Review: “Saint Frances” #EdFilmFestAtHome

“Saint Frances” is a smart, funny, touching and stigma-busting comedy which shows that the grass is not always greener on the other side. Written by Kelly O’Sullivan (who also plays the lead), it’s unafraid to be bold but it’s also tender and has something important to say. Continue reading Review: “Saint Frances” #EdFilmFestAtHome

Review: “Capital in the 21st Century” #EdFilmFestAtHome

hat is what “Capital in the 21st Century” is like to watch. A bombardment of brain-achingly dense information you can barely comprehend before being whisked to the next complicated concept. All of which will make you angry but ultimately impotent. Who amongst us has the power to change the inheritance tax system? Not me. Continue reading Review: “Capital in the 21st Century” #EdFilmFestAtHome

Review: “Petite Fille” (“Little Girl”) #EdFilmFestAtHome

This intimate and charming documentary by French director Sébastien Lifshitz follows 7-year-old Sacha and her mother Karine. They battle for her Sacha’s acceptance as a trans girl, and for a normal childhood. With a focus on family, support and identity this is a heart-filled and compassionate film which shows audiences what life can be like for a trans child. Continue reading Review: “Petite Fille” (“Little Girl”) #EdFilmFestAtHome

Review: “A White, White Day” #EdFilmFestAtHome

“On such days where everything is white and there’s no longer any difference between the Earth and the Sky, then the dead can talk to us who still are living.” This ancient proverb is our introduction to the world of Hlynur Pálmason’s “A White, White Day”. Eerie, haunting but beautiful words that perfectly encapsulate this eerie, haunting and beautiful film. Continue reading Review: “A White, White Day” #EdFilmFestAtHome

Review: Clemency #EdFilmFestAtHome

As we see racist police injustices highlighted across America, it’s challenging to imagine how the murders of minority groups would unfold if they were done over a longer length of time, if there was conversation and contemplation surrounding the decision to end a human life. “Clemency” (2019) addresses these curiosities with impactful performances led by an experienced, established actor, and an eye-opening composition orchestrated by a director unafraid to tackle the deeply uncomfortable topics under the skin of the United States of America. Continue reading Review: Clemency #EdFilmFestAtHome

Review: “Fanny Lye Deliver’d” #EdFilmFestAtHome

Muddy and misty with a violent streak, “Fanny Lye Deliver’d” is about a woman at a crossroads that will determine her future, in a country facing the same thing. Although some directorial choices make it feel stiff in places, tensions are nonetheless high. Maxine Peake delivers a chilling performance in this horror folktale about puritanical religion and personal liberation. Continue reading Review: “Fanny Lye Deliver’d” #EdFilmFestAtHome

Review: “Rebuilding Paradise” #EdFilmFestAtHome

This is an emotionally powerful yet strangely surface-level documentary which celebrates community and human spirit in the face of absolute devastation.

Directed by Ron Howard, the film follows the community of Paradise, California which was destroyed by wildfire in 2018. Thousands of homes were burnt to the ground, along with schools, hospitals and shops. Continue reading Review: “Rebuilding Paradise” #EdFilmFestAtHome

Review: “Last and First Men” #EdFilmFestAtHome

This is a meditative blending of monstrous sculptures, a beautiful score and an ethereal science fiction story. Viewers need to let themselves be absorbed and to let their imagination do a lot of work. But if you take a deep calming breath, unplug the phone and unlock that imagination you will be rewarded by something other-worldly, lamenting and inspiring Continue reading Review: “Last and First Men” #EdFilmFestAtHome