INTERVIEW: Vincent Lambe

It’s never easy to depict a highly sensitive topic on screen, especially when it’s a horrific murder of a child by two other children. Such is the true story of Vincent Lambe’s “Detainment“, which poignantly recreates the early 90s investigation into the shocking murder of two-year-old James Bulger by a pair of 10-year old boys. Decades later, the highly publicized incident still touches a raw nerve with British and Irish citizens, who struggle to comprehend this heinous act of violence. In honor of its recent selection to the Academy’s shortlist for Best Live Action Short film, I caught up with Lambe to discuss the challenge of exploring the film’s touchy subject and the sense of understanding he aspired to convey. Below is an edited version of that discussion.

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INTERVIEW: Barnaby Blackburn

Featuring a suspenseful storyline filled with surprising twists, Barnaby Blackburn’s “Wale” is easily one of the most thrilling films in the Oscar shortlist for Best Live Action Short. But the film, which follows a fateful day in the life of a young black man in London, also makes a clear statement about the harsh realities of social injustice. In our edited conversation below, I spoke with Blackburn to discuss the inspirations behind the film and his filmmaking style.

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REVIEW: Memoir of War

Throughout the history of cinema, war films have long been the domain of male protagonists, often focusing on their efforts in combat and the aftermath. But these films have also shown us the long-lasting and far-reaching effects of war, including the trauma afflicted on the women they leave behind. In his new film “Memoir of War,” Emmanuelle Finkiel reflects on the painful consequences for one such woman, as she excruciatingly awaits the return of her prisoner of war husband.

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INTERVIEW: Likarion Wainaina

One of the most interesting developments in the Oscar race for Best Foreign Language Film this season was the selection of the Kenyan film. After the much publicized controversy surrounding the LGBT-themed “Rafiki,” many presumed it would be the country’s final pick. But the official list of submissions came with a surprise, as Likarion Wainaina’s “Supa Modo” was named as Kenya’s representative. Telling a touching story about a cancer-stricken young girl and her love of cinema, “Supa Modo” has since emerged as significant dark horse for to progress to the upcoming Oscar shortlist. As we await that announcement, I spoke with Wainaina about the meaning behind the film and its place in the promising future of Kenyan cinema. Below is an edited version of our chat.

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REVIEW: Supa Modo

In the first scene of Likarion Wainaina’s “Supa Modo“, we are introduced to our bright-eyed protagonist Jo. Perched in front of a screen, she is among friends watching a kung fu movie. Their smiling faces suggest that they aren’t unlike your average, carefree child. And for this brief moment, they are. But we soon learn that these are patients in a children’s hospital, many of them with terminal illnesses.

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INTERVIEW: Rima Das

As you gaze upon the sophisticated direction of “Village Rockstars“, you wouldn’t guess that its helmer Rima Das had no formal training in film. And when you further realize that she made shot, wrote, produced and edited the film on her own, you would agree that “Village Rockstars” is in her words, a miracle. Recently I caught up with Das to get further insight into the long journey of making this award-winning drama, which is now India’s official Oscar submission for Best Foreign Language Film. In our edited interview below, she discusses honing her craft with children as her inspiration and how her acting dreams led her to becoming a successful director.

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REVIEW: Village Rockstars

It’s been quite a year for musical dramas, with “A Star Is Born” and “Bohemian Rhapsody” currently making noise at the box office, thanks to their melodramatic storylines and catchy soundtracks. You’d therefore be forgiven for expecting more of the same from a film with the name “Village Rockstars.” But this Oscar submission from India is a much more muted affair. Far from the dazzling lights of the concert stage, director Rima Das crafts a simple story of a young girl with a dream.

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INTERVIEW: Gustavo Steinberg and Daniel Greco

Most politically-charged films arise out of a desire to comment on a prevalent issue. In rare instances, however, they can actually foreshadow the zeitgeist. With their animated Oscar contender “Tito and the Birds“, director Gustavo Steinberg and co-producer Daniel Greco have accomplished just that, crafting a tale about a pandemic of fear which is all too relevant to today’s world. I recently caught up with this filmmaking duo, as we engaged in a fascinating discussion about the film’s unexpected prescience regarding the rise of Donald Trump, as well as the sensitivity of exploring fear in the context of a children’s film. Read below for an edited version of our interview.

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REVIEW: Tito and the Birds

It’s hardly a novel idea for animated films to include hidden political messages, but few are as overtly topical as “Tito and the Birds.” Though its story takes place in Brazil, American viewers will particularly identify with its allegory for the contagious affliction of fear. Foreseeing the great sociopolitical divide in modern American society, directors Gabriel Bitar, André Catoto and Gustavo Steinberg have crafted a strikingly relevant tale for 2018.

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REVIEW: Sunset

There are few art forms which cater to a nostalgist’s longing for the “good old days” as effectively as cinema. The best historical dramas offer viewers a chance to vicariously revisit the past, experiencing the sights and sounds of times gone by. Such a deep immersion is the highlight of “Sunset“, which sees Hungarian filmmaker László Nemes skillfully transporting audiences to early 20th century Budapest.

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