★★★ Directed by: Jesper Isaksen Written by: Jesper Isaksen Starring: Rudi Kohnke, Siff Andersson, Louise Cho Film Review by: Jason Knight A dark journey into the mind of a deeply disturbed individual. Charly (Kohnke), has left the U.S. and returned to Copenhagen in order to search for his American girlfriend Amy (Cho), who went missing. He stays at the Majestic Hotel, where she was last seen, and begins his investigation. He soon meets a young woman named Felicija (Andersson), with whom he develops a romantic relationship. Things take a turn for the worse as Charly begins having terrifying visions that involve a sinister-looking figure dressed in black and wearing a frightening mask. This intense psychological mystery horror film could be viewed as a combination between Angel Heart and Jacob's Ladder. The majority of the story takes place inside the hotel and follows Charly around as he attempts to find out the truth about Amy and struggles with his inner troubles, while at the same time is plagued by nightmares and tries to maintain his sanity. There is hard drug use, alcoholism, nudity, aggressive intercourse, brutal beatings and savage murders. Protagonist Kohnke is very convincing as a broken man, with several tattoos of crucifixes, who is also an alcoholic and drug addict. Although he means well, he is dangerous and becomes more and more unpredictable as he delves deeper into the mystery regarding Amy. Andersson is believable as a rebellious woman, who enters Charly's life and opens the door to a new path for him. Concerning the audio, most of the dialogue is spoken in Danish and there are rather sinister and disturbing sound effects. The score creates a feeling of dread, which goes very well with the atmosphere. The interesting cinematography and lighting provide a downbeat mood. It would be fair to say that during the first half the pace is slow. Later things pick up, as the narrative gets bloody and violent. Victim of Love is not very thrilling and takes a while to grab the viewer's attention. Nevertheless, it is a well-made horror film, with a menacing atmosphere and benefits considerably by Kohnke's performance. #JasonKnight Trailer:

This year, GRIMMFEST, Manchester's Festival of Horror, Cult and Fantastic Film celebrated its thirteenth anniversary with the launch of Grimmfest Easter Horror Nights, conceived as an annual event to complement the long-established October festival. Sadly, the ongoing Pandemic situation necessitated that, like Grimmfest 2020, the first Grimmfest Easter Horror Nights festival was hosted online. But the show must go on, and the festival staged a successful five day “virtual” event across the Easter Holiday period. Like the established October Festival, this was a competitive event, with a jury of genre experts: Josh Millican, Editor in Chief at DREAD CENTRAL, acquisitions at Epic Pictures / DREAD Presents Distribution and host and creator of CHRONIC HORROR web series. Anton Bitel, Film Critic for Sight and Sound, Little White Lies and Scifi Now amongst other publications and a member of the Online Film Critics Society since 2007, and of the London Film Critics'; Circle since 2009. Mariam Draeger, Presenter / Producer. Founder of Headcinema Productions. Cross-media spokesperson for horror within the festival circuit, radio and podcast scene. The task cannot have been an easy one, but the votes now all in, and the Grimmfest team are delighted to announce the Award-Winners for the inaugural Grimmfest Easter Horror Nights. Best Feature: KEEPING COMPANY. Josh Wallace and Devin Das's bloody and blackhearted satire of the American Dream, which received its European Premiere at Grimmfest Easter Horror Nights. Honourable mention for Kourosh Ahari's surreal and disorientating THE NIGHT, which received its UK premiere and a special preview screening at the festival. Best Director: JUSTIN MCMILLAN. for the supernatural crime drama, SWEET RIVER, a tale of grief, guilty secrets, and ghosts, which received its UK Premiere at the festival. Honourable mention going to JUSTIN MCCONNELL, for his unflinchingly honest and personal exploration of the business of independent filmmaking, CLAPBOARD JUNGLE). Best Performance(s): HELENA PUIG & ANTONIO ALCANTARA. for their extraordinary double act, in Pablo Olmos Arrayales' dazzling feature film debut, the single-take psychological thriller, RENDEZ-VOUS, which received its Northern Premiere at Grimmfest Easter Horror Nights. Best SFX/VFX: THE BARCELONA VAMPIRESS. Lluis Danés' visually sumptuous reimagining of an infamous real-life murder, which draws on a century's worth of cinematic visual trickery, from silent-movie shadow play to the latest CGI, to evoke a