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Film Review: HANGING, USA, Animation

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Played at the March 2017 ANIMATION Film Festival

MOVIE POSTERHANGING, 6min, USA, Animation
Directed by Nick LeDonne

An abstracted animated documentary based off of Nick LeDonne’s personal struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts after a near attempted hanging in November 2014. His feelings of depression are personified through a dark luring fog and a loving mother desperately trying to keep her son alive.

Review by Kierston Drier:

Hanging a USA animation directed by Nick LeDonne, is a deeply emotional, deeply powerful piece that takes a raw and honest look at the seriousness of the depression in the mind of a misunderstood boy longing for comfort.

Told through a voiceless abstract lense, our character battles the onslaught of words and labels- symbologies for the troubling thoughts that plague his mind- and must choose between the relief of death or the trauma of continuing to live. The personification of a mind of suffering may be a difficult viewing experience for some- but for many it will be an eye opening and important film.

There are very few films that so clearly capture the sense of entrapment and suffocation of mental illness. The visual style personifies the depth of despair- something that is perhaps difficult to understand if never experienced first hand.

While Hanging has a darkness to it, it also has unspeakable bravery- a clear and heart wrenching look at the battle one men wages between his inner demons and the sanity of his mind and soul. A difficult film to distill, because it is such a powerful film to witness.

 

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Film Review: KAROUMA, United Arab Emirates, Animation

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MOVIE POSTERKAROUMA, 12min, United Arab Emirates, Animation
Directed by Boubaker Boukhari

Karouma is a Unique gift striving to break through and to leave his parent’s nest to live pursue his dreams and live his life in its full potential.

Review by Kierston Drier:

This UAE animation is the story of a strong bright child born without arms. Despite the limitations of their lives, our hero Karouma refuse to lose his sunny disposition and bright optimism.

Perhaps most surprising in this film is that the dialogue is nonsense words- the inflection of speak is certainly there, but what is actually being said is unknown. This creates a beautiful sense of anomie within films’ universe and the child’s world.

Through the eyes of childhood, Karouma is sheltered from the gazes and whispers of the world around him. What matters is not the dialogue, but the actions.

Although fairly sheltered, Karouma is able to break free and see the world, only to discover it a difficult place to be when you are different. But Karouma’s uncrushable spirit allows him to rise above his differences- literally.

Whether symbolic and based on true events, Karouma is a tale of triumph over adversity. Karouma reminds us we are as free and boundless as our imaginations.

 

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Film Review: BABY AND GRANNY, Animation

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Played at the March 2017 ANIMATION Film Festival

MOVIE POSTERBABY AND GRANNY, 2min. USA, Animation/Comedy
Directed by Zheng Kang

A 2D animated action-comedy about a baby and granny who share a common bond (Baby’s Mother is Granny’s Daughter) but who fight like crazy when left alone. The visuals are highly-influenced by the work of 60’s Pop Artist Roy Lichtenstein

Review by Kierston Drier:

 
Short, punchy and full of action Baby Vs Granny will turn classic familial love of a grandmother and a grandchild on it’s head. This two minute UAE animation directed by Boubaker Boukhari boasted bright colors, lighting fast reflexes and two family members ready to square off when no one else can see them.

This piece totally delivers where color and character are concerned. Stylishly animated mostly in black and white with special attention paid to coloring the main characters, it is a lightening fast and never skips a beat.

It speeds through it’s short time with whirl-wind intensity, feeling like it is only a few seconds long, rather than a few minutes.

A comedy which needs little to know dialogue and is outstandingly visual, BABY AND GRANDMA is an awesome film to watch!

 

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Film Article: CINEFRANCO SPECIAL QUEBEC 2017

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HOT DOCS 2017 Reviews: PECKING ORDER (New Zealand 2017) ***

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Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

pecking_order.jpgPecking Order is a light-hearted documentary set in the world of bird breeding. The self-described ‘feelgood flockumentary’ canvases the personalities, power plays, fowl play and ‘best in show’ fervour of the 148-year-old Christchurch Poultry, Bantam and Pigeon Club, as members prepare for the national championships.

Directed by: Slavko Martinov

Review by Gilbert Seah

Witten and directed by Slavko Martinov, PECKING ORDER is literally about the pecking order of chickens.

The setting is Christchurch, New Zealand – the 148-year old Christchurch Poultry , Bantam and Pigeon Club. The subject is competitive poultry pageantry as a highly entertaining hobby—it’s an obsession. For members of Christchurch Poultry, Bantam and Pigeon Club in New Zealand, it’s also way of life. Among the members are Seniors Beth Inwood and President Doug Bain who have tasted the glory of raising perfect rosecomb cockerels and rumpless pullets.

