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Edinburgh International Film Festival · 2009

Edinburgh International Film Festival 2009

Document

Real-life stories from across the world.





Programme

19 films · 16 reviews

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All Tomorrow's Parties

Review preview for All Tomorrow's Parties

Where these genius guys who put All Tomorrow’s Parties together succeed beyond expectation is in capturing the fierce and beautiful commitment of everyone involved.

Angus Wolfe Murray · 4 out of 5
Celebration of creative energy in anti-festival venues that give music back to those who appreciate its anarchic roots.

(Country: UK; Year: 2009; Director: Jonathan Caouette; Stars: Akron/Family, Animal Collective, Battles, Belle & Sebastian, Lightning Bolt, The Boredoms, Fuck Buttons, John Cooper Clarke, Jarvis Cocker, Mark Coldham, David Cross, Dirty Three, George Eady, Warren Ellis, Jerry Garcia)

Full review

UK Premiere

Big River Man

Review preview for Big River Man

This is Jackass for the saddest and most isolated.

Chris · 2 out of 5
A Slovenian endurance swimmer takes on the Amazon.

(Country: US; Year: 2008; Director: John Maringouin; Stars: Matthew Mohlke, Borut Strel, Martin Strel) , Official site

Full review

European Premiere

A Blooming Business

Review preview for A Blooming Business

This is shocking, on a par with Silent Spring.

Andrew Robertson · 4 out of 5
A expose of the Kenya's flower industry and its cruel human toll.

(Country: Netherlands; Year: 2009; Director: Ton van Zantvoort) , Trailer

Full review

UK Premiere

Boris Ryzhy

Review preview for Boris Ryzhy

This is less a succession of scenes in a story than poems in an anthology.

Andrew Robertson · 4 out of 5
A documentary exploring the life of russian poet Boris Ryzhy.

(Country: Netherlands; Year: 2008; Director: Aliona Van der Horst)

Full review

UK Premiere

Document Shorts

Showcase of factual short films from across the globe.

(Year: 2009; Director: Various; Writer: Various)

Garapa

Review preview for Garapa

A powerful and moving documentary, which appears to give a thorough and frank portrait of its subjects and the impact of poverty and malnutrition upon their lives.

Adam Micklethwaite · 3.5 out of 5
Hard-hitting look at families suffering malnutrition in Brazil.

(Country: Brazil; Year: 2008; Director: José Padilha)

Full review See: Tribeca Film Festival film/movie reviews and diary: Outrage, Garapa, Newsmakers , Berlin Film Festival Diary Day Seven

UK Premiere

Goodbye, How Are You? (Dovidjenja, Kako Ste?)

Documentary examining the past 40 years of Serbian history through language and satire.

(Country: Serbia; Director: Boris Mitic)

UK Premiere

Isolation

Review preview for Isolation

Truly a documentary of and for our times, which everyone should make an effort to see.

Amber Wilkinson · 4.5 out of 5
A former soldier pays tribute to his comrades let down by the country they have served.

(Country: UK; Year: 2009; Director: Luke Seomore, Joseph Bull; Writer: Robert Benhoff, Bryan Cook; Stars: Stuart Griffiths)

Full review

World Premiere

King Of India

Review preview for King Of India

This is a film about children who are comforted by strangers.

Sarah Artt · 3.5 out of 5
A glimpse into the world of the Nats - an ancient community of Indian street performers.

(Country: India; Year: 2009; Director: Arvind Sinha)

Full review

UK Premiere

Nollywood Babylon

Review preview for Nollywood Babylon

The charm of this film lies in its unpretentious mode of letting the filmmakers, artists and historians speak for themselves.

Sarah Artt · 4 out of 5
Welcome to the wacky world of Nollywood, Nigeria's bustling home-grown movie industry.

(Country: Canada; Year: 2008; Director: Ben Addelman, Samir Mallal; Writer: Ben Addelman, Samir Mallal; Stars: Osita Iheme, Chinedu Ikedieze, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde, Uche Jumbo, Kenneth Okonkwo, Bob-Manuel Udokwu)

Full review

No Greater Love

Review preview for No Greater Love

The fascination is visual, intellectual and emotional.

Angus Wolfe Murray · 4 out of 5
Silent nuns speak.

(Country: UK; Year: 2009; Director: Michael Whyte)

Full review

World Premiere

Only When I Dance

Review preview for Only When I Dance

As well-constructed documentary, this contains emotion but avoids cheesiness.

Chris · 3.5 out of 5
Young Brazilians train hard in the hope of becoming ballet stars.

(Country: Brazil, UK; Year: 2009; Director: Beadie Finzi; Stars: Irlan Santos da Silva, Isabela Coracy Alves Nascimento Santos, Mariza Estrella)

Full review

UK Premiere

The One Man Village (Semaan Bil Day'ia)

Review preview for The One Man Village

This is a story of personal sadness, part of a tragic whole.

Andrew Robertson · 3.5 out of 5
An old man talks about his life in the Lebanese village of which he is the only remaining occupant.

(Country: Lebanon; Year: 2008; Director: Simon El Habre) , Official site

Full review

UK Premiere

On The Way To School

Review preview for On The Way To School

The cameras are always at a respectful distance, which results in a verite feel, with the children and adults alike seemingly unaware they are being captured on film.

Amber Wilkinson · 4 out of 5
A year in the life of a Turkish teacher sent to a rural Kurdish area.

(Country: Turkey, Netherlands; Year: 2008; Director: Ozgur Dogan, Orhan Eskikoy)

Full review

UK Premiere

Outrage (The Glass Closet)

Review preview for Outrage

Dick makes it clear that he only feels it necessary to out those who are essentially leading double lives - repressing gays on the one hand, while living as one in secret on the other.

Amber Wilkinson · 3 out of 5
Documentary focuses on the hypocritical voting records of closeted gay politicians.

(Country: US; Year: 2009; Director: Kirby Dick; Writer: Kirby Dick) , Official site

Full review See: Kirby Dick interview on Outrage , Tribeca Film Festival film/movie reviews and diary: Outrage, Garapa, Newsmakers

European Premiere

Scottish Short Documentary Award Screening

The best of the homegrown factual films. Annual prize for the winner is £1000.

(Country: UK; Year: 2009; Director: Various)

Tiny Joys (Apró Örömök)

Review preview for Tiny Joys

As a patchwork collage of second hand shopping, Tiny Joys is tiny and relatively joyful.

Angus Wolfe Murray · 2.5 out of 5
A comedy of manners exploring the use of classified ads in small town in Transylvania.

(Country: Hungary; Year: 2009; Director: Ibolya Bálint)

Full review

International Premiere