palpable sense of place and time. The film received its UK Premiere at Grimmfest Easter Horror Nights. Honourable mention, too, for Alexey Kazakov's psychedelic tale of witchcraft, possession and male egotism, MARA, which also received its UK premiere. Best Scare: THE OTHER SIDE. Tord Danielsson and Oskar Mellander's bone-chillingly effective relocation of the classic haunted house scenario to a drab Swedish suburb, received its UK Premiere at the festival. Best Short: YOU'RE DEAD, HELEN. Michiel Blanchart's deft juggling of romantic comedy nerve-jangling horror and gut-punching heartbreak received its UK premiere at Grimmfest Easter Horror Nights. Honourable mentions, too, for Ashlea Wessel, for the unsettling WEIRDO, which received its UK premiere at the festival, and for a couple of Grimmfest Alumni: Natasha Halevi for her stark Super-8 solo project DON'T GO OUTSIDE, and FRIED BARRY director Ryan Kruger for his characteristically confrontational take on the sex war, #MEOWTOO, both of which received their world premieres at the festival. Grimmfest Easter Horror Nights screened fourteen feature film premieres, sixteen short film premieres and twelve exclusive Q&As with filmmakers and stars. With movies from the US, Australia, Sweden, Spain, Russia, Korea and more, this was truly an international line up of exceptional new work that featured performances from stars as diverse as Donald Sutherland (Don’t Look Now), Tyler Posey (Teen Wolf), Mena Suvari (American Beauty), Sergi Lopez (Pan’s Labyrinth) Shahab Hosseini (The Salesman), Lyrica Okano (Marvel’s Runaways), and Margaret Cho (All-American Girl). In total, Grimmfest Easter edition hosted 3 World premieres, 2 International Premieres, 5 European premieres, 14 UK premieres and 6 Northern UK premieres. Not bad for their first Easter outing! “All 14 of the genre features programmed for Grimmfest’s inaugural Easter Edition had their merits, which made choosing between them a difficult, if rewarding, experience.” Anton Bitel, Jury member. “It's always exciting to see the diverse and captivating works of independent horror filmmakers from around the world, we had several films that are likely to explode once they hit the market, which made choosing winners incredibly hard but ultimately, we're very happy with our choices.” Mariam Draeger, Jury member. "The folks at Grimmfest put together a bloody delightful slate for their Easter Edition; a diverse, sometimes challenging, but always entertainment program. It was an honour to be on the Jury!" Josh Millican, Jury member.

★★★★ Directed by #MorganOCallaghan Written by #MorganOCallaghan & #JonnyBrookes Starring #GeorgeEverettButton, #JonnyBrookes, #NathanHoad Film Review by Amber Jackson Many teenage film enthusiasts will appreciate the desire to go out with your friends and try to create a film. StarfishFilms, however, have managed to turn this passion into a fully-produced reality. The Arsonist is a filmmaking fantasy where a group of lads have created a project that is very well thought out and executed in a simultaneously fun and serious way. The crux of this indie film situates solemn Detective Harvey Price (George Everett-Button) who has been transferred to a new police unit. Here, he encounters his new detective partner, the infamous Alex Boston (Jonny Brookes) and their dynamic gets off to a stiff start with tension obvious from the offset. However, the two must cast their differences aside to combat corruption and search for the cities most wanted criminal: The Arsonist. Writers O'Callaghan and Brookes take the notion of 'bent coppers' to a whole new level within this contemporary hour-long action piece and the viewer is expertly and artistically thrown from scene to scene with clear direction. The camera moves with the fast pace of the story, with each shot incredibly immersive, as shaky handheld shots follow the detectives as if an active participant. Although dizzying in some parts, this resulted in an effective way to pull the viewer further into the story. Close-ups rule this film which, combined with more gruesome and aggressive moments, added thoughtful detail to each scene. Acting showed real talent, particularly from leads Brookes and Everett-Button, and emotions were mostly conveyed in anger which was fitting for the genre. With the addition of plot twists and turns, this created more complexity, incidentally adding a lot of effective character depth. Amongst the serious themes that the story carries, there is light-hearted humour injected into the script. It is these witty moments that do well to balance with the more serious parts. Although some of the dialogue is over-explanatory or on-the-nose in parts, many of these exaggerations proved to be welcome bursts of light relief, with characters such as the mayor. All of these elements combined to create an incredibly performative final showdown, which was very professionally done and succeeded to provide copious amounts of dramatic tension. Editing-wise, there were some inconsistencies such as audio volume, but the score matched the vibe of the piece well. Sound effects were inventive and, much like the camerawork, were all-consuming for the viewer, particularly during flashback sequences. Suffice to say, these student filmmakers show that age is not limiting. They have reinterpreted this genre of film for young viewers, but older viewers can take something from this too - a degree of nostalgia for police dramas, new and old, as the world is put to rights by way of an old car and some quick thinking. The Arsonist is a great film to further kickstart these filmmaker's careers with its sharp script and a camera style that is cleverly considered. It will be great to see future work from all of them as it only promises to get even better. The Arsonist is available to watch on PrimeVideo now. Watch the trailer here: #AmberJackson #StarfishFilmsEntertainment #indie #review

★★★★ Directed by: #HassanRaza Written by: #HassanRaza Starring: #SoneraAngel, #JessicaBalmer, #JamesGraeme Film Review by: Patrick Foley There’s something romantic about a struggling artist – thanklessly toiling away at their craft, ignored by an apathetic world demanding they distract themselves with ‘real life’ problems, until one day passion and art wins out and the creative mind gets to run free, money and mortgages and rent be damned. Zaara shows that in reality, there can be a darker side to being a dreamer, with a disturbing story of how the world can prey upon those who shoot for the moon. Zaara (Sonera Angel) is a young filmmaker who lives at home with her parents Aslam (Brij Mohan Thathal) and Rehana (Monisha Hassen), and her sister Irtiqa (Geeth Reddy). Passionate and ambitious, Zaara is working on the finishing touches of a homemade film she is directing. But without a paying job, she has secretly been taking out loans to sustain her work, and hiding this from her family. When 2 bailiffs visit the house, both her family life and filmmaking dreams are turned upside down. Original and striking, Zaara is a fantastic and layered short film from director Hassan Raza. Its story of a young Muslim woman in pursuit of a dream despite pushback from the industry and her traditional-leaning family hardly seems novel, but the consequences of her actions on her family adds an intriguing and tragic element that brings real depth to the piece. Sonera Angel’s performance in the title role is impressive, with all kinds of small nuances added through an incredible expressiveness rarely seen even in much more experienced actors. The rest of the cast similarly embrace the intricacy of their characters, with Monisha Hassen and Geeth Reddy also thriving as members of the family. It is only James Graeme’s terrifying bailiff Harvey that lacks complexity - as his cruelty and racism firmly places him as an undisputable villain. His abuse and threats against the family makes for a disturbing scene, and allows the late Brij Mohan Thathal to fully establish his heart-breaking role as Zaara’s father as the film’s standout. The film is thorough and focussed despite addressing a number of key themes in its 35-minute runtime, such as racism, isolation, exploitation and difficult familial relations. This is the result of director Hassan Raza’s impressive vision which leaves every scene feeling memorable and moving. The intertwining of Zaara’s own film production with the story’s narrative will catch audiences out in the best possible way. The close camera shots of Harvey as he intrudes into the family’s home are disturbingly claustrophobic. And Zaara’s isolation from her family and friends is sprinkled throughout the film in the smallest, subtlest ways – leaving audiences with sympathy for her despite her costly mistakes. The script could have used slight polishing, with some clunky dialogue feeling unnatural in moments and a meandering mid-section in the family kitchen that feels like filler. There are also some elements of the plot that are not explained fully enough such as the exact reason for Zaara’s spiralling debt, which would have benefitted from elaboration. But these are small issues in an otherwise developed and assured story. Covering a multitude of issues and featuring brilliant performances, Zaara is a fresh take on a story of following one’s dreams, and how a cruel and advantageous world can exploit those same dreamers.

