. Escape is achieved at a chilling cost in Eric Jungmann's startling BODY OF THE MIND. The toxic influence of tabloid TV is savagely satirised in Jaime A. Calachi's Kafkaesque HABITAT. Arif Khan offers a hellish allegory for the sacrifices made by refugees and asylum seekers in the chilling THE PURPLE IRIS. And Alex Proyas makes a welcome return to the world of DARK CITY in the cyber-noir fairytale, MASK OF THE EVIL APPARITION.

Directed by: #Vera Written by: Vera Starring: #DanielChristianJones, #JessicaMyrie, #SamanthaNemeth Short Film Review by: Corey Bulloch “I’m grateful Wendy, that you found me so I could tell this story” These words were spoken by John, a grieving father who lost his daughter to medical malpractice following an abortion irked me. They come in the final scene of this short film which sees John recount his painful tale to a counsellor; the character speaks as if a great weight has been lifted from him and that he perhaps the next step towards healing. Though the audience can’t feel that with him as it happens; I’m not irked by the content of this story rather I am annoyed in how Remembering You doesn’t present this story. The critical details of his daughter Laina’s life and death are not present, we see her discovery of the pregnancy, her decision to have an abortion and then she’s having a spiritual fireside chat after her medical complications have taken her life. The bulk, the real emotion to these character’s journeys is absent; we just have bookends and a prayer from the filmmakers that since the subject matter is so potent that we won’t notice. Though that’s all you can notice, this cryptic dialogue on what exactly killed Laina whether it be “septic shock” or “drug companies” doesn’t build tension it just defaults the power of the narrative. Remembering You takes no explicit political or moral stance on abortion rather tries to use this story of Laina and John to highlight how safe reproductive care must be made available to all. The opening of the film bears a subtitle of “inspired by true events” but whatever real-life lessons we’re supposed to take away from this story lack that personal impact. Writer-director Vera frames the film in a frustrating structure, Daniel Christian Jones opens the film with a narration of John questioning the purpose of life over images of himself walking through sun-soaked fields. Then through an interview with counsellor Wendy and subsequent flashbacks, we get the few pieces of Laina’s story. Despite the film’s semi-biographical origins, I found the direction to be maudlin in its depiction of grief. I enjoyed Samantha Nemeth’s performance as Laina, it felt authentic and would have preferred the narrative focusing on her choices and isolation despite its tragedy. Unfortunately, Remembering You, I feel leans more into melodramatic elements with John’s character and setting, walking through fields a la Gladiator, chopping wood in a plaid shirt and speaking in a thick southern accent. There’s a lack of grounding to Jones' performance despite the vulnerability on display through the film. Remembering You showcases Laina’s story through her father’s grief and how he chooses to remember her. Though the majority of Laina's scenes aren’t his memories and the clear implication is that John wasn’t present during her abortion and aftermath, that being the driving force of his trauma. So what is the real takeaway from the film? It wants to be a film to highlight critical issues in reproductive health, pregnancy, and abortion without making any strides in showcasing those issues beyond the select memories of a man’s pain. The filmmakers may have the best intentions in what they want this film to be but don’t push themselves to deliver the full picture. #CoreyBulloch #shortfilm

★★★ Directed by: Alan Shapiro Written by: Alan Shapiro Starring: Alicia Silverstone, Cary Elwes, Kurtwood Smith and Jennifer Rubin Throwback Film Review by: Rachel Pullen The Crush (1993) Film Review Remember last week when I spoke about my fetish for those mid nighties domestic thrillers if that's what you call them? If not I am copyrighting that name, keep away Hollywood I got lawyers, and we reviewed early 2000's classic Domestic Disturbance, with its all-star cast and car phone issues...of course you do, because what else do you do but wait in a dark room for my next film review to drop...anyway, I mentioned a little number called The Crush, and if you know anything about the mid nighties, you will remember that Alicia Silverstone was hot property and if you know anything about me, it’s that I love mid nighties domestic thrillers. The Crush tells the tale of a young 14-year-old girl called Adrian, whose