Alone Together by Jennie Kermode
Park Joon‑ho’s *3670* debuted at Queer East 2026, tracing gay North Korean defector Cheol‑jun’s search for belonging in Seoul’s queer community. The director frames the film as a study of universal loneliness, juxtaposing refugee hardship with LGBTQ marginalisation. He discusses casting obstacles, the paradoxical role of churches as both refuge providers and anti‑gay forces, and the urgency to capture disappearing gay‑club spaces. The interview underscores a shifting cultural climate in South Korea, even as legal recognition for LGBT people remains absent.
The Destroyer of Worlds by Jennie Kermode
"Our Planet, The People, My Blood" is a low‑budget documentary that chronicles the enduring human toll of nuclear weapons testing. Director Daniel Everitt‑Lock and activist Alan Owen trace survivor stories across six global communities, from US atomic veterans to Marshallese...
Ghost Town - Amber Wilkinson - 20320
“Ghost Town” is Katharine Round’s latest documentary set inside the taxis of Kamaishi, a coastal city still scarred by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami. The film strings together candid conversations with drivers, residents and journalist Shiori Ito, revealing personal...
Wind, Talk To Me - Nikola Jovic - 20317
Stefan Đorđević’s docu‑fiction feature *Wind, Talk To Me* continues its European festival circuit, recently clinching the MIOB New Vision award at Austria’s Crossing Europe Film Festival. The film follows Đorđević as he grapples with his mother’s impending death, a stray...
Feels Like Home - Marko Stojiljkovic - 20319
Hungarian thriller *Feels Like Home*, directed by Gábor Holtai and written by Attila Veres, debuted on the international festival circuit in 2025‑2026, including Sitges, Thessaloniki, Golden Horse and Crossing Europe. The film, financed independently after a government official vowed it...
Castration Movie Anthology I: Traps - Jennie Kermode - 20316
Louise Weard’s “Castration Movie Anthology I: Traps” is the first two‑chapter installment of a sprawling 15‑hour queer saga released in near‑four‑hour parts. The film follows an incel‑type young man’s descent into toxic masculinity and, in a separate chapter, a trans...
Inviting Curiosity by Casper Borges
Hungarian director Ildikó Enyedi’s new film *Silent Friend* intertwines three generations—1908, 1972, and 2020—around a ginkgo tree on the University of Hamburg campus. The narrative follows a pioneering female student, a 1970s botanist, and a pandemic‑stricken neuroscientist, each shot in...
Köln 75 - Jennie Kermode - 20315
Koln 75, directed by Ido Fluk, dramatizes the rise of Vera Brandes, a teenage woman who helped organize Keith Jarrett’s legendary 1975 concert, focusing on her ambition rather than Jarrett himself. Mala Emde’s charismatic performance anchors the film, while John Magaro...
I've Seen All I Need To See - Jennie Kermode - 20313
British indie drama "I’ve Seen All I Need To See"—directed by Zeshaan Younus—offers a slow‑burn meditation on grief rather than a conventional thriller. The film relies on ambient sound, muted colour palettes and sparse dialogue to immerse viewers in the...
Storm Rider: Legend Of Hammerhead - Nikola Jovic - 20310
Storm Rider: Legend Of Hammerhead is a 2026 fantasy action film that attempts to merge Balkan‑style production values with Hollywood‑level spectacle. Set in a post‑flood world of island city‑states, the plot follows young Neb and Ana as they enter a...
Wardriver - Nikola Jovic - 20311
Wardriver, Rebecca Thomas’s sophomore feature, follows Cole (Dane DeHaan), a nocturnal hacker who wardrives ATMs and redistributes stolen cash. When a violent doorman forces him to target a vulnerable patron, Cole’s guilt pushes him into a dangerous real‑world conspiracy. The...
Writing Hidden Messages by Paul Risker
French auteur Arnaud Desplechin discussed his latest film Two Pianos in an Eye for Film interview, detailing its dual‑themed narrative about a pianist returning to Lyon and confronting past loves. The conversation reveals the film’s exploration of guilt, haunting memories, and the symbolic...
