Sydney Film Festival 2025 - Film Review - Vie Privee

Still from Vie Privee - Jodie Foster 

Described as a "gently comic murder mystery", Vie Privee is more absurdist than funny and somewhat muddled in the construction of the parts that form the storyline. With the well established and experienced principal actors (being Jodie Foster, Daniel Auteuil, Mathieu Almaric and Virginie Elfira) and a half decent story idea, it's surprisingly the film comes across as patently serious and misses most of the comedic elements, if there are any.  

In terms of the story, psychiatrist Lilian Steiner (Jodie Foster) is annoyed that her patient of the past nine years, Paula (Virginie Efira) has failed to appear for her sessions. She is horrified to learn her patient is dead and becomes convinced that Paula's husband (Mathieu Almaric) has murdered Paula. She seeks guidance from a hypnotist and engages her ex-husband (Daniel Auteil) to help investigate her theory.  

Jodie Foster is a very experienced French speaker although she has appeared in a very small number of French language films. Her intensity of presence however is not one that lends itself easily to comedy. Likewise the script does not provide much in the way of comedic relief and only Daniel Auteuil's character has softer dialogue. In general the characters appear more neurotic than amusing throughout the film.

Recommended viewing when perservance is possible.

Evaluation:

Production values: 9/10

Narrative and direction: 6/10

Cast: 8/10

Sydney Film Festival 2025 - Film Review - Mr Nobody Against Putin

Mr Nobody against Putin -  Pavel Talakin

Russian school teacher, Pavel "Pasha" Talakin enjoyed his job teaching at a primary school in the small Russian town of Karabash, famous only for its polluting copper smelter, the largest in Russia. Everything changed when Russia invaded Ukraine and the war began. The Russian state started to increasingly intervene into the curriculum and classrooms promoting nationalism and the war to the dismay of Talakin. Determined to ensure this situation was both documented and opposed, Talakin filmed the events as they occured eventually leading to police surveillance of his activities until he was forced to flee his country. 

His film documents the progressive requirements placed on teachers to recite propaganda against the West and Ukraine, the institution of military training for children and the shock appearance of uniformed Wagner mercenaries to provide weapons instruction to the school children. As the timeline of the film progresses, the sadness of former school graduates being killed in action in the war emerges. This is a heartfelt, sentimental and personal voyage documented by Talakin and serves again to reinforce the tragedy that authoritarian regimes can inflict on their communities.

Often filmed using a handheld camera, the documentary had post production assistance including historical footage added once Talakin reached the West.

Evaluation:

Production values: 9/10

Narrative and direction: 8/10

Cast: 9/10

Sydney Film Festival 2025 - Film Review - The Golden Spurtle

Still from The Golden Spurtle 

An Australian documentary team led by director and screenwriter, Constantine Conti travelled to the Scottish highlands community of Carrbridge to film the annual World Porridge Making Championship and what a charming film has emerged. This is a well-paced, nicely constructed documentary with a clear narrative and progressive action as contestants prepare and then engage in the contest to win the trophy of the Golden Spurtle. Context and background information are neatly woven into the interviews with a collection of colourful eccentric personalities from both the local organising committee and the participants. This documentary is uplifting, funny and a joy to watch.

Evaluation:

Production values: 10/10

Narrative and direction: 10/10

Cast: 10/10

Sydney Film Festival 2022 - Film Review - Fire of Love

Fire of Love

 
Documentary film maker, Sara Dosa, has compiled this portrait of the late vulcanologists, Katia and Maurice Krafft based on thousands of hours of spectacular 16mm footage that the couple shot on numerous volcanoes before their deaths in an eruption near Japan's Mount Unzen in 1991. The Kraffts were prolific in their filming and recording with Katia in particular spending considerable time after expeditions converting their work into books, films and lectures.  They were almost fearless in coming in close proximity to the objects of their study whether it be camping on a solid crust plateau inside an active volcano, rowing in a rubber boat on a lake of sulpheric acid, avoiding flying boulders, standing in the sea close to a small lava flow meeting the ocean or simply cooking eggs in a fry pan on the crust of a slowly cooling lava flow.

