-
-
-
2 years ago
-
Courtesy of Kino Lorber
An intriguing new film from Chase Joynt, Framing Agnes is a docudrama hybrid that delves into a notorious 1960s gender health study at UCLA. Using reenactments, the film fleshes out several of the study's transgender subjects, including the titular pseudonymous Agnes, who became renowned for "tricking" UCLA in to obtain gender-affirming surgery at a time when such procedures were only done abroad and trans Americans were little seen or understood.
At the beginning of the film, we see news footage of trans pioneer Christine Jorgensen, then one of the most famous women in the world. At the time (1950s) her blond, glamorous image (representing the apex of American femininity) was one of the few public representations — and for many, the only one — of a transgender woman. Joynt then introduces us to six subjects of the UCLA study portrayed by trans actors including Angelica Ross (Pose), Jen Richards (Mrs. Fletcher), and Zackary Drucker (Transparent), as they reenact actual interviews with sociologist Harold Garfinkel (played by Joynt himself), taken directly from unearthed transcripts. They are a cross-section of America, including the blonde, glamorous Agnes (Drucker); church-going African-American Georgia (Ross), and midwestern, working-class Denny (Silas Howard); all of them sharp, thoughtful, and crystal clear about themselves and their place in society at the time. Filmed in black and white, these scenes are fraught with tamped down emotion as [...]
-
-
-
-
2 years ago
-
Image courtesy of "You Resemble Me"
Boasting an impressive list of producers––including Spike Lee, Riz Ahmed, Alma Har’el, and Spike Jonze––Dina Amer’s gripping and deeply affecting directorial debut You Resemble Me dramatizes the sad and embattled life of Hasna Ait Boulahcen, a young woman who was falsely depicted as Europe’s first female suicide bomber after the 2015 Paris bombings. The first part of the film portrays Hasna and her younger sister Mariam (played with realistic lack of inhibition by real-life sisters Lorenza and Ilonna Grimaudo) as they navigate life in in the suburbs of Paris. Moroccan immigrants, they live in a multi-racial housing complex with their overwhelmed, abusive mother and two other siblings. Despite life’s challenges and the neighborhood’s roughness, the closely bonded Hasna and Mariam manage to have fun playing and running through the streets. With its naturalistic action, dialogue and characters, the film is instantly compelling. Amer presents her story in a straightforward yet often poetic way; it's easy to get drawn into the lives of these scrappy sisters.
Dina Amer (photo: Kevin Scanlon)
During an impromptu birthday celebration for Mariam, their mother attempts to collect her daughter's gifts to sell for cash. Hasna rebels, running away with Mariam in tow. They take the train into the city, where they sleep in a park in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower and snatch food from street vendors. Eventually the girls are apprehended (not for[...]
-
-
-
-
2 years ago
-
Courtesy of FilmRise
A tough yet poignant film, Gaysorn Thavat’s The Justice of Bunny King is the story of a New Zealand mother who battles the country’s social services bureaucracy to regain custody of her children. Bunny (Essie Davis), a funny, resourceful woman who refuses to be beaten down by the system, is the film’s motor—charming and scheming her way through various obstacles, all to fulfill her promise to celebrate her young daughter’s upcoming birthday.
We first see Bunny energetically cleaning windshields in a parking lot for cash with a posse of fellow squeegee operators. Gradually, we learn of her difficult situation, beginning with a visit to a social services office, where she is reminded that in order to get her children out of foster care—or to spend time with them at all—she needs to have a home. Unfortunately, she’s currently living with her sister’s family during a severe housing shortage.
Things get worse when Bunny witnesses a disturbing scene involving her teenaged niece Tonyah (Thomasin McKenzie) and the former is subsequently kicked out of her brother-in-law’s house. As Bunny faces and is defeated by one hurdle after another, with Tonyah as accomplice, she becomes even more determined, and the film spirals into a suspenseful race against time as the stakes get ever higher. Thanks to Sophie Henderson's script, and Thavat’s pacing and tone, we’re never quite sure what will happen next, while Davis’s terrific performance guarantees that we stay [...]
