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Mostra De Valencia · 2019

Mostra De Valencia 2019

Official Selection

Programme

12 films · 6 reviews

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Alice

Review preview for Alice

The script is sharp, witty and not afraid to ask awkward questions.

Jane Fae · 4 out of 5
Alice, a happy and perfect wife and mother has her life turned upside down when she discovers her husband is living a secret life.

(Country: Australia, France; Year: 2019; Director: Josephine Mackerras; Writer: Josephine Mackerras; Stars: David Coburn, Chloé Boreham, Martin Swabey, Etienne Guillou-Kervern)

Full review

The Announcement (Anons)

Review preview for The Announcement

Recalling the bone-dry wit of the likes of Pablo Larrain mixed with a dash of the absurdity of Samuel Beckett, this is as much a waiting game as an action plan.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
Soldiers involved in a 1963 coup underestimate the invisible power of civilian life.

(Country: Turkey, Bulgaria; Year: 2018; Director: Mahmut Fazil Coskun; Writer: Mahmut Fazil Coskun, Ercan Kesal; Stars: Ali Seckiner Alici, Tarhan Karagöz, Murat Kiliç, Sencan Güleryüz, Mehmet Yilmaz Ak, Ahmet Boyacioglu, Sezin Bozaci, Serkan Ercan, Tolga Evren, Banu Fotocan, Müfit Kayacan, Nazmi Kirik, Feridun Koç, Görkem Mertsöz, Erdem Senocak)

Full review

Between Two Seas

During a visit to her home town, a small island near Cairo, a girl suffers a tragic accident. After the incident, her mother searches for hope and redemption, but also revenge.

(Country: Egypt; Year: 2019; Director: Anas Tolba; Writer: Karim Dalil, Mariam Naoum; Stars: Fatma Adel, Mahmoud Fares, Tharaa Goubil, Yara Goubran, Fatma Adel, Mahmoud Fares, Tharaa Goubil, Yara Goubran)

The Day I Lost My Shadow (Yom Adaatou Zouli)

(Country: Syria, Lebanon, France, Qatar; Year: 2018; Director: Soudade Kaadan)

The Domain (A Herdade)

Review preview for The Domain

Despite its reliance on the crutch of cliche in terms of plotting there is much to admire here stylistically.

Amber Wilkinson · 3 out of 5
Chronicle of a Portugese family who own a large estate on the banks of the Tagus, tracking them down the decades.

(Country: Portugal; Year: 2019; Director: Tiago Guedes; Writer: Rui Cardoso Martins, Tiago Guedes, Gilles Taurand; Stars: Albano Jerónimo, Sandra Faleiro, Miguel Borges, Ana Vilela da Costa, João Vicente, João Pedro Mamede, Rodrigo Tomás, Beatriz Brás, Diogo Dória, Ana Bustorff, Victoria Guerra, Filipe Vargas, Luís Garcia, Teresa Madruga, Cândido Ferreira)

Full review

Fatwa

A man returns to his homeland, Tunisia, to bury his son who died in a motorcycle accident. He soon discovers that he was in contact with a radical Islamist group.

(Country: Tunisia, Belgium; Year: 2018; Director: Mahmoud Ben Mahmoud; Writer: Mahmoud Ben Mahmoud; Stars: Ghalia Benali, Ahmed Hafiene, Sarra Hannachi, Jamel Madani, Mohamed Maghraoui, Ghalia Benali, Ahmed Hafiene, Sarra Hannachi, Jamel Madani, Mohamed Maghraoui)

Flesh Out

Review preview for Flesh Out

Ochipinti's film benefits from a strong documentary underpinning - with the lead actress saying that 70 per cent of what occurs is based on her own story at the film's Berlin screening - showing how strong cultural expectations like this can be.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
Verida is due to marry in three months. According to a Mauritanian tradition, she has to put on a lot of weight to appeal to her husband. The weight gain process gets harder as it progresses, and Verida begins to ask herself if this is what she really wants.

