Film

Written by Michael McNulty Hollywood and alcohol pair together as well, if not better, than Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall. A magical relationship that brings to screens breathless narratives from comedy to drama, and everything in between. Here are five films so boozy the celluloid may as well have been soaked in whiskey. 1) The Lost Weekend is a masterpiece in filmmaking. Directed by Billy Wilder and released in 1945, this is considered to be the first film to use...

Film Student from Milton Keynes Creates Heart Wrenching Documentary on the Syrian Refugee Crisis For most of us, the genre of ‘student film’ sparks connotations of budget sets and pranks. But one student has pushed the boundaries of the genre with his poignant exploration of the ramifications of the war in Syria and can reveal those living in the camp would prefer to be seen as ‘visitors’ than refugees. For his film ‘Oh Syria, My Syria’, 29-year old Ismael Ahmed,...

by Miranda Schiller @mirandadadada “The Right to Happiness”, this year’s Berlinale motto, is clearly linked to the one most talked about topic in the German media this year: Refugees. Donation boxes for the Berlin Centre for Torture Victims in every cinema, various programmes to help refugees in Berlin, from free tickets to school projects to traineeships, are the concrete ways the Berlinale participates in the effort to welcome refugees. Even George Clooney, star of the opening film “Hail, Caesar!”, has...

Reviewed by Miranda Schiller @mirandadadada Kate and Justin are expecting their first child when new neighbours move into the downstairs flat of their converted terraced house. The new couple, Theresa  (Laura Birn) and Jon, are also expecting a child. While Theresa is full of joy at the prospect of being a mother, Kate (Clémence Poésy) is insecure and fearful about her ability to cope with the responsibility for a child. She quickly warms to the outgoing Theresa and a friendship...

Review and round table interview with director Morgan Neville by Miranda Schiller @mirandadadada After meeting world-renowned cellist Yo-Yo Ma and succumbing to his charm, documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville set out to document his ensemble of musicians from around the world, playing traditional instruments of their home countries, and morphing all these different traditions together to make something entirely new. Yo-Yo Ma's charm is hard not to succumb to, and Neville's storytelling is as light-footed, smooth and masterful as in his...

Reviewed by Miranda Schiller @mirandadadada Spike Lee's latest, the hip-hop musical Chi-Raq, re-interprets the ancient Greek play Lysistrata by Aristophanes: Lystistrata is a beautiful woman who helps end a war by convincing every woman in town to go on a sex-strike until the men stop battling and sign a peace contract. Spike Lee transfers the story from Ancient Greece to modern-day Chicago, called Chi-Raq because more Americans have been murdered there than have died in the Iraq war in the...

Interview by Miranda Schiller @mirandadadada Nakom is a tiny village in northern Ghana. Iddrisu, a talented medical student, has to return there after the sudden death of his father. He has to face the expectations of responsibility for his family, and his new life in the city slips further and further away from him. Through his story, Nakom tells the story of daily life in a remote village, the challenges of preserving traditional life in modern times, the conflict of...

Reviewed by Miranda Schiller @mirandadadada   It's not often that a film from Saudi Arabia hits the screens over here, in fact, this is the first ever film from Saudi Arabia to play at the Berlinale. No wonder, as there are no cinemas and watching films is considered a sin, there isn't much of a film industry. All the bigger was the surprise when Barakah meets Barakah turned out to be a romantic comedy – not the genre you'd expect....

  Review and round table interview with director Mohammed Ben Attia by Miranda Schiller @mirandadadada   Hedi is 25 and about to get married. He works as a travelling car salesman, driving around his homeland Tunisia trying to get companies to buy Peugeots - in vain, the economy isn't good, but Hedi also isn't a good salesman. He shows no interest in his job, or his marriage, or anything for that matter. His mother arranges his life for him: Not...