26th Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival 2015
DAY 1:
White God ★★★★
Hungary, 2014, 119 min.
A new city law taxing mixed breed mutts leads many owners to dump their dogs on the streets – including 13-year-old Lili’s beloved pet Hagen. While she tries to find him, Hagen fights for survival. But every dog has his day.
Today ★★★★
Iran, 2014, 87 min.
A Tehran taxi driver becomes the impromptu protector of a desperate young pregnant woman after he rushes her to hospital, in this delicate, deceptively small-scale drama from award-winning Iranian director Reza Mirkarimi (A Cube of Sugar).
Dancing Arabs ★★★★★
Israel, 2014, 105 min.
Eran Riklis’ best film since The Syrian Bride looks at the difficult road taken by Arab Israeli student Eyad (Tawfeek Barhum), who wins a scholarship to a posh Israeli high school—where he’s the only Arab in attendance.
DAY 2:
Excuse My French ★★★
Egypt, 2014, 99 min.
A smash box office success in Egypt, this comic coming-of-age story from the director of Asma’a spotlights social discrimination. Twelve-year-old Hany, a smart boy from a privileged Coptic Christian family, is mistaken for a Muslim when he attends a government-run public school.
A Few Cubic Meters Of Love ★★★
Afghanistan, 2014, 90 min.
Set in a shantytown on the outskirts of Tehran where a factory owner employs a horde of illegal Afghan workers, this affecting social issue drama centers on a forbidden relationship.
Nabat ★★★
Azerbaijan, 2014, 105 min.
“A rare art film from Azerbaijan, Nabat tells the simple but affecting story of an elderly peasant woman who selflessly cares for her dying husband in wartime while grieving for her lost son. What makes it extraordinary is the presence of major Iranian actress Fatemeh Motamed-Arya.
DAY 3:
Mr. Kaplan ★★★
Uruguay, 2014, 98 min.
A cantankerous 76-year-old Jewish retiree in Montevideo attempts to leave a legacy by unmasking an elderly German beach bar owner as a Nazi war criminal.
Walter ★★
USA, 2014, 94 min.
Since making his childhood deal with God to decide the eternal fate of everyone he encounters in return for God sending his dad to heaven, theatre ticket-taker Walter has kept his part of the bargain. But once the mysterious Greg appears on the scene, Walter finds his side of the bargain increasingly.
Charlie’s Country ★★★★
Australia, 2014, 108 min.
A hypnotically beautiful film that parallels star David Gulpilil’s own troubled life and epitomizes the cultural dislocation that aboriginal people face in contemporary Australia.
With Australian filmmaker Rolf de Heer - Bad Boy Bubby, The Tracker, Ten Canoes, Charlie's Country (Australia's official entry to the Academy Awards)
This year, PSIFF had a wide selection of around 190 films in total from which I have already seen 56 in various film festivals during 2014. Here they are with their corresponding ratings:
1001 Grams ★★★★
Norway, 2014, 90 min.
Scientist Marie travels to Paris with the Norwegian national kilo prototype where it can be weighed against international standards in this deadpan, Tati-esque comedy.
Accused (Lucia de B.) ★★★
Netherlands, 2014, 97 min.
This tense thriller is based on the true story of one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in Dutch history, the case of intensive care nurse Lucia de Berk, aka “The Angel of Death.”
Alleluia ★★
Belgium, 2014, 93 min.
Amour fou is particularly deranged in this maniacal tale of two lovers who conflate raging passion and rampant bloodletting. The story of the “honeymoon killers” remains just as shocking in this contemporary retelling as when it was ripped from the headlines for the 1969 cult classic.
August Winds ★★★
Brazil, 2014, 77 min.
A gorgeously shot, sensual tone poem, centering on the romance between handsome deep-sea diver Jeison and beautiful coconut plantation worker Shirley.
Back on Board: Greg Louganis ★★★★
USA, 2014, 88 min.
Incorporating vintage footage of diving champion Greg Louganis’ rise to greatness and intimate views of the turmoil in his personal life along with candid interviews with Louganis and those who know him best, this an engrossing portrait of the four-time Olympian.
Beloved Sisters ★★★
Germany, 2014, 170 min.
