This humorous and melancholic films follows Charles (Tim Key) an eccentric lottery winner living alone on a remote island who dreams of getting his favourite folk duo back together for a gig with an audience of just one. Carey Mulligan stars as part of the once almost famous band and returns from west coast USA where she now makes chutney along with her bird watching husband who tows along for the reunion. Tim Basden plays the other part of the duo and wrote the music for the film.
A powerful and beautiful story of family , friendship and identity
Holy Cow is the feature debut from director Louise Courvoisier. A part time farmer herself she’s at home with the reality of rural life in the Jura region.
The cast are non professional and take us right into a life that is intrinsically hard. Clément Faveau plays a 18 year old lad whose interests are girls, beer and mopeds. While this doesn’t change he finds himself alone caring for his 7 year old sister. How do you brush her hair? Get her to school? Make money
How? Learn to make prize winning cheese!
French with English subtitles. 90m. Director Louise Courvoisier. Awards: César Award for Most Promising Actress , César Award for Best First Film , Un Certain Regard Youth Prize .
Acclaimed conductor Thibaut has leukaemia and needs a bone marrow donor. Learning he was adopted, he finds an older brother, a musician and factory worker. Their reunion sparks a fraternal, musical journey amidst the town’s factory closure. It has echoes of Brassed Off with its exploration of the impact of unemployment on a whole community. This is a delightful, at times hilarious, other times poignant, exploration of who we are and where we come from.
French with English subtitles. 103m. Directed by Emmanuel Courcol
70-year-old Mahin has been widowed for 30 years and her two children live abroad. She is living a lonely life in Tehran. But one day, she decides to join her friends for the afternoon tea and finds a new spark in her heart. She meets someone who makes her feel alive again, and the evening brings unpredictable surprises and memories. She bakes her favourite cake, believing that she may have found love at her late age.
The female directors were banned from leaving Iran to attend it’s premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival. They were held in Evin prison awaiting trial for propaganda against the regime.
Persian with English subtitles. 97m Directed by Maryam Moghaddam & Behtash Sanaeeha
A personal view by guest critic Beth Travers
Ah yes, My Favourite Cake – though I would have appreciated a slice or two to comfort me after this film. It is a gut-wrenching portrayal of loneliness and isolation of two, single 70-year-olds living in the hustle of modern-day Tehran. This award-winning Iranian film follows seventy-year-old Mahin and her attempt to revitalise her life after the loss of her husband. From a hilarious depiction of female friendships, to heroism in the face of the oppressive Iranian morality police, co-directors Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeeha beautifully capture a revival of love and romance.
The question arises from the beginning of the film – is it possible to find love once again at such an age? Mahin proves quite easily that it is, even under the constraints of the Islamic Republic regime. She determinedly sets her heart on rediscovering life with a partner, unabashedly inviting cab driver and military veteran, Faramarz (played by Esmail Mehrabi ) into her home for some of her “favourite cake”. Admittedly I felt dazzled by her boldness, Lili Farhadpour magically captured that universal excitement and enjoyment of female pursuit typically associated with young, carefree (and predominantly western) women. She proved the desire to be seen and for physical touch never dies as we grow older.
Esmail won my heart with his loveable, charming smile and dance moves that had viewers (such as myself) crying on their sofas still with no cake in sight…
Played by Mads Mikkelsen, Martin is a high school teacher in a mid life crisis. He and his three colleagues embark on an “study” to see what level of alcohol makes them better people.
Measuring social and professional performance they drink only during working hours. Intoxicating, very funny and sobering. The film won a Bafta for Best Film not in the English Language and an Oscar for best international feature.
Directed by Thomas Vintenburg. Danish with English Subtitles.
