Film
The dystopian satire tackling sexism in the social media age
The dream house — Following its premiere at London Film Festival 2018, we speak to Scottish artist Rachel Maclean about Make Me Up, her darkly comic new satire that explores the pressures faced by women today.
Written by: Katie Goh
Lessons from Lars Von Trier’s go-to cinematographer
Dive into darkness — Manuel Alberto Claro has been breathing life into the filmmaker’s twisted, nightmarish visions since 2011 – working on Nymphomaniac, Melancholia and the upcoming The House That Jack Built. Here, he shares what he's learned so far.
Written by: Jeremy Allen
What to catch at this year’s London Surf / Film Festival
Six of the best — Festival Director Demi Taylor picks her highlights from the 2018 lineup: from an epic exploration of cold-water surfing in Siberia, to Chas Smith’s celebration of surf icon Lisa Andersen.
Written by: HUCK HQ
Capturing teenage, feminine anger in small-town Canada
Firecrackers — Jasmin Mozaffari was inspired to write Firecrackers after enduring an abhorrent act of sexual harassment. Following its premiere at TIFF, we speak to the filmmaker and two lead actors about tackling the power dynamics of gender head-on.
Written by: Katie Goh
The neo-noir taking on sex, lies & corruption in Iran
Tehran taboo — In his dark directorial debut, Tehran Taboo, Ali Soozandeh uses animation to share stories from the Iranian capital’s underbelly.
Written by: Niloufar Haidari
A personal trip through Turkey’s punk scene
Where it all began — In his new film Arada, director Mu Tunc reflects on the movement’s early beginnings in Istanbul, telling the story of his brother’s radical career as a punk frontman.
Written by: Hannah Clugston
Vintage movie mags from the golden age of Chinese cinema
1921 - 1951 — A new book from film critic and historian Paul Kendel Fonoroff tells the story of Chinese film through an archive of historic magazines.
Written by: Niall Flynn
Desiree Akhavan is film's most exciting 'outsider'
Can't stop, won't stop — After winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance for a coming-of-age film about LGBT teens, Desiree Akhavan has battled self-doubt to realise her dream as a director. But in a medium with few opportunities for fresh voices, she knows that success is never straightforward.
Written by: Cian Traynor
What to watch at Open City Documentary Festival 2018
Eight of the best — From factory workers battling the Japanese government to the mysterious, online world of Morgellons disease: Oliver Wright, Head of Programming at the festival, picks his highlights from this year’s programme.
Written by: Liam Taft
Straight Outta Hull: Hope and hip hop in the age of austerity
A Northern Soul — In A Northern Soul, director Sean McAllister documents the life of Steve, a factory worker with dreams of making it as a rapper. Ahead of its release, we speak to the filmmaker about cuts, class and why counter-narratives are so important.
Written by: Liam Taft