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Venice Film Festival · 2021

Venice Film Festival 2021

Orizzonti

Programme

19 films · 12 reviews

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107 Mothers (Cenzorka)

Review preview for 107 Mothers

Despite all of its shortcomings, 107 Mothers nonetheless, makes for quite a completing piece of filmmaking.

Nikola Jovic · 4 out of 5
Docufiction considering the lives of mothers in Odessa women's prison.

(Country: Slovakia, Czech Republic, Ukraine; Year: 2021; Director: Péter Kerekes; Writer: Péter Kerekes, Ivan Ostrochovský, Ivan Ostrochovský; Stars: Maryna Klimova, Iryna Kiryazeva, Lyubov Vasylyna, Maryna Klimova, Iryna Kiryazeva, Lyubov Vasylyna)

Full review

Amira

Amira, a 17-year-old Palestinian, was conceived with the smuggled sperm of her imprisoned father, Nawar. Although their relationship since birth has been restricted to prison visits, he remains her hero. But her beliefs are about to be shaken.

(Country: Egypt, Jordan, UAE, Saudi Arabia; Year: 2021; Director: Mohamed Diab; Writer: Mohamed Diab; Stars: Saba Mubarak, Ali Suliman, Tara Abboud, Waleed Zuaiter, Ziad Bakri, Suhaib Nashwan, Reem Talhami)

Anatomy Of Time (Wela)

Two fragments in a woman’s life set 50 years apart.

(Country: Thailand, France, Netherlands, Singapore; Year: 2021; Director: Jakrawal Nilthamrong; Writer: Jakrawal Nilthamrong; Stars: Sorabodee Changsiri, Prapamonton Eiamchan, Thaveeratana Leelanuja, Wanlop Rungkumjad, Sorabodee Changsiri, Prapamonton Eiamchan, Thaveeratana Leelanuja, Wanlop Rungkumjad)

Atlantide

Daniele is a young man from Sant’Erasmo, an island on the edges of the Venice Lagoon, where he dreams of building a souped up motorboat with unfortunate consequences.

(Country: Italy, France, United States, Qatar; Year: 2021; Director: Yuri Ancarani; Stars: Daniele Barison, Bianka Berényi, Maila Dabalà, Alberto Tedesco)

The Falls (Pubu)

When a classmate tests positive for Covid-19, high schooler Xiao Jing begins home quarantine and when her mother is asked to take a leave of absence the relationship between the women becomes strained.

(Country: Taiwan; Year: 2021; Director: Chung Mong-Hong; Writer: Chung Mong-Hong; Stars: Alyssa Chia, Gingle Wang, Chen Yi-Wen, Lee Lee-Zen)

Full Time (A Plein Temps)

Review preview for Full Time

Gravel cleverly works the tempo, so we feel the occasional moments when Julie almost gets to relax, but that keep being snatched from her, more acutely.

Amber Wilkinson · 4.5 out of 5
Julie goes to great lengths to raise her two children in the countryside while keeping her job in a Parisian luxury hotel. When she finally gets a job interview for a position she had long been hoping for, a national strike breaks out, leading to a race against time.

(Country: France; Year: 2021; Director: Eric Gravel; Writer: Eric Gravel; Stars: Laure Calamy, Olivier Faliez, Lucie Gallo, Cyril Masson, Romain Ogerau, Laure Calamy, Olivier Faliez, Lucie Gallo, Cyril Masson, Romain Ogerau)

Full review See: Eric Gravel on Full Time

The Great Movement (El Gran Movimiento)

Review preview for The Great Movement

The multi-layered emotional consideration of themes, in particular the clash of cultural traditions and modernity - the building up of the city mirroring the destruction of the people within it and the natural landscape - are resonant and engaging.

Amber Wilkinson · 3.5 out of 5
Mystical portrait of the contemporary central South American cityscape and those who work within its bowels and environs.

(Country: Bolivia, France, Qatar, Switzerland; Year: 2021; Director: Kiro Russo; Writer: Kiro Russo; Stars: Francisa Arce de Aro, Israel Hurtado, Gustavo Milán Ticona, Julio César Ticona, Max Bautista Uchasara)

Full review

The Hole In The Fence (El Hoyo En La Cerca)

Review preview for The Hole In The Fence

Despite being rather on the nose in terms of his plot beats, del Paso has an eye for a strong image and a psychological feel for the insidious viewpoint of the adults, washing over the children like a bad benediction.

