There's No Place Like Home

D’accord mes amis, here’s a quick round-up of the last couple of days at the festival they call Cannes, mainly because that is where it takes place. One of the competition films I forgot to mention that was screened on Day 2 was Jupiter’s Moon, made by Hungarian director Kornél Mundruczó (who directed the excellent White … Continue reading →

Yesterday saw the first full day of screenings at the festival, with Todd Haynes (Carol) Wonderstruck being perhaps the most anticipated, and the first of the day. The film stars Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams (pictured above from the red carpet premiere), is based on Brian Selznick’s novel (he wrote Hugo that Scorsese filmed a few … Continue reading →

Bonjour mes amis, and welcome to a satirical and light-hearted daily round up of all the hot gossip, daily controversies and what’s hot and what’s not from the sun-drenched Croisette of the hottest festival on the film calendar! Well, not quite, I am not actually at the festival but will be posting daily reports by … Continue reading →

Whilst at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival this year I conducted an interview with the US screenwriter, Charlie Kaufman, for The Criterion Collection. It can be read here: https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/4177-from-pen-to-screen-an-interview-with-charlie-kaufman

Day 7 Leopold Lindtberg’s 1945 film, DIE LETZTE CHANCE, was the first film for me today, screened here in a new restoration by the Cinematheque Suisse. Shot during the Second World War, but not released until afterwards, the film tells the story of a group of refugees persecuted by the Nazis and on the run. … Continue reading →

Day 5 Today started with a film by a friend about another, dear departed friend and former Artistic Director of the festival, Peter Von Bagh. Tapio Piirainen had been filming Peter Von Bagh over the last 8 years of his life and his film reveals the true, warm, kind and humourous man that he was. … Continue reading →

Day 3 Monday morning kicked off with another from Dave Kehr’s “Universal” strand and Edward L. Cahn’s, LAUGHTER IN HELL (1933). This proved to be yet another fine discovery and considering the themes of adultery, racism, murder and some quite brutal scenes of a group of black prisoners being hung – all quite hard-hitting and … Continue reading →

Day 1 – Arrival Left the house by taxi at 3am and met the National Express coach to Stansted at Ipswich Rail Station, arriving quite early at the airport for the morning flight to Bologna. Whilst standing in line to board the flight I felt a tap on my shoulder and looked round to see … Continue reading →