The Kraffts were signficant scientists in their field, Katia being a geochemist and Maurice, a geologist, they contributed significantly to understanding volcanoes and how best to measure activity to enable a warning system to be developed ensuring local populations can evacuate before an eruption. They classified volcanoes into two types based on plate tetonic theory: red volcanoes that are less volatile with mainly impressive jets of lava and associated flows located where plates pull apart; and brown volcanoes, usually violently explosive, located where plates grind together.

The footage is both stunning and terrifying with the Kraffts telling their own story on camera or their words are conveyed through the voice of Miranda July as Narrator.

Sydney Film Festival 2022 - Film Review - The Phantom of the Open

Mark Rylance (right) in The Phantom of the Open

Within any major film festival there is always a need for a light hearted absurdist film to be included in the screenings, more so when the story is anchored in true events. This film fits that slot. Based loosely on the real life of would-be tournament golfer Maurice Flitcroft, the story follows the successful effort by Flitcroft, a crane driver, to enter the British Open although he had never played golf in his life. 

With the support of his wife, his disco dancing twin sons and a somewhat dubious co-worker, Flitcroft finds his way through the entry obstacles to enter the competition and produce the worst round in the history of the British Open. The eternal optimist, Flitcroft does not leave this as his sole effort and continues to seek further entry to this World ranked sporting event. The film follows the almost cat and mouse moves between British Open officials and Flitcroft as they try to keep him away from the golfing competition permanently.
 

A highly experienced cast support film director, Craig Roberts to give effect to this 'fact is stranger than fiction' story. Sir Mark Rylance is Maurice Flitcroft, the versatile Sally Hawkins as his wife, Jean, Jonah and Christian Lees are Flitcroft's twin sons (disco dancing being their forte) and Jake Davies as his step son who initially rejects his father's golfing efforts but eventually supports them.   

This is an amusing, light hearted film and a welcome theme in the current serious world.

Sydney Film Festival 2022 - Film review - Navalny

Alexei Navalny with photos of his would-be assassins

Documentary film maker Daniel Roher brings this very topical portrait of Russian Opposition Leader, Alexei Navalny, to the screen and introduces him to a wider international audience than may have been the case otherwise. In 2020 Navalny sensationally survived an assassination attempt by a hit team from Russia's security agency, the FSB using the nerve agent Novichok while he was visiting Siberia. He was able to recover in Germany through the efforts of his wife and international pressure whereupon it was discovered that the nerve agent had been used on him. Russia consistently denied all such allegations.

With the assistance of online investigation agency, Bellingcat, all four agents were completely identified and shown to have stalked Navalny for a number of years. With key contact details sourced by Bellingcat journalist Christo Grozev during this film, Navalny was able to phone each of them direct until one agent, under the impression that Navalny was from within the security service, divulged most of the details of the operation. It's a stunning and breathtaking set of statements captured during the filming. 

Also interviewed in the film are Navaly's wife, Yulia (a key person in her own right) their adult children, his media adviser and his chief-of-staff. Navalny is shown to be a charismatic lawyer who does not shy away from difficult questions and enjoys strong support in Russia. This makes him the key target for Russian president Vladimir Putin who refuses to even mention his name when asked. On arrival back from Germany, Navalny was arrested and sent to a penal colony facing 20 years imprisonment.

Given Putin's autocratic rule in Russia and the war again the Ukraine, this documentary could not be more pertinent. It is a must-see film to better understand the severity of the forces that Putin deploys in Russia.

69th Sydney Film Festival - 2022 - in full swing

 
The Sydney Film Festival has returned in full for 2022 shaking off the effects of COVID-19 and being staged with 14 screens in multiple locations in Sydney including its main venue, the State Theatre with satellite film screenings located at Event Cinemas, Dendy Newtown, Palace Cinemas, Ritz Cinemas Randwick, Hayden Orpheum Cremorne, Casula Powerhouse and the Art Gallery of NSW.

Full deatils can be found at this link: Sydney Film Festival

Sydney Film Festival 2022 - Film Review - Baz Luhrmann's "Elvis"

Austin Butler as Elvis Presley in Elvis

 
For any film director the prospect of creating a biopic around a cultural icon such as the late Elvis Presley is always a daunting and high risk venture. Will the film do justice to its subject ? Will the legion of Elvis fans accept the representation of 'The King of Rock and Roll' as shown in the film ? Is there a proper balance between the undoubted talent of the man and his ultimate decline ? Australian film director, Baz Luhrmann has made a valiant and generally successful effort with this high production values film which focusses on the ascent of Elvis Presley from his initial performances to becoming a major international star prior to his decline in health and ultimate death in 1977. Presley was only 42 years of age. 

