Film Festival
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: Dark Suns
Despite its geographical closeness to the United States, Mexico is a country far removed from its rich neighbour. Decades of struggles between different cartels, police, the military, local militias and the American war on drugs has left much of the country in a state of lawless poverty. In many places, society, as we know it, …
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: The Fortress
In this modern connected world, football is possibly the closest thing we have to tribalism. Football is not just a game for some. It’s a way of life. Supporting your team can be the be all and end all. Ties and bonds can compete with those of family and friends. It’s hard to explain if …
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: Romantic Comedy
I must admit, of all the film genres in the world, romantic comedy is the one I struggle with the most. Love them or loathe them, it’s fair to say that rom coms are often critically denigrated regardless of how good or bad they are. Whilst they may not be up there with the Citizen …
Sheffield Doc/Fest Review: MOTHER
If you’ve known someone who has suffered from Alzheimers or dementia, you’ll understand what a difficult, debilitating and demoralising disease it can be. Personally, it’s watching a loved one slowly lose their sense of identity which I find the hardest. With life expectancy continually rising, more and more people will fall prey to this condition. …
Sheffield Doc/Fest 2019 Preview
Firmly established as one of the most important documentary film festivals in the global calendar, Sheffield Doc/Fest returns for another six days of world class films, alternative reality programming, talks, exhibitions, events and parties. Taking place in Sheffield between 6-11 June, the festival brings together film-makers and films from around the world to celebrate documentaries …
Film Review: Prospect
The success of Alex Garland’s Annihilation and Ex-Machina demonstrate how much of an appetite genre fans have for intelligent science-fiction filmmaking. The likes of Moon, Under the Skin, Primer and Predestination show that budget doesn’t have to be an obstacle to success. We no longer live in an age where the lack of a wide …
Human Right Watch Film Festival Review: Saf
There’s a worrying modern phenomenon which is sweeping through cities around the world. In generations past, the rich had moved to the suburbs leaving the poor to live in fairly desolate urban areas. Now that trend is reversing with vast swathes of inner-cities being gentrified and turned into building sites. The poor are once again …
Human Rights Watch Film Festival Review: The Feeling of Being Watched
America, the land of the free, has been a racist and intolerant country from its very inception. One which has thrived and prospered from spilling the blood of others. One which attempted to wipe out its own indigenous population and enslaved many others. Whilst the great USA claims to be a cultural melting pot, that …
Human Rights Watch Film Festival Review: Screwdriver
It has been a theme, throughout history, that the oppressed often look for champions whom they can rally around. Fairly normal people can be elevated into god-like figures as long as it serves the wider cause. We’ve seen a resurgence of martyrdom across the Middle-East, but this doesn’t always end in death. The imprisonment and …
Human Rights Watch Film Festival Review: Minding the Gap
Today, America finds itself in a strange position as a country riven by conflict. Whilst Donald Trump’s politics and persona are well and truly hideous, his success has highlighted the large minority of society who feel ignored, betrayed and unrepresented by the political elite. There are few areas where this economic and social decline has …