German director Dominik Graf lets his Romantic imagination run wild in this tasteful but erotically charged melodrama about the love life of German sturm-und-drang philosopher and writer Friedrich Schiller, the object of a pact between two sisters who decide to love him equally.
Clouds of Sils Maria ★★
France, 2014, 124 min.
Set high in the Swiss Alps, Olivier Assayas’ beautifully directed backstage drama hinges on a bravura turn from Juliette Binoche as a star wrestling with questions of aging, identity and the meanings of art and life.
Concrete Night ★★★★★
Finland, 2013, 96 min.
Shot in stunning black-and-white, Concrete Night is a dream-like odyssey through Helsinki over the course of one night. A 14-year-old boy from the slums roams the streets with his older brother, on his last day before incarceration.
Corn Island ★★★
Georgia, 2014, 100 min.
A fable-like drama capturing the cycle of life along the border between Georgia and Abkhazia. An old farmer sows corn on one of the tiny islands that form in the Inguri River each spring, but cultivating no-man’s land is dangerous business.
Cowboys ★
Croatia, 2013, 107 min.
A nifty blend of social drama and absurdist comedy, about a bunch of small town no-hopers who stage an American Western as a musical.
The Dark Valley ★★★★
Austria, 2014, 115 min.
In this moody, almost Gothic feature, the Western genre’s mainstays are all in place – a brooding hero, an isolated town full of secrets; a revenge motif; an evil villain – but the majestic Alpine backdrop against which the archetypical tale plays out is something quite different.
Eyes of a Thief ★★★★
Palestinian Territories, 2014, 98 min.
Palestine’s Academy Award® submission is simultaneously a thriller and a relationships drama about an ex-prisoner with a dark past, and a nuanced portrait of life under occupation.
Fair Play ★★★
Czech Republic, 2014, 100 min.
In Czechoslovakia circa 1983, a talented young sprinter risks her career by resisting the “special care” program designed to boost her competition times in this involving drama.
Force Majeure ★★★
Sweden, 2014, 118 min.
Set in a European ski resort, this is a bitingly funny dissection of masculinity found wanting from rising Swedish star Ruben Ostlund.
Futuro Beach ★★★★★
Brazil, 2014, 106 min.
Two breakneck motorcycle rides bookend a tactile gay romance, told over three chapters and in the contrasting locations of sexy Brazil and frigid Berlin. Karim Ainouz’s latest feature is an astonishingly colorful and intimate look into the complexities of human relationships.
Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem ★★★★
Israel, 2014, 115 min.
Israel’s answer to Iran’s A Separation, this powerhouse courtroom drama is stirring winds of change in Israeli society.
Ghadi ★★★★★
Lebanon, 2013, 100 min.
A gently barbed social satire about bigotry and redemption in a traditional Lebanese coastal town.
The Golden Era ★★★
China, 2014, 178 min.
A free spirit, Xio Hang became one of the most influential political essayists and a major influence in Chinese literature, reflecting progressive thinking not often seen in 1930s China. A bold, beautiful biopic from the director of A Simple Life and the star of Lust, Caution.
Goodnight Mommy ★★★★
Austria, 2014, 99 min.
A mother and her alienated twins get caught up in an increasingly disturbing battle of wills in this elegantly warped chiller from producer Ulrich Seidl.
Güeros ★★★
Mexico, 2014, 106 min.
A teenage boy goes to live with his slacker brother in Mexico City in the midst of the massive student protests of 1999. They go searching for a legendary folk singer in this witty and stylish nod to the French New Wave.
The Guide ★★★
Ukraine, 2013, 120 min.
A boy on the run is rescued by a blind folk minstrel in this tale of love, loyalty, betrayal and infamy, set during the suppression of rural kulaks — wealthy farmers — and the Soviet-engineered Ukraine famine that left as many as 10 million peasants dead from starvation.
Haemoo ★★★
South Korea, 2014, 111 min.
Snowpiercer director Bong Joon-ho oversaw this extremely tense, ethically-probing dramatic thriller set onboard a rundown fishing trawler. To stave off bankruptcy the captain has agreed to smuggle migrants, but his human cargo proves less pliable than expected.
Human Capital ★★★
Italy, 2013, 111 min.
The destinies of two families are irrevocably tied together after a cyclist is killed in a hit and run incident in this engrossing transposition of a Stephen Amidon novel to northern Italy.
The Humbling ★★★
USA, 2014, 112 min.
Barry Levinson’s alternately loony and lacerating new comedy, adapted from Philip Roth’s eponymous final novel by award-winning screenwriter Buck Henry, boasts a dream cast in a twisted tale about an ageing actor (Al Pacino) who literally takes a nose dive into the dark recesses of his craft.
Ida ★★★★
Poland, 2013, 80 min.
A moving and intimate drama set in 1960s Poland, about a young novitiate on the verge of taking her vows who discovers a dark family secret dating from the Nazi occupation.
The Japanese Dog ★★★
Romania, 2013, 85 min.
This moving tale centers on bereaved 80-year-old reconnecting with his estranged son, who returns to Romania with a Japanese wife and child.
Kurmanjan Datka: Queen of the Mountains ★★★
Kyrgyzstan, 2014, 131 min.
A sumptuous and exotic historical epic tracing the true story of a young woman who rises to become the savior of her people, this is the engrossing tale of Kurmanjan Datka, who united the warring tribes of her Central Asian nation and led them against the Russian Empire’s invading forces.
Leviathan ★★★★
Russia, 2014, 140 min.
A hard-hitting parable of the Putin era, this modern take on the Biblical story of Job is a devastating tragedy set in contemporary Russia.
Liar’s Dice ★★★
India, 2013, 104 min.
Leaving her mountain village behind with her little girl, a pet goat and a cell phone, Kamala goes searching for her missing husband and encounters an enigmatic stranger who offers to help.
Life in a Fishbowl ★★★
Iceland, 2014, 129 min.
In one of Iceland’s biggest-ever domestic hits, the lives of three characters intertwine. This strongly acted, sensitively directed drama offers a naturalistic portrait of fraught lifestyles in Reykjavik on the eve of the country’s 2008 economic meltdown.
The Light Shines Only There ★★★★
Japan, 2014, 120 min.
Portraying love and friendship among people on the margins of society, Mipo Oh solidifies her reputation as one of Japan’s most promising directors.
Little England ★★★★
Greece, 2013, 132 min.
Two sisters, both in love with the same man... This gripping family saga set on the Greek island of Andros during the 1930s and 40s is a story of passion, family and loss.
Living is Easy with Eyes Closed ★★★★
Spain, 2013, 108 min.
This charming, nostalgic road movie is inspired by a true story of a high school English teacher – a devoted Beatles fan – who drove across Spain to meet his idol John Lennon in 1966 to clarify some lyrics he couldn’t understand.
Mateo ★★★
Colombia, 2014, 86 min.
A Colombian teenager who works for his criminal uncle extorting money is forced to join a theater group. He starts to make friends there and falls for a pretty girl, but his uncle pressures him to spy on them.
Mommy ★★★
Canada, 2014, 134 min.
Dolan’s fifth feature (at just 25!) is a bold, innovative, nakedly emotional return to the mother-troubled teen dynamics of I Killed My Mother. Dolan shared a Jury Prize with Godard at Cannes, and the heartfelt Mommy smacks with a wallop.
Natural Sciences ★★★★
Argentina, 2014, 71 min.
With an inspiring force of will, 12-year-old Lila convinces a teacher at her boarding school to defy the principal and take her on a journey to find the father she has never known - with a rusty plaque as their only clue.
Never Die Young ★★★★
Luxembourg, 2014, 70 min.
A singular and unforgettable work, Pol Cruchten’s quasi-experimental documentary mixes harsh realities and daring visuals while looking at the hard, sad life of a heroin addict, paralyzed from the waist down at age 20.
The Nightingale ★★★★
China, 2013, 108 min.
In this ravishingly beautiful movie, an elderly farmer decides it is time to keep his promise and return to the village he left 20 years before for Beijing – bringing with him his beloved bird, and, unexpectedly, his spoiled, cosmopolitan granddaughter.
One for the Road ★★★
Mexico, 2014, 93 min.
Three octogenarians band together for a road trip to honor the dying wish of their friend: to deliver the draft of a Ranchera song to a museum. A series of poignant and comical adventures bring them a renewed sense of purpose and possibility in their golden years.
Red Amnesia ★★★
China, 2014, 115 min.
When an elderly widow starts receiving anonymous phone calls her sons shrug it off as the imaginings of a lonely and disoriented old woman. But the harassment continues, a painful reminder of a long-forgotten past.
