Category Archives: Film

For its third annual edition, three feature-length documentaries will take pride of place at the Cameo Picturehouse from 5 to 11 November, with 13 more full-length films and 8 shorts screening online UK-wide from 7 to 14 November.  Following Doc’n Roll’s first Scottish offerings in late 2018 and 2019, and a lockdown-imposed hiatus last year, 2021 sees the UK’s Music DocumentaryContinue reading “Doc´n Roll Scotland Film Festival Returns to Edinburgh – at last!”

Hervé Vilard’s’60s hit Capri C’est Fini opens this fifth fiction feature from Director Claire Simon. Based on a set of interviews between Yann Andréa (Swann Arlaud)  and writer and journalist Michèle Manceaux (Emmanuelle Devos) in December 1982, the film is an intimate memoir of the unconventional relationship between Yann Andréa and writer and  playwright MargueriteContinue reading “I Want to Talk About Duras (Vous ne désirez que moi) (15)   French Film Festival”

The opening scene of Belgian Director Joachim Lafosse’s film The Restless (French title Les Intranquilles) sets the scene for the insight he gives into what it’s like to live with someone who is bipolar. What we see is Damien (Damien Bonnard) out on a speed boat with his young son Amine (Gabriel Metz Chammah). Suddenly,Continue reading “The Restless (Les Intranquilles) (15)           French Film Festival 2021   “

An award-winning team brings a timeous new documentary called Black Black Oil that examines the interconnection between oil, finance and the challenges for the UK to keep its emissions at 1.5%, according to the Paris Climate. Black Black Oil draws on the voices of young activists, oil company executives, economists and pension fund managers toContinue reading “Documentary Black Black Oil Explores North Sea Oil Role in Global Climate Action”

Taiwan Film Festival Edinburgh returns for its second edition between 25 and 31 October with a fantastic range of Taiwanese cinema gems, many of them UK premieres, dating from the 1930s up to 2020, presented through in-person screenings and digital talks at Glasgow Film Theatre and Summerhall in Edinburgh and a free digital programme of films. I took the opportunity to previewContinue reading “A Mornng in Taipei, The Best Secret Agent          Taiwan Film Festival”

This Spanish/Argentinian feature, set almost entirely in the office of the editor of a newspaper, makes good use of the claustrophobic atmosphere to ramp up the tension between the protagonists. It’s Christmas Eve, and Antonio (Ernesto Alterio) is retiring due to ill health. He has been tasked by the board of directors to choose hisContinue reading “Game of Power (15)  Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival”

A layered look at the deeply complex issues of migration and immigration. Alberto (Vito Sanz) is a kindly, easy going engineer working in Madrid who has just been made redundant. Not great news at any time but he has not long  had the news that his elderly mother has committed suicide and his girlfriend MaríaContinue reading “On This Side of the World (PG)      Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival”

The Taiwan Film Festival returns to shine a light on the little-known gems of Taiwanese cinema of 20th and 21st century with in-person and digital screenings. Taiwan Film Festival Edinburgh returns for its second edition between 25 and 31 October with a fantastic range of Taiwanese cinema gems, many of them UK premieres, dating from the 1930s up toContinue reading “Taiwan Film Festival Edinburgh Returns with In Person and Digital Screenings”

Undoubtedly one of the highlights of this year’s Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival, David Perez Sanudo’s debut feature had a number of nominations for the 2021 Goya Awards, and scooped up three of the main awards – Best Lead Actress (Patricia Lopez Arnaiz); Best New Actress (Jone Laspiur); Best Adapted Screenplay (David Perez Sanudo & MarinaContinue reading “Ane Is Missing (15)    Edinburgh Spanish Film Festival”