Film
What Netflix did next: middle-class malaise & massacres
Are you still watching? — Writer Megan Nolan bravely ventures into the latest Netflix Original releases, in an attempt to figure out if anything is even worth our time anymore. This week, it’s US comedy Private Life and a ‘repellent’ dramatisation of Norway’s 2011 terror attacks.
Written by: Megan Nolan
A feminist revolution in porn? There’s still a long way to go
Looking forward — This year, Europe’s largest erotic festival rebranded itself as a feminist rebuttal to mainstream ‘hetero-basic’ industry norms. But, as porn faces its own #MeToo moment, how much work is left to do?
Written by: Meaghan Beatley
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