In this new millennium with the young French directors, the French cinema is going into a new renaissance, a cinema that moves away from the classical French-style but embraces a higher degree of authenticity in locations, quick cuts and compelling stories.Today, cinema theory is a very strong factor in the United States with its film critics and the new interest in the theoretical implications of this art form. However, not too long ago, film theory was mainly dominated by the French.After France was occupied by the German army from 1940 to 1944, the masters of cinema like René Clair, Jacques…
Author: Margaret Madrilejos
Every once in a while a film comes along that reminds us about the aesthetics and art of movie making. A good film is made of moments, moments in time that imprint on our soul. A good film projects onto the screen and into our consciousness. The Fall succeeds in doing just that, managing to let us experience the possibilities of this unique art. The Fall is a monumental work in many ways; grand shots, exotic locations, metaphoric grandeur, charming characters, whimsical story, all blending with the most remarkable choice of music that evokes the spirit of the film. An…
For nearly 20 years Northern Uganda has been devastated by Africa’s longest-running conflict, The Lord’s Resistance Army has engaged in a continual armed uprising against the Ugandan government. The poignant documentary War/Dance takes place in the remote northern Uganda refugee camp of Patongo where thousands of civilians have been subjected to unimaginable injustice. War/Dance tells the story of three children from the Acholi tribe who are living in a refugee camp in their own land. The film tells their stories of disparity, courage and survival all the while illustrating their memories and capturing their drive and wishfulness for a better…
The new film Santoori by the accomplished Iranian director Dariush Mehrjui tells the tale of a drug addict fighting with his inner and outer demons. With a raw and honest look, the film captures the devastation of drug addiction and how a society can push someone in that direction. Santoori an artist vs. society musical drama, goes deep within Tehran’s society, its problems with drugs and the ill treatments of drug addicts. Ali (Bahram Radan) is an exceptional musician and a master of the Santur (a Persian zither-type stringed instrument played with two delicate wooden mallets). He is indeed a…
With its global showcases, the AFI Film Festival is one of the most influential film festivals in North America. The AFI Festival is held for 10 days each fall in the film capital of the world: Los Angeles, California. Some of the festival’s most important premiers in the past have included: “Annie Hall”, “Cat People”, “Le Cousin Jules”, “House of Sand and Fog”, “Monster”, “Monster’s ball”….AFI programs includes but are not limited to:1. A feature competition limited to first and second-time filmmakers. 2. A Documentary competition.3. And an international shorts competition that embraces documentary, experimental, animated and narrative films. In…
In today’s world, there is a delicate line between the controversial notion of a terrorist and a freedom fighter. Somehow the line has become so blurred, that one can have a hard time distinguishing between the two. A terrorist is defined as one who kills for a political reason. So if someone plants a bomb to kill innocent people for a political reason, should she or he be considered as a terrorist?According to the contentious French lawyer Mr. Jacques Vergès, they are simply freedom fighters, combating for their independence. Thus their actions are not terrorism, but political heroism. And therefore…
Little Miss Sunshine is one of the most honest and genuine films, about a dysfunctional family that takes a cross-country trip to California to have their daughter join a beauty pageant. Olive is a sweet girl who dreams to win the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. Her father, Richard, is an unsuccessful motivational speaker; no one in the family can stand his obsession with being a winner. Sheryl, Olive’s chain-smoking mother, tries her best to pull the family together and keep them grounded. Frank, Sheryl’s brother, is a Proust scholar and has attempted suicide after a failed relationship with his…