Wang Bing
-
Under the Radar: The 31st Mar del Plata Film Festival
Situated at the windy seaside of the Argentinian port city and resort destination, the Mar del Plata Film Festival is rare in its aversion to trends and commercially driven programming. Selection is motivated not by industry concerns but rather genuine cinephilia, impressively supported by a devout and adventurous local audience. Programmers give generous, enthusiastic introductions, and there’s a vibe of sincerity guiding the proceedings. Taking place in November — springtime in the country — the fest has the luxury of assembling the best films of the year, but it’s hardly an automated “festival of festivals,” featuring plenty of bold, unusual films alongside expected […]
by Adam Cook on Jan 4, 2017 -
“We Know How a Solar Panel is Made”: The Dardennes on Two Days, One Night
As a parable of solidarity, Two Days is programmatic and predictable in a way that’s new to the Dardenne brothers, and not in a good way; as a streamlined narrative, it’s impeccably crafted. The straight-up chase scene dropped into 2005’s L’enfant — a potential audition for a rote action film should they ever feel so inclined — indicated Jean-Luc and Pierre Dardenne’s handheld, ever-impassioned kineticism was reaching new levels of sheer technical proficiency. Two Days, One Night presents the dilemma of Sandra (Marion Cotillard) — fired from her solar panel factory job, ostensibly so the plant can remain competitive on a playing field leveled by Chinese labor. It’s clear […]
by Vadim Rizov on Dec 22, 2014 -
Toronto International Film Festival 2013
The Toronto International Film Festival, where mainstream critics stick to premieres, freelance writers look for discoveries, programmers tend to their demographic and harried acquisition agents run from theater to theater. For all, time is key: getting to the show on time, standing in long lines for the latest indie blockbuster, rushing to grab something resembling food and sitting through mediocre films because there’s nothing else playing. Appropriately, several of this year’s films mirrored this emphasis on time and the demands it makes on the viewer. Many of the festival’s most daring films were in the Wavelengths section, which last year […]
by Lori Donnelly on Oct 21, 2013 -
A Pregnant Pause Before the Reborn Edinburgh Film Festival
When it comes to Edinburgh, I’m no festival virgin. However, this is the first festival in the 15 years I’ve been attending either as staff, filmmaker or delegate, when I will be seven-and-a-half months pregnant. I will be waddling, Marge Gunderson style, from cinema to cinema, hopefully securing seats on the end of the row (leaving me with the perfect excuse to pop out early). I will NOT be quaffing vats of dry white wine, or even whiskey (sob) but that means I will hopefully remember the names of everyone I meet and won’t be dozing off during the more […]
by Hope Dickson Leach on May 31, 2012
