Release Date – TBC, Cert – N/A, Run-time – 1 hour 17 minutes, Director – Eric Gordon

Director Eric Gordon documents the love between his parents as his mother assists his father as he declines with Alzheimer’s.

There’s no denying the highly personal nature of Eric Gordon’s When All That’s Left Is Love. It’s a stripped-back, non-flash, basics feature; in some ways very much alike to a home movie. It’s an unfortunate family portrait as he documents his mother, Marilyn, caring for his father, Sheldon “Shelley”, as he deteriorates from Alzheimer’s. That nature in which the film is shot, we see Marilyn caring for her husband, through her own love, frustration and heartbreak, adds to the impact that it has, and the personal feelings that it puts across to the viewer. It helps to form a connection with both those shown and the emotional topics covered. As we see both figures breakdown through their own personal struggles there’s certainly an emotional punch that knocks you back, and for many could make for a tough, but honest, watch.

Where the personal connection doesn’t lie as much is perhaps with some of the other subjects we meet. Couples who are also living through Alzheimer’s, trying to provide care for their partners who they have loved for many years, in many instances their best friends. Perhaps this is because the core connection with Marilyn and Sheldon, they are after all the parents of the filmmaker. The glimpses into other lives and stories do have an impact and leave a mark, however because of the amount of time we spend with them the core focus is absolutely those with whom we share the most pain and heartbreak.

One scene in particular sees Sheldon breaking down on a cruise ship, it’s difficult to watch as you feel you want to help but aren’t sure as to what to do. Instead seeing how Marilyn attempts to cope and deal with her situation in such an enclosed, isolated space – as has become her own home. We truly witness what one doctor describes as something which “becomes a disease for the family members”

Not just a series of events in a couple’s life When All That’s Left Is Love is a film that lives up to, and demonstrates, its title. Even the various other figures we see over the course of the short, yet impactful, 77 minute run-time further prove this point as their bond remains strong and dedicated to each other. Gordon highlights the work that familial caregivers provide, what they do with very little help, assistance and respite; if none at all. After the previous year the film may have an extra layer of poignancy and relevance, adding to the overall effect of the film. Personal from multiple angles When All That’s Left Is Love is an emotional gut-punch that observes love in a time of unfortunate deterioration for both involved in the relationship. It brings you in through the caring nature of the core relationship and; thanks to its home movie style, emphasises such feelings and makes for a strong depiction of both part of a couple’s journey, and an individual one through the tough landscape of Alzheimer’s.

Helped by a highly personal home movie style When All That’s Left Is Love works best when focusing on the loving struggle of the filmmaker’s parents, while still providing some insight into, and appreciation for, familial caregiving.

Release Date – TBC, Cert – N/A, Run-time – 1 hour, Director – Ashley Maria

Documentary looking at the gap towards gender equality in different industries, and what can be, and has been, done to help close it.

Director Ashley Maria’s Pioneers In Skirts is a film that spends no time wasted, getting straight to the facts. Instantly telling the viewer that women’s ambition to reach the top in multiple industries plummets from 43% to 16% in just two years. Constantly not given the opportunity to progress and make their way to something bigger there’s a real passion and drive to Maria’s film – “we all have a role to play in this illusion” she states. Having won a Student DGA in 2010 for her short film Friday Night Fright there are few additional directing credits to her name. In Pioneers In Skirts she sets out to look at the gender gap in terms of equality in a handful of different industries, primarily TV and film, and what can be done to give women more opportunities.

It’s a fight that has been going on for years, with its early fighters and pioneers brought to the fore early on in the film. TV director Joan Darling mentions “I’m in my 80s and I’m still struggling”, just the start of a developing fight that’s been brought more and more to the attention of the masses, however there’s still more to do. It’s made clear and the film itself is part of a personal fight for all those involved. A variety of people are interviewed and give their insights to the knockbacks they’ve experienced simply because of their gender. From veterans of the film industry to high-school girls competing in a tech event there’s a number of glimpses into different people trying to make advances in their respective world and industries and their ambition certainly leaves a mark on the viewer.