-
-
-
-
2 years ago
-
Courtesy of Obscured Pictures
It's probably safe to say that Jono McLeod’s documentary My Old School isn’t quite like anything we’ve seen before, both in subject and format. This inventive and charmingly told tale about a renowned Scottish hoax is probably not familiar to most Americans, all the better for us to watch it unfold and deliver its surprises. Using current interviews, old footage and news reports, and many animated sequences, McLeod puts together a fascinating portrait of Brandon Lee (not the late actor), his former classmate at the posh Bearsden Academy in Glasgow. Though Lee agreed to be interviewed, he declined to appear on camera, resulting in one of the film’s most interesting elements: venerable Scots actor Alan Cumming “stars” as Lee, expertly lip-synching his story. (All of the other film’s characters appear as themselves, as animated versions of themselves, or both.)
The tale begins in 1993, when Lee enters fifth form at Bearsden Academy, located in one of Glasgow's fancier neighborhoods. Tall and somewhat odd-looking, he stands out from his 16-year-old classmates in several ways, including his deep voice , unplaceable accent, and formal clothes.
Courtesy of Obscured Pictures
His fellow classmates soon find out that Lee had previously lived in Canada with his late opera-singer mother, toured with her extensively, and had been privately tutored, which explained his accent and advanced age. His ”mask-like” appearance was due to plastic surgery[...]
-
-
-
-
2 years ago
-
Photo courtesy of Kino Lorber
Olga, a timely film directed and co-written by Elie Grappe, uses the 2014 Euro-Maidan Revolution in Ukraine as the setting for a coming-of-age story about a teenage gymnast who is torn between countries and allegiances. Written in 2016 and completed in early 2021, the film predates the recent Russian invasion, effectively shedding light on events that led up to the current war. Mainly, though, it is a tension-filled portrait of the title gymnast (portrayed with sensitivity by Anastasia Budyashkina, former member of the Ukraine national reserve team), who at age 15 relocates from Kiiv to Switzerland to train for the European Championship with the Swiss national team.
The move is is not easy for Olga, whose late father was Swiss, but it is for her own safety. In an early scene, she and her mother, Ilona (Tanya Mikhina)—a journalist who is investigating the corrupt administration of then President Viktor Yanukovych—are targets of pro-government violence. Despite concern for her mother and ambivalence about leaving home, Olga moves to the pristine alpine countryside to live with her grandfather and other paternal relatives.
In order to compete with the Swiss team, Olga must become a citizen; since Ukraine doesn’t permit joint citizenship, she is forced to choose between the only home she's known and the opportunity to pursue her Olympic dreams. This is another tough decision, complicated by the wide culture and language gap between Olga and[...]
-
-
-
-
3 years ago
-
Courtesy of Kino Lorber
Ahed’s Knee, the latest feature from Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid, is a visually inventive, emotionally engaging work about an artist’s rage against censorship and a citizen’s frustration over his country’s direction. Told over the course of one day, the film depicts Y (a moodily charismatic Avshalom Pollak), a filmmaker who travels to a remote desert village to promote one of his films. The title refers to Ahed Tamimi, a real-life Palestinian activist who was detained by Israeli authorities after slapping a soldier. The controversial Tamimi is the subject of a video project Y has begun casting; we see some audition clips, including one actor’s rendition of “Welcome to the Jungle.” (Music plays a huge part in Lapid’s film.) Throughout, the camera moves restlessly, swooping, circling and swinging side to side, sometimes mirroring a character’s point of view, sometimes just creating a state of frenetic energy.
The host of the screening in the Arava is an employee from the Ministry of Culture (Nur Fibak), an attractive, flirtatious young woman who is a huge fan of Y's work. They become friendly and she casually mentions a form he must sign in order to get paid for the appearance. The form, which limits the topics he can discuss, becomes a symbol of everything Y detests about his country.
Courtesy of Kino Lorber
Though the story is about Y’s despair over what he believes is the crumbling state of Israel, Lapid’s film is a tour de fo[...]
