Mahamat-Saleh Haroun's latest film was nominated for the Palme d'Or at Cannes and is the third of his films to be shown in Keswick ('Abouna' in 2003 and 'A Screaming Man' in 2011) "A perennial festival favourite, Haroun's deeply humanist films generally explore facets of manhood in his home country of Chad. Taking a chance outside his comfort zone, with 'Lingui, The Sacred Bonds' Haroun focuses on the strength and resilience of women in the face of a dangerously patriarchal society.
“The intense, focused performances from the two central women keep this drama in a hyper-alert state...” - Peter Bradshaw, Guardian
Our rescheduled screening of C'mon C'mon takes place this Sunday. Joaquin Phoenix plays Johnny who hits the road across the States with his nephew Jesse who he is looking after while his sister Viv is away.
"C'mon C'mon is a great big bear hug wrapped in celluloid. Mike Mills, is a master of intimate, unforced emotion and the kind of simple wisdom that always sounds best when it’s coming from the minds of children. They come out with the kind of gold that screenwriters would spend many a sleepless night trying to chase after" - Clarisse Loughrey, Independent
The Tragedy Of Macbeth is Joel Coen's first film on his own without his brother and it is a bold one; stripping away all the Coen Brothers normal detail – even shooting in black and white.
"zeroing in on the essential details of Shakespeare's tale of how a hunger for power can curdle into madness and death... his adaptation cuts the play down to a lean 105 minutes of Macbeth plotting, killing, and unravelling as he faces his ultimate downfall, trying to cling to the prophecies that propelled him to power. The sparseness of the script matches the modesty of the staging." - David Sims, The Atlantic
Memoria split our reviewers and will probably not be to everyone's taste, but it felt too big to ignore: Voted as fourth best film of the year by Sight and Sound, and winner of the Jury Prize at Cannes, we decided you had to be given the chance to see it.
Don't expect a plot, but do expect a magical experience, lead by the queen of the unexpected, Tilda Swinton. She plays Jessica who hears a strange booming noise which leads her throughout the film... but to where?
"Designed and deserving to be seen big and loud, Memoria is a hypnotic, unquantifiable, occasionally inpenetrable sonic odyssey from a unique cinematic voice" – Jake Cunningham, Empire Magazine
A Hero is the latest from one of Keswick's favourite directors since we showed Oscar-winning 'A Separation' in 2012. Could this be another Oscar for Asghar? Several reviewers think so.
"Like all Farhadi's work, 'A Hero' operates as a calmly agonizing procedural, where one evasion or deception naturally squirms into the form of another, and another..." - Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune
In C'mon C'mon Joaquin Phoenix plays Johnny who hits the road across the States with his nephew Jesse who he is looking after while his sister Viv is away.
"C'mon C'mon is a great big bear hug wrapped in celluloid. Mike Mills, is a master of intimate, unforced emotion and the kind of simple wisdom that always sounds best when it’s coming from the minds of children. They come out with the kind of gold that screenwriters would spend many a sleepless night trying to chase after" - Clarisse Loughrey, Independent
In our film this week, a young man growing up in a small Sudanese village attempts to live his life while grappling with a holy man's prediction that he will die when he turns twenty.
"Sudanese film-maker Amjad Abu Alala's radiant drama dares to wonder if death could inspire courage rather than fear." - Simran Hans Observer.
"The film is a parable about the dangers of blind faith in religion and authority, but it's also warmly compassionate and accepting of human nature." - Cath Clarke, Guardian.
“Its quiet profundity strikes you hours, days after viewing.” - David Jenkins, Little White Lies
Dear Comrades! is Russia's entry for the Oscars and based on real events in a small Russian town in 1962 that were not acknowledged for 30 years. This dramatic account of a workers strike and the horrific response - filmed in black and white to add to the realism – feels like a real Film Club film in the mould of Pawel Pawlikowski's 'Cold War'.
"A passionate drama of fear and rage." - Peter Bradshaw, Guardian
We hope you have all had a great Festive Season and are now looking for amusements and diversions to stop you thinking about the winter months ahead; how about joining Keswick Film Club to see Being the Ricardos this Sunday at the Alhambra Cinema at 5.00pm? An interesting story with a great script and some fine actors; what a start to 2022!
What is it all about? There is one week to go before the first ‘I love Lucy’ show is due to air; will it be good enough for the audience? Lucille Ball is accused of being a Communist (this is 1950s America); will she be arrested? Desi Arnaz, her husband on and off screen, is accused of having an affair; will their marriage survive?
We have booked five films so far this season; two from the USA, one from Russia, one from Sudan and one from Iran. The stories are as varied as the countries so we think there is something for everyone.
We hope that sounds good to you. We are still operating social distancing so you will need to book a seat. Just visit www.keswickalhambra.co.uk and follow the links. It is a great time, too, to either join Keswick Film Club or become a Friend of the Alhambra; both will now save you money on all our films! Looking forward to seeing you there.