With so much happening and a number of interesting perspectives looked into it all seems to fit nicely into the short one hour run-time of the film. There’s no fighting for space amongst the various themes that are covered. There’s even time to show pride in advancements such as the female version of Ghostbusters and Kelly Marie Tran as Rose Tico in Star Wars – when either example appears on screen it feels like a punch the air moment simply because of the impact that they made, and also because of their general presence. It shows the effect that the film has, one with a positive outlook for change instead of dwelling on the negatives. This comes from the drive and determination of Maria, those she interviews and who also take part in table discussions with her. It’s a hopeful film and has an impact because of that, looking at the ground-up development that is being made, and that also needs to be made. Bringing you in early on with its facts and established points and keeping you in place through the hope that it provides and the personal passion that is emitted from the determined minds involved.

With passion and drive from all involved there’s a real sense of hope throughout Pioneers In Skirts as it works its way through various industries with its determined aim of finding ways to remove the gender equality gap.

Release Date – TBC, Cert – N/A, Run-time – 1 hour 40 minutes, Director – Anthony Meindl

A series of short stories linked by the actors talking about their connections to performing.

“Don’t do it unless you really can’t live without it” is the advice of one of the various actors taking part in this quasi-anthology film. Each section is divided up by a new subject being asked about their connection to performing, what they think it offers them, some as acting students, and other people. This quote is a piece of advice is what the figure on screen would give as advice to teenage girls wanting to get into acting, or do anything in life. They divide up a series of multiple short stories that while initially unlinked manage to form a very slight narrative, with loose links from character to character.

As the film develops, an some of the themes and ideas throughout it, points about the relationships between young and old begin to come to the fore of the piece. Such themes increase over the course of the film and allow for a better connection with the piece and the later stories that appear. While initially interesting they only appear as short bursts of insights to various characters’ lives, then developing into something more. Stories covering two or three ten minute patches being to become slightly more involving as they develop with a bigger story, instead of a patch of time in someone’s life. It becomes more engaging and interesting over time, slightly helped by the connections that the actors have with the pieces that they are acting out – emphasising the feeling and ideas of performing being a true escape that the actors are working on.

What further helps this is the fact that in most cases the actors appear to work well together, and give good performances. Helping with the mostly two-hander scenarios, further establishing the drama class style that the piece pushes across. It holds interest and as more themes and ideas come forward and properly establish themselves as links between the segments the film becomes overall more enjoyable and perhaps satisfying, instead of feeling like a lengthy series of unrelated vignettes. Overall there’s a decent enough piece of work here, perhaps more for actors than anyone else; but still there’s enough there of interest to engage the more casual viewers to this project.

Once it establishes itself as more than just a series of loosely linked scenes Sum Of Us is an interesting look into the connection that some people have with acting, especially when looking at the differences between old and young in the later stages of the piece.

Release Date – TBC, Cert – N/A, Run-time – 1 hour 10 minutes, Directors – Tom Alberts, Lisa Barmby

When Russian princess’ (Lisa Barmby) beloved cat goes missing a private detective (Tom Alberts) is called in to search the city for the valuable feline.

An homage to the noir films of 40’s Hollywood, husband and wife duo Tom Alberts and Lisa Barmby’s feature The Big Kitty feels right at home amongst classic ZAZ comedies such as Airplane and The Naked Gun. Its script packed full of wonderfully silly gags from one-liners to quick visual jokes there’s plenty to keep the viewer amused and entertained over the 70 minute course of the film. Sewn in amongst the comedy is the story of a Russian princess (Barmby), who after visiting the Catabianca club finds, in a brief cut of the lights, her beloved cat – “Oh, the fuzz” – stolen. Luckily, “no, I’m a private detective” Guy Borman (Alberts) is on the case. Questioning the frequent patrons of the club and bar for any trace of the valuable pet.