Luhrmann's rumoured $200M budget production was filmed on Australia's Gold Coast with a predominantly Australian cast and crew. As a biographical musical drama there is a strong concentration on the actual Elvis' music and performances many of which were documented events in themselves. Perhaps the most unusual element is the fact that narration in the film and the perspective taken is from the view of Elvis' manager, the controversial Colonel Tom Parker. Parker remains a controversial figure to this day for his financial exploitation of Elvis with seeming control and manipulative restriction of his performances in the United States. 

The key cast members are American actors Austin Butler (as Elvis), Tom Hanks (as Colonel Tom Parker) with the largely Australian cast including Olivia DeJonge (as Priscilla Presley), Helen Thomson (as Elvis' mother Gladys) Richard Roxburgh (as Elvis' father, Vernon) and David Wenham (as musician/singer Hank Snow). 

The final ten or so minutes of the film use archival footage of the real Elvis Presley at the end of his career.

With a running time of 159 minutes, this is a film for those who enjoy the music and style of performance of Elvis Presley. Luhrmann has succeeded in executing a very capable and entertaining production.

Sydney Film Festival 2021 - Film Review - Blue Bayou

Justin Chon - Blue Bayou

A child adopted by a American couple and seemingly a citizen of the country of adoption, the United States, discovers on reaching adulthood that is not the case and deportation back to the country of origin is possible. This extraordinary situation is the subject of Director and screenwriter, Justin Chon's film 'Blue Bayou'. 

Antonio LeBlanc (Chon) adopted as a 3 year old from Korea has spent his entire life in the Louisana bayou country, speaks with the Southern accent and to all intents and purposes is American. He is married to Kathy (Alicia Vikander) and is step-father to her daughter with another child on the way with his wife. The legal system is however unsympathetic and his adopted parents never completed the correct paperwork to confirm his status as a citizen. Antonio hires a lawyer but is unable to effectively mount a legal defence and surrenders to US Immigration, Customs and Enforcement (ICE) for deportation back to Korea, a country with which he has no ties.

Incredibly around 35,000 adoptees could be subject to this legal situation in the US. Adopted in the 1980s and 1990 as small children, on reaching 18 years of age they can be deported if their adopted parents have not applied for US citizenship for them. The end credits of this film show the photographs and identities of people already deported.

The film conveys a strong social message and one which highlights the powerlessness of the individual against a system with rigid application.

Sydney Film Festival 2021 - Film Review - Parallel Mothers

Milena Smit and Penelope Cruz - Parallel Mothers

 
Acclaimed director, Pedro Almodovar wrote and directed this film which has an odd juxtaposition of a historical backstory and muddled collection of current inter-relationships. Janis (Penelope Cruz) a high end photographer becomes pregnant to her lover, a married war crimes archaeologist with whom she has arranged the excavation of a mass grave from the era of the Spanish Civil War. The mass grave is located in her grandmother's village. 

In the maternity wing of the hospital Janis then meets Ana (Milena Smit) a young woman also having a baby and the two women form a friendship. As fate would have it, the hospital has mistakenly switched babies with the two women unknowingly taking each other's infant home. Janis discovers the mistake but keeps it from Ana while the two become momentarily involved in a lesbian relationship. The archaeologist is still on the scene and comes to visit from time to time but Janis keeps her distance. Ana confides in Janis that her baby has died from Sudden Infant Syndrome until the sense of guilt overwhelms Janis and she admits that her baby daughter is, in fact, Ana's child.

Confusing storyline ? It is.  The underlying theme concludes with the excavation of the mass grave containing the remains of prisoners killed during the Spanish Civil War. A dramatic scene of villagers walking along the road carrying large photos of the dead forms part of the final imagery with Janis and Ana and everyone else seemingly reconciled with each other. A happy ending perhaps.

It's a quintessential Almodovar film but Cruz' talent is somewhat wasted on this script with the convoluted relationships. Principal photography provides an attractive image of Madrid and Spain itself but there is a sense of the audience being lectured in the screen writing.