Tony Odyssey - Jennie Kermode - 20309
Tony Odyssey, the first feature from director Thales Banzai, arrives as an ambitious psychedelic road‑movie that mixes striking desert cinematography with a bold five‑chapter structure. The film leans on the unlikely friendship between Tony, a meek toilet‑cleaner, and Ivy, a...
The North - Jennie Kermode - 20308
"The North" is a documentary that follows friends Chris and Lluis on a 28‑day trek across Scotland’s West Highland Way and the Cape Wrath Trail. The film blends breathtaking highland scenery with a personal exploration of friendship, life choices, and...
'You Get in the Car, You Go Somewhere, You Have an Experience' By Amber Wilkinson
Indie drama “Omaha,” directed by first‑time filmmaker Cole Webley, opened in U.S. theaters after premiering at Sundance 2025. The film follows a grieving single father (John Magaro) on a road‑trip with his two children and a golden retriever, largely confined to...
Julianne Moore Garlanded by Women in Motion by Amber Wilkinson - 2026-04-23 11:03:10+00:00
Oscar‑winner Julianne Moore will receive the 2026 Women in Motion Award during the Cannes Film Festival, recognizing her four‑decade career and commitment to expanding roles for women on screen. The ceremony also honors Italian director Margherita Spampinato with the Emerging Talent...
Heat - Amber Wilkinson - 20306
Swiss director Jacqueline Zünd’s new documentary *Heat* captures the sweltering reality of the Persian Gulf, where temperatures regularly top 50 °C and force residents to live nocturnally. The film juxtaposes opulent, air‑conditioned malls frequented by the wealthy with the grueling outdoor...
Stray Cats by Jennie Kermode
Spanish indie thriller Luger marks director Bruno Martín’s first feature in 16 years and writer Santiago Taboada’s debut as a feature‑film screenwriter. The story follows two petty criminals, Rafa and Toni, whose uneasy friendship drives a gritty, low‑budget action narrative centered on a...
Walud - Amber Wilkinson - 20304
Walud, a short film co‑written and co‑directed by Daood Alabdulaa and Louise Zenker, portrays a Syrian woman’s quiet rebellion against her ISIS husband in a remote village. Filmed in Tunisia, the narrative uses intimate cinematography and sound design to depict...
Tulips - Amber Wilkinson - 20300
Tulips is a 16‑minute UK short film directed by Rhys Prichard that dramatizes a grandfather’s struggle with dementia as his family confronts his loss of independence. The narrative follows his daughter‑in‑law’s teenage daughter, Sophie, who films the moment in an...
The Dying House by Jennie Kermode
Mārama, the debut feature by Taratoa Stappard, has emerged as a standout 2026 Gothic‑horror film, placing a young Māori governess in a Victorian English manor. The film weaves Māori mythology and colonial trauma into classic Gothic tropes, earning acclaim at festivals...
Departures - Jennie Kermode - 20299
Departures, an indie rom‑com directed by Neil Ely and Lloyd Ely‑Morgan, follows Benji (Eyre‑Morgan) as he navigates a volatile relationship with dominant lover Jake (David Tag). The film mixes dark humor with a stark look at consent, power imbalance, and...
Marama - Jennie Kermode - 20298
Mārama, directed by Taratoa Stappard, follows Mary, a Māori woman who travels 11,500 miles to 1859 England to work as a governess. The film blends Gothic tropes with Māori cultural lenses, exploring ancestry, inheritance, and the psychological fallout of colonialism. Ariana...
After the Fire by Paul Risker
American director Max Walker‑Silverman’s second feature, Rebuilding, follows Dusty, a Colorado rancher displaced by a devastating wildfire, as he adjusts to life in a government‑run campsite and mends ties with his daughter and ex‑wife. In an Eye For Film interview, Silverman explains...
Cavalier Vies with Fresh Talents in Directors’ Fortnight by Richard Mowe - 2026-04-14 12:46:11+00:00
The 58th Cannes Directors’ Fortnight unveiled a vibrant slate of 19 feature films and nine shorts from 19 countries, spotlighting both emerging voices and seasoned auteurs. Highlights include 94‑year‑old Alain Cavalier’s final documentary *Thanks For Coming*, Kantemir Balagov’s English‑language debut *Butterfly Jam* opening the program,...
