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London Film Festival · 2021

London Film Festival 2021

Cult

Programme

11 films · 3 reviews

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A Banquet

Review preview for A Banquet

Directing with confidence and misdirecting with grace, Paxton draws us into a world where the absence of apparent solutions becomes compelling in itself.

Jennie Kermode · 4.5 out of 5
A young woman undergoes a disturbing transformation after her daughter's newfound faith threatens her health.

(Country: UK; Year: 2021; Director: Ruth Paxton; Writer: Justin Bull; Stars: Sienna Guillory, Jessica Alexander, Ruby Stokes, Lindsay Duncan, Kaine Zajaz, Richard Keep, Deka Walmsley, Rina Mahoney, Jonathan Nyati, Walter van Dyk, Andrew Steele, Adam Abbou, Finn Bennett, Dylan Clout, Selena Thompson)

Full review See: Interview with Ruth Paxton about A Banquet

Dashcam

(Country: UK, US; Year: 2021; Director: Rob Savage; Writer: Gemma Hurley, Rob Savage, Jed Shepherd; Stars: Seylan Baxter, Amar Chadha-Patel, Angela Enahoro, Annie Hardy, George Keeler, Faith Kiggundu, Mogali Masuku, Jemma Moore, James Swanton, Caroline Ward, Emma Louise Webb)

The Grandmother (La Abuela)

A woman's trip to care for her grandmother turns into a terrifying nightmare.

(Country: Spain; Year: 2021; Director: Paco Plaza; Writer: Carlos Vermut; Stars: Karina Kolokolchykova, Chacha Huang, Almudena Amor, Vera Valdez, Michael Collis, Karina Kolokolchykova, Chacha Huang, Almudena Amor, Vera Valdez, Michael Collis)

Inexorable

Review preview for Inexorable

It's not the cliches that are its main problem, although the setting and set-up are straight down the line.

Amber Wilkinson · 2.5 out of 5
Trouble lies ahead for a family who have just moved into a chateau, after they hire a young woman as a nanny on impulse.

(Country: Belgium, France; Year: 2021; Director: Fabrice du Welz; Writer: Joséphine Darcy Hopkins, Aurélien Molas, Fabrice du Welz; Stars: Alba Gaïa Bellugi, Jackie Berroyer, Mélanie Doutey, Benoît Poelvoorde, Catherine Salée, Anaël Snoek, Alba Gaïa Bellugi, Jackie Berroyer, Mélanie Doutey, Benoît Poelvoorde, Catherine Salée, Anaël Snoek)

Full review

Juju Stories

A trio of stories about juju in contemporary Lagos.

(Country: Nigeria, France; Year: 2021; Director: Abba Makama, C.J. 'Fiery' Obasi, Michael Omonua; Writer: Abba Makama, C.J. 'Fiery' Obasi, Michael Omonua; Stars: Belinda Agedah Yanga, Paul Utomi, Elvis Poko, Don Ekwuazi, Nengi Adoki, Bukola Oladipupo, Timini Egbuson, Seun Kentebe, Sarah Joe, Oluwabunmi Sogade, Okey Michael Ejoor, Uzoamaka Aniunoh, Eric Nwanso, Ebuka Mike Uzoma, Mena Sodje)

Lamb

A childless couple, María and Ingvar discover a mysterious newborn on their farm in Iceland. The unexpected prospect of family life brings them much joy, before ultimately destroying them.

(Country: Iceland, Sweden, Poland; Year: 2021; Director: Valdimar Jóhannsson; Writer: Valdimar Jóhannsson, Sjón; Stars: Noomi Rapace, Björn Hlynur Haraldsson, Hilmir Snær Guðnason)

The Medium

Supernatural mockumentary.

(Country: Thailand; Year: 2021; Director: Banjong Pisanthanakun; Writer: Na Hong-jin, Banjong Pisanthanakun; Stars: Narilya Gulmongkolpech, Sawanee Utoomma, Sirani Yankittikan, Yasaka Chaisorn, Boonsong Nakphoo, Arunee Wattana, Thanutphon Boonsang, Pakapol Srirongmuang, Akkaradech Rattanawong, Chatchawat Sanveang, Yossawat Sittiwong, Arnon Losiripanya, Klangchon Chuekham, Sayan Phiwchan, Sakchai Yukhachen)

Mona Lisa And The Blood Moon

A girl with unusual and dangerous powers who escapes from a mental asylum and tries to make it on her own in New Orleans.

(Country: US; Year: 2021; Director: Ana Lily Amirpour; Writer: Ana Lily Amirpour; Stars: Kate Hudson, Ed Skrein, Craig Robinson, Jeon Jong-seo, Charlie Talbert, Rae Gray, Sylvia Grace Crim, Ritchie Montgomery, Jibrail Nantambu, Billy Slaughter, GiGi Erneta, Tiffany Black, Evan Whitten, Colby Boothman, Kent Shocknek)

The Rope

Mini-series sees scientists discover a mysterious rope in a forest.

(Country: France; Year: 2021; Director: Dominique Rocher; Writer: Eric Forestier, Eric Forestier, Dominique Rocher; Stars: Jeanne Balibar, Jean-Marc Barr, Jakob Cedergren, Suzanne Clément, Planitia Kenese, Tom Mercier, Richard Sammel, Christa Théret, Gilles Vandeweerd, Raphaëlle Lubansu, Tibo Vandenborre)

Shepherd

Review preview for Shepherd

There are different kinds of horror at work here and Owen keeps us waiting to see which will come to the fore.

Jennie Kermode · 3 out of 5
A grieving widower is overcome by malevolent forces.

(Country: UK; Year: 2021; Director: Russell Owen; Writer: Russell Owen; Stars: Tom Hughes, Greta Scacchi, Kate Dickie, Gaia Weiss, Jamie Marie Leary, Shuggie)

Full review

She Will

A woman goes on a healing retreat after a double mastectomy and starts to confront past trauma.

(Country: UK; Year: 2021; Director: Charlotte Colbert; Writer: Kitty Percy, Charlotte Colbert; Stars: John McCrea, Malcolm McDowell, Amy Manson, Alice Krige, Rupert Everett, Jonathan Aris, Daniel Lapaine, Olwen Fouéré, Kenneth Collard, Kota Eberhardt, Jack Greenlees, Joanna Bacon, Layla Burns, Apple Yang, Catriona McNicoll)