 

Sydney Film Festival 2021 - Film Review - Undine

Paula Beer Undine

 
Director and Screenwriter Christian Petzold has used the myth of the water sprite as the basis of the story for this film. Undine (Paula Beer) is a Berlin historian and guide who endures a breakup with her lover Johannes. Oddly she informs him that any betrayal will mean his death and her return to her place in the water. Alas the relationship does breaks down, however Udine meets a professional diver, Christoph and falls into a relationship with him that changes the rules that she follows. Its a meaningful relationship and creates the possibility that Undine will stay on land.  When Christoph is injured in a diving accident and left seemingly brain dead in hospital, Undine restores his life leaving Johannes lifeless in his swimming pool. Undine returns to the water leaving a recovering Christoph frantically searching for her.

In mythology, Undines are a form of elemental beings associated with water and derived from the writing of Paracelsus. The title of this film is drawn from the work of Friedrich del la Motte Fouque titled 'Úndine'. The attraction of love and yearning to live on land underpins the myth of the water sprite. 

The film has dramatic moments but its generally a light romance film with a love story that suggests a possibility, but which ultimately cannot be realised. 

Sydney Film Festival 2021 - Film Review - Quo Vadis Aida

Jasna Duricic and Johan Heldenbergh Quo Vadis Aida

 
It's 26 years since the Bosnian war, yet for many people living in the former Yugoslavia, the impact of this conflict remains ever present. Film maker, Jasmila Zbanic has tackled the horror of the war crimes committed at the supposedly UN safe haven zone of Srebrenica by Bosnian Serb forces in this high production value film.   

The story is set in  July 1995 and centres around UN translator Aida (Jasna Duricic) as she seeks to provide shelter for her family at the UN peacekeeper base as the Serbian army overuns Srebrenica. 30,000 terrified people crowd around the perimeter of the UN base as they are encircled by the hostile, menacing Serbs. As the UN translator she becomes aware that the Serbian army has no intention of respecting the UN ultimatums which are little more than hollow rhetoric. Her increasingly desperate efforts to save her husband and two sons form the core of this film and the now documented duplicity of the Serbian army particularly General Radko Mladic are a central theme. The helplessness of the Dutch peacekeepers and their abandonment by the UN is as poignant as Aida's despair.

This film deservedly was nominated for an Academy Award and has high production values with a large capable cast, significant military assets (tanks, armoured cars, military vehicles) for effect and effective photography. Not surprisingly there is no happy ending for Aida as indeed there was none at Srebrenica.

Sydney Film Festival 2021 - Film Review - The Power of the Dog

Benedict Cumberbatch - The Power of the Dog

 
Producer/Director/Screenwriter Jane Campion has returned to film making after a long absence with this dark Western period piece thriller set in Montana (but filmed in New Zealand) in the year 1925. With a key cast including Benedict Cumberbatch, Kirsten Dunst, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee with superb cinematography, Campion demonstrates again her skill in this genre. She won Best Director at the Venice Film Festival in 2021 for this film.

The plot contains elements of hyper male masculinity, dark brooding menace and harsh conditions on a ranch run the Burbank brothers Phil (Cumberbatch) and George (Pelmons). George is quiet and calm while his brother Phil is charismatic, muscular and bullying of those he deems inferior. Enter into this mix is the widowed restaurant-owner Rose (Dunst) and her sensitive son, Peter (Smit-McPhee). When George marries Rose and she joins the household her quiet manner enrages Phil who reacts with his  brooding and often aggressive manner.  His behaviour increasingly depresses the gentle Rose leading to her growing dependence on alcohol. The tension builds between the characters as George tries establish a more peaceful environment for his wife and step son while Phil seeks to sabotage his efforts.

Campion has positioned the protagonists expertly in this story and when the conflict reaches its climax and then end point, it is through the most unexpected method of intervention from the least obvious character.  Much of the production and technical staff of this film are Australian and this proficiency contributes to a quality production.

Sydney Film Festival 2021 - screening in a COVID world

 
After several false starts for 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sydney Film Festival has managed to return to live screenings at multiple venues with strict COVID safe planning.  This is good news for both cinema enthusiasts and the wider film industry which has had to operate under severe disruptions as the pandemic has moved across the world. The impact and efficacy of vaccines has been the game changer for all large gatherings of people particularly for indoor settings.