Critics' Week Announces Titles by Amber Wilkinson - 2026-04-13 20:12:33+00:00
Cannes Critics' Week unveiled its 2026 lineup, featuring 11 titles that spotlight first‑ and second‑time directors. The opening slot is historic, with the animated adaptation In Waves – a love story between a skateboarder and a surfer – marking the...
Stay-at-Home Seven: April 13 to 19 by Amber Wilkinson, Jennie Kermode
The Eye For Film column for April 13‑19 spotlights a mix of international thrillers, indie gems and classic blockbusters across streaming and broadcast platforms. Kleber Mendonça Filho’s Oscar‑nominated political thriller *The Secret Agent* arrives on MUBI, while the Scottish indie *Beats* debuts on...
PH-1 - Jennie Kermode - 20297
Jennie Kermode’s review of the thriller PH‑1 calls it a serviceable but unoriginal film that leans on outdated plot devices. The story follows Payton Burnham, who answers a mysterious blackmail call and repeatedly makes poor decisions, eroding suspense. While the...
Trauma Or, Monsters All - Jennie Kermode - 20295
Larry Fessenden’s new horror‑drama Trauma Or, Monsters All reunites the werewolf, Frankenstein‑type and vampire characters from his earlier films in a single story set in the decaying town of Talbot Falls. The plot follows teenage journalist Cassandra, whose sensational article...
Speaking for Herself by Jennie Kermode
Short film Grace, directed by Anna Rodgers, follows a young woman with Down syndrome seeking an intimate weekend with her boyfriend, foregrounding the newly enforced Irish Assisted Decision‑Making (Capacity) Act 2017. The film blends a love story with activist intent,...
Frankie, Maniac Woman - Jennie Kermode - 20293
Pierre Tsigaridis’s latest indie slasher, Frankie, Maniac Woman, follows Frances – a self‑destructive singer‑songwriter haunted by fat‑shaming and a murderous alter ego. Co‑written and headlined by Dina Silva, the film mixes graphic gore with dark comedy while exposing misogyny and...
The Mighty Amazon by Paul Risker
Brazilian filmmaker Gabriel Mascaro’s new drama *The Blue Trail* follows 77‑year‑old Tereza as she rebels against a government‑mandated relocation of seniors to remote colonies, turning the Amazon river into a road‑trip of self‑discovery. The film blends dystopian and coming‑of‑age tropes,...
Bugboy - Amber Wilkinson - 20292
Bugboy, a coming‑of‑age documentary by Lucas Paleocrassas, follows shy teenager Yorgos, whose eye disorder and parents’ divorce drive him toward a deep fascination with insects. The film intertwines his bug companionship—particularly with crickets named Isabella and Ferdinand—with his evolving relationship...
Tirrenica - Amber Wilkinson - 20291
Rosario Minervini’s documentary Tirrenica follows the 268‑mile Salerno‑Reggio Calabria highway, a route that took over 60 years to build, and captures the lives of people who live and work along it. Filmed over four years, the film blends present‑day character portraits...
'You Let People See What's Happening and It Makes Its Own Argument' By Amber Wilkinson
Veteran journalist Tony Jones’s debut documentary *Sentient* premiered at Sundance, exposing unprecedented undercover footage of monkey testing in an undisclosed English lab. The film was funded by the Growing Kindness foundation, an Animals Australia initiative, which secured full editorial independence...
We Are Stardust - Edin Custo - 20289
We Are Stardust, a Norwegian documentary by Elisabeth Rasmussen, follows musician‑turned‑stardust hunter Jon Larsen as he spends a decade sifting urban gutters, roofs and roadsides for micrometeorites. The film documents his quest to prove that extraterrestrial dust can be collected in...
Mr. Burton - Jennie Kermode - 20286
Marc Evans’ new biopic “Mr. Burton” follows the Welsh teacher who sparked Richard Burton’s acting career, focusing on his 1942 Port Talbot classroom and the student Richie Jenkins, a poetry‑loving teen from a troubled home. Toby Jones delivers a restrained...
