Berlin International Film Festival — A–Z of films

A pretty empty and tiresome experience.

As Blue Moon progresses it becomes clear that the one thing Hart really wants is to be wanted.

When you get old, hope you find someone who looks at you the way Mascaro looks at Tereza and Roberta.

Touching, compelling and full of humanity.

The director drops her audience into the lives of these two women and lets the rhythm of their lives guide the narrative.

The world Dylan and the others inhabit...feels properly lived in.

Manages to squeeze solid performances from actors and to infuse the run of the mill story with some dense and tense atmosphere set against the backdrop of the overall slickness of Frank Griebe’s cinematography

Øverbye makes a compelling lead, taking on the chunks of voiceover without any problem but also excelling in terms of conveying her character’s moods via body language

It is hard not to admire a film that manages, for all the shoestring meagreness of its budget, to be so broad in its ambitions.

Her experience is, of course, only that of an individual, and cannot represent what happened to all of the other hostages, but it still has significance.

There’s a genuine unpredictability to Honey Bunch, both structurally and thematically.

Mackey is a simmering, sullen, potent lead, keeping viewers on edge even as she lounges in the sun.

It is a ride, okay, and it is a bit nauseating and therefore not sterile.

Islamoglu has to play a complex character in a unique position, which she does in a fierce, naturalistic manner

Cotillard is at her very best as a character we see only from the sidelines – earthy and opinionated in flashes, yet frozen by her art.

Rose Byrne anchors the whole damn thing with a performance that gives the sense of wobbling for eternity on a tightrope without ever quite falling off.

Without Blanche Gardin, who carries the whole film, The Incredible Snow Woman would be a mix of generic dramedy and equally generic comedy that simply tries too hard to send quirky and “subversive” vibes.

The actors...own their characters with considerable skill which helps to paper over any deficiencies in the script

Throughout you can see the ways in which the filmmakers are going the extra mile to empower their subjects.

Emde is a force to be reckoned with. The film could not have been made any other way.

There’s an anarchic silliness about it which suits the science fiction setting, an openness to having fun and delivering a story unselfconsciously, on its own terms.

Along with Vladimir Gojun’s progressively rhythmic editing and Julij Zornik’s subjective sound design, the filmmaker takes us right into the protagonist’s, and therefore any and every teenager’s head.

In line with his economic storytelling, Russell has a gift for conveying little details through subtle performance notes where other filmmakers might telegraph intent.

Fund encourages us to tune in to the energies of the trio, the subtle shifts of mood, shared moments of understanding or joy.

Bong loses the thread in numerous half-baked sub-plots whose inflation takes its toll on the bloated runtime.

The filmmaker who previously made her name with romantic comedy-dramas, proves to be a bonafide genre auteur, although it is her first attempt

The film is shot in gorgeous shades of noir by Luciana Baseggio, and has a deliciously dark, sultry score.

In what is probably Côté's most straightforwardly observational film to date, the fictions come baked in.

Wishaw is an absolute wonder, delivering the conversational, sometimes stream-of-consciousness dialogue with a constantly engaging, almost hypnotic cadence.

For something so lovely, it is hard-edged, and it sparkles with visual wit.

Sandbag Dam is powered by stellar, deeply lived-in performances by the young and budding actors.

A film that gently tackles adult themes including grief, being an empty nester and memory but in ways that make it accessible to all ages.

Serves as a teaching tool of sorts that bridges the gap between the generations and opens up a communication regarding some unpleasant topics that are very present in everyday life.

A sometimes compelling, often baffling work that doesn’t really solve the inherent problem of its subject matter, but swings for the fences trying.

There’s a good deal of depth and nuance to these relationships as Blichfeldt uses them to illustrate how a society which makes women dependent on men magnifies every petty disagreement and sets them at odds with one another.

Naturalism is the lifeblood of Das’ films and this one is no different

We Believe You works to perfection thanks to the dedication and stellar directing, acting and technical work.

The intriguing concept plays out from initial parental disbelief and denial to unexpected changes in behaviour and attitudes.

Opting for the single-take scenes, usually in wider shots from a distance, signals artistic formal rigour.

An atmospheric, beguiling piece of work.

This is, in places, a deeply disturbing film... yet the touching scenes, when they come, have a surprisingly emotional depth.

A thoughtful consideration of not just physical prowess but the emotional agility and resilience demonstrated by those growing up in Gaza.