rich parents don't really pay attention to her because they are busy being...well rich and they are so rich they have a spare mini house thing and decide to rent it out for the summer, think Air BnB before it was a thing and ruined property rental prices for regular folks. A dashing man in his late 20's takes up the offer, he is young, hip and a budding journalist, he smokes cigars and has a cool retro car, so obviously our sweet innocent Adrian starts up a friendship with him, and his casual attention to her leads, in her mind, to mean super strong love feelings...Typical dude style he is oblivious and gets a girlfriend his age, the girlfriend is like, she wants to jump ya bones, be careful and he is like look...I have cigars and a cool car, then they skip over it, later Adrian accuses him of assault and he is like hmm maybe my girlfriend has a point, but oh no, I have deadlines to meet...and they skip over it, then she does a bunch of shrine building and bee attacks and he is like....oooooh I get it now, and we all slow clap as he crosses the finish line. The Crush could be seen as the made-for-TV version of Lolita, it’s got some plot holes and unrealistic situations, but at the same time they cram it all into an hour and a half, it’s fast-paced, frantic and that kind of makes it fun. It feels like the adrenalin of a teenage crush, never forget Romeo and Juliet were only in love for five days, which resulted in the death of a bunch of folks...teenage love is always a flash in the pan, and The Crush certainly encompasses that feeling. In short, The Crush has some flaws which we could sit here and call out, but we can never say it’s not entertaining, The Crush is a film that is accessible to a wide audience, that has a little something for everyone, and keeps you strapped in for the whole time, this film doesn't dip or slow down and that certainly is a plus! So this week what can we take away. Air BnB’s are killing us all Smoking cigars are only for the cool kids And rich kids have too much free time and access to bees. #RachelPullen Watch the Film Trailer

★★★★ Directed by: #LieslTommy Written by: #TraceyScottWilson and #CallieKhouri Starring: #JenniferHudson, #ForrestWhittaker and #MarlonWayans Film review by: Brian Penn Future historians will revisit the life of Aretha Franklin and reach one simple conclusion; there will never be another Queen of Soul quite like the daughter of a Baptist Minister who sang at dinner parties as a 10 year old. True icons are increasingly difficult to find, and this film explains why we should cherish the rarity of such talent. Co-producer Jennifer Hudson is perfectly cast as Aretha with her impressively wide vocal range. No lip synching to an existing track is needed here; she gets as close as anyone could to the cadence of Aretha in her prime. Like all biopics aspects of Aretha's life have been truncated, but an implied event puts a false spin on the narrative. With the focus on a controlling father and abusive husband it becomes a 'Me Too' type of story which doesn't always do justice to her achievements. Nevertheless, it ticks the major milestones including her emergence in gospel and role in the civil rights movement. Her early recording career with Columbia is well documented; as is her commercial breakthrough with Atlantic Records. But it's her relationship with two men that dominate the storyline. Her father, the Reverend Clarence Franklin (Forest Whittaker) is a towering presence in her life. A contemporary of Martin Luther King, Franklin rides on the coat tails of his daughter's prodigious talent. Ted White (Marlon Wayans) is the smooth talking artist manager who slowly seduces then marries Aretha much to the consternation of her father. Whilst she was exploited by both men Aretha is painted as a victim and not the strong woman she became. The set pieces come to the plot's rescue with a brilliant portrayal of how Aretha's biggest hits came about. The first sessions at Muscle Shoals positively drip with atmosphere as 'I never loved a man' slowly took shape. We see Aretha with her sisters Carolyn and Erma rehearsing at the piano as 'Respect' is transformed into an Aretha Franklin song. Visual sequencing adds real contrast as the picture switches from black and white to colour. Interestingly, the film wraps in 1972 when Aretha was only 30. But it actually feels the right place to stop as Aretha finds peace and redemption with the release of her landmark gospel album 'Amazing Grace'. Jennifer Hudson delivers a showstopping performance equal to her Oscar winning turn as Effie in Dreamgirls. The four stars are for Hudson and an excellent soundtrack that easily cover any cracks left by the plot.