Body Of Our Own - Jennie Kermode - 20287
Rahemur Rahman and Lily Vetch’s short documentary *Body Of Our Own* premiered at BFI Flare 2026, focusing on three hijra women in Bangladesh. Filmed over seven years and trimmed to 25 minutes, the observational film captures their traditional roles in...
Mariinka - Amber Wilkinson - 20283
Belgian director Pieter‑Jan De Pue’s 2026 documentary "Mariinka" chronicles a decade of life in the frontline Ukrainian town of the same name, focusing on four brothers torn apart by the Russia‑Ukraine war and the women who navigate the conflict’s daily hazards....
Night Stage - Jennie Kermode - 20282
Night Stage, directed by Filipe Matzembacher and Marcio Reolon, is a noir‑styled indie drama that follows flatmates Matias and Fabio as they vie for a coveted TV role while navigating a fraught romantic tension. The film’s visual palette, crafted by...
Mother's Baby - Marko Stojiljkovic - 20281
Johanna Moder’s latest horror‑thriller Mother’s Baby marks her first foray into genre filmmaking, shifting from romantic comedy‑dramas to a chilling exploration of motherhood. The story follows conductor Julia and her husband Georg, who turn to an unorthodox clinic for a...
Four Minus Three - Marko Stojiljkovic - 20280
Adrian Goiginger’s new film Four Minus Three debuts at Berlinale Panorama, adapting Barbara Pachl‑Eberhart’s bestselling autobiographical novel about a widow’s grief after her husband’s fatal train accident. The Austrian director continues his true‑story focus, collaborating with screenwriter Senad Halilbašić to translate the...
Power and Desire by Paul Risker
Canadian director Gloria Mercer’s feature debut A Safe Distance premiered at SXSW 2026, starring Bethany Brown, Tandia Mercedes and supporting actors. The film follows Alex, who after rejecting a romantic proposal, joins off‑grid fugitives and confronts themes of female desire,...
Boorman And The Devil - Jennie Kermode - 20277
The new documentary "Boorman And The Devil" by David Kittredge examines John Boorman’s ill‑fated 1977 horror sequel "Exorcist 2: The Heretic", piecing together interviews, production archives, and technical analysis into a 112‑minute film. It reveals the behind‑the‑scenes challenges—including early Steadicam use,...
What Will I Become? - Edin Custo - 20278
"What Will I Become?" is a documentary co‑directed by Lexie Bean and Logan Rozos that examines the alarming suicide crisis among transgender boys, where more than half attempt self‑harm. The film intertwines the directors’ own survivor experiences with the stories...
Rose - Marko Stojiljkovic - 20275
Markus Schleinzer’s new film *Rose* follows a woman who disguises herself as a man to fight in the Thirty Years’ War, motivated by personal opportunism rather than patriotism. Sandra Hüller’s nuanced performance anchors the story, while stark black‑and‑white cinematography amplifies...
Chimney Town: Frozen In Time - Amber Wilkinson - 20276
"Chimney Town: Frozen In Time" returns the pint‑sized sweep Lubicchi for a sequel that thrusts him into the surreal Millennium Fortress, a realm where clocks symbolize human lives. Director Yûsuke Hirota blends CGI with hand‑drawn animation, delivering richly detailed visuals...
Empire Of Lies - Jennie Kermode - 20273
Empire of Lies, Matthew Hope’s low‑budget thriller, unfolds with just two actors, a caravan and an open field. Joseph Millson and Natalie Spence deliver a tense, balanced performance that sustains the film’s suspense. The review notes a looming twist and...
The Snake - Jennie Kermode - 20271
Jenna MacMillan’s indie drama "The Snake" debuted at SXSW 2026, following the turbulent life of Jamie, a homeless woman navigating codependency and petty crime. The film blends gritty realism with dark comedy, highlighting queer‑chosen families and the struggle against a fading...
Lunar Sway - Edin Custo - 20270
Nick Butler’s sophomore film Lunar Sway follows Cliff, a bisexual neon sign maker in a desert town, as he confronts haunting memories of past intimacy and a sudden claim from a woman alleging to be his birth mother. The movie...