Check out the following European films by female filmmakers as part of the Sydney Film Festival 2020 On-Demand program.
A PERFECTLY NORMAL FAMILY
Quite a poignant and heartfelt film by Malou Reymann of a father transitioning to become a woman as seen through the eyes of her younger daughter. Partly based on Reymann’s experience with her transexual father, this film is both endearing and unapologetic at the same time. Great performances, especially from the daughter Emma. It is a film about the process of acceptance.
SEA FEVER
A newly discovered parasite infecting and killing its human hosts badly requires quarantine. Sounds very familiar? This is the ominous plot of this sea creature sci-fi horror thriller that is best watched safely at home during this pandemic.
MY LITTLE SISTER
This is sibling loyalty until death do them part. A very classy brooding drama. Quite a sophisticated production. The little sister will do everything to metaphorically save her brother from his own mortality. The intensity of her internal conflict well progresses into an explosive emotional end.
KID’S RUN
This is about a boxer but this is not your typical boxing story. Both heartfelt and painfully realistic, this excruciating drama of struggle and desperation will numb you from reality, as each physical blow in one’s life is pain welcomed to escape defeat.
THEY CALL ME BABU
With tantalising use of stunning archival footage, this masterful piece of work not only brings to life the Dutch East Indies nanny knows as Babu but also an era and culture of the people and country of Indonesia yearning for freedom from colonisation.
FORCE OF HABIT
Six separate stories exploring varied #metoo issues and struggles of women including harassment, rape, sexual assault, and exploitation. Effectively interwoven into a common theme of a prevailing culture of male dominance and power in society.
ZANA
A casualty of the Kosova war haunts a mother into her own grief-stricken denial and hallucinations. This psychological drama draws on the supernatural to heal the inert trauma though essentially the realities of the conflict include more fatalities than just the killed.
CHARTER
Heavy is an understatement to describe this family drama of an estranged mother trying to reunite with her children. It is a roller coaster of emotions with only a light karaoke break in between. Well-written, intense, dark yet emotive.
A YEAR FULL OF DRAMA
This is quite a potent social experiment on the ability of theatre not only to entertain but also to inspire creativity among its loyal patrons. It just goes to show that cumulative exposure to art has an impact on people’s outlook and perspectives in life.
LESSONS OF LOVE
This pondering doco is an up-close and personal portrait of a Polish woman who decides to have her own way at a late stage in life. Intimately whimsical in style and approach, the film examines the possibilities and limitations when life begins at 69.
The 27th Japanese Film Festival (JIFF) Australia 2023 is back, starting with film screenings in Canberra (30 September – 15 October), Perth (16-22 October), Brisbane (6-22 October), Melbourne (23 October – 5 November) and Sydney (23-31 October). The theme for 2023 tackles the continuing connection between past and present.
Nope, this is not a Magnolia ice cream flavour of the month. UNBREAKABLE is an epic-length Filipino-style melodrama about female bonding and friendship as it stands the test of time. The plotline is engulfed in tragedies and plot twists that encapture you as an audience despite the uneven subtlety at some points of the story. Nevertheless, there are enough dramatic moments and conflicts peppered throughout the film to keep you involved through its climactic end.