Most of the members are old. But Martinov injects some fresh blood into the film with newbie teenagers Rhys Lilley and Sarah Bunton (though they do not impress me as the brightest of kids) enjoying the fun. But there appears to be trouble in paradise. Feathers start to fly when infighting breaks out in the club during the run-up to the 2015 National Poultry Show.

The film traces the change of presidency while highlighting the chooks National Show as its climax. Still the film is totally fun, shallow that it appears to be, but perhaps some of life lessons can be learnt from watching these chicken lovers. There is always something amusing when one hears chicken clucking.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyqrX4ySvKg

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Also, Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.
Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month:http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

HOT DOCS 2017 Reviews: DO DONKEYS ACT? Starring Willem DaFoe

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Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

do_donkeys_act.jpgDonkeys inhabit and communicate with each other – and the filmmakers – in a Sanctuary.

Directors: David Redmon, Ashley Sabin
Star: Willem Dafoe

Review by Gilbert Seah

 It has to happen eventually – a documentary on donkeys from the donkey’s point of view.

The film’s ethno-poetic-animal-fiction takes its playfully self-reflexive cues from Jean Rouch and Chris Marker.

Encouraging the audience to respect a major language barrier the audience might not otherwise consider––the mystery and intrigue of donkey utterances––DO DONKEYS ACT? invites the audience to “step into their shade, listen closely” as we attune to a series of dramatic performances in which one’s eavesdrop on donkeys speaking amongst themselves.

Narrated by Willem Dafoe, this tactic is amusing but sometimes, simplicity is the key.

Though it might seem trivial to learn more about donkeys, curiosity eventually has its day in this occasionally fascinating portrayal of the neglected animal who is still part of God’s animal Kingdom. Everything you wanted to know that happens inside a donkey sanctuary. The film was shot in several docket sanctuaries including the one in Guelph, Ontario. Present during Hot Docs will be Co-Director David Redmon.

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/200043031

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Also, Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.
Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month:http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

HOT DOCS 2017 Reviews: PACmen (USA 2017) ***

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Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

pacmen.jpgThis observational documentary follows the men behind the Super-PACs that persuaded Dr Ben Carson to run for President. Believing Carson can save the Republican Party, they successfully draft him to run, raise millions of dollars and catapult him to the top of the polls. However, as Carson’s political inexperience begins to show, his constant media gaffes make fundraising increasingly difficult. Donors and voters abandon Carson’s campaign as wallets close, hearts open and faith is tested. As Trump inexplicably rises, the campaign descends into chaos and the PACmen begin to wonder – did they pick the wrong savior?

Director: Luke Walker
Writer: Luke Walker
 
Review by Gilbert Seah

Not to be confused with Pacman the video game, PACmen is a group, as introduced at the start of the film that has access to almost unlimited funds.

This observational documentary called PACmen, directed, producer, and written by Luke Walker, follows the people behind the Super-PACs that persuaded Dr​. ​Ben Carson to run for President.

​ ​ This is all true and Ben Carson is seen often in debate with now President of the United States Donald Trump, who was then just a competitive candidate. This makes the film more interesting though the audience now knows who won the Presidency. Believing Carson can save the Republican Party, they successfully draft him to run, raise​ ​millions of dollars and catapult him to the top of the polls.​ ​

However, as Carson’s political inexperience begins to show (he know nothing about the Middle East, which is really sad), his constant media gaffes make​ ​fundraising increasingly difficult. Donors and voters abandon Carson’s campaign as wallets​ ​close, hearts open and faith is tested.​ ​

As Trump inexplicably rises, the campaign descends into chaos and the PACmen begin to​ ​wonder… did they pick the wrong saviour? Walker’s documentary would be more relevant if the PACmen picked a winner instead of a loser. This is an example of the luck of the draw.

Trailer: https://vimeo.com/205346326
 

 

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Also, Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.
Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month:http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

Film Review: THEIR FINEST (UK 2016) ****

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Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

their_finest.jpgDirector: Lone Scherfig
Writers: Gaby Chiappe (screenplay), Lissa Evans (novel)
Stars: Gemma Arterton, Sam Claflin, Bill Nighy

Review by Gilbert Seah

 Danish director Lorne Scherfig broke into the international film scene with his first film ITALIAN FOR BEGINNERS and has continued to impress both audiences and critics alike with films like THE RIOT CLUB and AN EDUCATION, these two films demonstrating his flexibility in his subjects. His latest is again a grand piece of fine filmmaking, a period piece that celebrates the role of women (seldom seen in the war genre) during the Second World War.