His journey takes him not just to the streets and dark alleyways of the city, but to seances to communicate with the “spirits of the nether regions”. Such lines are delivered with such bluntness or brevity, or even both, that the humour naturally finds its way to the viewer. And while in a number of films a line such as this might not work there’s something about The Big Kitty, perhaps the attention that it plays to its setting, that allows for it to work and be a consistently funny film. Raising many chuckles and laughs along the way. A low budget appears to have been used effectively to properly make the most of the 40’s style and setting, in fact it works to the films advantage in a number of cases, especially when it comes to a handful of the visual gags, that do also feel as if they could have been pulled from a noir film of that era – again linking back to that ZAZ feel. Yet, the film never feels like a rip-off, parody or even copycat (no pun intended) version of such piece. It is very much its own piece that has been carefully made by a small team, who also all appear to have had a lot of fun making this.

Their work has more than paid off, also allowing for the viewer to have an enjoyable time watching the finished product. The hit rate of the gags, even for a number of the running jokes, is high. Never feeling flashy or in your face, perhaps the use of the budget adds to this? Instead simply happening and moving on, adding to the feel of the film and helping with the flow and pacing that it establishes early on. Even with a short run-time the film doesn’t feel as if its missing anything or that it could do more to extend itself, it doesn’t even feel as if it wants to be over and done with, it simply seems to know what it wants to do and does it in a highly entertaining way. Far from spoof or parody, particularly of the kind that we have become used to in the 21st Century, The Big Kitty is a fond look at genre, adding humour and friendly nudges (although never exactly towards the viewer in the hope they recognise a joke) of conventions and clichés within it. Utilising setting, tone and story for effective laughs and homage paying.

Very much in the style of classic ZAZ comedies The Big Kitty is a well utilised feature that while being consistently funny with plenty of silly gags pays homage to Hollywood noirs of the 40s.

Release Date – TBC, Cert – N/A, Run-time – 1 hour 25 minutes, Director – Katherin Hervey

Convicted criminals sit down to openly discuss the root of their crimes with victims present.

“We can’t rewind the clock for ourselves, but we can surely remove the obstacles for other people”. This is one of the many thoughtful, incisive quotes that can be pulled out from director Katherin Hervey’s The Prison Within. A film looking at the restorative justice programme in place at San Quentin State Prison, where convicted criminals meet up in a group to discuss their crimes and what may have been the root for them. These are open, often emotional, conversations, looking into previous traumas and hard pasts. It’s interesting to see the almost instant development that these figures go through – some of whom have life sentences for murder – and the perspectives that they provide, knowing that they’ve done wrong.

Hervey simply observes the conversations and allows them to naturally occur. There’s respect within the group as each person realises something about themselves and what they did, and why. One of the most affecting things said over the course of the film is simply “thank you for honouring me with that question”. Even when victims are introduced and are welcomed into the conversation – there’s heart-wrenching tension as a woman is 50 feet away from death row, where an inmate who murdered her boyfriend is – things remain insightful and civil; really having an impact on the viewer. It adds to the punches that the film naturally pulls as the discussions develop and become increasingly personal – those taking part breaking down into tears as they relieve their pasts and get to the root of what might have led them to commit the crimes they did years later.

This isn’t just a film that looks at how to tackle prisoners after crimes, it looks at how people can be helped from a young age, those in similar scenarios to those in the prison. Points relating to educating children before the crime are shown taking effect in the outside world, alongside the continuing development of those who have been let back into the world. There’s a sense of uplift and joy as you see those involved in the programme using what they have learned to better their communities by educating those around them, and themselves. People begin to teach each other, “teaching me about love, they’re teaching me about pain”.

There are plenty of perspectives shown throughout the film, and not just tackling elements inside of the prison walls. Questions are effectively asked to both the viewer and the inmates, and even those who have faced the consequences and harsh impacts of other people’s crimes. And there are a handful of thoughtful and open insights and comments of regret and revelation. Summing up finely the well-connected themes and ideas that the film puts across thanks to its observations and interviews. All of which are pieced together to create an emotional, engaging and interesting view into a seemingly effective form of restorative justice that brings the viewer in to connect with the personal thoughts and experiences of the members of the group at the heart of the film.

