Cannes Review: Blerta Basholli’s Dua
Blerta Basholli’s debut feature *Dua* premiered in Cannes Critics’ Week, portraying the Kosovo War through the eyes of a teenage girl. The film juxtaposes a seemingly safe home environment with the encroaching violence outside, illustrating how war seeps into everyday life. Basholli avoids conventional handheld cinematography, keeping the camera tightly aligned with the protagonist’s perspective. The narrative escalates when a sexual assault incident threatens the family’s safety, underscoring the broader societal trauma of the conflict.
HotDocs Review: Gregor Brändli’s Elephants and Squirrels
Gregor Brändli’s HotDocs documentary *Elephants and Squirrels* examines the contested repatriation of Sri Lankan artifacts held in a Basel museum, spotlighting Switzerland’s ambiguous role in colonial trade. The film follows Sri Lankan artist Deneth Piumakshi Veda as she navigates museum archives, confronts human‑remains collections,...
HotDocs Review: Let Our Mountains Live
Let Our Mountains Live, a HotDocs‑screened documentary by Håvard Bustnes, chronicles Norway’s largest wind‑farm project that encroaches on Sámi reindeer‑herding lands. Despite a Norwegian Supreme Court ruling that the development violates Sámi human rights, the government proceeds, forcing the community...
Ep. 189 Berlinale 26: Arrú, Black Burns Fast, The Education of Jane Cumming
In episode 189 of The Seventh Row podcast, Alex Heeney spotlights three Berlinale 2026 films directed by women: Elle Sofe Sara’s Sámi musical *Arrú*, Sandulela Asanda’s queer South African drama *Black Burns Fast*, and Sophie Heldman’s 19th‑century period piece *The Education of Jane...