-
-
-
-
3 years ago
-
Courtesy of Cohen Media Group
Gagarine, a fresh and poignant feature debut by Fanny Liatard and Jérémy Trouilh (co-written with Benjamin Charbit), is about the beauty and strength of community, embodied here by the residents of the Cité Gagarine housing project on the outskirts of Paris.
Filmed just prior to the demolition of Gagarine in 2019 and with the participation of its residents, the movie follows one young tenant, Youri (Alséni Bathily, making his screen debut) – named for the complex’s namesake, Russian astronaut Yuri Gagarin – as he fights to preserve his home and community. The filmmakers combine stark realism with dreamy fantasy to portray the world of Gagarine and the imagination of Youri, a serious, science-minded teen who dreams of being an astronaut. His apartment is full of hi-tech devices fashioned from scavenged materials, including a tricked-out telescope through which he scans the heavens.
Courtesy of Cohen Media Group
Along with his intrepid, enterprising friends Houssam (Jamil McCraven) and fellow gearhead Diana (the luminous Lyna Khoudri), Youri rummages for electrical parts to fix the building’s wiring prior to an inspection. He hopes to forestall Gagarine's imminent destruction and the relocation of residents, who come from various ethnic and cultural backgrounds. A valued member of the community, Youri creates a special canopy through which his neighbors come together to watch a solar eclipse; it's a particularly lovely scene underscor[...]
-
-
-
-
3 years ago
-
Courtesy of Cohen Media Group
An inspiring and visually delightful film, Beth Elise Hawk’s Breaking Bread features the founder of Israel’s annual A-Sham food Festival, as well as several participants, along with myriad mouth-watering depictions of Mediterranean cuisine. Founded in Haifa in 2015 by Dr. Nof Atamna-Ismaeel, the first Israeli Arab to win Israel’s MasterChef, the festival brings together Arab and Jewish chefs to collaborate on new iterations of Arabic dishes. Foremost a food documentary with some light social commentary, Breaking Bread begins with a quote from Anthony Bourdain: “Food may not be the answer to world peace, but it’s a start.” By the end of this feel-good film, even the most cynical among us may feel optimistic about that claim.
Presiding over the festival is the ever upbeat Atamna-Ismaeel, who declares that being an Israeli Arab is difficult—not completely accepted by either side—but “Stuck in the middle is the best thing because you get to enjoy both worlds.” Her belief that there’s no room for politics in the kitchen is echoed by others throughout the film. The sentiment rings true here, as it does with other creative collaborations, be it music, dance or art.
Courtesy of Cohen Media Group
Hawk introduces us to several chefs who have participated in A-Sham, including the loquacious Shlomi, who took over the Polish-inspired restaurant his grandfather founded; and his festival cooking partner, Ali, manager of a restaurant in his pictures[...]
-
-
-
-
3 years ago
-
French filmmaker Bruno Dumont has never played by any movie-making rules, which has resulted in a fascinating career of provocative and unsettling work, most of which can be classed as art films. A former philosophy professor, Dumont has clearly relished exploring themes of good and evil, incorporating gritty realism, extreme violence and sexuality (La Vie de Jesus, Twentynine Palms), as well as unexpected humor (the charmingly offbeat P'tit Quinquin).
Dumont's latest, France, starring Léa Seydoux as the title character, is slicker looking than previous efforts, which makes it more confounding in some ways. A satirical exploration of celebrity and television journalism, France is uneven in tone, veering from wildly unsubtle to inscrutable, its deliberate pace elongating scenes that sometimes seem like they should be more revelatory.
It’s also quite watchable, thanks mainly to Seydoux, who plays France de Meurs, a famous Parisian TV journalist who hosts a talk show. Early in the film, she is recognized and besieged for autographs on the street, which she seems to enjoy. Dumont digitally inserts France into footage of an actual press conference with President Emmanuel Macron, where she asks a tough question and mocks the event via a series of silent but expressive exchanges with her assistant Lou (comedian Blanche Gardin). Lou, a near slapstick character, fawns over her boss and treats TV journalism like a fame game.
In one drawn-out scene, France takes charge du[...]
