Category Archives: Directors

Celebrating Balkan spunk in “Zivot je cudo” [2004 Serbia, France]

Emir Kusturica revisits his favourite time and space – the Yugoslavian conflict, in his inimitable style of course, through the romantic comedy “Zivot je cudo” [Eng. Title: Life is a Miracle]. Storyline: It’s the summer of 1992. Luka (Slavko Stimac) … Continue reading

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A British cinema classic – Ratcatcher [1999 United Kingdom, France]

Scottish director Lynne Ramsay made an outstanding feature-film debut through the social drama “Ratcatcher”. The film won numerous awards including a BAFTA for the most promising newcomer, but Ms. Ramsay was merely following a long tradition of British social realism … Continue reading

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Selling dreams of stardom to masses – L’uomo delle stelle [1995 Italy]

After Cinema Paradiso – one the greatest films ever made about the magic of cinema – Giuseppe Tornatore not only returns to the topic and his beloved Sicily in the achingly beautiful drama “L’uomo delle stele” [Eng. Title: The Star … Continue reading

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Beginning of a new era symbolised in “Mamá cumple 100 años” [1979 Spain]

Few can claim to have helped showcase Flamenco – the quintessentially Spanish music and dance form, to a global audience as successfully as Carlos Saura. One of Spain’s favourite directors (and mine too), Sr. Saura is a traditionalist – liberally … Continue reading

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Reflections on Portuguese History – ‘Non’, ou A Vã Glória de Mandar [1990 Portugal]

Apart from being the most revered director in Portugal, Manoel de Oliveira must surely also be the granddad among all veterans – he started making films in 1931, and is still going strong at the time of writing. That’s one … Continue reading

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