Saint Laurent ★★★★
France, 2013, 150 min.
The life of iconic fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent (an uncanny Gaspard Ulliel) and the visual style of director Betrand Bonello make for a perfect match in this mesmerizing investigation of a life fuelled by excess, triumph, love and loss.
The Salt of the Earth ★★★★
France, 2014, 100 min.
Peripatetic Brazilian photojournalist Sebastião Salgado’s extraordinary life and work are the focus of this inspiring, visually mesmeric documentary, a collaboration between the photographer’s son and veteran German filmmaker Wim Wenders (The Buena Vista Social Club; Pina).
See You in Montevideo ★★★
Serbia, 2014, 146 min.
This exciting sequel to Montevideo, Taste of a Dream (PSIFF, 2013) continues the tale of how the Yugoslav football team took part in the first official World Cup in Montevideo, Uruguay in 1930 and made sports history.
Song of the Sea ★★★
Ireland, 94 min.
The magical tale of a boy and his mute sister, running away from their grandmother in Dublin to get back to their lighthouse keeper father. A dazzling animated film from the director of the Oscar®-nominated Secret of Kells.
Sorrow and Joy ★★★
Denmark, 2013, 107 min.
Filmmaker Johannes and his wife, schoolteacher Signe, experience the biggest sorrow and misfortune one can ever imagine – and try to move forward together despite everything. A profound, deeply personal film from Nils Malmros.
Tangerines ★★★★
Estonia, 2013, 87 min.
1992. An Estonian village in Abkhazia. The approaching war scares off all but two villagers who remain to harvest the tangerines. This deeply pacifist chamber drama is as tense as a thriller.
Three Windows and a Hanging ★★★★
Greenland, 2014, 93 min.
When a woman from a traditional Kosovar village anonymously reveals to an international journalist that she and others were raped during the war with Serbia, the fallout from this once-repressed secret threatens to tear apart the fabric of village life.
Timbuktu ★★★★
Mauritania, 2013, 97 min.
Sissako’s account of the occupation of the Malian city by militant Islamic rebels is a direct aesthetic riposte to their zealotry, characterized by its warmth, color, texture and compassion, its sense of beauty and justice.
To Kill a Man ★★★
Chile, 2014, 82 min.
A thoughtful and restrained portrait of an unassuming family man driven extreme action. Let down by an ineffective legal system, he plots the murder of a street thug who has terrorized his family and cost him his marriage.
The Tribe ★★★★
Ukraine, 2014, 132 min.
One of the most original, audacious and talked about films of 2014, The Tribe takes place in a boarding school for the deaf where the students participate in an underground criminal network. Performed entirely in sign language without subtitles. Contains frank and disturbing scenes of sex and violence.
Two Days, One Night ★★★
Belgium, 2014, 95 min.
Marion Cotillard is outstanding as a desperate working-class mother who has one weekend to save her job by confronting her coworkers and her own insecurities in this latest naturalistic, thought-provoking film from Belgian masters Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (The Son; The Kid with a Bike).
Villa Touma ★★★
2014, 88 min.
An 18-year-old Palestinian orphan arrives at the home of her three estranged aunts only to discover that they’re practically living in suspended animation, pretending that the epochal Six-Day War never happened. The directing debut of award-winning screenwriter Suha Arraf (The Syrian Bride).
Walking Under Water ★★★★
Poland, 2014, 77 min.
Eliza Kubarska’s magical, dreamlike documentary is a modern fairytale: Alexan, the last Badjao diver on his island in the Borneo Sea, takes 10-year-old Sari under his wing. But will Sari carry on this disappearing way of life or instead join the increasingly dominant tourist trade?
The Way He Looks ★★★★
Brazil, 2014, 95 min.
Leonardo is a blind, gay teenager; his best friend Giovana stands up for him against the school bullies. But then Gabriel, a new student, takes an interest in him. Giovana must try to adjust her expectations as tender feelings develop between the two boys.
Wild Tales ★★★★★
Argentina, 2013, 122 min.
Produced by Pedro and Agustín Almodóvar – a compendium of six absurdly taut, funny and emotionally-charged short films that share the common theme of revenge, delivered with a wicked sense of humor and a fresh and inventive visual style. One film you cannot afford to miss.
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