★★★★ Directed by #OliverHermanus Written by #OliverHermanus #JackSidey Starring #KaiLukeBrummer Film Review by Samantha Harden “Moffie” is a derogatory term used in South Africa meaning an “effeminate homosexual man.” Moffie is also the name of the South African-British biographical war film. The film was written and directed by Oliver Hermanus. With help from his co-writer Jack Sidey, the two created a love story that encapsulates struggles, racism and homophobia. You feel stressed right from the beginning. The year is 1981, South Africa’s white minority government is entangled in conflicts at its borders with communist-led Angola. All white men between the ages of 17 and 60 must complete two years of mandatory military service. Nicholas Van der Swart (Kai Luke Brummer) was drafted into South Africa’s military, but he knows he is different from the other men serving. Another recruit develops an intimate relationship with Van der Swart and they realize that they are both in danger. This is just an incredible performance by Brummer. You could feel his emotions, the worry and the sadness and most of all, fear. Throughout the movie, you rarely saw even the slightest smile. The first scene begins with suspenseful music that feels as though it belongs in a horror movie. Of course for young Nick, it is a horror movie. But once Nick meets Dylan Stassen (Ryan de Villiers) and begins to fit in (at least a little), the music changes to classical opera. Later the music makes another change, and then another, and another. Braam du Toit’s score continues to change throughout the film to match Nick’s moods, an excellent detail. Moffie not only has an aesthetically pleasing score but it is an aesthetic pleasure of the highest order, on nearly every level. The movie is so bright and beautiful even if the story is heartbreaking. In a flashback, we see young Nick at the public pool with his parents. The camera follows him underwater and for a moment, Nick is happy and carefree. We see Nick again underwater, but this time he isn’t a carefree young child anymore. Now Nick is a soldier in the South African military and he just lost a friend. The world has been cruel to Nicholas Van der Swart, Moffie captured that cruelty. #SamanthaHarden

★★★ Directed by #NeilBurger Written by #NeilBurger Starring #TyeSheridan #LilyRoseDepp #ColinFarrell Film Review by Hope Madden If you have ever wondered what Lord of the Flies might look like in space, Neil Burger thinks like you. The generally mediocre director (The Upside, Limitless, Divergent, etc.) follows a manned vessel in search of the next planet we can ruin. Or not. Maybe our better natures will win out. Voyagers is the journey toward that new home. The crew doesn’t really know Earth—they were the result of specifically engineered donors, raised indoors so they wouldn’t miss open spaces, and will spend their whole adult lives on the ship. Their children will, too. But their grandchildren will be the first generation to see the new planet. Naturally, this is only going to work if nothing kills them and they don’t kill each other before future generations can exist. Scientist and father figure Richard (Colin Farrell) will shepherd them through as much of the journey as he can, but the future of the human race is in the hands of these young people. Essentially a YA space fantasy, Voyagers is not without its charms. Tye Sheridan and Fionn Whitehead lead a cast of convincingly naïve geniuses. The conflict is obvious (especially for those who read Golding), but Burger zigs and zags enough to keep your interest. The director’s knack for encapsulated action and his sharp cast’s baser instincts create some B-movie thrills. The nature versus nurture argument gets a quick nod, but Burger (who also wrote) isn’t especially preoccupied with the why. The immediacy of the fact that it just is requires more attention. Science fiction tends to be heavily allegorical and heavily borrowed—Voyagers is certainly both of these. Although the execution feels a bit like a neutered version of Claire Denis’s brilliant 2018 cosmic horror High Life, the story itself looks to the distant future to illustrate our present (and very, very recent past). #HopeMadden

