REVIEWS
Post-film thoughts.
La Gradiva: Always Forever
Versions of these teenagers existed centuries before they were ever born, they exist now as they are, and they will continue to be reincarnated as the centuries go by, worrying about the same things, stressed about school, trying to fit in with their peers, wondering who they are or where they come from.
Iron Boy: A Charming Portrait of Childhood
Every step of the process reflects the director’s loyalty to his hometown. Voice recordings were done with non-professional actors—including Clichy’s son—in a farm in Beauce, location scouting was conducted in the same place, and one of the only songs used in the film was chosen in honor of his sisters. As a result, Iron Boy feels like an immersion into Clichy's childhood, comforting in the nostalgia it brings but also disarming in its complexity.
Julian: An Ode to Queer Love
Carried by Nina Meurisse in the role of Fleur and Laurence Roothooft as Julian, the Belgian-Dutch drama beautifully translates the expectations the couple had for gay rights through their unusual project, as well as the hardships of navigating love and grief.
The Balconettes: The Truth in a Woman
Noémie Merlant’s The Balconettes is a femme-powered comedy/thriller/drama that met some of my hopes and expectations, fell short of others, and surpassed my imagination, leaving me in awe at times and horror in others.
LUZ: Worlds Intertwined
Flora Lau’s LUZ (花明渡) follows two narratives intertwined across three distinct settings. The main storylines take place in Paris and Chongqing, both connected through virtual reality.