AUTHOR Beverly Andrews
Homecoming, a Sami documentary at TIFF
At this year’s TIFF, Homecoming and A Road to a Village stood out not just for their storytelling, but for the worlds they revealed. From the sacred repatriation of Sámi artifacts to the quiet unraveling of a Nepalese village under the weight of modernization, both films confront the hidden costs of history and progress—and leave us transformed for having witnessed them.
Rays of Light in the Midst of Darkness
In a time of growing global division, three thoughtful works—Red, White & Royal Blue, Heartstopper, and the opera Omar—offer moving stories that center love, identity, and quiet resilience. Whether through the joy of queer romance or the strength of personal conviction, each reminds us of the power of simply telling one’s story.
JOSEPHINE BAKER CONTADA POR BRICKTOP
“Al cerrar los ojos ahora, veo al Paris tal como lo hemos conocido. Antes, era una ciudad diferente, una ciudad de colores y luz. En aquella época, éramos tan pocos que atraíamos todas las miradas como si fuéramos seres raros y exóticos.”
La mort d’une icône : Tina Turner
Tina Turner n’était pas seulement une voix puissante ou une silhouette inoubliable sur scène. Elle était un symbole de résilience, de transformation et de liberté. De son enfance marquée par l’abandon à la violence conjugale, de la gloire étouffante à la renaissance triomphale, elle a traversé les épreuves avec une force rare. Ce portrait retrace le parcours extraordinaire d’une femme qui, par la musique, la spiritualité et le courage, a inspiré des générations à se relever, à rêver, et à croire en un avenir meilleur.
The World through Egyptian Eyes
For too long, Western cinephilia has drawn its borders tightly around Hollywood and a handful of European auteurs. But with its richly curated retrospective, the BFI Southbank opens a long-overdue window onto the visionary world of Youssef Chahine — a filmmaker whose work is as politically fearless as it is emotionally resonant, as grounded in Egyptian reality as it is steeped in cinematic fantasy.
A Cinematic Odyssey
The Odyssey Chinese Cinema Season 2023 offers a bold and diverse selection of films that challenge stereotypes and spotlight the emotional and cultural richness of contemporary Chinese filmmaking. From courtroom dramas to queer love stories and unconventional personal journeys, the festival reveals a cinematic landscape as complex and compelling as the country itself.
Tribeca Film Festival 2023
From war-torn Ukraine to the Scottish Highlands, this year’s Tribeca Film Festival spotlighted powerful global stories of resilience, identity, and unexpected connection. Through comedy, documentary, and drama, these films reaffirm cinema’s ability to bridge cultures and speak to our shared humanity.
Medicine’s Dubious History
In Giant, composer Sarah Angliss brings the tragic story of Charles Byrne—the 18th-century “Irish Giant”—to operatic life, weaving a haunting tale of bodily autonomy, scientific ambition, and lost humanity. Premiering at the Aldeburgh Festival, this bold new work confronts the dark legacy of medical progress built on exploitation, echoing disturbing parallels with modern celebrity culture and our ongoing fascination with physical difference.