The festival has been scrupulous in managing the risk of COVID: seating has been reduced in venues by 25%, all attendees must have been double vaccinated and show their certificates on entry to the venues, QR code check-in is required and face masks must be worn in the venues and throughout the screenings. Breaks between films have been increased to 1 hour and 15 minutes to enable on-site cleaning and attendees must leave the cinemas and re-enter when permitted.  

This is the reality of daily life under COVID-19. The number of films has been reduced in order to enable the necessary controls to be in place but nonetheless on each of the days of the festival between 10 and 14 venues are screening one or more films. In itself, enabling the festival to occur is a major achievement.                                                    

Sydney Film Festival 2019 - Film Review - The Souvenir

Honor Swinton Byrne at her typewriter - The Souvenir

The Souvenir by UK film maker Joanna Hogg won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance this year. Why ? This rather muddling film which apparently is based on aspects of Hogg's own life is neither particularly 'dream-like' or visually arresting but rather stretches the level of credibility of the plotline and the characters. This is a pity as the film has considerable potential which is unrealised in many respects.

The plotline follows  Julie (Honor Swinton Byrne), a film student from a privileged background  who meets Anthony (Tom Burke) an older, somewhat charismatic man who claims to work for the Foreign Office. Anthony seems to be interested in the subject matter of Julie's proposed film on the harsh social situation in England under Thatcher. Unknown to Julie, Anthony is a heavy heroin user which seems to register very little with Julie when the truth is revealed to her. Does she understand the drug scene ? Does she know what heroin is ? She is seemingly unaware throughout this story.

In terms of performance, the blank shopfront mannequin expressions of Swinton Byrne convey very little in meaning and emotion. Tom Burke is a more interesting performance as the foppish conman Anthony however his mannerisms become increasingly irritating. Julie's mother (Tilda Swinton, the real life mother of Honor Swinton Byrne) is wasted by being given a vacuous, unworldly character. All in all, the film looks and feels more like a graduate film student work rather than one for cinema release.

Sydney Film Festival 2019 - Film Review - The Dead Don't Die

(left) Adam Driver and Bill Murray - The Dead Don't Die

Independent director and screenwriter, Jim Jarmusch has created his own version of the zombie genre with this strange, oddly humorous and bizarre film set in the fictional town of Centreville, population 738. Not much happens in Centreville with its one diner, one motel and enormous funeral parlour.  The world has become unbalanced due to polar 'fracking' according to the new reports and  the local police led by Bill Murray feel something odd is going on. As the zombies arise from their graves, the townsfolk arm themselves for the apocalypse.

In addition to the key cast of Adam Driver, Chloe Sevigy and Bill Murray as the local police, there is a parade of characters with well established names including Danny Glover, Selena Gomez, Luka Sabbat, Iggy Pop, RZA and Tom Waits. Tilda Swinton swings through as a samurai sword wielding funeral director (reminiscent of Uma Thurman in Kill Bill) decapitating zombies before being whisked off in an UFO.

Jarmusch devotees will recognise his unique social observational almost spoofish style with this film that should be viewed more than once due to the multi-layering of the script. 

Sydney Film Festival 2019 - Film Review - Palm Beach

Palm Beach 

Director and screenwriter, Rachel Ward commented on stage at the Sydney Film Festival, that the idea for this film came from holidaying overseas with friends where they were discussing  the topic of entering the last quarter of their lives and all the aches and pains which comes with the stage of life.

So this film is essentially about a group of grumpy middle-aged couples and others swanning around in Palm Beach  (a Northern beachside suburb of Sydney for the rich and famous and the rich and not-so-famous) at a three-day party, reflecting on their expanding waistlines and building an outside pizza oven in the garden in the one of the principal characters of the story. The ageing males in this film had once had a one-hit wonder band (called 'The Pacific Sideburns') hence their association with each other.