★★★★ Stars Directed by: #MarjoleinVanPanhuys Written by: #MarjoleinVanPanhuys, #PaulBontenbal Starring: #TomDeJong, #MarjoleinVanPanhuys, #DirkGuntherMohr, #NinaZandvliet Film Review by: Alicia Moore Daddy Day is a Dutch short film mainly based around a father-daughter relationship. When the girl’s father forgets that it is the weekend she comes to stay at his household separate to her mother’s, he doesn’t have anything prepared. He scrambles for help; scrambles for any ideas that can pass time and assist them in enjoying the company they have together. Made for the 48 Hour Film Project, Daddy Day’s core is voiced as “you are in control” through the form of affirmation tapes. You are the only person who understands your boundaries. Do not cross that line if you don’t want to. You are in control. It may seem like a very deep topic to connect to a short about a colourful tea party with dad, daughter and grandad but I can assure you that it fits perfectly when put into context. Even the simple things in life can be refused if you don’t feel comfortable. Sjoerd (father figure played by Dirk Gunther Mohr) lists ideas for activities to do with his daughter Vanessa (Nina Zandvliet,) one of which was mentioned by grandad (Tom De Jong) but was quickly shut down by Sjoerd. Now… the small activity that was refused was a lot less extravagant than the activity they settled upon, however that is exactly why this tag-line of “you are in control” fits almost flawlessly. Stepping outside of your comfort zone whenever you feel that it is appropriate to do so is what you are in control of. In this case, having the most fun with your daughter is something you should embrace. Crazy wigs, makeup, tea, dancing – laughter and enjoyment can easily be the result when you understand that you can take control of your day. Seize the day, no matter how big or small the situation is! And repeating a view on life like this will eventually start to naturally occur. Dirk Gunther Mohr and Marjolein Van Panhuys (Vanessa’s mother) both give amazing performances, using subtle facial expressions and eye contact to their upmost advantage. I’m impressed and frankly quite surprised by how much depth is created to character in such a short space of time; when I say they use the previously listed elements to their advantage I really do mean that. Whether it be a soft smile that is quickly wiped off their face once they catch themselves letting it slip, or the progression of strength in eye contact showcasing a transition in comfort, everything adds up and should be praised as it stacks high. With an extra nod to the creative and eye-catching editing throughout Daddy Day (Tim Straver and Alrik Eiggers,) this short film will definitely bring some light to a gloomy day. The five minute short is left in a slightly open-ended way that allows room for audience interpretation as well as giving bursts of emotion, very skilfully through little dialogue overall actually, that will expand over time as you ponder over the film. You can watch Daddy Day here on YouTube.

Filmmaker Interview by Chris Olson Thank you for chatting with us. How has the lockdown been for you and your acting career? Hi, thanks for having me! Lockdown has definitely been challenging at times for me, as it has been for many actors, but I'm doing quite well. I have some great projects to look forward to once lockdown is lifted. I was meant to be in Los Angeles a few weeks ago for the U.S. premiere of Risen, so that was a little disappointing, but I've also had the chance to slow down and work on some personal projects, which has been nice. I am currently in pre-production for my debut film, Cognitive, so that is really exciting! You are about to make your first International acting appearance in Risen. What can you tell us about your character and the film? Yes! Risen was released in U.S. cinemas on the 20th of August. I play the role of Rachel Stermon, a biologist responsible for discovering life from other planets. Risen is a science-fiction thriller about a meteorite that hits planet Earth and makes the air uninhabitable. I won’t spoil it too much, but it’s got a lot of heart and a great twist at the end. How did you come to be in the film? I met the director Eddie Arya through an acting workshop that he was running. I didn’t know it at the time, but the scene I performed in front of Eddie and the class that day ended up becoming an unofficial audition for me. Eddie loved my work, and I was pretty much cast in the film there and then. It was both an amazing and unexpected experience! Where and when can people see Risen? If you are in or can get to America at the moment (take me), Risen is currently screening in U.S. cinemas. It is also available across multiple streaming platforms like Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, and Apple TV for my friends in the U.K.! You have a number of acting credits to your name. What film was your favourite to work on and why? I most recently filmed a role in the feature film Beat by Australian director Jye Currie. It was one of the best experiences I have had onset. Jye was a very open and approachable director and allowed me to do some improvisation. Improvising is such a dream for me as an actor, but you rarely have the permission