Amber Wilkinson · 3.5 out of 5
Trouble brews at a secluded exclusive summer camp in the Mexican countryside for boys from a prestigious private school.

(Country: Mexico; Year: 2021; Director: Joaquin del Paso; Writer: Lucy Pawlak, Joaquin del Paso; Stars: Valeria Lamm Williams, Yubah Ortega, Lucciano Kurti, Eric Walker, Santiago Barajas, Enrique Lascurain, Jacek Poniedzialek, Raul Vasconcelos)

Full review

Inu-oh

Review preview for Inu-oh

It is cleverly animated, intelligent and full of passion. Unfortunately, its mingling of the repetitive musical style of Noh with modern metal riffs, whilst it seems to please some viewers, will leave others wanting to scream for all the wrong reasons.

Jennie Kermode · 4 out of 5
Inu-Oh is born with unique physical characteristics, and the horrified adults cover every inch of his body with garments, including a mask on his face... but through his creative abilities he forges a different destiny to the one they intend.

(Country: Japan, China; Year: 2021; Director: Masaaki Yuasa; Writer: Hideo Furukawa, Akiko Nogi; Stars: Avu-chan, Mirai Moriyama, Avu-chan, Mirai Moriyama)

Full review

Miracle (Miracol)

Review preview for Miracle

With impressive cinematography at every stage, the film hinges on two magnificent slow, circular sequences, one in the middle and one at the end, each of which resets the narrative.

Jennie Kermode · 4.5 out of 5
Divided into two chapters, Miracol follows a young novice as she sneaks out of an isolated convent to attend to an urgent matter. The second part deals with a determined police detective trying to understand what happened to her.

(Country: Romania, Czech Republic, Latvia; Year: 2021; Director: Bogdan George Apetri; Writer: Bogdan George Apetri; Stars: Ioana Bugarin, Emanuel Parvu, Cezar Antal, Ovidiu Crisan, Valeriu Andriuta, Valentin Popescu, Marian Râlea, Nora Covali, Natalia Calin, Catalina Moga, Olimpia Malai, Vasile Muraru, Mircea Postelnicu, Dan Grigoras, Bogdan Farcas)

Full review

Once Upon A Time In Calcutta

Review preview for Once Upon A Time In Calcutta

Sengupta has created a colourful, multi-layered and rich work that can be read in many ways, despite its flaws.

Mateusz Tarwacki · 3 out of 5
After the loss of her daughter, Ela not only loses her identity as a mother, but also the only reason to be with her husband. But she finds starting the new life she wants isn't easy.

(Country: India, France, Norway; Year: 2021; Director: Aditya Vikram Sengupta; Writer: Aditya Vikram Sengupta; Stars: Sreelekha Mitra, Shayak Roy, Bratya Basu, Arindam Ghosh, Satrajit Sarkar, Anirban Chakrabarti, Reetika Nondini Sheemu)

Full review

The Other Tom (El Otro Tom)

Review preview for The Other Tom

The characters are beautifully drawn, the relationship between mother and son forming the bedrock of the film.

Jennie Kermode · 4 out of 5
Elena is a single mother dependant on Social Services and finds her custody of her child under threat after he is diagnosed with ADD.

(Country: Mexico; Year: 2021; Director: Rodrigo Plá, Laura Santullo; Writer: Rodrigo Plá, Laura Santullo; Stars: Julia Chávez, Israel Rodriguez Bertorelli)

Full review

The Peacock's Paradise (Il Paradiso Del Pavone)

A film about an extended family in which everyone talks but no one really listens.

(Country: Italy, Germany; Year: 2021; Director: Laura Bispuri; Writer: Laura Bispuri, Silvana Tamma; Stars: Dominique Sanda, Alba Rohrwacher, Maya Sansa, Carlo Cerciello, Fabrizio Ferracane, Leonardo Lidi, Tihana Lazovic, Yle Vianello, Ludovica Alvazzi Del Frate, Maddalena Crippa, Carolina Michelangeli, Dominique Sanda, Alba Rohrwacher, Maya Sansa, Carlo Cerciello)

Pilgrims (Piligrimai)

Review preview for Pilgrims

Bareisa successfully contrasts the slow long takes and great blocking, making it a well-balanced watch that will engage you on multiple fronts despite its withholding of many common cinematic devices to facilitates its ambivalence.