In essence this film could be better titled 'Friends and acquaintances' for essentially it's a group of the in-crowd of the Australian acting profession. The cast includes Bryan Brown (husband of Rachel Ward), the perennial honorary Australian, Sam Neill, Greta Scacchi, Jacqueline Mackenzie, Heather Mitchell and the non local, Richard E Grant. The film is described as a light-hearted, uplifting drama/comedy but really its a bit tedious and seems more representative of the social bubble that is Palm Beach. The  scripting is very so-so and fully predictable. Bryan Brown acts, well... as Bryan Brown. Sam Neill is present on-set. Perhaps the party was real and there was bit of acting thrown in for good measure ?

Sydney Film Festival 2019 - Film Review - Children of the Sea - Japanese Anime

Director Ayumu Watanabe's visually beautiful, Children of the Sea illustrates the mastery of this form of animation by the Japanese industry with the anime genre. The film presents a magical seascape for the setting of an adventure of momentous proportions for the young girl Ruka and her new and mysterious friend Umi, a boy who seems strangely at one with the sea. Umi is not alone for he has an older brother, Sora who is weak and sickly yet both he and Umi possess powers of affinity with sea creatures far beyond a normal person. All of them notice a strange song traversing the oceans, luring all sea creatures to a specific location in the ocean. The importance of the impending event is the focus of this film.

Watanabe's work not only has exquisite detail in the background and settings but portrays all manner of ocean life from the well-known to the recently discovered species by marine biologists. This is a well research film. The voice-overs for the characters are provided by experienced child actors Mana Ashida, Hiiro Ishibashi and adult musician, Goro Inagaki.

Although classified as a film for all ages, the mythical story telling and use of science is better suited to the teen and adult market. At 110 minutes running time, the film is well paced, magnificent adaptation of the original manga of the same name by Daisuke Igarashi.

Sydney Film Festival 2019 - Film Review - Monos

Monos

Colombian director, Alejandro Landes skilfully brings the reality of civil war, the use of child soldiers and the plight of many Latin American nations to the screen in his provocative film Monos. Set in an unnamed country with lush visuals in cloud top mountains and dense jungles, the film follows a troop of teenage fighters who have been tasked with guarding a hostage adult prisoner (a female engineer referred to as 'Doctora') whilst also protecting a ruined defensive concrete bunker complex.

Answering to a shadowy group called 'The Organisation' and an adult controller (who operates more as a drill instructor and ideological cadre) order and discipline in the troop breaks down after a series of missteps and the escape of their hostage. Left much to themselves with only occasional contact from their controller and communication via a military radio, a Lord of the Flies feral theme becomes the foundation of this story.

The seriousness of their situation becomes only too apparent when an Army offensive forces the larger adult resistance fighters to retreat back to the bunker complex and the young fighters are instructed to fall back to a position deeper in the jungle. This is film which displays raw emotion, high level but not gratuitous violence and masterful portrayal of the breakdown of inter-relationships. A young cast provide the realism needed for the story set to the backdrop of stunning visual photography and an evocative music score by Mica Levi.

Monos

Sydney Film Festival 2019 - Film Review - Never Look Away

Tom Schilling as Kurt - Never Look Away

German director and screenwriter, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck has delivered another masterful film with his sweeping perspective of three eras of German history spanning the period from Nazi Germany to a post-war resurgent West Germany. This film is equal in quality to his Academy Award winning work, The Lives of Others and tackles a different subject area with clarity and understated horror.  The film plotline follows the life of aspiring artist, Kurt from his early childhood in Nazi Germany to being a young adult in Socialist East Germany (the GDR) traversing the different societal and political standards which must be navigated during this complex part of history. 

Sebastian Koch as Professor Seeband - Never Look Away

Kurt's life intersects with Professor Seeband, whom unbeknown to Kurt was a doctor in the SS involved in Germany's eugenics program and ultimately was responsible for the sterilisation and death of Kurt's young eccentric aunt, Elizabeth. As fate would dictate, Kurt meets and falls for Seeband's daughter, Ellie who is attending the Dusseldorf Art Academy after the end of the War. Seeband has carefully disguised and hidden his Nazi past yet his racial beliefs remain unchanged and he seeks to break-up the relationship between Kurt and Ellie.

At 189 minutes running time this is a long film yet expert scripting, acting and imagery never lets the film slip in its paces. Inspired by the life of artist Gerhard Richter, Never Look Back is an excellent period piece and provides another cultural insight into Germany's difficult history in the middle part of the 20th Century.