A surprising, compulsively watchable documentary that raises unsettling questions about human nature and contemporary Iranian society, Nose Iranian Style is about Iran leading the world in the number of nose jobs per year, currently estimated at 60,000-70,000. Exploring the psychology of young people in particular and their obsession with getting rid of their “big noses,” […]
Nearly every Indian city has packs of stray dogs who scour the landscape for scraps and head pats. And nearly every Indian city has kindly spirits who regularly feed these animals, tend to their injuries, give them names and a sense of belonging. American filmmaker Jesse Alk’s documentary Pariah Dog is the absorbing chronicle of […]
Shot over a period of three years in her own home, Archana Atul Phadke’s amusing feature-length doc isn’t “all about love” but more modestly About Love, focusing on one extended family – her own – and making no pretense to finding that elusive emotion. Constant bickering and low-level tension characterize this closely knit crew. Laughter […]
The ideas that dominate the tech industry and our day to day lives were born at a secretive Silicon Valley start-up called ‘General Magic’, which spun out of Apple in 1990 to create the first handheld personal communicator (or “smartphone”). The film combines rare archival footage with powerful honesty from the “Magicians” today, reflecting on […]
Long Day Tomorrow is director Paweł Wysoczański’s humane documentary about a Polish doctor, who has dedicated her life to helping other people. Helena Pyz moved to India 30 years ago to care for the patients at Jeevodaya centre suffering from leprosy. Pyz’s tough attitude and temperament are apparent both when she tries to persuade the […]
A 21-day meditative journey into the soul of Hasankeyf, an ancientcity with a unique ecosystem soon to be lost to man-made annihilation. “Tekeş and her crew took a 21-day trip around the area, visiting the settlements, the historical and natural sites that will soon be gone under water. The result of it is this film, […]
The film works well on an emotional level, however, thanks to the frankness of those contributing. Moments including when Helene is faced with a complimentary robe that is far too small for her or when a stylist, who was previously told her size, still brings clothing to a photo shoot that doesn’t fit, speak volumes. […]
It’s winter, 5 degrees and the water is steaming. People sit in the hot water, leaning against the edge of the pool. Behind them the sea, an infinite expanse. What at first glance looks like a beautiful spa by the sea, the people of Varna call it The Pit. A cinematic portrait of the Bulgarian […]
Love Child offers a poignant portrait of Leila and Sahand, an Iranian couple who, outlawed for their love, flee the country with their four-year-old son, Mani. In Tehran, they committed the crime of having a secret affair while being married to other people and were forbidden to get divorced. Neither could they acknowledge that Mani […]
Li Ermao was born a boy, but has lived for many years now as a “ladyboy.” She performs in clubs, but yearns for true love and acceptance. The film follows her life for 17 years, in which she displays resilience and vulnerability in equal measure, and repeatedly encounters prejudice and even aggression. She and her […]