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Falling into Place: British Film Festival

1 November 2024 From The Front Row

Falling into Place Rating

★★★★★

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Set against the stark backdrop of a bleak Scottish winter, “Falling into Place” invites viewers into a world where two lost souls briefly collide in a bar, igniting a day filled with fleeting joy and profound connection. Directed and written by Aylin Tenzel, who also stars as the film’s emotionally troubled protagonist, the narrative explores the depths of despair and the search for solace in unexpected places.

Tenzel’s character is an artist grappling with the aftermath of a painful breakup, her self-worth at an all-time low. She isolates herself from her family, terrified that revealing her struggles will expose her vulnerabilities. Tenzel embodies this emotional turmoil with a raw honesty that resonates deeply, showcasing her talent as an actress and storyteller.

Opposite her is Chris Fulton, known for his roles in “Outlander” and “Bridgerton,” who plays a man equally enshrouded in grief. His character battles the aftermath of his sister’s suicide attempts and a relationship that has long since soured. Together, Tenzel and Fulton create an intense chemistry that pulses through the film, offering a glimpse of hope amidst their mutual pain. Their connection is not one of idealized romance but rather a bond forged in shared suffering—a recognition of their own self-destructive tendencies.

What sets “Falling into Place” apart is its unflinching portrayal of mental health issues. The film does not shy away from presenting its protagonists in an unflattering light; rather, it embraces their flaws and struggles, allowing audiences to empathize with their journeys. This authenticity is refreshing in a genre often dominated by idealized relationships.

While the film’s pacing may feel slow at times, the emotional weight it carries makes the eventual payoff worthwhile. Tenzel’s directorial debut is a powerful commentary on the healing power of shared experiences, making it a must-watch for those who appreciate intimate, character-driven storytelling.

The British Film Festival 2024 runs from Nov – Dec 8.

To book tickets to this or other films click https://britishfilmfestival.com.au/ for session and venue details.

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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Commandante: Nice Cinematography

20 October 2024 Sophie Donkin

Commandante Rating

★★★★★

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The opening of Comandante felt like a perfume ad for one of the big Italian fashion houses—a Dolce & Gabbana or Prada. A young woman in a 1940s dress looks longingly through a window. Her voiceover, while not saying much of consequence, gives the scene an elegance that got me interested to keep watching. The camera filter gives off the effect of that old Hollywood trick of Vaseline on the lens for that soft focus.

Comandante – translates to The Commander. There is nothing commanding about this film whatsoever. Okay, so we’re watching a war film. I got it. There is an Italian man now in the picture, in a singlet looking a little worse for wear. He looks troubled, and we see this is the case after some dialogue between the two characters. But then nothing happens. I was left waiting for nearly two hours. Can something happen?? The women farewell their men as they depart on a submarine to join the war effort. Okay, but nothing happens.

Comandante gave me Dunkirk vibes; that is to say, a picture featuring a lot of pretty boys, well men, and a few well-trodden older men stuck together under the sea. It is a film that tries to give us the real deal by showing lots of untidy chest hair and soft bodies. I was very aware that I was watching actors playing pretend, albeit non-glamorised, like Dunkirk.

I kept watching, waiting for something interesting to happen—a plot line, an intriguing character, anything! And then I realised something wasn’t going to happen.

The main protagonist, Captain Salvatore Todaro (Pier Francesco Favino), is a rugged-looking man with a steely presence and an incongruous penchant for lyrical turns of phrase. And yet, he is oh so dull.

The only different thing that woke me up was a funny sequence where the Belgians teach the Italians how to make chips. With that being my only memorable takeaway from this film, I think it’s clear to say I was not enamoured.

Comandante was made in collaboration with the Italian navy, who Comandante is for, a whimsical love letter to life on the sea perhaps? I felt guilty zoning out, but I can’t pretend to be interested in a film that may have good intentions and most probably has an audience somewhere. It felt like a film for my dad to watch on a quiet Sunday afternoon and probably fall asleep to.

I was very surprised when I read that Comandante opened the Venice Film Festival in 2023 after Challengers, starring Zendaya dropped out. It’s not surprising, I suppose, as Comandante could be sold as a story about Italian pride and their role in the Second World War, therefore making it ideal for the Venice Film Festival.

But there is nothing groundbreaking or emotionally charged about this film. It seriously falls short.

To book tickets to this or other films, click https://italianfilmfestival.com.au/

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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There’s Still Tomorrow Film Review

2 October 2024 Sophie Donkin

There’s Still Tomorrow Rating

★★★★★

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Let me set the scene for you.

Italy, post WWII. We are being introduced to what one assumes to be another black-and-white, a run-of-the-mill black-and-white post-war movie to doze off to on a rainy Sunday afternoon, panning into a bedroom with a husband and wife waking up to the promise of a new day. “Good morning, Ivano.” And then…SLAP!

Not metaphorically! A big old slap across the face from a husband, Ivano, to his wife, Delia, and whoa! Now we are off!

We’ve just witnessed something horrible; a man slaps a woman across the face, but the reaction it warrants is to burst out laughing. An embarrassed laugh, an unsure laugh, a shocked laugh. The comical, slapstick timing is so perfectly timed and pitched, as the whole film will pan out. Hooray! This film suddenly got interesting.

Directed and starring Paola Cortellesi, a well-respected and much loved Italian actress and comedienne as the main protagonist of Delia along with a perfectly pitched ensemble cast, including Valerio Mastandrea as the horrible husband, and fantastic young actors as their gorgeous teenage daughter and young sons, and her best friend and ally, Marissa.
One almost forgets this is Italy in the second half of the 1940’s. Delia cannot go to a refuge with her children or book an uber out of there.