-
-
-
-
3 years ago
-
Inspired by true events, Tracey Deer’s Beans is a powerful and impassioned coming-of-age story set amid a recent violent chapter of Canadian history.
The 1990 Oka Crisis was a land dispute between the Mohawk community and the mostly white government of Oka, Quebec, over plans for a sacred burial ground to be turned into a golf course. An intense 78-day confrontation ensued, some of which is included in the film via archival footage. Deer, a Mohawk who was inspired by her own memories of the time, instills her film with scenes and emotions that are both tender and tough, which makes for a particularly engaging experience.
At the start of the film, smart, sensitive 12-year-old Tekahentakwa, nicknamed Beans (beautifully portrayed by Kiawentiio) and her mom Lily (Rainbow Dickerson, also excellent) travel from their home on the Kahnawá:ke Mohawk Reserve to apply to a fancy school in town. (In an uncomfortable moment, the white administrator tries repeatedly and unsuccessfully to pronounce "Tekahentakwa.") Beans’ father is against the whole idea, but Lily is adamant that their daughter pursue an excellent education. The family is rounded out by young Ruby (Violah Beauvais), Beans’ frequent companion and a classic little sister sidekick.
Dad becomes involved in the protests against the golf course supporters, which soon becomes a standoff: In retaliation for the Mohawks’ blockade of a bridge that connects the community with Montreal, local authorities cut off [...]
-
-
-
-
3 years ago
-
Courtesy of Music Box Films
The subject of Sebastien Lifshitz’s sweet, sad documentary Little Girl, 8-year-old Sasha lives in rural France with her parents and siblings. We first see her carefully trying on various items of clothing and accessories, a popular pastime for most kids, but especially important to her.
Early in the film, we witness a conversation in which Sasha’s mother, Karine, tells a local doctor that at the age of two, her son insisted, “When I grow up I’ll be a girl,” and has never wavered from that certainty. The doctor asks Karine if she wished for a girl during her pregnancy, as if this might explain Sasha’s gender identification (!). Distraught, Karine admits that she did hope for a girl and that she has felt guilty ever since.
Thus begins Lifshitz’s poignant, pointed film. Shot in verité style without narration or identifying captions, Little Girl documents through conversations, interviews and fly-on-the-wall footage the struggles of a tirelessly devoted mother who wants nothing more than happiness and a semblance of normal childhood for her sensitive, intelligent child. Unfortunately, it’s a steep uphill battle for Karine, Sasha, and the rest of the family.
Courtesy of Music Box Films
Karine takes Sasha to a sympathetic psychologist in Paris, who assures her that the desire for a girl during pregnancy has nothing to do with Sasha’s gender identification, and that there are many children like her. Sasha, who stoically admits that “Secon[...]
-
-
-
-
3 years ago
-
The Macaluso Sisters, courtesy of Glass Half Full Media
Many of us are familiar with the horrific 2014 attacks by Islamic State fighters (ISIS) on the Yazidi Kurdish minority in northern Iraq, from various news stories. Especially reprehensible were the forced “marriages” of Yazidi girls and young women to ISIS soldiers, who basically used them as sex slaves. Now, MTV Documentary Films brings us right into that incomprehensible world with Sabaya (a term loosely translated as "sex slave"), a riveting documentary by Kurdish/Swedish director Hogir Hirori.
Guarded by Kurdish forces, 73,000 ISIS supporters are held in the Al-Hol Camp in Syria, along with many of the Yazidi women and girls they have abducted. Many of these women—several of whom witnessed their families being murdered by their captors—were taken in their early teens and have spent their entire adolescence enslaved. Sabaya follows an incredibly intrepid and determined group of volunteer Yazidis who repeatedly risk their lives trying to rescue as many women and girls as possible from Al-Hol, considered the most dangerous camp in the Middle East.
Sabaya, Courtesy of MTV Documentary Films
Mahmud and Ziyad of the Yazidi Home Center lead the rescue group, whose mission it is to bring the girls back home to their families, or whatever is left of them. Constantly monitoring their phones and almost as often losing cell service, the two men patiently plot nighttime raids on the camp, armed with guns and[...]
-