★★★★ Directed by: Guy Nattiv Written by: Guy Nattiv, Sharon Maymon Starring: Jackson Robert Scott, Jonathan Tucker, Danielle Macdonald, Ashley Thomas, Lonnie Chavis Film Review by: Vikas Yadav Skin, an Oscar-winning short film from an Israeli filmmaker named Guy Nattiv, shrouds turpitude in plain sight. You intuit something terrible will happen but are not sure when will it betide. When the evil finally emerges from the corner, it leaves you stunned with shock and despair. Given the way Skin wends, no other conclusion would have made sense. It’s sad and devoid of hope, but there is some truth to all of it. Troy (Jackson Robert Scott) is a 10-year-old young boy living with his father, Jeffrey (Jonathan Tucker), and mother, Christa (Danielle Macdonald). Jeffrey and his group are a bunch of Neo-Nazis, and that means trouble ahead. But Skin is not interested in direct exploitation. It could have easily painted these people with shades of criminality, but it elects to show how a person can be both a kind human and a wicked being. Skin shows those greys instead of depicting only black and white. We get gentle shots of Jeffrey cutting his son’s hair. The same love is carried over to the scene where Jeffrey hands over a gun to Troy and encourages him to shoot at a target. Furthermore, the same lens is applied when Jeffrey pulls Troy, who is sitting on a sofa attached to his moving car. These outlines are disturbing. What’s even more alarming is Jeffrey’s casual attitude here. He is a parent who says yes to all of his son’s wishes without considering the weight of responsibility or the repercussions that would follow. Christa is mature, but her decisions are taken as lightly as a feather. Whatever be their nature, Jeffrey and Christa love Troy and vice versa. This fairy tale, however, starts shattering from the instant they set foot at a grocery store. Jeffrey notices that Troy is communicating with a stranger in the checkout line and that ruffles his feather. The main issue is that this stranger is a black man (he is Jaydee, played by Ashley Thomas). From this point on, Skin descends into violence and chaos. The glistening, shiny frames become drenched with a dark, murky palette. Racial violence aside, Skin shows how your parenting affects the psychology of your child. The way you nurture your kid will decide whether he/she will bring a flower or a gun to the prom night. When Troy meets Jaydee, he sees a man entertaining him with a toy. The color of his skin is purely visible to Jeffrey. As Troy mostly spends time with his father, he is deprived of his mother's affection and care. All these things mold his personality and lead him to take destructive action towards the end. Troy’s actions are a by-product of his surrounding. Instead of civil discourse, he is taught to engage by adopting the language of bullets. This is precisely what he ends up inhabiting. Skin, in the end, reaffirms this old saying - As you sow, so shall you reap.

★★ Directed by: Jan De Bont Written by: Michael Crichton, Anne-Marie Martin Starring: Bill Paxton, Helen Hunt, Jami Gertz and Philip Seymore Hoffman Throwback Film Review by: Rachel Pullen Twister Movie Review Wind...the theme of many films, don't believe me...duh Gone With the Wind?! Tonnes of the stuff in that film, and Final Destination, when the wind blowing signifies that death is on its way! Yeah, the wind is a big player in the film industry! But no film capitalised more on the wind genre of cinema than 1996's action classic Twister. Twister is the story of a bunch of ragtag goofballs that love driving around in their big American cars chasing tornadoes. They built a machine called Dorothy that, when thrown into the centre of a tornado, releases little balls that will help them gather more data on windy movements, thus allowing people to be warned earlier about impending tornado attacks. While on the tail of a massive storm, Bill, an ex-storm chaser comes to get his nearly ex-wife to sign their divorce papers, and she faffs a load until he is sucked back into the world of driving near wind and shouting a lot about wind, he probably wanted to divorce her because she was faffing too much, and here she is faffing more, solidifying his point...women, who needs ‘em? Bill does, apparently, because he brought his new girlfriend to the divorce signing, and then dumps her in the car with another dude while he rides up front with his ex-wife...what a dick, clearly his love of tornadoes is taking a front seat, that and his sexy ex-wife, she is actually more fun than the new girlfriend but come on dude, don't play it like that right in front of her face! Anyway, the girlfriend leaves once she realises Bill is way too attached to wind and now his ex-wife