Tag Archives: black and white

High art in a Parisian afternoon – Varda’s “Cléo de 5 à 7” [1962 France, Italy]

The French New Wave will be incomplete without the redoubtable Agnès Varda – in fact, critics even credit her earlier works as the forerunner of the Nouvelle Vague. Whatever the case, Varda’s magnificent 1962 masterpiece “Cléo de 5 à 7” … Continue reading

Posted in Agnès Varda, France | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Vintage romance and superstition from Bohemia – “Divá Bára” [1949 Czechoslovakia]

Vladimir Cech’s quaint little drama from 1949, “Divá Bára” [Eng. Trans: Wild Bara], is for those who love a good ol’ fashioned ‘black and white’ romance now and again. Not the kind that’ll well your eyes with tears though – … Continue reading

Posted in Czech Republic | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Why words, when the cinema is magical – Tuvalu [1999 Germany]

Veit Helmer made quite a splash with his directorial debut “Tuvalu” – because he was actually delivering a love letter to cinema itself. Storyline: Set in a crumbling grand old bathhouse on the outskirts of Sofia, Bulgaria, youngest son Anton … Continue reading

Posted in Germany | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments

A feverish kiss in the mouth to Recife – “A Febre do Rato” [2011 Brazil]

Cláudio Assis is no stranger to controversy – his previous two films, Amarelo Manga and Baixio das Bestas shocked film-goers with its in-your-face imagery and outrageous characterisation. While his latest offering doesn’t exactly fall short in its frankness, “A Febre … Continue reading

Posted in Brazil, Cláudio Assis | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Summer Romance, Czech-style, in “Romance pro kridlovku” [1966 Czechoslovakia]

Otakar Vávra is widely considered the father of Czech cinema, with a career spanning the best part of the twentieth century and a bit, including some of the most turbulent years in the country’s history. But his most famous work … Continue reading

Posted in Czech Republic | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment