No 1: The Sealed Soil (Nabili, 1977): ICA Cinema, 8.30pm
68th LONDON FILM FESTIVAL (9th - 20th October 2024) DAY 4
With its date at the end of the year, London is a "festival of festivals", as the Telegraph film critic Robbie Collin put it in one of his previews,
so the films shown have mostly been seen and commented on by critics
who have watched the features at such high-profile festivals as Cannes,
Venice, Toronto, Sundance and Berlin.
So I'm making it simple with one recommendation a day. I will be concentrating on the repertory choices but I've also read the
reviews of the contemporary releases and talked to and listened to the trusted critics all year and I
am as confident as I can be that this is the pick of the movies within
the parameters I have set. Firstly, there's no point highlighting the
major gala films - they will be sold out quickly. Secondly, there is
little to be gained in paying the higher Festival ticket prices to see
films that are out in Britain soon. I will be returning to the London
Festival films worthy of seeing and set to be released in the coming
months on this blog as and when they get a general release in London.
Here then (from October 9th to October 20th) are the films you are likely
to be able to get tickets for and the movies you are unlikely to see in
London very soon unless you go the Festival. Here is the LFF's main website for the general information you need. Don't
worry if some of the recommended films are sold out as there are always
some tickets on offer which go on sale 30 minutes before each
screening. Here is the information you need to get those standby tickets.
BFI introduction:
As her community prepares to relocate to accommodate a
government-mandated construction project, a young woman rebels against
the restrictions imposed on her when she reaches marrying age by
rejecting all suitors. Bressonian in its formal rigour and sense of
detachment, the earliest complete surviving feature film directed by an
Iranian woman is a hypnotic and quietly radical portrait of resistance,
and a passionate rejection of patriarchy.
Jason Wood
Here (and above) is an interview with the director.
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No 2: Dahomey (Diop, 2024): BFI Southbank, NFT1, 5.15pm
This choice also has screenings at Curzon Soho (October 14th) and the ICA Cinema (October 15th). You can find all the details here.
BFI introduction:
Preserved for 130 years in the vaults and vitrines of European
institutions, Dahomey’s plundered icons dream infinitely. Mati Diop’s
follow up to Atlantics, her acclaimed feature debut, blends the
metaphysical with documentary to follow 26 of over 7,000 devotional and
royal stolen objects as they are repatriated. A cool-headed yet fierce
film, Dahomey captures the debate, anger, pride, joy and grief of the
reunion.
Arike Oke
Here is the trailer.
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