There’s plenty of emotion, thoughtful openness and consideration on display in The Prison Within, it makes for a personal connection with the film’s themes and the affecting thoughts and ideas that they have.

Release Date – TBC, Cert – N/A, Run-time – 1 hour 33 minutes, Director – Christopher Shorr

Former dictators Carlo Supremo (Christopher Shorr) and Jefe Pablo (James P. Jordan) host a telethon to raise money to support future dictators, however a production assistant (Emma Ackerman) has had enough of the various guests (Mary Wright) and their messages.

The Tyrants Of Tomorrow Telethon, an annual event held to raise money for future dictators – “dictators aren’t born, they’re made”. Amongst this year’s faces are “Iraqi Balboa” Saddam Hussein, everyone’s favourite “wacky neighbour” Muammar Gadaffi, and Joseph Stalin, teaching a vodka-fuelled dance lesson entitled the Autocratic Tactic. However, these aren’t just the regular faces that we’ve come to know and fear. In this adaptation of Touchstone Theatre’s musical Dictators 4 Dummies, featuring the same cast members, the characters take the form of dolls. It would be easy to make comparisons to Team America: World Police, and while there is a flavour of that here there’s something slightly less animated about the figures used here. It takes a bit of time to get used to the presences of the dolls, and the general style of the film, however it’s after a while it’s possible to.

This year’s telethon is hosted by fictional former dictator Carols Supremo (writer-director Christopher Shorr), and his recently reunited friend Jefe Pablo (James P. Jordan). They, alongside their various guests, make clear throughout that “we’re all here for the children”, providing them lessons in how to be a dictator in song form. Gadaffi (Mary Wright provides the voices and various accents for the guest hosts) sings a song about misinformation, fake news and denial with a felt-puppet version of himself. With such themes you can’t help but think that a number of points made over the course of the film’s run-time are perhaps meant to ring true for the Trump presidency, amongst the current landscape of modern politics. Such links are felt and understood however the satire never quite comes through leaving the viewer slightly pushed away. Little Timmy Hitler teaching the recipe to [scape]goat does raise a couple of chuckles, but for the most part the ideas seem like those better on paper, or in the live-action theatre environment than with dolls delivering the more physical elements such as dance numbers.

At the back of the telethon’s set, controlling the mayhem backstage, is Emma Ackerman’s production assistant. She sees dictators come and go, spouting their damaging beliefs and messages for ultimate political control and silencing, feeling her voice angrily rising up in protest with each new plastic face that appears on-screen. Unfortunately this line doesn’t start until a fair way through the film and so initially feels like a brief side-point until quickly fully forming, or moulding into, the main messages of the film – there isn’t exactly a major plotline, which isn’t a bad thing. You just wish that you could have spent more detailed time with the character earlier on. It would certainly stop the more scene-to-scene, character-to-character nature of stages feeling that the film has from being as present.

There are plenty of points and comments made within Tyrants Of Tomorrow Telethon to reflect the state of modern politics, particularly the recent Trump administration, however the humour of the satire doesn’t always come through. That being said the film format does allow for the mock-telethon format to be fully embraced, and the creators have fun with this through the use of amusing graphics that appear on screen after the cast of dictators reel off more dubious advice for young future world leaders. The dolls certainly don’t act as a distraction, however the feeling that this likely works better in a live-action format, and even as the theatre musical that it started out as, does come to mind every now and then throughout.

Raising plenty of reflective satirical points throughout, the humour of Tyrants Of Tomorrow Telethon doesn’t always come through. The lack of plot is fine, however a handful of character points do perhaps come into play a bit too late.

Release Date – TBC, Cert – N/A, Run-time – 1 hour 29 minutes, Director – Nóra Lakos

A bakery owner (Vica Kerekes) assembles a fake family (László Mátray, Erik Gyarmati) in the hope of winning a cash prize that could save her business.

