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The director/brother combo of Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne have created a film I would describe as very… ‘French’. In this context, it means a film that is wonderfully dissimilar to the Hollywood approach to story-telling. It also means a film based in reality, which has been shot simply and beautifully.…
What a joy it is to finally respond to the slighting “they don’t make them like they used to” –a remark that has gained ground in the current cinematic climate of soulless remakes – with these five little words: Have you seen The Artist? The film by French director and…
“Resonating…” This is the first word that springs to mind after seeing Andrew Haigh’s award-winning film Weekend. An instant sell-out at this month’s London Film Festival and a seemingly modernised version of 1996’s Beautiful Thing, Weekend is an honest and naturalistic observation of yet another story about attraction. Described as…
There are many things to love about the BFI London Film Festival, but perhaps its most laudable merit is that, at its heart, it is a celebration of the wonderful world of cinema for all devoted film lovers, rather than a showcase of promising titles for film distributors. It is…
With signs that China will emerge as the next global superpower becoming more and more apparent, a documentary about China’s economic foray into Africa, is undoubtedly timely. It its opening minutes, When China Met Africa informs us that in November 2006, Beijing cemented its long-term relationship with Africa by hosting a summit…
Many contemporary French filmmakers seem to be unaware that a fleeting smile or a gentle touch conveys an emotion far more effectively than having the characters talk endlessly about their feelings. What a delightful surprise it is then, to find that the most romantic country in the world can still…