Category Archives: Film

During the current Covid pandemic, the National Theatre of Scotland (NTS) released 55 short films from May to September 2020  in their Scenes for Survival season of short  online works, that attracted over 17 million audience views.  One of these films wasDanni the Champion, from Lewis writer Iain Finlay Macleod, that is a short dramaContinue reading “NTS Scenes for Survival Digital Project Gains Success at International Film Festivals”

At the heart of Lesley Riddoch’s work lies a hopeful vision of Scotland’s potential as a small, independent European country. Just before the first lockdown in 2020, Lesley travelled to Estonia with filmmaker Chris Stuart to make a film about this other small, northern European country that gained its independence just 30 years ago. TheContinue reading “Estonia The Baltic Tiger”

Not, strictly, a new release, but to the best of my knowledge this latest offering from Bright Blue Gorilla hasn’t had a release in the UK. In fact, if I’m being honest, I’m not sure how – or even if – they reach an audience outside of their wide circle of friends and collaborators. AndContinue reading “36 Husbands”

Newly restored on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital by StudioCanal StudioCanal continue their fine work in movie restoration with this 80s horror from Psycho II director Richard Franklin. I confess I was very much looking forward to seeing this – I hadn’t seen it since its original release in 1986 – and admired it for theContinue reading “Link”

While the title might conjure up images of romance, this is a film that provides a considerably less shiny, sparkly vision of the city. A much more realistic depiction, though, for many in these times when the gap between rich and poor becomes steadily more pronounced. Claus Drexel presents the world of the homeless andContinue reading “Under the Stars of Paris French Film Festival at Home”

The Centre for the Moving Image (CMI), the body behind Edinburgh’s well-loved arthouse cinema that inhabits the 190-year-old listed church building on Lothian Road, the Filmhouse, has submitted a full Planning Application to the City of Edinburgh Council for their proposed New Filmhouse.  The proposed design, by Richard Murphy Architects, follows a 4 month longContinue reading “Planning Application Submitted to Edinburgh Council for Proposed New Filmhouse”

An accomplished debut feature from filmmaker Kamir Ainouz, with a terrific central performance from 17 year old Zoe Adjani opens up the world as experienced by a teenage girl who, as if coping with impending adulthood is not enough, has to deal with the demands of both French and Algerian cultures. Set in 1993 Paris,Continue reading “Cigar au Miel (Honey Cigar) French Film Festival at Home”

StudioCanal release on 23rd November StudioCanal make it a magnificent hat trick of releases this week with this superb restoration of Nanni Moretti’s Palme d’Or winning story of grief and bereavement. For me, this is one of the most outstanding films of the first twenty years of this century, one that will always feature inContinue reading “The Son’s Room New Restoration on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital”

StudioCanal release on 23rd November In the unlikely event that I will be deemed good enough to enter heaven, I will spend my time there running an arts centre comprising a concert hall, cinema and a bar well stocked with real ales and good wines. And, as programmer of events, I will ensure that thereContinue reading “Le Cercle Rouge New Restoration on 4K UHD, Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital”

Felicità, the latest film from French director and writer Bruno Merle, takes its title from the ‘80s Italian song of the same name. In the opening scene Tim (Pio Marmaï) and Chloe (Camille Rutherford) have a conversation with their 10 year old daughter Tommy (Rita Merle) in a roadside café. When she removes her ubiquitousContinue reading “Felicità French Film Festival at Home”