and the team are left to throw their invention into an F5, which is apparently a super bad tornado, and this F5 killed the ex-wife’s dad when she was a kid, so now it’s...revenge? Does the wind have feelings? Who knows at this point, this movie is more fun if you think about it as a revenge flick. They avenge her father’s death, kiss in a pile of rubbish and the goofy people all high five in the background...the end, thank god! Twister was one of those 90's flicks that banked big, apparently it was a number 1 at the box office for a while, and I ask...why? This is a film that is essentially people shouting about wind...ALL THE TIME! There is so much shouting, high fiving people going ''woooo'' every time they roll out! And I get it, adrenalin is high right, but do we need it all the time? Can we not take a break and, you know, develop some characters? Nah more ''WOOOO'' please. If you want action, cows in the air, shouting... and wind? Twister is ya jam, and for its time the CGI was pretty good, it’s immersive and tense and the storyline is well developed enough to make storm chasing have enough content to fill a full-length film, we kind of care about the characters, but at the same time aside for the main couple, everyone is treated as a filler, which sucks because Philip Seymour Hoffman’s character is someone I wish we got to see more of. I can see why it made the number 1 Billboard spot, this is a family action movie, it’s there to sell to the masses, shouting, sounds, trucks, America!!! people are gonna lap that up, but if you’re looking for something to blow you away (yeah I know I'm hilarious) in regards to character development and script, then you may want to sift through the many other wind-based gems I mentioned earlier. So this Throwback Thursday film review teaches us: If your husband leaves you, win him back with the wind Screaming is character development Wind is everywhere...we can never escape, it will kill us all. #RachelPullen

★★★★ Directed by #CharleneFavier Writtenby #CharleneFavier #AntoineLacomblez #MarieTalon Starring #NoeeAbita #JeremieRenier Film Review by Hope Madden As her camera races down the mountains of Val-d’Isère, writer/director Charlène Favier depicts both thrill and isolation in equal measure. It’s a tone that fits more than just the competitive Alpine skiing that sits at the center of her latest film Slalom. The breathless and somewhat terrifying imagery is a perfect characterization of wunderkind skier Lyz Lopez’s (Noée Abita) particular coming of age. At 15, Lyz is in training but on her own. Her mother has taken work quite a distance away, so Lyz will be looking after herself on weekends, training at a facility and studying schoolwork on weekdays. She’s also quite heartbreakingly looking for somebody who won’t let her down. Abita’s performance is equally aching and frustrating, which makes her a painfully realistic adolescent. Faviere wisely limits Lyz’s actual dialog, allowing the performance to become more observational. Lyz watches and processes, her awkwardness, stillness, and anger telling us more than words ever could. There’s a lived-in feel to this film, likely born of the filmmaker’s experience growing up in Val-d’Isère. The training, the experiences of team and competition, the beautiful but frigid landscape create an organic backdrop to the larger drama, a complex and soberingly authentic exploration of abuse. The sports movie genre is littered with tales of the could-have-been athlete who regains what legitimacy he can by shepherding the next phenom. Jérémie Renier offers nary a false note as charismatic, tough-as-nails trainer Fred, whose moral weaknesses far outweigh any coaching talent. Faviere’s take on the situation is even-handed. She never stoops to melodrama, never paints Lyz as a faultless innocent. The character’s complexities, particularly given Abita’s assured performance, only ensure that the film leaves more of a mark. #HopeMadden

★★★ Written & Directed by: #GowthamNamasivayam Starring: #MattMagnusson, #ShawJones, #KevinJackson, #BobbyRice, #CallieSchuttera, #DavidOHara Film Review by Taryll Baker Arthur Holzenberg, a struggling singer/songwriter is close to obtaining the record deal of his lifetime, but to do so, he has to reproduce an unreleased album of his father Harold Holzenberg, a once successful artist, as his own. “What sells?” is the question that rattles in the brains of suits at record labels. Fishing through upcoming talent, searching for the next big thing, never really satisfied. Arthur (Matt Magnusson) plays at small venues as he tries to make a name for himself. One night, he plays a particularly catchy song, and one suit in the venue perks his ears up and gives Arthur an offer that will prove hard to refuse. Unfortunately, he quickly learns that the one condition is that he plays his father’s music; a grovelling Harold Holzenborg (David O’Hara) who struggles with liver problems, being incredibly distant from his son. Nightingale: A Melody of Life takes no time getting into the grittiness of music business as Arthur tackles his new opportunity and Harold fights his demons. Stephen Greenfield (Leonard Kelly-Young) is a sleazy manager who once worked with Arthur’s father, and will cling onto their history through Arthur’s unwilling embodiment of him. Arthur is pressured with Harold’s decreasing health while tight on money to cover the surgery bills, and the increasing weight that Greenfield puts on him brings a downpour of guilt and self-hate. He wants to become more than the “heir of Harold Holzenberg” but his situation has him pinned to the wall. Although the final act shows a lot of strength in the narrative, the way some of the moments are played off feel a little too on the nose and cheap. But the character growth that Magnusson brings to Arthur is superb and well performed. As the band members support Arthur on his journey, the shadow of Harold overlaps and interferes with their progression; his demons becoming Arthur’s. The cast do a great job, and all the recorded music sounds amazing. Seeing their chemistry build as the film digs into the push and pull that’s frequently present in music production is one of the better aspects of the film. O’Hara’s smaller role is felt even though he isn’t around for a huge amount of the film; his aura leaking into Magnusson’s portrayal of the Holsenberg son. Narratively speaking, Nightingale: A Melody of Life plays around with the usual themes showing up in music dramas, and this feels somewhat akin to A Star is Born with its alcoholism. It doesn’t try anything new in that regard, but that doesn’t dismiss how well crafted and acted the film is. Nightingale: A Melody of Life pulls back the dusty curtain on music business, and though it’s more of what we’ve seen already, it’s an entertaining and mildly interesting piece. Watch the trailer for Nightingale: A Melody of Life here: https://vimeo.com/502637375/6f7e197683 - #TaryllBaker

★★★★ Directed by #SophiaNahliAllison#KrisBowers #SkyeFitzgerald #AnthonyGiacchino #AndersHammer #BenProudfoot Film Review by George Wolf As usual, these nominated documentary shorts are often heart-wrenching, but able to speak necessary truths to power and our collective human experience. A Concerto Is a Conversation 13 mins. Directors: Kris Bowers and Ben Proudfoot Pianist and film composer Kris Bowers explains to his 91-year-old grandfather Horace (and to us) that a concerto is a conversation between a soloist and an ensemble. But the conversation between the Bowers men is a moving work of art itself, as Horace recalls his life's journey from a poor kid in the Jim Crow south to a successful business owner in Los Angeles. And as Kris prepares for the premiere of his first concerto, the film becomes a beautiful expression of heritage, love, talent and courage. Colette 25 mins. Writer/director: Anthony Giacchino 75 years after her stint as a member of the French Resistance, 90-year-old Colette Catherine is preparing to make her first journey to the concentration camp in Germany where her brother Jean-Pierre died. She's accompanied by the young Lucie, a history student and docent at France's WWII museum, who regards Colette as a "national hero." As sobering and horrific as the subject matter suggests, Collette - the film and the hero - finds a redemptive power through defiantly shining a spotlight on an evil that still searches for dark places to take root. Do Not Split 36 mins. Director: Andreas Hammer Taking us to the front lines of Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests of 2019, Do Not Split becomes a tense, indelible account of resistance against civil rights abuses that will look pretty familiar to U.S. audiences. Hammer is blessed with a host of intimate footage, often featuring first-person commentary from protesters while they are actively pushing back against tear gas and police escalation. It's gripping stuff. Without becoming overbearing, the film