The film based on the novel Their Finest Hour and a Half by Lissa Evans and written by Gaby Chiappe puts the female into the picture. The main protagonist is Catrin Cole (Gemma Arterton star of films like ORPHAN and THE GIRL WITH ALL THE GIFTS), a “slop” scriptwriter, charged with bringing a female perspective to war films produced by the British Ministry of Information’s Film Division. Slop is the degrading term given for ‘women’s talk’. Her current project is a feature inspired by stories of British civilians rescuing soldiers after the retreat at Dunkirk. Catrin’s artist husband (Jack Huston) looks down on her job, despite the fact that it is paying the rent. At least lead scenarist Tom Buckley (Sam Claflin), who at first pokes fun at the female effort appreciates her contribution.

There is one great dialogue in the film that celebrates the romanticism of movies. “In war, some do not come back home at all. Some come back heroes and some do not come back as heroes. The film that is to be made must make it worth the audience’s time to sit through it.” These are the words that are used to inspire the making of this otherwise propaganda film that would eventually turn the lives of many a British citizen. The film is used to create patriotism to send the men to fight in battle and the women to work in the factories manufacturing ammunition and weapons.

Performances are all impressive all round, led by both Bill Nighy as a pompous past his prime actor who is never afraid of showing off and Gemma Arteton in the title role. Jeremy Irons in a cameo (praising the power of the dramatic arts) deserves mention in one of the film’s funniest segments.
Besides the lovely period detail of the costumes and sets, the look of war-torn Britain is also magnificently created – reminiscent of the best of war films like John Boorman’s HOPE AND GLORY and Guy Hamilton’s BATTLE OF BRITAIN. The film in a film is to be shot in Devon, Devon standing in for Dunkirk where the film in the film is set.

One great and memorable British propaganda films is Alberto Cavalcanti’s 1942 effort WENT THE DAY WELL? (one of my favourite films of all time) where British housewives discover their village invaded by German paratroopers posing as English soldiers. The Brits must have put in quite the effort in their propaganda films. THEIR FINEST is also really funny in may parts, making the drama totally entertaining for both sexes despite the female slant.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=id0HEelDIuk

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Also, Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.
Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month:http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

HOT DOCS 2017 Reviews: SPOOKERS (New Zealand/Australia 2017)

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Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival: http://www.wildsound.ca

spookers.jpgA close-knit New Zealand family run the most successful scare park in the Southern Hemisphere; facing their fears so others can face theirs.

Director: Florian Habicht
Writers: Veronica Gleeson, Florian Habicht (story)

Stars: Claudia Aiono, Huia Apiata, Barbara Armstrong

Review by Gilbert Seah

 As night falls on the old Kingseat Psychiatric Hospital grounds (45 minutes from Auckland) which is presently New Zealand’ largest scare amusement park, out come the zombies, chain saw–wielding clowns and bloodstained freaks.

A thrilling amusement for the paying public, it is a family business for Beth and Andy Watson and a unique job for the performers who dole out the terror.

Director Habicht gives the audience a spectator’s point of view of the scare park as one enters the grounds (the bests part of the doc). For all that it seems, it look like a very scary venture. Interviews are intercut with the ‘spookers’ who appear to love the job of scaring people. The film runs out of material and the film repeats the same material.

The interviewed have nothing really interesting to say either offering little insight to the subject of fear or scares. Despite the interesting subject, the film is quite a bore.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kfjqh2uE1NM

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Also, Free logline submissions. The Writing Festival network averages over 95,000 unique visitors a day.
Great way to get your story out: http://www.wildsound.ca/logline.html

Deadlines to Submit your Screenplay, Novel, Story, or Poem to the festival:http://www.wildsound.ca

Watch recent Writing Festival Videos. At least 15 winning videos a month:http://www.wildsoundfestival.com

Film Review: WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN, 9min, UK, Comedy

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Played at the March 2017 COMEDY Film Festival

MOVIE POSTERWHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN, 9min, UK, Comedy
Directed by Charlie Francis

Amanda is pulled away from a one-night stand to rescue her best friend Nick. The young gay man’s mother is on her way. Will out-and-proud gay women Amanda bury her pride and act as girlfriend?

Review by Kierston Drier:

This UK comedy from Charlie Francis is a gem that is worthy of copious replays. There is nothing but the deepest platonic affection that would propel Amanda to ditch her sexy one-night stand to save her gay-best friend.

Why does he need saving? His mother is visiting and doesn’t know he’s gay. She needs to be the beard.

What transpires is part slapstick, part wit and all genius. Every frame is full of visual comedy and ever line crackles with character in this laugh-a-second joy ride. Best of all, it has a heart-stoppingly hilarious twist ending.

When A Man Loves A Woman will show you the lengths we will sometimes go for our friends and the lesson we learn- like honesty being the best policy. With actors boasting exceptional comic timing and a great concept full of fun, this is a piece you’ll want to watch over and over again.

AUDIENCE FEEDBACK VIDEO. Moderated by Matthew Toffolo: