Leeds International Film Festival — A–Z of films

Alpha exists in the intersection of the probable and the parable.

Setting two sets of narrative expectations against each other is an interesting way of presenting disordered thinking, and puts the viewer in a pleasingly uncomfortable position.

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.

While some directors spend their lives crafting love letters to the worlds they create, Yorgos Lanthimos has developed a fine line in cinematic hate mail to humanity.

This isn’t a fuzzy celebration of making do with what you have as you get older but of embracing the passions that endure.

Doesn’t just reflect the reality of modern Ireland but actively embraces it when it makes its presence felt.

The power of The Choral is that it evokes smiles and laughter in opposition to the oppressive reality of these war years.

A beguiling mix of magic-realist fable, coming-of-age drama & post-colonial critique.

Animator Momoko Seto primarily deserves praise for imbuing each seed with a distinctive personality so that although the film is without dialogue we always know which of our adventurers we’re observing.

The expressionist feeling of early 20th century cinema is further enhanced by the specific colour scheme, resembling a very early version of Technicolor, while the sound recalls that of the early sound films.

Cinema in its most metal form.

Ramsay's style takes no prisoners.

Sin, heresy and sexual ecstasy intertwine in a story which lacks theological depth but probably approximates fairly well the understanding of most peasants and low status clergy at the time.

Set almost entirely within a single toilet stall, this is low budget filmmaking par excellence.

Any number of films try to sell themselves on inviting us to ogle outsiders like these. The difference with Fucktoys is that it’s made by people who actually get it.

The plot may be straightforward but the characters are offbeat.

While bringing home the injustice of life for Toha, Goher treads a careful line so as not to turn the adults into cartoonish 'bad guys', which makes the situation all the more upsetting.

Hellcat is an unforgettable ride.

Likely to put a smile on the faces of horror fans who favour the dissection of ideas over dismemberment.

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

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.

The takes are usually long and static, but every cut and move is justified for the purpose of dramaturgy.

Amélie doesn’t just narrate but completely dominates this film as a personality.

On the technical level, Jacques Girault’s usually hand-held cinematography keeps the immediacy of associated with that choice, but never slips into “chaos cinema” shakiness.

As is true of many a tale, not all motivations are on the table right away, and finding rescue and respite with strangers can only last a mere while.

Guillaume Marbeck as Godard is pitch perfect, trademark dark glasses and tobacco smoke his indispensable props with even the voice uncannily resonant of the man himself.

There may be a rumbling of trouble in the background, but Machoian and Webley capture the way that this doesn’t impinge on the feeling of joy that can come in a moment.

Ambrosioni extracts lived-in performances from Cottin and the whole cast which lifts what could have been a straight-forward drama into a profound and moving portrait of families and motherhood.

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

The constant contrast is the trick, which later extends to the emotional stakes.

Tina Romero is in her element.

It’s refreshing to encounter a multiverse film that doesn’t mess about.

It’s not a showy performance, but it’s a standout.

Supernatural possession is closely intertwined with the idea of radicalisation, evil jinn with distorted ideology.

Marcelo is at home in the fine tradition of flicks where the fact that they are an agent is mainly a secret to them.

What marks Trier out is his ability to take on intellectual ideas like this but make them play out in ways that don’t feel forced or overly constructed.

Max Keegan’s documentary sings a beguiling pastoral song, but has keen powers of observation.

The film looks amazing, but it sounds even more incredible.

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.

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

Not only ambitious – a term often used to damn films with faint praise – but successfully so.

The heat of summer pulses beneath the action and we can virtually smell the sweat and decay as the sound of flies or a gathering storm punctuate the soundtrack.

There is some very good work here, and all of it tempered where it needs to be, to give due prominence to Hind herself.

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

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