“From now on I only care about my pastry shop” defiantly claims Dora (Vica Kerekes), a woman in her mid-30s who’s life is dedicated to the survival of her bakery. It’s a place themed around classic Hollywood movie romances, and Kevin Costner. If you buy one cake you have to buy the other, Robert Redford must go with Barbra Streisand in The Way We Were. After a break-up with her boyfriend David (Miklós Bányai) her shop ‘Hab’ (Cream) becomes the only important thing in her life that she’ll do anything to save, especially as it faces risk of closure. This includes creating a new, fictional life for herself with a fake family in the hope of winning a cash prize that could save her livelihood by coming across as the most closely bonded.

However, even a false family can be highly dysfunctional. Dora recruits nearby dentist and part-time DJ Marci (László Mátray), more of an acquaintance who she doesn’t overly know a lot about but is the best she can find at such short notice. However the competition is for family businesses and so the pair need to find a temporary child. Cue precocious wannabe child actor Lacika (Erik Gyarmati), who throughout is concerned about who his character is meant to be, Tommy Wiseau’s Disaster Artist advice of “don’t be Brando today” was made for this kid. In a film of engaging comedic performances he manages to stand out with some brilliantly funny delivery. While one narrative element of his relationship with an older girl from another family in the competition does start off as somewhat uncomfortable director and co-writer (with Fruzsina Frekete and Yvonne Kerékgyártó) Nóra Lakos manages to even things out to lower such a feeling as the narrative progresses.

Competing in the same event are a number of equally dysfunctional, although real, families. Each with their own personal secrets, quirks and attitudes. Their interactions within their own circles, and with the people they find themselves residing near and with for the duration of the competition make for plenty of humour. The performances throughout are undeniably good and bring about a number of the laughs and bring to life the screenplay. As already established Dora is a fan of classic Hollywood rom-coms and dramas, and in this film she certainly seems to be living a rom-com narrative, even finding herself playing the lead. Yet, Cream never manages to feel overstuffed with clichés and conventions. It carries itself along and thanks to the enjoyable characters and humour that’s injected into their interactions and relationships there’s plenty to like.

Kerekes makes for a strong lead who finely demonstrates the various elements of guilt and determination that the central figure of the film feels. Both in comedic and lightly dramatic senses. Her façade is thrown into disarray and something in need of carefully constructed planning and backstory when her ex attends the same event with his wife, his reason for leaving Dora was that he was engaged throughout their relationship. It’s a line of standard happenings and yet it never quite feels that way within Lakos’ film. It’s an enjoyable, entertaining and often funny line that brings the viewer in with brightness, both in terms of visuals and characters. It’s an engaging rom-com in itself, potentially aware of its conventions, but rarely hindered by them. Instead indulging in its figures and their equally dysfunctional relationships for an effectively funny rom-com.

There’s plenty to enjoy within the various dysfunctional relationships that make up Cream’s narrative, and the performances that help bring about the humour amongst the possibly aware rom-com conventions.

Release Date – TBC, Cert – N/A, Run-time – 1 hour 50 minutes, Director – Xiang Guo

Jailed for murder Nguyen Thi Hoa (Hoang Thi Bich Phuong) finds herself reflecting on the relationships and affairs that have plagued her life.

Thrown into a dark, cold, isolated jail cell, shackled and bleeding Nguyen Thi Hoa (Hoang Thi Bich Phuong) finds the most painful part of her imprisonment is perhaps the memories that come flooding back to her. Memories of a life filled with complicated relationships and affairs. The words “I just want to live a quiet and simple life” are claimed at one point over the film’s mostly flashback narrative. However, her life in 1930’s French Indochina is anything but, especially because of all the people who jump in and out of it in its various stages of luxury and poverty. Safety and chaos.

