Monthly Archives: August 2012

Valentina Lodovini in “La Giusta Distanza” [2007 Italy]

Carlo Mazzacurati’s drama “La Giusta Distanza” [Eng. Title: The Right Distance] was a pleasant surprise – I’d not seen any of this director’s work before, and wasn’t expecting a lot from what I feared to be one more of those … Continue reading

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Reflections on Jacques Rivette’s “La Belle Noiseuse” [1991 France]

Jacques Rivette is one of the very few nouvelle vague directors who is impossible to pigeon-hole – he has consistently experimented with cinema using different genres, techniques, and narratives, embodying the true spirit of French New Wave itself. At first … Continue reading

Posted in Emmanuelle Béart, France, Jacques Rivette | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Gael García Bernal & Fele Martínez in Almodóvar’s “La Mala Educación” [2004 Spain]

While it is women who tend to be the primary character in Pedro Almodóvar films – his 2004 drama “La Mala Educación” [Eng. Title: Bad Education] is a notable exception. Hardly any woman feature in this film, and even the … Continue reading

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Marilyn Solaya & Mirta Ibarra in “Fresa y Chocolate” [1994, Cuba]

Tomás Gutiérrez Alea is Cuba’s best known and most respected director, and although I’ve seen only three films of his to date, I shall start his filmography with one of his last, “Fresa y Chocolate” [Eng. Title: Strawberry and Chocolate], … Continue reading

Posted in Cuba, Juan Carlos Tabío, Tomás Gutiérrez Alea | Tagged , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Rona Hartner & Romain Duris in “Gadjo Dilo” [1997 Romania, France]

Films by French director Tony Gatlif are known for its exploration of themes relating to gypsy culture, often also delving into their musical heritage. Understandable, considering he’s of Gypsy descent himself, but his films additionally give us a fresh insight … Continue reading

Posted in Romania | Tagged , , , , , , , | 9 Comments