or get the freedom to do it. It was so much fun! I had such a great time with my co-stars, and there was a really relaxed vibe on set. I loved my character Ruby and the emotional journey she got to go on. A great experience all around! Why do you make movies? I have always loved movies, and I think that movies have the power to change people’s lives. That’s what I hope to do. I want to help people by making amazing movies and telling stories that matter. Movies can make people feel less alone in the world and feel more understood. I hope to help give a voice to those that may be struggling to find their own, and I want to bring positive change to the world. The first movie I ever fell in love with was The Wizard of Oz. I remember it having such a huge impact on me, even as a little girl. The message behind it is so powerful- that we always hold the power within ourselves to do great things. I have always carried that with me and I hope that I can inspire others to find their power too. What would you say if you were a dolphin? “This interview has been going swimmingly, but it’s time to dolphin-ish now!” Find out more about Kya and follow her on her official Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kya_stewart_ #ChrisOlson

★★★★ Written and directed by: Deyan Tsvyatkov Starring: Jordan Rassin, Kostadinka Tosheva Film review by William Hemingway There are those in the world who subscribe to the hypothesis of Simulation Theory – that we are all just simulated characters in a Universe wide 'game', running out our selected algorithms for the benefit/pleasure/research of some superior race of god-like beings or aliens or future-usses. Elon Musk is one such subscriber (although this hardly counts as a recommendation); Neil deGrasse Tyson was another, stating that the likelihood was greater than 50/50 until he had his mind changed by a thoroughly robust counter argument. Whatever your thoughts on the issue, there's no denying that the idea has been fertile ground for a swathe of sci-fi stories and films. One such film is Vi, a Bulgarian made short from writer/director Deyan Tsvyatkov. Victor (Jordan Rassin) is the creator of Vi, a computer based system which extracts emotional energy from brain activity created during a sleep-induced simulation and turns it into usable energy for computational processing. In short, it takes your dreams – or in this case nightmares as they carry more emotional charge – and turns them into electrical energy. Victor however, has been getting high on his own supply and has been overusing the system, ostensibly as tech support to patch up glitches and ensure smooth running, but also for more personal reasons. After a seemingly random encounter with Laura (Kostadinka Tosheva) inside the system, he can't wait to keep getting back in there, to get inside her head and switch her daily nightmares into dreams. What Victor hasn't considered though, is that Laura won't remember any of this when she wakes up, and anything he achieves in the simulation will not be mirrored in the outside world. Such is Victor's own nightmare. What Tsvyatkov has created then is a kind of mash-up between The Matrix and Vanilla Sky with just a hint of The Lobster thrown in for stylistic purposes. He builds an incredibly well realised world where Soviet-era structures and dial-up technology abound to provide that ubiquitous retro-feel, suggesting that we always tend to build our dystopian futures out of cast away nuts and bolts. Director of photography Dimitar Tenev ensures that we can clearly distinguish the outside world from that of the Vi system while visual effects supervisor Valentin Serafimov brilliantly brings the world of dreams to life with some truly spectacular visuals. As you might expect from a short film of this nature, there's more to Vi than first meets the eye. At a first pass the narrative may not seem very strong, with a rather plain, cul-de-sac ending. However, the film almost requires repeat viewings, which it stands up to very well, and which will reveal extra plot points and visual suggestions that may have been previously missed. The lead actors all do impressive jobs of inhabiting their characters in this hyper-realised world and with their guidance Vi becomes somewhere that we want to visit again and again. Vi is a stunning visual treat that borrows from the best in the simulated reality genre whilst adding its own unique twist and allowing the audience to work things out for themselves. #WilliamHemingway