never lets you forget you are watching important and heroic history unfold. Hunger Ward 40 mins. Director: Skye Fitzgerald Part 3 of Fitzgerald's Refugee Trilogy (along with 50 Feet From Syria and the Oscar-nominated Lifeboat), Hunger Ward's focus is the children - specifically those affected by the ongoing civil war in Yemen. The images of wounded and starving children carry an understandably tragic weight, while real-time footage inside a Yemeni memorial service being actively shelled is unforgettable. And still, those committed to helping the children exhibit an unwavering and miraculous resolve. The U.N. has labeled Yemen as home to the world's "greatest humanitarian crisis," and Fitzgerald's unflinching call for action and empathy will leave your heart in your throat. A Love Song For Latasha 19 mins. Director: Sophia Nahli Allison A touching tribute to one victim of senseless gun violence, A Love Song...turns the focus away from the aftermath and toward the positive effect Latasha Harlins had on those around her. In 1992, 15-year-old Latasha was killed by a store clerk in South Central Los Angeles. Framed by Allison (and Executive Producer Ava DuVernay) as a VHS tape memoir with sequences of animation, the film lets the narration from Latasha's best friend Ty and cousin Shinise craft a warmly intimate profile. A Love Song For Latasha wants us to know that these victims of racial injustice aren't just statistics to be glossed over. In a short time, Latasha Harlins made a big impact. So it seems only fitting that a short film makes you glad to meet her. #GeorgeWolf

★★★★ Directed by #MichaelGovier #GisliDarriHalldorsson #WillMcCormack #AdrienMeringeau #ErickOh #MadelneSharafian Film Review by George Wolf In these 5 nominated treats, you'll find charm, humor, fascination, and devastation - all a tribute to the different ways animation can touch our souls. Burrow 6 mins. Writer/director: Madeline Sharafian An excited bunny has big plans for a new home underground (maybe a disco?). But the more the bunny burrows, the more times she accidentally invades a neighbor's place! What to do? Originally intended as the short subject intro to theatrical showings of Soul, Burrow is a completely charming reminder of the need for friends you can count on. And the beautiful 2D, hand-drawn animation gives it a picture book feel that's refreshingly retro. Genius Loci 16 mins. Writer/director: Adrien Merigeau From France, Genius Loci is a surrealistic trip through "urban chaos, " as a young loner named Reine (voiced by Nadia Moussa) takes off on a dreamlike tour through the heartbeat of her city. Unfolding like a watercolored stream of consciousness, Loci is wonderfully stylistic, bursting with contrasts and ambiguities about Reine's headspace that keep it constantly intriguing. If Anything Happens, I Love You 12 mins. Writers/directors: Michael Govier, Will McCormack Oh my, this one is heartbreaking, tender and devastatingly lovely. A middle-aged couple is living in a fog of despair, completely unable to comfort each other or find any joy in life. A charcoal-type animation style reveals shadows depicting a former life of happiness, then leading eventually to the tragic event that broke them. Keep the tissues handy for a soft-spoken gut punch that reframes the stakes we know only too well. Opera 9 mins. Director: Erick Oh 9 minutes? I could watch this for 9 hours. Billed as a "massive 8K size animation installation project which portrays our society and history," Opera is a single frame in constant, intoxicating. motion. The eye level creeps in, then out, up and down around a pyramid filled with scores of small figures co-existing in a constantly evolving community. Even as you fixate on one fascinating section, you're drawn to others that are equally rewarding. Oh has created a true animated marvel, and one that should be hard to beat in this category. Yes-People 8 mins. Director: Gisli Darri Halldorsson Welcome to a tenement building in Iceland, where we follow some 3D Wallace and Grommet-looking Icelanders going about their daily trials and snowy tribulations. Most of the dialog is a well-placed exclamation of "Yow!" which adds to the goofiness and overall fun factor. With glimpses into work, school and mundane chores around the house, Yes-People becomes a light and breezy take on the small moments that make our lives. The 2021 animated shorts program will also feature three "highly commended" animated short films. #GeorgeWolf