Tag: foreign films
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On Becoming a Guinea Fowl review
On Becoming a Guinea Fowl is a rich, textured tale of family secrets revealed during a traditional Zambian funeral. Thematically, it shows how patriarchal systems and customs are enforced by both men and women. There are some spoilers ahead.
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The Seed of the Sacred Fig review
The Seed of the Sacred Fig begins with this quote: “Ficus Religiosa is a tree with an unusual life cycle. It seeds, contained in bird droppings, fall on other trees. Aerial roots spring up and grow down to the floor. Then, the branches wrap around the host tree and strangle it. Finally, the sacred fig…
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Yara tells a true crime story from Italy
Yara Gambirasio (Chiara Bono), a 13 year old girl, was walking home one night in 2010 from a sports center very close to her home when she disappeared. The case, based on a real crime, took years to resolve and was built on DNA evidence. This review contains spoilers.
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Those Who Remained, a quiet story of recovery
Those Who Remained tells of the aftermath of war for some Hungarians. It begins in 1948 as Hungary was struggling to cope with the effects of World War II. It ended in 1953 with the death of Stalin.
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Divorce (Rozwodnicy), an offbeat Polish comedy
Divorce (Rozwodnicy) pokes the Roman Catholic Church’s marriage laws in the eye with this clever and offbeat comedy.
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The Wrong Track, ski your way to adulthood
The Wrong Track (På villspor) tells a heartwarming story about the rocky road to adulthood and acceptance of what life has to offer you. It’s a Norwegian film.
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Do Patti review, a Hindi language drama from India
Do Patti (which translates as “Two Cards”) is an Indian film about domestic violence. It took a heavy handed, ineffective approach to the topic, which is a serious problem in India’s patriarchal society.
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The Red Virgin review, the Hildegart Rodríguez story
The Red Virgin (La virgen roja), based on the true story of Spanish prodigy Hildegart Rodríguez, tells a story of genius and madness. It is directed by Paula Ortiz, who made this retelling into an artistic film of creation and destruction.
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Let Go review, Swedish family relationship story
Let Go (Släpp taget) brings a melancholy family relationship story to Netflix. This Swedish drama stars Josephine Bornebusch as Stella. Josephine Bornebusch also wrote and directed the film. It’s a finely wrought tale of a family in crisis.
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The Children’s Train review, post war Italy story
The Children’s Train (Il treno dei bambini) tells how parents in poverty stricken Naples in 1946 joined a movement to send their children north to areas where people who survived the war on farms had more food and shelter to offer the children. It was meant to be a temporary move.