Perhaps one of the most significant relationships in the film is that with American physician James Marquis (Kazy Tauginas). As army complications come into play, in regards to more than one relationship, and Thi Hoa learns more about the world around her the many people she comes across begin to experience tension. It’s perhaps this relationship that begins much of the worry and complications within the central figure’s life, with emotional consequences rapidly falling onto her. The film certainly works best when focusing just on Phuong’s character, particularly when depicted frightened, alone and cowering in her cell. She’s scared of both her situation and the hundreds of thoughts that are racing through her mind, seemingly only some of which the audience are allowed into in a lengthy narrative. There are certainly some flashbacks and characters that have a bigger impact than others, the English language performances are certainly not best, including interactions with the owner and employees of a materials shop in the more involving second half of the film.

With each relationship we see Thi Hoa almost become someone else each time, however she remains the continuously hurt and scarred figure who we continue to refer back to torturing herself in prison, for the murder of her husband. It is, again, such elements that work the best, the more personal moments for the protagonist as she searches for a calm life, only ending up causing more chaos and heartbreak within the one she’s currently living. One that is occasionally drawn-out and slow in pace, the film does sometimes feel somewhat lengthy as relationships are starting to develop and character interactions are being worked out. However, there’s always the more personal beats to refer back to that help to lift things back up and remind us of the mixture that is being, or has been, created for the central figure. It just sometimes takes some time to get to this reminder within the sprawling arrangement of relationships we see acted out throughout the film.

The relationships throughout Invisible Love can sometimes feel lengthy and sprawling, however it’s the personal details of the central character that manage to keep you somewhat involved, particularly within the more focused second half.

Release Date – 22nd September 2020, Cert – PG, Run-time – 1 hour 25 minutes, Directors – Joshua Tickell, Rebecca Harrell Tickell

Documentary looking into how agriculture and the Earth’s soil can help combat climate change.

Aside from planting more trees and expanding home-grown produce Kiss The Ground turns and takes a look at how humanity can work in “cooperation with nature” to reverse the effects of climate change, or at least combat them. Throughout we meet a number of farmers, activists, politicians and even some celebrities – David and Patricia Arquette make a brief appearance, and Woody Harrelson narrates; even Roasrio Dawson gets an odd interviewer role, which feels somewhat out of place, at the end of the film – who are all pushing the idea that perhaps the way we treat soil could be improved for the both the better of produce and the planet as a whole. Getting across their messages in speeches, meetings, interviews and, of course, the occasional diagram, the viewer followers a handful of figures as they explain to others, and the viewer, the urgency of their cause and how the more people who help out the better the chances are for the future.

It does feel, especially when looking at a handful of the speeches and gatherings, that the film knows its target audience. As the discussion of regenerative agriculture increases it feels as if it’s speaking more to an audience with farming experience than the more casual viewer, items and examples shown and demonstrated in front of fellow members of the industry. The episodic nature of ‘this is what we’ve done, this is what we can do/ are going to do’ does also create a slight shift in engagement for the viewer, slightly escaping from the film in the second half as it doesn’t quite become repetitive but appears to further ground itself in a presumed target audience. However, there is still content there for those outside of the farming content. A look into waste reduction in San Francisco feels slightly closer to home and perhaps has a better degree of connection for some members of the audience.

There’s certainly passion on display and that helps keep those outside of the industry involved in the film, with it’s message that says “we want to mentor and inspire people”. This particularly comes across in the words of speaker and activist Roy Archuleta – a Conservation Agronomist for the Natural Resources Conservation Service – who perhaps makes one of the biggest impacts of the short 85 minute course of the film. We spend a fair deal of time with him at the start, and even at the end, as he speaks passionately about the cause that he has dedicated himself to, in the hope of changing lives and the world for the better. It’s points such as this that help to carry those outside of the farming industry through the elements that seem to lean more towards such people as a target audience, which is no bad thing, especially when taking into consideration a large proportion of the subject matter. However, there is still content outside of soil that manages to keep the interest and engagement of more casual viewers to show a communal fight against climate change that film, and it’s participants, attempt to encourage.

Kiss The Ground certainly knows it’s target audience, which is no bad thing. There’s still content there for more casual viewers, and those outside the farming industry, enough to keep them engaged and interested throughout the slightly episodic course.