★★★★ Directed by: #LeoLebeau Written by: #JamesBell, #LeoLebeau Starring: #SebastianEmmerson, #SelmaAlkaff, #TedReilly Short Film Review by: Emily Davison A transgender boy is severely bullied by his classmates at an all-girls school and he secretly celebrates his sixteenth birthday in his safe haven of online games. Birthday Boy (2021) is a short drama directed by National Film and Television School graduate Leo Lebeau and will premier with Iris Prize in October, as well as scheduled for the Norwich Film Festival taking place in November. The film presents a touching, yet hard-hitting watch which celebrates the LGBTQ+ community with a refreshing narrative that does not focus on the protagonist’s transition between gender identities. The film is very well shot and composed, with an engrossing dynamic pivoting first shot introducing us to Alex (Emmerson) as he is bullied by a group of girls as he arrives at school, the camera circling around in a smooth fashion. The cinematography creates an immersive, intimate environment where we closely follow Alex as he openly expresses himself through his gaming and is constantly bullied during classes. There is a tender compassion to the way in which Lebeau directs the film, where no plot point is rushed and the narrative unfolds in a thoroughly satisfying way. We see how isolated and lonely Alex is, as his parents have accepted his identity, but his scholarship at the school means his mother insists he still attends, despite the very obvious fact that he cannot identify with his peers. The bullying soon takes a violent turn in the girls’ toilets, with a particularly tough sequence making for hard viewing, but necessary in emphasising the awful abuse trans people can be subjected to. The short does have a largely bleak tone as it honestly depicts the hardships Alex faces in his daily life, but the silver lining is his online friend who is revealed at the end. The film is ultimately about positively representing the LGBTQ+ community and encourages viewers to be more open minded and accepting. Sebastian Emmerson gives a truthful, sympathetic performance as Alex and the scene in the girls’ toilets really showcases his talents. Selma Alkaff also makes for an effective antagonist as the lead bully, Elle-Louise, who steals Alex’s sketchpad. Ted Reilly as Henry plays a sweet supportive character, who eventually forms a friendship with Alex by the end. Birthday Boy is an impactful short with enticing direction, strong cast and important message at its heart – highly recommended! #EmilyDavison Birthday Boy (2021) trailer:

★★★ Directed by: Michael Showalter Written by: Abe Sylvia Starring: Jessica Chastain, Andrew Garfield, Vincent D'Nofrio Film Review by Robert Stayte The true story of Tammy Faye Bakker and Jim Bakker is one rooted in a lot of interesting and complicated topics, so naturally a film about them would be ripe with potential. This subject combined with actor turned director Michael Showalter and stars Jessica Chastain and Andrew Garfield could have resulted in a fantastic film, but ultimately ends up being merely good. In the 1950s, Minnesota Christians Jim Bakker (Andrew Garfield) and Tammy Faye LaValley (Jessica Chastain) meet, fall in love, and get married. They soon become travelling evangelists, then rise even further to fame as a result of becoming TV hosts and end up creating a business empire. Soon, many marital problems and other circumstances result in this empire collapsing and the two being permanently affected by it. Whilst the screenplay might not have the insane devotion to formula that many recent music biopics have had, it feels cut from a similar cloth of just existing to tell the audience about these events and not digging deeper into them. The film is at it’s best when it is just focusing on Tammy Faye’s terrible circumstances despite her success and collapsing relationship with her husband, but it is at its worst when it is succumbing to the typical conventions of using montages to show the rise and fall narrative and summarising events within short scenes. As a result, several players lack characterisation. Key player in the eventual scandal Jerry Falwell (Vincent D’Nofrio) only turns up when the story requires him, the children of the Bakkers seem important but are pushed offscreen and even Jim Bakker’s character lacks in complexity due to us never getting inside his head. Tammy Faye and her mother Rachel LaValley (Cherry Jones) are the most well defined in the film and get enough character exploration to feel 3 dimensional. Showalter admittedly does craft an entertaining film. The editing is rather fast paced in both the montages and even in simple scenes. Mike Giouklas’s cinematography is also beautiful to look at and captures the time period well. The best technical part is the excellent hair and makeup that stands out especially in the aging of the characters and in making Chastain look like the real Tammy Faye. It’s probably Showalter’s best crafted film to date, yet it could have benefitted from not only a shorter period of focus and if not, but a longer runtime also to fully take in the several events that happen rather than reducing them to checklists. The cast member that will get the most attention is Jessica Chastain, and whilst some might look at her performance as a typical OTT try-hard Oscar Grab role, she does disappear into it and embody her character very well. Not to mention, the over-the-top aspect of her performance is very suitable for a woman who from a young age has a dedication to performance and stands out as a far more genuine, loving and tolerant figure than the people surrounding her. Chastain nails the dramatic scenes and overall gives a standout performance. Garfield does not quite match her energy, but he still manages to be charismatic yet slimy. The Eyes of Tammy Faye is an entertaining and well-acted biopic, but it continues to highlight the creative bankruptcy of the genre. It could have taken many chances, but it settles for being functional rather than exceptional.

