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.
There is a lot of trepidation in Hollywood in handling unsure material as CRAZY RICH ASIANS can attest. The last time an all-Asian cast modern-day Hollywood film was made was 25 years ago in 1993 with THE JOY LUCK CLUB, earning modest critical and box office success.
The film adaptation of the 2016 stage musical KATIPS, written and directed by filmmaker and lawyer Vincent Tañada, is both earnest and eye-opening. The film already has many achievements. It has earned 17 nominations at the 70th Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards and won seven categories for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor for Tañada, Best Supporting Actor for Johnrey Rivas, Best Cinematography, Best Original Song for Sa Gitna Ng Gulo, and Pipo Cifra for Best Musical Score.