Nikola Jovic · 4 out of 5
A pair of old friends revisit the scene of a crime with unexpected consequences.

(Country: Lithuania; Year: 2021; Director: Laurynas Bareisa; Writer: Laurynas Bareisa; Stars: Gabija Bargailaite, Jolanta Dapkunaite, Zygimante Jakstaite, Giedrius Kiela, Paulius Markevicius, Indre Patkauskait)

Full review

Promises (Les promesses)

Review preview for Promises

If Kruithof’s main ambition with Promises is to make audiences debate and ponder over the relationships between politicians and the public then it is definitely succeeds in its efforts to bring these puzzling and interesting topics to light.

Stephanie Brown · 3.5 out of 5
A mayor in the final term of her political career faces a choice between integrity and ambition.

(Country: France; Year: 2021; Director: Thomas Kruithof; Writer: Jean-Baptiste Delafon, Thomas Kruithof; Stars: Isabelle Huppert, Reda Kateb, Naidra Ayadi, Jean-Paul Bordes, Mustapha Abourachid, Soufiane Guerrab, Hervé Pierre, Laurent Poitrenaux, Walid Afkir, Vincent Garanger, Mustapha Abourachid, Christian Benedetti, Anne Loiret, Mama Prassinos, Youssouf Wague, Gauthier Battoue, Bruno Georis, Stefan Crepon, Rosita Fernandez)

Full review

Rhino (Nosorih)

Review preview for Rhino

What Sentsov does really well here is to show us the humanity which lies within even the most monstrous of these men.

Jennie Kermode · 4 out of 5
Starting out as a petty thief, a young man nicknamed “Rhino” quickly works his way up the criminal hierarchy in 1990s Ukraine. Rhino has only known power and cruelty, but with nothing left to lose, could he finally find a chance at redemption?

(Country: Ukraine, Germany, Poland; Year: 2021; Director: Oleh Sentsov; Writer: Oleh Sentsov; Stars: Margo Dumas, Slava Babenkov, Oleksandr Rudynskyy, Alina Zievakova, Serhii Filimonov, Oleg Skripka, Georgiy Povolotskiy, Irina Mak, Yevhen Grygoriev, Lorena Kolibabchuk, Pavlo Shpegun, Evhen Chernykov, Yaroslav Bezkorovayny, Yelyzaveta Tsilyk, Yevhen Svitlychnyi)

Full review

True Things

Review preview for True Things

Shot in square format, the film keeps us close, closed-in, forcing viewers into the same overwhelming intimacy that Kate is experiencing.

Jennie Kermode · 4.5 out of 5
Kate is sleepwalking through life when a chance sexual encounter with a charismatic stranger awakens her.

(Country: UK; Year: 2021; Director: Harry Wootliff; Writer: Deborah Kay Davies, Molly Davies, Harry Wootliff; Stars: Ruth Wilson, Tom Burke, Tom Weston-Jones, Hayley Squires, Elizabeth Rider, Melissa Neal, Robert Goodman, Chris Brazier, Malik Blumenthal, Ram Gupta, Max Bispham, Karol Steele, Jordan John, Nathan Ampofo, Charlie Heptinstall)

Full review

Vera Dreams Of The Sea

Vera's serene life is disrupted by her husband’s suicide followed by an unwelcome, menacing parade of men who claim to have ownership over their village family house.

(Country: Kosovo; Year: 2021; Director: Kaltrina Krasniqi; Writer: Doruntina Basha; Stars: Teuta Ajdini, Alketa Sylaj, Refet Abazi, Astrit Kabashi, Ilire Vinca Celaj, Teuta Ajdini, Alketa Sylaj, Refet Abazi, Astrit Kabashi, Ilire Vinca Celaj)

White Building (Bodeng Sar)

A trio of friends find their lives changing after the building they live in is marked for demolition.

(Country: Cambodia, France, China, Qatar; Year: 2021; Director: Kavich Neang; Writer: Daniel Mattes, Kavich Neang; Stars: Piseth Chhun, Chinnaro Soem, Sovann Tho, Jany Min, Hout Sithorn, Ok Sokha, Piseth Chhun, Chinnaro Soem, Sovann Tho, Jany Min, Hout Sithorn, Ok Sokha)