Last week, the jury president of the Berlin Film Festival claimed that this year’s edition would provide an “opposite” to politics. If such a thing exists,...
The new film from Anthony Chen takes a minute to find its rhythm. For the first hour or so of its admittedly substantial runtime, I couldn’t help but wonder if...
Moulding cruel or nihilistic characters into darkly attractive protagonists requires a deceptively delicate touch. We’ve grown so used to seeing it done effort...
It’s rare for a film as good as First Light to slip through the cracks of the major festivals. This debut feature from Filipino-Australian director James J...
Seven years after collaborating on The Plagiarists, writers James N. Kienitz Wilkins and Robin Schavoir return with The Misconceived—another incisive, inventiv...
Forget misunderstood hacks and generational talents. There's nothing quite like a consistent studio hand (with a solid 3- or 4-star batting average) who flies ...
Note: This review was originally published as part of our 2025 Cannes coverage. Sirat opens on February 6, 2026.
For the French-Spanish filmmaker Oliver...
Note: This review was originally published as part of our 2025 Cannes coverage. The President's Cake opens in theaters on February 6.
Among the best thi...
Note: This review was originally published as part of our 2024 Thessaloniki coverage. When the Light Breaks is now available digitally.
Watching When the Li...
Since taking his debut feature Winter Brothers to the Locarno Film Festival in 2017, Hlynur Pálmason has gradually made his name as one of Europe's most eclect...
Irish-born, Berlin-based, Rory O'Connor has been covering the European film festival circuit since 2012. A regular contributor to The Film Stage, his work has also appeared in Frieze, The Playlist, and CineVue.