(Country: Italy, France; Year: 2019; Director: Michela Occhipinti; Writer: Simona Coppini, Michela Occhipinti; Stars: Verida Beitta Ahmed Deiche, Sidi Mohamed Chinghaly, Aminetou Souleimane, Amal Saad Bouh Oumar, Verida Beitta Ahmed Deiche, Sidi Mohamed Chinghaly, Aminetou Souleimane, Amal Saad Bouh Oumar)

Full review See: Michela Occhipinti ‪in conversation on‬ Flesh Out (Il Corpo Della Sposa) and Open Roads: New Italian Cinema

The Miracle Of The Sargasso Sea (To Thávma Tis Thálassas Ton Sargassón)

Crime drama.

(Country: Greece, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden; Year: 2019; Director: Syllas Tzoumerkas; Writer: Youla Boudali, Syllas Tzoumerkas; Stars: Angeliki Papoulia, Youla Boudali, Hristos Passalis, Argyris Xafis, Thanasis Dovris, Laertis Malkotsis, Maria Filini, Michalis Kimonas, Christian Culbida, Thanos Tokakis, Laertis Vasiliou, Katerina Helmy, Alkistis Poulopoulou, Romanos Kalokyris, Areti Seidaridou)

A Shelter Among the Clouds (Streha mes reve)

Review preview for A Shelter Among the Clouds

Religious and family tensions are explored with care and sensitivity.

Amber Wilkinson · 3.5 out of 5
A goatherd finds his life thrown out of balance by the arrival of his siblings and a stranger from the city.

(Country: Albania; Year: 2018; Director: Robert Budina; Writer: Robert Budina; Stars: Arben Bajraktaraj, Zef Jubani, Suela Bako, Klara Lamthi, Irena Cahani, Arjola Demiri, Estela Pysqyli, Avdullah Gjikokaj, Melisa Valbona, Rubin Boshnjaku, Merita Gjyriqi, Idriz Selimaj, Arben Spahija, Osman Ahmeti, Helga Boshnjaku)

Full review

Sympathy For The Devil

In 1992, in the middle of the Yugoslav Wars, war correspondent Paul Marchand is covering Sarajevo. His provocative attitude leads him to face-off against soldiers, UN troops and even his own colleagues.

(Country: France; Year: 2019; Director: Guillaume de Fontenay; Writer: Guillaume Vigneault, Guillaume de Fontenay, Guillaume Vigneault; Stars: Niels Schneider, Vincent Rottiers, Ella Rumpf, Elisa Lasowski, Arieh Worthalter, Clément Métayer, Mirsad Ibisevic, Izudin Bajrovic, Adnan Omerovic, Toussaint Colombani, Aldin Tucic, Ejla Bavcic, Emir Pasanovic, Niels Schneider, Vincent Rottiers)

You Deserve A Lover (Tu mérites un amour)

Review preview for You Deserve A Lover

Sex itself is mostly not shown, as its the initial connection with Lila and the emotional aftermath that counts.

Amber Wilkinson · 3.5 out of 5
After Rémi's infidelity, Lila, who loved him more than anything, has a hard time dealing with their break-up. One day, he announces that he will travel alone to Bolivia to soul-search and try to understand his mistakes. There, he lets her know that their love story is not over.

(Country: France; Year: 2019; Director: Hafsia Herzi; Writer: Hafsia Herzi; Stars: Hafsia Herzi, Djanis Bouzyani, Jérémie Laheurte, Anthony Bajon, Sylvie Verheyde, Karim Ait M'hand, Myriam Djeljeli)

Full review

Zero

A man and a woman wake up in strange circumstances in an unknown place. They do not know who they are. Another man follows their footsteps from a distance.

(Country: Spain; Year: 2019; Director: Iñaki Sánchez Arrieta; Writer: Ferran Brooks; Stars: Nuria Herrero, Juan Blanco, Pepe Sellés, Alba Casterá, Silvia Rico)