The theme of lockdown during COVID time, combined with private and family motivation, is the background of the film Tora's Husband by director Rima Das, presented at the 15th Bangkok World Film Festival.

In 1942, Japan conquered the Philippines from the Americans. In 1945, they would be kicked out. Due to the geography of the Philippines, many Japanese remained isolated and stuck in the jungle. The order was to join the last military resistance in Cebu. The retreat was a massacre. The Japanese were already undernourished, without rations for a long time.

This episode is filmed by Shinya Tsukamoto in the film Nobi - Fires On the Plain presented at 71 Venice Film Festival.

Dialogue with an Alzheimer's patient is possible and inevitable. It is the same lexical difficulty that exists between Izumi and her mother (Yuriko), who suffers from dementia. She wants to see the “half-fireworks”. Izumi does not understand; what could be “half-fireworks”?

Izumi and Yuriko are the protagonists of the moving film A Hundred Flowers – Hyakka by director Genki Kawamura, screened at the Bangkok World Film Festival 2022.

Are cannibals evil? Follows this idea Luca Guadagnino in the film Bonus and All presented at the 79th Venice Film Festival. Luca Guadagnino follows this thought. He believes he is Dante Alighieri when he writes about Ugolino della Gherardesca in the Antenora, the second zone of the ninth circle of Inferno in the Divine Comedy.

In Southeast Asia, galvanized by exponential increases in GDP, a modern, educated, universal and traditional cinema is being produced at the same time. The filmmakers studied, learned their lessons but kept the communication channel open with their country of origin. Making choices, creating their own style, exploiting far-reaching stories, adapting and conveying messages make them even more influential than the decadent West.

Among many examples are Thai Apichatpong Weerasethakul and Filipino Brillante Mendoza.

In Masahista, Brillante Mendoza shocks the audience by telling with sweetness and realism. The protagonist is Iliac, a masseur for men in a brothel on the Manila outskirts. The director's style repeats. Social adaptation, the difficulties of complicated growth are the Iliac's scenario, his sufferings and his family.

Reviews, news and analysis from 80 Venice International Film Festival, Venice, 30.08 - 09.09 2023

A selection of the most important films from the popcinema.org editorial team.

Enclosed garden has a duplicity: clear isolation from the outside and an internal area transformed into a paradise. An island of serenity for its inhabitants is the spectacular simile used by director Paul Schrader in the film Master Gardener presented at the 79th Venice Film Festival.

Teenagers seek refuge in themselves, in solitude, in misogyny, in resignation, in agitation, in not sleeping, in feeling empty. They exclude their family, boycotting the school they thinks are useless.

Adolescence depression is the dramatic argument of the film The Son by director Florian Zeller, presented at the 79th Venice Film Festival.

Charlie is the super obese film protagonist in The Whale directed by Darren Aronofsky presented at the 79th Venice Film Festival.

The topics of the plot are touched on. The director's topics create an understood emotion: obesity, homosexuality, death, mourning, generational conflicts.

What does the Third World War have to do with Shakib's misfortunes, an Iranian man fallen into disgrace and with a broken life? The director Houman Seyyedi narrates his story in the film Jang-e jahani sevom - World War III.

Presented in the Orizzonti competition at the 79th Venice Film Festival. The film deservedly won the Orizzonti Award for Best Film and the Orizzonti Award for Best Actor to Mohsen Tanabandeh.

Shakib has lost everything. In the earthquake a few years earlier, his wife and children died.

Can a student have many qualities, like being a mathematical genius, winning a distinguished prize, receiving a scholarship, attending a school in the United States but, at the same time, being dishonest, corrupt, false and cowardly?

This is Arnold, a high school student in Bangkok. He is the negative protagonist of the film Arnold Is a Model Student - Arnon pen nakrian tuayang by Thai director Sorayos Prapapa presented at the 15th Bangkok World Film Festival 2022.

On the small Irish island of Inisherin, another conflict suddenly breaks out between two friends. The confrontation tears friends, families and inhabitants apart. This allegory is the plot of the film The Banshees of Inisherin - The spirits of the island - Almas en pena de Inisherin by filmmaker Martin McDonagh. The film was presented at the 79th Venice Film Festival.

What is the appropriate age to get married? For the twelve-year-old Iranian twins Marzieh and Razieh, their age is appropriate to get married: “Now we are adults, we must get married”. They are the protagonists of Alone, directed by Jafar Najafi, presented at the 79th Venice Film Festival.

The setting is southwestern Iran, in the province of Chahar Mahal and Bakhtiari. A predominantly mountainous region and an agricultural economy with low income.

Two exuberant children are the protagonists of the joyful film Mountain Onion - Gornyi Luk by Kazakh filmmaker Eldar Shibanov presented at 79. Film Festival of Venice.

The director, despite his light tone, tackles complex issues: Kazakhstan's cultural charm and the attitudes of its children. In addition, there are heterogeneous universal topics: family, marriage, divorce and those connected with physical force and viagra.

Political occupation of state-owned companies has always been a country's prerogative. A state corporation has its own budget, follows civil rules, and manages millions or billions of dollars. The government and parliament often lose the control for these funds.

Sometimes, or more than sometimes, these multinationals finance parties or politicians. Therefore, one of the first tasks of any government is to take total control, appointing politically friendly managers at its command.

About the Maureen Kearney life investigative cinema. Jean-Paul Salomé directed an investigate film La syndicaliste - The Sitting Duck, starring a strong-willed Isabelle Huppert. The film was presented at the 79th Venice Film Festival

Roya, a charming Iranian, wonders about existential questions. She is the protagonist in the beautiful thriller Bi Roya – Without Her by director Arian Vazirdaftari, presented at the 79th Venice Film Festival.