LFF
LFF Review: The Day I Lost My Shadow
There have been many films covering the crisis, conflict and atrocities which have taken place in Syria following the unrest of 2011. Whilst it’s largely accepted that over half-a-million people have been killed since hostilities broke-out, it’s extremely difficult to quantify numbers and differentiate between civilian casualties and armed combatants. However, it’s clear that the …
LFF Review: The Spy Gone North
Despite relations warming somewhat over the past couple of years, North and South Korea has been in a state of war since 1953. In reality, this has taken many forms, but the cult of propaganda and the art of espionage have played a major role in their hostilities. Whilst the Cold War may have ended …
LFF Review: Happy as Lazzaro
The caricature of a Holy Fool has been one of the most enthralling and iconic religious notions throughout history. However, the treatment of these figures has oscillated between demonization, victimisation and hatred to deification, adulation and worship; depending on the prevailing notions of the time. Today, despite medical diagnosis and awareness, a stigma still remains. …
LFF Review: Chained for Life
Hollywood has never exactly been what you’d call an equal opportunities employer. It never fails to amaze me how everyone from the ‘ugly’ character upwards in a big budget film normally looks like a model. A normal weight in the real world seems to be considered practically obese by some Studios. Having a facial disfigurement …
LFF Review: The Chambermaid
Today, there is marked socio-economic inequality in countries all around the world, but it some it’s more distinct than others. Take Mexico, for example. Over half the country lives beneath the poverty line yet four billionaires share almost 10% of the country’s GDP between them. There’s no industry where this polarity exhibits itself more abruptly …
LFF Review: Utøya – July 22
On 22 July 2011, Norway experienced the deadliest attacks on its own soil since World War II. In the middle of the afternoon, a car bomb exploded outside the offices of the Prime Minister, killing 8 people. Less than 2 hours later, a 32-year-old man, dressed in a police uniform, bordered a ferry to Utøya …
LFF Review: Soni
According to a survey carried out by the Thomas Reuters Foundation, India is the most dangerous country in the world for women. It’s in the top 3 for both sexual and non-sexual violence, cultural traditions and discrimination. Many Indians, both male and female, still believe that women should stick to their traditional gender roles, whilst …
LFF Review: Evelyn
800,000 people take their own lives every year around the world. In the UK, over 5,000 suicides were registered in 2017. Whilst there have been great steps forward in publicly addressing issues around mental health, suicide and depression, they are still subjects which aren’t generally openly discussed and remain stigmatised. Even between friends and family. …
LFF Review: Young and Alive
It has become de rigueur within the popular media and modern journalism to castigate Millennials as stupid, fickle or vacuous (seemingly intent on ignoring the fact that it’s not the young who have caused this mess the world finds itself in today). What was noticeable after the horrendous attacks in Paris in 2015 was the …
LFF Review: Bisbee ’17
As the saying goes, history is written by the victors. When it comes to remembering the past, some events are more readily forgotten than others. Guilt and embarrassment can lead to atrocities being buried or approached from the standpoint of denial. Whilst there’s often a call to ‘move on’ or ‘forget the past’, this normally …