During the eleven-day event, I had the opportunity to watch 53 films from a selection of over 200. The lineup featured a diverse range of genres, including drama, horror, comedy, and various documentaries. Notably, many of these films were award winners from prestigious festivals such as Cannes, Berlin, Venice, SXSW, and Sundance.
I am presenting these films in categories based on the following ratings:
– Excellent / Highly Recommended (93% – 100%)
– Very Good / Recommended (86% – 92%)
– Good (78% – 85%)
– OK (65% – 77%)
– So-So (50% – 64%)
My ratings and rankings of these films are determined by the following criteria:
– Story (40%)
– Performances (30%)
– Style and Originality (15%)
– Production Values (15%)
Check out these recommendations.
EXCELLENT / HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (93%-100%)
THE BLUE TRAIL (Rating: 97%)
Drama
(Story 38/40%)(Performances 29/30%)(Style & Originality 15/15%)(Production Values 15/15%)
IT WAS JUST AN ACCIDENT (Rating: 95%)
Drama
(Story 38/40%)(Performances 29/30%)(Style & Originality 15/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
AGATHA’S ALMANAC (Rating: 95%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 38/40%)(Performances 29/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 14/15%)
DJ AHMET (Rating: 95%)
Romantic Drama
(Story 38/40%)(Performances 29/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 14/15%)
SORRY, BABY (Rating: 94%)
Drama Comedy
(Story 38/40%)(Performances 28/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 14/15%)
THE MASTERMIND (Rating: 94%)
Suspense Thriller
(Story 38/40%)(Performances 28/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 14/15%)
PREDATORS (Rating: 93%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 38/40%)(Performances 28/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
SIRAT (Rating: 93%)
Drama Suspense
(Story 37/40%)(Performances 27/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 15/15%)
THE PERFECT NEIGHBOUR (Rating: 93%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 38/40%)(Performances 28/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
SENTIMENTAL VALUE (Rating: 93%)
Drama
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 29/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 15/15%)
VERY GOOD / RECOMMENDED (86%-92%)
THE GOLDEN SPURTLE (Rating: 91%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 28/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
STRAIGHT ON TILL MORNING (Rating: 90%)
Thriller Horror
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 28/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
THE SECRET AGENT (Rating: 90%)
Drama Thriller
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 26/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 15/15%)
THE PRESIDENT’S CAKE (Rating: 89%)
Drama Coming-of-Age
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 27/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
REDUX REDUX (Rating: 89%)
SciFi Suspense Thriller
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 27/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
ENZO (Rating: 88%)
Romantic Drama
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 26/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
EIGHTY PLUS (Rating: 88%)
Experimental Drama
(Story 35/40%)(Performances 27/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
LATE SHIFT (Rating: 88%)
Drama Suspense
(Story 35/40%)(Performances 26/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 14/15%)
MR NOBODY AGAINST PUTIN (Rating: 87%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 26/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)
ALL THAT’S LEFT OF YOU (Rating: 87%)
Epic Drama
(Story 36/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
ANDRE IS AN IDIOT (Rating: 86%)
Performative Documentary
(Story 35/40%)(Performances 26/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)
ORWELL: 2+2=5 (Rating: 86%)
Expository Documentary
(Story 35/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
MY FATHER’S SHADOW (Rating: 86%)
Drama Suspense
(Story 35/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 14/15%)
TWO PROSECUTORS (Rating: 86%)
Drama
(Story 34/40%)(Performances 26/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
GOOD (78%-85%)
TOGETHER (Rating: 85%)
Romantic Drama Horror
(Story 34/40%)(Performances 26/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
LURKER (Rating: 85%)
Drama Suspense
(Story 34/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
MAKE IT LOOK REAL (Rating: 84%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 34/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)
THE HEART IS A MUSCLE (Rating: 83%)
Drama Suspense
(Story 35/40%)(Performances 24/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)
DREAMS (Rating: 83%)
Romantic Drama
(Story 33/40%)(Performances 23/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
THE LOVE THAT REMAINS (Rating: 83%)
Drama
(Story 32/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
SPIRIT WORLD (Rating: 82%)
Drama Supernatural
(Story 32/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 14/15%)(Production Values 11/15%)
ALWAYS (Rating: 81%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 32/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 11/15%)
HOW TO BUILD A LIBRARY (Rating: 81%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 32/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)
THE WOLVES ALWAYS COME AT NIGHT (Rating: 81%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 32/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)
VIDEOHEAVEN (Rating: 81%)
Expositional Documentary
(Story 32/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 11/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
BLUE MOON (Rating: 81%)
Romantic Comedy
(Story 32/40%)(Performances 24/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)
IT ENDS (Rating: 80%)
Horror Supernatural
(Story 30/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
DEAF (Rating: 79%)
Drama
(Story 30/40%)(Performances 24/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
MISTRESS DISPELLER (Rating: 78%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 32/40%)(Performances 24/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 10/15%)
OK (65%-77%)
THE LIFE OF CHUCK (Rating: 77%)
Drama
(Story 31/40%)(Performances 23/30%)(Style & Originality 10/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
DEATH OF AN UNDERTAKER (Rating: 76%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 30/40%)(Performances 24/30%)(Style & Originality 12/15%)(Production Values 10/15%)
FARMING THE REVOLUTION (Rating: 74%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 30/40%)(Performances 22/30%)(Style & Originality 11/15%)(Production Values 11/15%)
ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL (Rating: 73%)
Drama Suspense
(Story 28/40%)(Performances 23/30%)(Style & Originality 10/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)
ROMERLA (Rating: 72%)
Drama
(Story 30/40%)(Performances 22/30%)(Style & Originality 10/15%)(Production Values 10/15%)
THE MOTHER AND THE BEAR (Rating: 71%)
Romantic Comedy
(Story 30/40%)(Performances 20/30%)(Style & Originality 11/15%)(Production Values 10/15%)
EDDINGTON (Rating: 71%)
Experimental Drama
(Story 25/40%)(Performances 23/30%)(Style & Originality 10/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
WENT UP THE HILL (Rating: 67%)
Drama Supernatural
(Story 20/40%)(Performances 25/30%)(Style & Originality 9/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
SO-SO (50%-64%)
VIE PRIVEE (Rating: 64%)
Drama Thriller
(Story 20/40%)(Performances 22/30%)(Style & Originality 9/15%)(Production Values 13/15%)
MIRRORS NO. 3 (Rating: 63%)
Drama Mystery
(Story 20/40%)(Performances 22/30%)(Style & Originality 9/15%)(Production Values 12/15%)
DEEPER (Rating: 59%)
Observational Documentary
(Story 20/40%)(Performances 20/30%)(Style & Originality 8/15%)(Production Values 11/15%)
MAGELLAN (Rating: 58%)
Epic Drama
(Story 22/40%)(Performances 15/30%)(Style & Originality 13/15%)(Production Values 8/15%)
HAPPYEND (Rating: 56%)
Drama SciFi
(Story 20/40%)(Performances 20/30%)(Style & Originality 8/15%)(Production Values 8/15%)
ANCESTRAL VISIONS OF THE FUTURE (Rating: 51%)
Poetic Documentary
(Story 20/40%)(Performances 15/30%)(Style & Originality 8/15%)(Production Values 8/15%)
The recent French Film Festival featured a generous 54 films in their lineup. Out of this eclectic collection, I am recommending 23 of them as the best of the lot.
Well, the Sydney Film Festival 2023 just swept through last June 7-18 during the start of our winter season as it now celebrates the King’s Birthday long weekend.
