A deftly handled drama about recovery from trauma. Based on the life and account of a survivor of the Batalcan terrorist attack, One Year, One Night tells the story of Ramon and Celine, a couple who attended the gig that night, and who make their way through the next year processing what has happened to…
Well that was a whole load of nothing. The blurb to this film makes it look quite interesting, a largely powerless figurehead of the French government in Tahiti, part of French Polynesia, has to manage rising tensions between the indigenous population and some recently stationed naval officers as rumours swirl that nuclear tests will resume.…
Was lucky enough to get a sneak peak at My Emptiness and I at this year’s Catalan Film Festival. It’s directed by Adrian Silvestre who did Sediments, and you know I loved that. My Emptiness and I was co-written by and stars Raphaelle Perez, an artist and activist who created a piece for theatre about…
10,000km is the story of Alex and Sergi who embark on a year-long long distance relationship between Barcelona and Los Angeles. Alex gets the chance at a residency in LA which would be huge for her photography career. They stay in touch online but the distance proves a challenge. From the first I wanna say…
The Days To Come follows the pregnancy of Virginia, and its impact on her relationship with her partner Luis. Vir gets accidentally knocked up, and her and Luis have to sit down and decide what to do about it. Despite it not being maybe the ideal time, they are in a loving relationship and decide…
Armugan is, as the subtitle suggests, an end-of-life doula, ushering the dying on their final journey. Learning from him is his apprentice Anchel. This film has stunning cinematography. It is used to convey the awe with which Armugan regards life, from the fantastic vistas down to the smallest detail. There is no dialogue for a…
Sediments is a documentary following a group of women taking a trip into the country. It is Lena’s 25th birthday, and her pals are coming home with her for the celebrations. As they tour the Leon countryside, they discuss their identities, life histories and worldviews. The person I loved most in this was Cristina, because…
Good Girls is a short film about the relationship between two sisters. Julia is resentful that Paula has entered puberty and abandoned her for boys. She avenges her sense of rejection by constantly annoying her sister. The family live on a farm and their stables have become so full that foals of varying sizes have…
The Goodbye is an exquisitely put together short film about Rosana, a maid who prepares her departed mistress for her funeral. The film is only 15 minutes long and it is not overburdened by dialogue, but it is able to evoke a sense of entire history, of relationships really expertly. Rosana is silent interacting with…
Transoceanicas is correspondence between friends through the medium of film. Meritxell Collel and Lucia Vassallo exchange letters, texts and emails over several years, sharing the ups and downs of their lives, breakups and new relationships, pregnancy and children, and their enduring affinity with film. Very much like the style I’ve seen in Meritxell’s short films,…