Tag: Portuguese

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Animation Dance Features Movies

Ana, en Passant
(Ana, en Passant)

Ana, en Passant (Ana, en Passant)

Director – Fernanda Salgado – 2026 – Brazil, Portugal, France – Cert. tbc – 90m

*****

A woman from Paris travels to Belo Horizonte, Brazil where she hopes to unearth something of her family history – from the BFI London Film Festival 2026 which runs from Wednesday, October 7th to Sunday, October 18th in cinemas and on BFI Player

This opens with a profusion of images and a child’s voice asking: “mummy, what is a map?” The images are moving images treated in painterly ways, animated postcard-like holiday snaps putting themselves into order, flashes of memory as if printed on an unusual under-texture. Then an image of a baby scanned in the womb. More images – fish in the ocean, talk by the little girl of whether fish follow maps too – then we settle into the film proper.

Which is to say that, rather than the film’s form constantly shifting, it suddenly settles into a more formal, less abstract, fixed form of 2D animation as Ana (voice: Jéssica Pierina) – the little girl asking the questions earlier, perhaps? – leaves the Paris Metro with its familiar Hector Guimard art deco, wrought iron entrance, wanders satisfyingly along the bank of the Seine and finally enters her apartment, where she tidies broken pieces of china off the floor, binning them.… Read the rest

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Features Live Action Movies

Gazer

Gazer

Director – Ryan J. Sloan – 2024 – US – Cert. 15 – 114m

***

A single-parent mum, unable to make sense of the passing of time, struggles to get by and find the money to get out of town with her child – largely incomprehensible yet strangely compelling, urban, neo-noir thriller is out in UK cinemas on Friday, July 25th

This narrative impresses and frustrates the viewer in pretty much equal measure. There are rotten films out there on which you really don’t want to waste your time, and for all its faults, Gazer isn’t one of those (although there are times, particularly in its first hour, when it comes close). And then there are (arguably) visionary films where you can sense the makers – usually the director(s), writer(s) or performer(s) – struggling to express (a) unique viewpoint(s), and Gazer, a first-time feature by former New York electrician Sloan, who co-wrote and directs, and Canadian musician / actress Ariella Mastroianni, who co-wrote and stars, most definitely fits into that category – albeit not always entirely successfully.

The film possesses a distinctive look, which I imagine is largely down to Brazilian-Portuguese cameraperson Matheus Bastos, who shot it on 16mm.… Read the rest

Categories
Features Live Action Movies

Silence

Director – Martin Scorsese – 2016 – US – Cert. 15 – 161m

*****

Scorsese questions and tests the unwavering faith of the hidden Christians of Japan, and our allegiance to the director remains just as steadfast – read our verdict on the director’s latest movie, out on New Year’s Day

Religion is a subject capable of arousing great emotion among both believers and non-believers. Martin Scorsese’s Silence is essentially concerned with adherents of one religion attempting to proselytise in a foreign land where the predominant religious system is so utterly alien as to be almost unassailable. To the point where even the incoming missionaries might have to abandon the faith which they seek to spread.

That land is 17th century Japan, where Christianity has been outlawed and believers practise their faith in secret as Kakure Kirishitan (“hidden” Christians). Two Jesuit priests, Father Garupe (Adam Driver) and Father Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) are smuggled into the country in order to find the older Father Ferreira (Liam Neeson) who is rumoured to have denounced his faith. After spending time with local believers, they are captured by the authorities who proceed to torture the Japanese Christians and make the priests watch, thereby encouraging them to renounce the Jesus they adore and serve.… Read the rest