Delia remains, constantly insulted and belittled, working multiple odd jobs to contribute to the household income, raising the children, running the household, looking after her handsy father-in-law. And then, a mysterious letter arrives, intriguingly addressed only to Delia. What is written in this letter? Who sent the letter? Such a mysterious piece of paper which Delia lets herself smile about and is excited enough about that feels the urgent need to hide away from Ivano.

Then, more good news. Her teenage daughter has the promise of marriage to a well-off son of a local café owner. Exciting new that will make Ivano happy. So happy to shout out to the other tenants in their building from their barely furnished ground floor flat that his daughter will be marrying into a respectable household. Are things finally looking up?

Not to be. We soon come to realise through Delia’s eyes that sadly, old habits are often inherited from generation to generation. Is this young man really a new beginning for the younger generation, or just a younger version of the repressive and threatening husband Delia chose instead of her old flame at the local mechanics who is a gentleman and lets her eat chocolate with him that an American soldier gifted to Delia for her kindness to him.

There’s still tomorrow is a story of repression, domesticity, abuse, survival, love, adversity, and finally, female empowerment. Delicious moments are peppered throughout, when you start to look away as Ivano raises his hand to his Delia, assuming the scene is going one way and then, out of nowehere, a perfectly choreagraphed dance sequence is playing out, like a memory being told that is just so painful that the storyteller is making it more pallatable for the audience. The echoes of West Side Story. And my goodnes, it works a treat.

It is easy to understand how There’s Still Tomorrow was the highest grossing film in Italy in 2023, outperforming Barbie and Oppenheimer.

This is the story of Italian women coming together and having the chance to finally stand up and be counted.

I have already reccommended to all my frfiends in Sydney to go to the Palace Cinma in Broadway tonight at 8.30pm and see for themselves this amazing piece of Italian film.

POTERE DELLE RAGAZZE! Tranlation…GIRL POWER!

To book tickets to this or other films click https://italianfilmfestival.com.au/

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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Maria Montessori Film Review

27 September 2024 Michelle Rooke

Maria Montessori Rating

★★★★★

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Léa Todorov’s directorial debut feature film ‘Maria Montessori’ offers a biopic of the Italian doctor’s journey in revolutionising children’s pedagogy. Maria Montessori transformed societies positioning of children with disabilities, medical conditions, &/or neurodivergence in education, and women in the workforce.

Set at the turn of the 20th century, the film begins in Paris where the esteemed French courtesan Lili d’Alengy (Leïla Bekhti) is confronted by the return of her estranged daughter Tina (Rafaëlle Sonneville-Caby) into her custody.

Lili is ashamed of the disabilities Tina possesses and frightened she will ruin her social standing so she flees to Rome. There she attempts to admit Tina as a boarder to a pedagogical institute that takes in ‘idiot children’ (as they were then referred to). Maria Montessori (Jasmine Trinca) and Guiseppe Montesano (Raffaele Esposito) manage the facility.

Maria accepts Tina into the program, but is unable to offer accommodation, much to Lili’s dismay she must stay based in Rome until a bed becomes available for Tina. Tina makes great academic and locomotive progress at the school, under the caring support and guidance of Maria.

Lili begins to soften her boundaries; a significant turning point of which, is when she plays the piano at the school, and the children delightedly dance along to the music. The music acts as a bridge, that reframes Lili’s perspective of the children’s mental and emotional capabilities, furthermore uniting her with Maria. Maria was initially judgemental of Lili’s abandonment and disavowal of motherhood to Tina, as Lili becomes more involved the two women forge a friendship.

We learn that Maria and Guiseppe are in secret romantic partnership and have a son together, who lives in the care of another woman in the countryside. Maria longs to live with her son Mario (also with disabilities), but she wishes to maintain her autonomy and without marrying Guiseppe he will not claim the child as his own, so the couple are limited to weekend visits to see him. Maria and Lili’s lives’ parallel each other, despite their significant differences.

Both have been estranged mothers in the pursuit of their independence. Lili is shocked to learn Maria doesn’t get paid for her work at the institute and helps Maria pave a path forward to achieve recognition for her pedagogical approach and the ability to grow and transmit the Montessori method.

The film offers fantastic subtext on the societal framing and transmission of shame, particularly as it effects nonhomogeneous groups. The casting is fantastic. The youth cast have real life physical and cognitive disabilities. It’s impactful to see the positive representation of people with disabilities being empowered not just through the story’s messaging, but also in its delivery. Rafaëlle Sonneville-Caby’s acting and depiction of her character Tina’s journey is incredibly moving.

Tina has a strong appetite and inclination towards learning. Seemingly non-verbal but with expressive emotional intelligence, receiving praise and love ignite her spark and inner determination. Rafaëlle illuminates Tina’s personality with beautiful authenticity. Several of her scenes were so affecting and poignant I found my emotional-physiological response resounding in fierce protection of her character. The story is one of sisterhood between Maria and Lili, and motherhood of each with their children, moreover motherhood as an approach to education.

Quotations such as “The new pedagogy must acknowledge the sublime art of motherhood” and “An education of love” speak to this and are expanded upon where Maria advocates for women to contribute to the workforce “Motherhood will then become a social model.” I think this idea is powerful and gaining traction in society today, for all it can offer – not just to women, but to everyone.

The story is both inspiring, and a heartbreaking rendering of the complex decisions women were required to make in this time and context. An important cinematic offering from Léa Todorov.

To book tickets to this or other films, click https://italianfilmfestival.com.au/

This review also appears on It’s On The House. Check out more reviews at Whats The Show to see what else is on in your town.

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