★★★ Directed by: Antoine Fuqua Written by: Nic Pizzolato Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal Film Review by Robert Stayte The Guilty (2018) was a great high concept thriller that managed to be intense and riveting despite it’s single location setting . Naturally, with any successful foreign film, it was nabbed for a remake. On the one hand it was handed to competent but unremarkable genre director Antoine Fuqua, on the other hand the lead role was given to Jake Gyllenhaal, who could carry a film about a man doing his taxes. Is The Guilty a worthy remake or totally redundant? Well, it’s somewhere in the middle. Set in a wildfire ravaged California, Joe Bayler (Jake Gyllenhaal) is an LAPD police officer who has currently been demoted to taking emergency calls. He takes the call of Emily Lighton who has been kidnapped by her husband and is being kept in a moving van. Joe races against time to save her whilst dealing with his own issues. Whilst there are quite a few differences, for the most part the overall story is the same as the original, which is a problem for a suspense thriller like this (knowing how the shoe will drop makes the shoe drop more predictable) and will result in the film playing better for those who have not seen the original. There could have been more chances taken with the narrative to make it different, particularly given how the themes of the story are arguably more relevant in America than in Copenhaagen, But the changes that are made do mostly work, particularly with the downright chaotic wildfire setting, giving Joe asthma, and increasing his personal drama. As for those themes, the film’s handling of them is mixed. The police corruption angle cannot be a systemic criticism due to the intentionally limited focus, so it does not land with as much power as it could have, yet it still manages to balance empathy for Joe’s circumstance with criticism of his character. The mental illness part is hard to talk about without spoilers, but it walks a tightrope between cliché and empathy, and it’ll be up to the viewer what category it falls into. Despite the lessened suspense, there is still a surprising amount of drama and tension in the story, which is brought upwards by Antoine Fuqua’s direction. He keeps to the single location style and uses techniques like focus, sound design and music to make the situation more uncomfortable for the viewer. Not to mention, letting a lot of shots linger just on Joe’s face to make us feel how he is feeling. Whilst there are a couple of distracting flourishes, he largely handles it well. The editing is also rather good, knowing when to cut and when not to, though the epilogue is a little drawn out. Jake Gyllenhaal, as expected, does a great job. He has the right calm voice and professional presence for an ideal emergency operator, and when he loses his composure, it’s utterly convincing and raw. It’s an acting exercise that he pulls off, with many other famous unseen actors also doing well in pure voice roles. The Guilty may not match the original’s brilliant suspense, but it is still an effective thriller that does just about manage to justify it’s existence and is at least further proof of Jake Gyllenhaal’s incredible talent. Not totally necessary if you’ve seen the original, but give it a go if you haven’t.

★★★★ Directed by: #DMulsionProduction Written by: #DMulsionProduction Starring: #AngelRinna #RevarinaMunty #BrandonDylan #HerleaTitieanna #CharleneJane #DNi Film review by: Max White Hana is a charming short animation film made which was made all the more special to watch the second time around when I understood its origin. The film is about the life and ambitions of a schoolgirl (Angel Rinna) in Malaysia. That part is unremarkable enough. The remarkable bit is that it was shot and produced by real-life primary school children with the help of their teachers. The very same children that made Hana to critical acclaim would go on to win an international film award in 2020 for their animated film Batuh Bijanji, which means Promise Stones in the Bidayuh Bisadung language. In a video hosted on the D-Mulsion Production’s YouTube channel it says the SK Temong schoolchildren made Hana for the 2017 Digital Storytelling Animation Competition. In this video we get a behind the scenes look at how the children made the film, which, they tell us, relies heavily on a technique known as the rotoscope technique: digitally tracing over previously shot live action footage frame by frame. Watching this video, you can't help but smile seeing such young children operating cameras and acting out scenes which they’ll later render into moving images. There’s clearly a passionate and dedicated teacher or team of staff behind this project, and talented young minds who are willing to learn and to create. And it’s that which makes this film so enjoyable to watch; knowing what’s gone into it makes the experience richer. That’s not to say the film isn’t a pleasure in itself. The story centres neatly on a young girl’s life both at home and at school, leading up to an important school exam known as the UPSR. The narrator (Rinna) tells us about how she wakes early to help her mother with housework as her father’s unwell. She then walks to school with her friends where her mother sells kuih – a sweet treat that’s usually vibrant in colour and often made from rice. It’s a tidy little parcel of uncomplicated storytelling delivered by such young filmmakers. As you might expect, the quality of the animation techniques vary, showing the children are clearly enjoying experimenting with the form. The way the music's introduced is at times jarring and the transitions feel spliced in last-minute, but then like I say, they're primary schoolchildren – what do you expect? Its flaws are part of its appeal.