Axel Bertha talks to us about his debut feature Against Nature, casting non-professional actors and being mentored by Carlos Reygadas.
“The universe doesn’t care about us, it doesn’t even know we’re here” — Axel Bertha on Against Nature
Festivals
Reviews and dispatches exploring the best new cinema premiering around the world.
The Unknown. Getting Lost in Arthur Harari’s Enigmatic Puzzle.
Controversial at Cannes, the Karlovy Premiere of The Unknown (L’Inconnue) reveals a mysterious and beguiling experience, starring Léa Seydoux.
Martha’s Folly
Small yet powerful, Five Years, Four Months takes an almost structuralist approach to grief, showing one mother’s unending journey to find her missing son.
The Kids Are Not Alright
Miroslav Terzić’s follow up to Stitches (2019) is a devastating exploration of the infinity cruelty of children that makes Adolescence look like Bluey.
Truly Cringe
My Friend the Porn Star appears to be curious about the porn industry, but it rarely leaves the rarefied air of very specific Viennese friend groups.
Anyone Can Be a Hero in The Last Chance
In a deeply cynical world, the moral clarity of WW2 escape drama The Last Chance is extremely refreshing.
Scenes from a Baltic Marriage
With a savage precision, Andrius Blaževičius’ film How to Divorce During the War pushes the limits of Baltic solidarity for Ukraine.
Captain Thunderbolt. A Real Ripper.
Returning to the big screen 72 years after its Karlovy Vary premiere, Cecil Holmes western Captain Thunderbolt is an unsung gem of early Australian cinema.
The Guest Is More Than Welcome
With echoes of classic Dogme 95, The Guest gets great mileage out of Trine Dyrholm as a chaotic mother upsetting a Danish christening.
Human Intelligence. Cinematic Decisions.
Romanian cinema remains, at its heart, a true actor’s cinema. TIFF 2026 provides undeniable evidence; as well as a smattering of international films.